Shopping
If you're looking to take home souvenirs or just enjoy the sport of shopping, your options are plentiful in the San Diego area, and just across the border, Tijuana offers a bargain-lover's paradise.
These are some of the best places to shop in San Diego. Most are open seven days a week.
RAINY DAY FUN
Going shopping may sound like a good idea on a rainy day, but some San Diego shopping malls have open roofs. If you're looking for a place to get in out of the rain, ask your hotel's concierge or front desk for recommendations.
Bazaar Del Mundo
4105 Taylor Street, San Diego
www.bazaardelmundo.com
Located near Old Town State Historic Park, Bazaar del Mundo's shops sell items from Mexico and other international locations. You'll find the Laurel Burch Gallerita here, as well some nice Mexican restaurants.
Fashion Valley Shopping Center
7007 Friars Road, San Diego
(619) 297-3381
www.simon.com
Fashion Valley is an outdoor shopping center that has 150 stores, an AMC movie theater, and restaurants that include P. F. Chang's, California Pizza Kitchen, and the Cheesecake Factory.
Hillcrest
Go north on University Avenue from downtown and you'll find the Hillcrest area, a lively neighborhood popular with San Diegans but less known among tourists, where you can find some nice boutique shops and reasonably priced, good restaurants.
Horton Plaza
324 Horton Plaza, San Diego
(619) 239-8180
www.westfield.com/hortonplaza
Downtown San Diego's multilevel mall spans seven blocks with 150 stores, a food court, a fourteen-screen movie theater, and the San Diego REPertory Theatre.
Mission Valley Center
1640 Camino del Rio N., #1290, San Diego
(619) 296-6375
One of San Diego's largest open-air shopping centers, Mission Valley contains more than 150 stores, including Nordstrom Rack, Loehmann's, Macy's, and an AMC twenty-screen movie theater.
Plaza del Pasado
Juan and Calhoun Streets
www.plazadelpasado.com
Located near Old Town State Historic Park, Plaza del Pasado (Plaza of the Past) is home to shops, restaurants, and historic attractions.
Seaport Village
849 W. Harbor Drive, San Diego
www.seaportvillage.com
With its waterfront dining and shopping, this San Diego landmark has something for every member of the family.
Nearby communities also offer some great shopping in the San Diego area. Here are a few of the best:
La Jolla
Prospect Street in downtown offers a wide range of boutiques, art galleries, and shops to browse in, and it's a nice place for dinner, too.
Coronado
Besides the shops at the Hotel del Coronado, Orange Avenue is lined with a good selection of small, local shops, and it has a nice, laid-back ambiance.
TRAVEL TIP
Bargaining is not only acceptable in Tijuana, it's expected. Know the going price of anything you want to buy before you go, take cash, and shop around. When you're ready to buy, ask the price, but try not to appear too eager, and then wait for the shopkeeper to reduce his or her price several times before making a firm counteroffer.
Tijuana
Most shoppers head for the shops along Revolución Avenue, but the Arts and Crafts Market at Calle Segunda (2nd Street) and Via Negrete offers better bargains and a more laid-back environment. To be sure you can get back into the United States with no hassles, bring along proof of citizenship or residency, or your passport and visa if you're from another country.
