Guide to Miami Shopping
Shopping in Miami’s ultra-trendy South Beach (SoBe) is an experience as SoBe is home to many small arty, artisanal or independent shops – in fact, pick almost any street in South Beach and you will probably stumble across some cool shops and boutiques. The best shopping spots are the famous Ocean Drive, Espanola Way and Washington Avenue, while Collins Avenue has a variety of stores, both large and smaller, to satisfy most shopping tastes and budgets. The Lincoln Road open-air pedestrian mall has restaurants and cafes, most with outside seating, and a large range of stores including well-known shops such as French Connection, Ann Taylor, Anthropologie and Miss Sixty. It also hosts a weekly farmers market and fortnightly antiques market, and there’s a multiplex cinema close by for when you’ve had your fill.
Bel Harbour Shops
Bal Harbour Shops, situated on the Bal Harbour Village barrier island at the northern tip of Miami Beach, is perhaps best-known for its designer label shopping such as Chanel, Cartier, Fendi, Louis Vuitton, Hermes and Gucci, but it is also home to stores such as Banana Republic and the Gap. A similar option is the Village of Merrick Park, a mall containing mostly designer stores such as Jimmy Choo, Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom.
Bayside Marketplace
A popular Miami tourist destination in its own right, Bayside Marketplace enjoys spectacular views over Biscayne Bay. As well as having several chain stores such as the Gap, Victoria’s Secret, Sketchers and the Hard Rock Café, the tropical-feel Bayside offers outdoor stands, restaurants and live music. Or for a historical feel head to Dadeland Mall, one of the first malls established in the USA which features large department stores such as Macy's and Saks Fifth Avenue.
Aventura Mall
One of the top five US malls for shopping, Aventura Mall also has chains such as Macy’s and JCPenney as well as fashion stores such as Abercrombie and Fitch – less enthusiastic shoppers are catered for with a children’s playground and a 24-screen cinema. For late-night shopping amongst Mediterranean-style architecture visit the open-air CocoWalk, which has chain stores such as Victoria’s Secret and also restaurants and bars that are open until the small hours.
Sunset Place
Sunset Place has chains such as the Gap, Urban Outfitters and Victoria’s Secret, as well as a Niketown store and large cinema, whilst the Miami International Mall has 120 stores including Macy's and JCPenney. One of Miami’s newest shopping experiences is Dolphin Mall which includes fashion outlet stores, several restaurants and a cinema, and it’s also a short drive from Miami International Airport. Another option is Sawgrass Mills which is 30 miles from the airport and a short drive from Miami itself – this enormous outlet mall is the place to look for a bargain.
