10 Best Shopping Spots In San Diego (2024)

Whether you are a San Diego resident or just visiting the town to explore its beauty, there is no harm in knowing the best places to go shopping and save time and lots of money. San Diego boasts a wide range of boutiques, outlet malls, shopping malls, and even museum themed gift stores, and every place is worth stopping into. The best part about San Diego shopping scenes is that they suit all tastes and budgets. Whether you are looking for fashionable boutiques or want to shop from a thriving antique district, San Diego has it all.

10 Best Shopping Spots In San Diego

So it’s time to whip out your credit cards and slip into your walking shoes and check out the best shopping spots in San Diego for a diverse selection of books, crafts, jewellery, clothes and more.

1. Seaport Village

Seaport Village is a waterfront village area that sprawls over 14 acres and consists of more than 50 speciality shops and galleries. The most popular and known articles you will find here are nautical collectables, home accessories, hand-made soaps, jewellery, toys and many more things. After a long day at shopping, you might also feel hungry, but no worries because Seaport consists of amazing dining options with plenty of gourmet restaurants to fill up your little cravings. Every Sunday, the market area offers free entertainment at the gazebo. The area has also been greatly enhanced since the Headquarters, a multi-special entertainment complex inaugurated here. It is recommended for the best shopping spots in San Diego because you will find everything here along with a wide variety of entertainment options. Image Source

2. Mingei International Museum Collectors Gallery/Museum Store

Mingei International Museum is a popular museum store that features a wonderful collection of folk art and collectables from around the world. The merchandise consists of current exhibits like unique and gorgeous tea sets, housewares, hand-made jewellery, books, DIY crafts and much more things especially focused on decoration. All the shoppers visiting this place need not worry about their specific choices because you will find something for every age group here within a number of price ranges. If you are someone who is very particular about shopping, then this Museum store is the perfect shopping spot to buy some curated merchandise which are not commonly found anywhere else.

3. Horton Plaza

Horton Plaza brims with colourful and whimsical architecture, which sets it apart from any other shopping mall in the whole region. The complex has become a landmark when it comes to shopping in San Diego. The construction of this multi-level complex jumpstarted the Renaissance of San Diego Gaslamp Quarter. Horton Plaza continues to appeal to all the visitors throughout the year with its wide range of shopping options. In addition to this, you will find many famous retailers, a wide array of shops, restaurants and eateries to freely enjoy your summer day out here. During the holiday season, the area is equipped with an ice-skating rink, which adds to the festive touch of the region. This is a location that is centrally located in the city and is the best go-to shopping place for people residing in Downtown San Diego.

4. Little Italy

Little Italy is San Diego’s most delightful shopping location, which offers a beautiful amalgamation of history and the Italian tradition of the early 20th Century. If shopping is your prime exploration part, then there are numerous art galleries, boutiques, home décor stores and even antique stores. After spending your whole day shopping around, spend some time trying authentic Italian cuisines from Italian eateries. Little Italy is also home to one of the most popular farmer’s markets in San Diego, which consists of a wide range of fresh produce and products made by local artisans. This place is best known for home décor and antique shopping and also has plenty of authentic Italian restaurants which can be tried after shopping.

5. Urban Seed Home & Garden

Urban Seed Home and Garden is one of the favourite shopping spots in San Diego for locals. This place provides amazing home and garden décor items along with consultation services. They also provide unique glassware, paper, furniture, air plants and fresh-cut flowers, which makes it the perfect place to look for a gift. Its location in Old Town makes this store an easy and comfortable stop for the visitors who especially look for Mexican food and a little California history. Urban Seed Home & garden is more exciting for shoppers who have an eye for décor and small gifts. It is one of the perfect places to shop for gift items, souvenirs and more.

6. Gaslamp Quarter

This 16-Block section of the Downtown area is a national historic district that is sprawling with 100 speciality shops, restaurants and art galleries. There are numerous theatres and nightclubs which are located in the Gaslamp Quarter. After the sun sets down, there are plenty of things to enjoy here. For shoppers, there are numerous boutiques and retailers like Urban Outfitters, Puma Store and Quicksilver. And if you are looking for some unusual shopping like hand-rolled cigars, street machine, skateboarding, all of that is available at Gaslamp Quarter. Most of the visitors who come to San Diego surely end up in the Gaslamp Quarter to enjoy shopping in the perfect sense. Don’t forget to take a break from shopping and enjoy dining at one of the Gaslamp’s popular restaurants.

7. La Jolla

Also known as Rodeo Drive of San Diego, La Jolla’s prospect street is perfectly lined with small specialty shops, antique emporiums, boutiques and art galleries. The streets also include some awesome boutique shopping shops, which consists of designer fashion clothes, elegant and sophisticated apparel shops. However, La Jolla is popular for original and exquisite jewellery. Big brands like GAP, Lululemon have also opened their outlets in this area, but despite that, La Jolla has retained its small-town market charm. For the ease of shoppers, parking areas are also available on other streets. After completing your shopping, you can fill your empty stomach by eating at the city’s best restaurants that are just within walking distance.

8. Fashion Valley

One of the most popular shopping spots in San Diego is Fashion valley. It is centrally located in the valley district of San Diego and is a paradise for shoppers not just because of the 200 stores and restaurants but due to its ambience and two levels. Fashion Valley houses a wide range of retail stores, including Macy’s Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, JCPenney, Tiffany & Co. and more. And the only outlets of Louis Vuitton and Prada of the city are located here. In addition to this, this place also has some amazing outdoor cafes and restaurants to fulfil your cravings after walking through an array of shopping outlets and stores. There’s hardly a chance that whatever you want will not be available here. Fashion Valley mall homes the shops which fit all the budget, and everyone would find something to take home.

9. Cedros Avenue Design District

Cedros Avenue Design is located at Solana Beach amongst the streets of Via De LA Valle and Lomas Santa Fe. This district has more than 90 shops, restaurants, boutiques and spas. Shoppers will find everything here from books, clothes, home décor, antique shopping, pet supplies and a lot more things. In addition to this, world-renowned interior designers and architects have their offices here. On Sundays, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, you will find a farmer’s market at the south end here. This market is very close to the Amtrak train station and is just a quick walk from there. Cedros is a less hectic and less crowded place to shop for stylish gifts and clothes. The popular stores include SoLo for books and gifts and Mabel’s for maternity and baby clothes.

10. Carlsbad Premium Outlets

The Carlsbad Premium Outlets is located very near to the west of The Flower Fields and is in Legoland. This mall outlet has more than 90 stores and restaurants, which offer an average savings of 25% and 65% off from actual retail prices. Some popular stores include Barneys New York, Gap, Theory, Skechers, and many more eminent brands have their stores here. After spending your day shopping around, you can fill your growling tummy from fast-casual dining restaurants like Ruby’s diner and Rubios. Carl’s Premium is the only outlet mall in North County San Diego with very popular brands like Barney’s and Kate Spade.

Conclusion

As you can see, you will find a plethora of shopping spots in San Diego. If you are a shopaholic, then make sure you visit each and every outlet to experience the varieties of shopping outlets and their ambience.