Must-see shopping in San Diego

  • Adams Avenue

    San Diego

    This is San Diego’s main ‘antique row,’ featuring dozens of shops selling furniture, art and antiques from around the world; it cuts across some of San…

  • Westfield UTC

    La Jolla

    Mall shoppers: make a beeline for this large mall out of downtown La Jolla and east of I-5; anchor stores include Nordstrom, Macy’s and Sears, and for…

  • Headquarters at Seaport District

    San Diego

    San Diego's fairly new shopping center (opened 2013) is also one of its oldest buildings: the 1939 former police headquarters has turned into some 30…

  • Pigment

    San Diego

    Organic, modern and homegrown gifts and home items, from obscure books like How to Stay Alive in the Woods and Cabin Porn to wooden water bottles, locally…

  • Pangaea Outpost

    San Diego

    Like a miniworld unto themselves, the 70-plus merchants here offer a supremely eclectic selection of clothing, jewelry, wraps, handbags and semiprecious…

  • Seaport Village

    San Diego

    Neither seaport nor village, this 14-acre collection of novelty shops and restaurants has a faux New England theme. It’s touristy and twee but good for…

  • Galactic

    San Diego

    Lose time perusing the shelves of this cubbyhole comic-book store. It also rents new DVDs and has a bunch of retro arcade games to play inside.

  • Farenheit 451

    San Diego

    This is an honest-to-goodness, old-style bookshop, selling mainly used books, including rare and first editions in plastic sleeves.

  • DG Wills

    La Jolla

    A cozy cavern of books with a large collection of new and used academic works and regular book readings and talks.

  • South Coast Wahines

    San Diego

    At the foot of Garnet Ave at Crystal Pier in Pacific Beach, this store carries spiffy surf apparel for women.

  • Cow

    San Diego

    A music store selling new and used LPs, CDs, DVDs, cassettes, 45s, VHS, 8-tracks and stickers.

  • Warwick’s

    La Jolla

    Good range of reads, from classics to new local releases.

  • Liberty Station

    San Diego

    Between downtown and Point Loma, the former offices, barracks and mess halls of the decommissioned Naval Training Center is an up-and-coming open-air area…

  • Del Mar Plaza

    San Diego

    Downtown Del Mar (sometimes called ‘the village’) extends for about a mile along Camino del Mar. This ritzy shopping mall has restaurants, shops and…

  • South Coast Longboards

    San Diego

    Friendly surfer dudes staff the counter at this beach-apparel and surf-gear shop that carries a good selection of Quiksilver, Hurley, Billabong and O…

  • Carlsbad Premium Outlets

    San Diego

    Big-name retailers such as Calvin Klein and Coach, and purveyors of everything from cookware to jeans, have off-price boutiques among the 50 shops here…

  • Temecula Olive Oil Company

    San Diego

    Temecula Olive Oil Company offers free samples of its herb- and citrus-infused oils, some pressed from the same types of olives that Spanish priests…

  • Solo

    San Diego

    An upscale showroom filled with the collections of eight creatives, find books on design, unusual lamps, clocks, wall hangings, rugs, furniture and more.

  • Buffalo Exchange

    San Diego

    If you need something to wear to dinner, this store carries a good selection of contemporary and vintage fashions, including designer labels.

  • Fashion Valley

    San Diego

    Premier shops here include Apple, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Louis Vuitton, Zara, H&M and Nike, plus department stores Macy’s and Nordstrom.

  • Hazard Center

    San Diego

    The smallest of the three Mission Valley malls, with Barnes & Noble, Joe’s Crab Shack, Starbucks and Yogurtland among others.

  • UN Gift Shop

    San Diego

    The UN Gift Shop sells globally minded crafts, jewelry and souvenirs, donating profits to worldwide children’s charities.

  • Front Street Jerky

    San Diego

    Selling all manners of jerky flavors sliced from top round steak, plus ahi, buffalo and venison.