146 Best Places to Shop in Washington, USA

Tacoma's increasingly vibrant maker culture is showcased at its highly popular night markets, which take place at Foss Waterway Seaport. As many as 80 artists and makers sell their wares at gatherings that run from 5 until 10 pm on Saturday nights and feature music and a slew of food and drinks vendors. The night markets are typically followed the next day by a Sunday brunch market from 11 am to 4 pm.

One of the largest farmers' markets in the Northwest, this wildly popular event (held Saturdays and Sundays from mid-March through late October) in leafy Esther Short Park features some 220 vendors offering up everything from crafts and gifts to produce, baked goods, artisan coffee, and a wide range of short-order snacks and foods. There's always live music and great people-watching. A smaller Fall Market takes place here on Saturdays from November through late December.

Since 1980, this enormous three-story bookstore has been an anchor of Fairhaven, bringing literary-minded folks together to shop for recent releases, attend readings and discussions, and socialize amid the shop's several spaces for eating and mingling. These include the Colophon Cafe (a full-service restaurant) and Evolve Chocolate + Cafe on the top floor, whose seating areas have grand views of Bellingham Bay. There's a newer branch in downtown Lynden.

Located in a renovated warehouse along the Columbia River, this market offers specialty food products, fresh produce from nearby farms, artisanal cheeses, seafood, coffee, gelato, and charcuterie, as well as a few restaurants and gift shops. It's been likened to an eastern Washington version of the much larger and older Pike Place Market in Seattle.

Whether you need to bring home an ironic "West Seattle Island" shirt or vintage-style Pacific Northwest hoodie, this cute neighborhood gift shop and boutique has one-of-a-kind clothes to help you remember your visit to Seattle. The rest of the shop is filled with stylish gifts for kids and adults, plenty of cards, and fun locally made products such as bath salts, candles, mugs, and more.

Sophisticated yet relaxed, this upscale women’s boutique offers quality European-inspired looks for all ages. Stop into the Moorish-inspired space for a party dress, statement jewelry, or elegant separates.

Alki Beach gives off SoCal vibes, but the one thing it lacks is surfable waves. Still, that doesn't stop this surf shop from selling everything else you might need for a day on the beaches of L.A. or West Seattle. Beach gear, swimsuits, and sunglasses will keep everyone ready for hanging out in the sand, while the Island-style clothes, accessories, and gifts will make you feel like you might be somewhere warmer or with bigger waves. The merchandise makes a good souvenir (and conversation starter), especially the fleecy sweatshirts for when the sun inevitably goes down and the breeze blows in off the cool water.

Nestled into a residential neighborhood, this spacious gallery features work by artists from all over the country, along with locals in its "Niche Market" space. There's a focus on inclusiveness and diversity, and they don't shy away from big, bold pieces. Note that open hours are limited to afternoons.

The specialty here is Northwest native art, including scrimshaw and wood carvings.

In this impressive trifecta of shopping centers, you'll find just about any chain store you've heard of (and some that you haven't). Bellevue Square's wide walkways and benches, its many children's clothing stores, kid's hair salon, and first-floor play area make this a great place for little ones, too. A variety of local restaurant groups and national chains serve quick, good casual food, and you can park for free in the attached garage. Take the sky bridge to Lincoln Square to catch a flick at their 16-screen cinema, organize your life at the Container Store, or sample an assortment of other retail outlets. Eat at one of the several high-end restaurants, the famous Din Tai Fung, or the upscale food court. Bellevue Place, across from Lincoln Square, hosts a variety of stores, restaurants, and a Fonte Coffee Roaster. From Black Friday through Christmas Eve, thousands of people line Bellevue Way between the shopping centers every night at 7 pm to experience the festive and free Snowflake Lane extravaganza.

A short stroll from the big tech companies based along the canal, Blue Owl encourages male shoppers to go beyond the ubiquitous khakis and polos of the tech world with high-end denim, leather goods, and other clothing and accessories from Japan, Canada, Europe, and the USA. The Pacific Northwest-friendly flannel shirts may cost a small fortune but they’re the softest you’ve ever felt. Blue Owl also has a reputation for carrying Seattle’s best selection of raw denim---once broken in, the highly coveted small-batch jeans supposedly provide an unsurpassed look and fit.

Part curiosity shop, part vintage toy store, this eclectic spot is great for unusual gifts or to spend some time browsing. Original and creative toys, cards, games, T-shirts, masks, and statuettes are just some of the treasures you’ll find here.

