Page 38 - 2017 Travel Guide to California

SHOPPING
BY LENORE GREINER
A Shopper’s Paradise
Outlet bargains, high fashion, and everything in between
bargains behind the walls of a recreated
Mesopotamian palace. And super shopping
opportunities entice savvy shoppers in mil-
lions of square feet of retail space.
CALIFORNIA
SHOPPING
There are countless ways to enjoy
yourself on shopping sprees in
California, from one-of-a-kind
hole-in-the-wall shops to the
grandest department stores and
shopping districts. All of the top
brands are here, from Neiman
Marcus to Nordstrom to
Bloomingdale’s, and famous
districts from Orange County
malls to Rodeo Drive in Beverly
Hills, above, to San Francisco’s
Union Square will give you plenty
to explore.
The Golden State’s iconic malls,
bohemian shops and posh boutiques can
astound even the most jaded sophisticate.
An enticing range of California’s eclectic
creativity awaits visitors throughout the
state, from theme park collectibles to
homegrown surfing gear to fine wine.
Foodies can sample fresh-made cheeses in
artisanal food shops. Fashionistas will love
San Francisco’s luxurious haute couture
haunts. And art lovers can bring home an
original California landscape from a red-
wood-scented artists’ enclave.
California shopping safaris may entail
sighting a celebrity in a Los Angeles bou-
tique, arriving at a mall by boat or hunting
SoCal Glamour
Malls sprawl throughout Los Angeles,
crowned by Rodeo Drive’s stratospheric
price tags. But you’ll find significant bar-
gains in rings, necklaces and other pieces
at prices up to 70 percent less than those in
Beverly Hills in the historic Jewelry District,
one of the country’s largest. More than
1,500 jewelry showrooms stand roughly on
5th and 8th streets to the north and south,
and Broadway and Olive to the east and
west. Behind a facade of bas-reliefs of Baby-
lonian princes and heraldic griffins, the
Citadel Outlets holds 700,000 square feet
of retail bargains inside a one-time 1929 tire
plant modeled on an ancient Assyrian
palace. And between the Farmer’s Market
and The Grove shopping center, the Grove
Trolley provides shoppers free rides along
First Street.
The West Hollywood Design District fea-
tures high-end fashion, interior design,
furniture, decorative arts and luxury brand
stores on Melrose Avenue and Robertson and
36 2017 T R AV E L G U I D E TO C A L I F O R N I A
MICHAEL URMANN/SHUTTERSTOCK; HUNTINGTON BEACH CVB. OPPOSITE: MARK WEBER