50 Best Places to Shop in USA

Named for the landmark Hayden Flour Mill, this is one of the Valley's favorite walk-and-shop experiences. Directly west of the Arizona State University campus and just steps from a light-rail stop, Mill Avenue is an active melting pot of students, artists, residents, and tourists. Shops include some locally owned stores and midrange chains, as well as many bars and restaurants. The Valley Art Theater is a Mill Avenue institution and Tempe's home of indie cinema.

Across the Ravenel Bridge, this mall has 60 stores, including Old Navy, Barnes & Noble, and the locally owned Copper Penny.

Within this upscale shopping district's six blocks, you’ll find exclusive retailers such as Rag & Bone, Albisia, and Wolford, as well as locally owned shops. Eateries include Tampa classics like the Goody Goody restaurant; contemporary spots like the Meat Market steak house; and more modern places like Timpano, which serves Italian. Be sure to check out the district’s calendar of events. There’s always something fun going on!

High-quality Native American jewelry and crafts are sold at surprisingly good prices in the adobe shops of Old Mesilla Plaza if you have the patience to weed through multitudes of cheesy ceramic Native American dolls with feathered headdresses (not what the locals wore) and other various and sundry tourist tchotchkes. The al fresco Farmers Market offers homegrown produce such as watermelons and green chiles (in season), as well as handcrafted souvenirs and jewelry, on the plaza noon to 4 Sunday and 11 to 4 Friday year-round. In mid-afternoon on Sunday from September to early November, you can enjoy live mariachi music here, too.

Laid-back Pass-a-Grille is well known for its serene beaches, historic buildings, and small-town vibe. What many visitors—and locals—don't know is that eight blocks north of the island's southern tip lies a strip of upscale local shops and art galleries. Favorites include Paradiso (resort wear, etc.), Galene's Paradise (an eclectic shop of treasures, and A Little Room for Art (an artists' cooperative). An interesting variety of restaurants and bars, including a sweets shop, an Italian restaurant, and Shadrack's, a quintessential beach dive, also line the street.

In-the-know interior designers, incognito celebrities, and other fashionable folk who are in the market for orange rotary phones, Italian ceramics, new rugs, peacock chairs, or a piece of statement art, head to this 30,000-square-foot treasure trove tucked behind the Agua Caliente Casino. Here, expertly sourced vintage and contemporary art, decor, and furniture are sold in a handful of stores including Hedge, Object Culture, Spaces, and JC Studio.

Though it's often crowded and a little rowdy after dark, no visit to Savannah would be complete without a stroll through Riverfront/Factors Walk. These nine blocks of renovated waterfront warehouses were once the city's Cotton Exchange. Today, you'll discover more than 75 boutiques, galleries, restaurants, and pubs, as well as a spectacular view of the Savannah River. Glimpse impressive cargo ships as they head to port while you shop for souvenirs, specialty treats, and local art. Tired of shopping? Catch a dolphin tour or dinner boat and see the waterfront from a different perspective. River Street's cobblestones and Factors Walk's steep stairwells can be rough, so be sure to wear comfortable footwear.

The community's "downtown" has great shops clustered mostly on Barrett Square and Main Street. It's easy to stroll from boutique to toy store to gift shop to home decor showroom—and take a coffee break at Amavida Coffee & Tea or stop at a restaurant if you're in need of greater revivification.

More than a dozen interesting apparel, home, and jewelry stores and upscale local restaurants, set in 1920s, Mediterranean Revival–style buildings, surround the open square here.

The highlights here include upscale clothing and accessories boutiques, art galleries, home-furnishings shops, a chocolatier, local coffee shops, and trendy restaurants.

At 16th and Chestnut streets is the Shops at Liberty Place. The complex features a food court and popular stores, including a Loft Outlet, Jos. A. Bank, and Bloomingdales Outlet. More than 20 stores and restaurants are arranged in two circular levels within a strikingly handsome 90-foot glass-roof atrium.

Not too far from Siesta Key's wildly popular beaches is a cluster of stores, restaurants, and watering holes you won't want to miss. This is a great place to shop and grab a bite after the beach—or earlier if it's not a beach day.

Park in the municipal lot at the end of Avenida Madera, then stroll down Ocean Boulevard, where you'll find clusters of upscale shops and a range of restaurants and bars.

No visit to Sarasota is complete without a visit to this busy yet laid-back shopping hub—literally and figuratively, as it's arranged around a large traffic circle in the middle of Lido Key. (Trivia: it was developed by John Ringling.) You'll find a sprinkling of upscale retail chains, including White House Black Market, but the area's small, imaginative boutiques are the real draws. St. Armand's Circle also offers plenty of dining and dessert (especially ice cream) options, nightlife, and just plain people-watching.

There is no shortage of spots to shop everything from sporting goods to trendy fashions on this pedestrian-friendly strip. Outposts here are mainly of the chain-but-cool variety (think Urban Outfitters or Anthropologie), and in between splurging on books, clothing, sneakers, and more, shoppers can pop into one of the many eateries, watch street performers and artists do their thing, or even catch a movie at one of the theaters. Additionally, the chef-approved Farmers Market takes over twice a week (Wednesday and Saturday), and with the beach just a few steps away, the destination is a quintessential California stop.

Near Fifth Avenue South, a collection of tin-roof former boat docks along Naples Bay has more than 30 boutiques, eateries, and souvenir shops, with everything from jewelry and T-shirts to Jet Ski rentals and seafood.

Locally owned boutiques, galleries, antique shops, and a cupcake bakery are among the attractions of this five-block shopping district just a few blocks north of downtown.

Most of the high-end restaurants and design shops here are located in and around Westside Provisions District, a complex of former meatpacking warehouses transformed into bustling stores.

This square is a small but charming and pedestrian-friendly gathering place with shops and restaurants popular with downtown business types on their lunch breaks. The quirky galleries make for amusing window-shopping.

Thanks to insightful city planners, Great Falls is blessed with a beautiful and extensive downtown shopping district full of the kind of old-fashioned stores—including galleries, toy stores, and clothiers—that in other parts of the country are rapidly giving way to chain stores and shopping malls. During the summer the downtown area comes alive with events such as the Great Falls Farmer's Market, held outside the Civic Center from June through September, and Alive at Five, which brings live music downtown one evening a week. Most of these businesses are in an area bounded by the Missouri River, 8th Street, 4th Avenue North, and 4th Avenue South.

Laramie's most interesting shopping is found in a shopping district called Landmark Square along Ivinson and Grand avenues. Stores here sell artwork, clothing, and handcrafted items.