If you love microbrews, then make a pilgrimage to Bottleworks to peruse its massive collection. With 16 taps plus around 950 chilled varieties of malty goodness available, including seasonal varieties, vintage bottles, and global rarities, there's a beer for everyone here—as well as a good sampling of mead and cider. Try a few beers from the taps or bottles (with corkage fee) in their sit-down area, too.

Part of the fun in visiting this pastoral farmstead in Bow, apart from stocking up on fresh-picked (or pick-yourself) organic blueberries, is sampling the wide range of gourmet goodies. Bow Hill prepares and sells juices, salad dressings, pickled preserves, and other treats made with local blueberries—there's blueberry ice cream, too.

Since 1935, this warmly inviting downtown bookshop has been nourishing the minds of literary Olympians. The knowledgeable staff is devoted to stocking the shelves with interesting works, many by regional authors or with a local focus.

Amazing sandwiches, croissants, and coffee.

This bustling complex of eateries and shops, which you reach soon after driving onto the island, is a great place to grab picnic supplies for your Camano adventures. It contains a counter-service bakery offering espresso drinks, pastries, and ice cream, along with venues for dine-in or takeout breakfast, burgers, sandwiches, and craft beer. The Loft gallery on the upper level sells funky, locally made crafts and gifts.

Pick up a snack or the makings of a picnic at this lively basement-level cheese shop that stocks both domestic and imported cheeses, along with German sausages, other meats, and all the accoutrements for a picture-perfect charcuterie board. There's also a shop at the Pybus Market in Wenatchee.

This local artists' cooperative exhibits and sells crafts, jewelry, and fine art.

Crossroads Trading Co. carries dependably cute and trendy used clothes, bags, and accessories. Their buyers screen each item, so you won't be stuck poring over a rack of stained T-shirts. It's all clean, bright, and fun.

This island favorite, with a coffee bar and a couple of cozy seats with panoramic views of the water, specializes in literary fiction and nautical literature. There's also a nice selection of cards, gifts, craft supplies, and children's books.

This small, stylishly outfitted shop with a roll-up door for warm days, stocks a great, varied selection of great-condition used vinyl, including deep-catalog albums, plus a lot of 45s. Local audiophiles adore this place.

A Seattle institution since 1979, Dusty Strings has long been delighting folk and roots music lovers with beautifully crafted hammered dulcimers, harps, guitars of all stripes, banjos, ukuleles, and mandolins. The relaxed shop invites hands-on browsing, and the lilting strains of traditional melodies often fill the space.

Opened in 1988 and still thriving, this record store will make you feel cool enough to wander the aisles and browse the new and used vinyl, even if you've never dropped a needle in your life. A staple of Seattle's music scene, it hosts free in-store performances by bands you've probably heard of (Pearl Jam has played here), along with selling records, CDs, cassettes, and DVDs. Listening stations let you preview albums before purchasing, and the attached café offers the kind of breakfast you'd want after a night of rocking out. Every other Monday is Music Quiz night.

This handsome boutique in the heart of downtown dispenses artisan coffee (and sells beans by the bag as well), along with a great selection Pacific Northwest–made men's and women's apparel, household goods, upcycled furnishings, and other intriguing wares.

For outdoor gear with an edgy vibe, locals head to evo, which specializes in snow-sports and also carries a solid selection of seasonal street clothes for men and women. You'll find everything you need to shred Washington's big mountains in style, from fat powder skis and snowboards with wild graphics to flashy ski jackets and thick woolen beanies.  evo shares its industrial-modern "campus" with the restaurant Joule and Seattle's only indoor skatepark, All Together Skatepark, is right next door.

Goods from about 25 vendors are crammed into every conceivable corner of this bi-level space, so you'll likely score at least something to take home (or giggle at in nostalgia). Clothing, furniture, and collectible art are among the finds, and the mall's eye-catching assortment of kitschy retro stuff is fun to look through whether you're a serious collector or just an innocent bystander. The Jive Time Records Annex is also a tenant. It's easy to walk right past this place—look carefully for the door and then proceed down the flight of stairs.

This bustling market is a fun stop for picnic supplies or treats to bring home with you—think chocolates, local coffee, finishing salts, cheeses, charcuterie, artisan cider and beer, handmade sugar scrubs and soaps, toys, and flasks.