Prints and gifts inspired by Salvador Dalí at the store in The Dalí Museum, St. Petersburg
Prints and gifts inspired by Salvador Dalí at the store in The Dalí Museum, St. Petersburg
Whether bargain buys, high fashion, toys, books, arts, or handicrafts are on the most-wanted list, Florida does not disappoint shoppers. Children will find irresistible souvenirs across the state, from spacemen and rockets to clown noses and Mickey Mouse ears.
All shops are open from at least 10am to 5pm Monday to Saturday. Sunday hours are generally noon to 5 or 6pm. Call ahead to check if you want to visit a specific shop or mall.
The state’s big outlet malls, with stores from major manufacturers, sometimes called factory stores, promise savings. The biggest outlet is Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise, with more than 350 shops including Polo Ralph Lauren for Children, Tommy Hilfiger Kids, and the Children’s Place Factory Store. Patient kids can be rewarded with stops at the Build-a-Bear Workshop, LEGO® store, and the Game Works arcade.
The Dolphin Mall in Miami offers well-known brands and factory outlets for popular stores such as Coach Leather and Banana Republic. Toys“R”Us will please kids, Gymboree has clothes for newborns to age 12, and Justice and Journeys are stores aimed at tweens and teens.
Premium is a major outlet operator with malls around the state, including in Orlando and St. Augustine. Silver Sands Premium Outlets in Sandestin offers GapKids, Gucci Kids, and The Children’s Place outlets. The customer service offices at the malls usually have a free coupon book with extra savings at selected stores.
Most communities have weekly markets where local farmers display fresh produce and stalls sell cooked savories and desserts. The Saturday Morning Market on St. Petersburg’s waterfront is one of the biggest and best of these events, as is the colorful Daytona Flea and Farmers’ Market, where flea market finds add to the fun every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Fresh produce for sale at one of the many farmers’ markets across Florida
Artists and artisans seem to thrive in the Florida sun, and galleries abound in every town. The Quayside Art Gallery in Pensacola is owned and run by local artists, and the Florida CraftArt Gallery in St. Petersburg shows the best of jewelry and other creative crafts.
The many colorful outdoor fairs that take place around the state are fun for the family, and often offer a chance to talk to the artists. The Florida Folk Festival is one where artisans show and sell traditional folk crafts.
The World of Disney® store in the Disney Springs® Marketplace has everything any kid could want, from a Mickey Mouse watch to a princess tiara. Once Upon a Toy, a delightful toy store with a miniature train running on sus-pended tracks overhead, stocks some classic games redesigned with Disney themes and lets kids play with toys at the build-your-own light saber and Mr. Potato Head areas. The LEGO® Imagination Store here is sure to inspire young builders with its fun LEGO® display sculptures. Star Wars fans of all ages will find everything from T-shirts and costumes to action figures from all the Star Wars films, along with plushy Yodas and BB-8s.
A plethora of Disney plush toys and memorabilia at the Disney Springs® Marketplace
Museum shops stock items to interest all ages, especially the ones in the Ringling, which has all kinds of circus paraphernalia, including juggling balls and puzzles, and The Dalí Museum with its melted watches and other souvenirs.
The food court at Premium, one of the biggest outlet malls in Orlando
Learning Express stores, located across Florida, will please parents and kids alike with their stock of toys that are educational as well as fun. Stores such as Dollar General and Family Dollar, where many things, including toys and snacks, cost just $1, are a shopper’s delight. Almost every town has a dollar store and the variety of offerings is surprising.
The big stores, such as Barnes & Noble, are almost everywhere, and have extensive kids’ departments, but book-loving Florida still has many independent stores. The enormous Vero Beach Book Center includes a separate store dedicated to kids. In St. Petersburg is Florida’s largest book store, Haslam’s Book Store, packed with some 350,000 new and used books.
Many Florida communities hold outdoor book fairs that are fun for the entire family. Author signings and children’s events are part of the festivities. The biggest, the Miami Book Fair International, held in November, draws as many as 350 authors and includes a Children’s Alley with storytelling, puppets, and games. The Festival of Reading in St. Petersburg features a Children’s Storyland with costumed characters, games, and activities.
Dolphin Mall www.shopdolphinmall.com
Premium www.premiumoutlets.com
Sawgrass Mills www.simon.com/mall/?id=1262
Daytona Flea and Farmers’ Market 1425 Tomoka Farms Rd, 32124; 386 253 3330; www.daytonafleamarket.com
Crafts Fairs www.artfestival.com
Florida CraftArt Gallery 501 Central Ave, St. Petersburg, 33701; 727 821 7391; www.floridacraftart.org
Dollar General www.dollargeneral.com
Family Dollar www.familydollar.com
Learning Express www.learningexpress.com
Barnes & Noble www.barnesandnoble.com
Festival of Reading University of South Florida, St. Petersburg; www.tampabay.com/expos/festival-of-reading
Haslam’s Book Store, 2025 Central Ave, St. Petersburg, 727 822 8616; www.haslams.com
Miami Book Fair International, Miami-Dade College, 305 237 3258; www.miamibookfair.com
Vero Beach Book Center, 392 21st St, Vero Beach; 772 569 2050; www.verobeachbookcenter.com