If you
love to shop, you'll love the diversity and caliber of stores and shops
offered by South Florida. There are more than 160 shopping centers in Palm
Beach County alone, liberally sprinkled throughout the county offering a
wide selection of items to meet every taste and budget. From internationally
and nationally known department stores to fine specialty shops, boutiques,
and innovative shopping centers, plus downtown districts that offer art
and culture, shopping and entertainment. There are also many factory outlet
stores that are a bargain hunter's delight.
Boca
Raton
Downtown Boca Raton in the area of Federal
Highway and East Palmetto Park Road has been newly landscaped and redeveloped,
offering a wide choice of goods and services, including travel agencies,
gift boutiques and novelty shops, art galleries, clothing and jewelry shops,
skin care and hair salons.
Mizner Park is
downtown Boca Raton's latest addition. This cultural
and commercial village is centered around a Spanish-style
courtyard reminiscent of Mizner's Boca Raton Resort
& Hotel. Opened in 1991, the park features upscale
shops, restaurants, a multi-plex theater, an amphitheater,
the International Museum of Cartoon Art, Jacobsons
Department Store, Liberties Book Store, offices and
theatrical organizations.
Royal Palm Plaza, which is two blocks south
of Palmetto Park, is the popular "Pink Plaza". Recalling the style made
famous by Addison Mizner, with the Mediterranean influence abounding in
the architecture and ambiance of quiet courtyards and sculptured fountains.
The plaza houses 80 specialty shops including art galleries, clothing stores
from casual to fine formal wear, jewelry and gift shops, and fine international
restaurants and cafes.
Central
Boca Raton
Town Center Mall
is centrally located on Glades Road near I-95. This
Spanish-style enclosed mall with exotic foliage, hand-glazed
tiles and courtyard skylights provides a casual but
elegant ambiance. The 1.3 million sq. ft. mall offers
a sophisticated shopping experience and features five
major department stores (Burdines, Bloomingdales, Lord
& Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue and Sears), 180 specialty
shops, a large food court and outstanding restaurants.The
mall is presently being enlarged to 1.5 million sq ft
by the addition of a new Nordstrom Department Store
with an attached parking garage, plus 13 additional
shops, including Tiffany's and William Sonoma, with
a planned opening in the fall of 2000. Also, the Saks
store is being significantly expanded, with an additional
parking garage. There are many other shopping centers throughout Boca Raton that offer outstanding selections.
- East Boca: Fifth Avenue Shops, Oaks Plaza,
Shoppes at the Sanctuary.
- Central Boca: Polo Shoppes, Del Mar Shopping
Village, Garden Shops of Boca, Village Point, Regency
Court, Shoppes of Boca and Piccadilly Square and
Boca Center Shopping Center.
- West Boca: Mission Bay Plaza, Somerset
Shoppes, Boca Lyons Plaza, West Boca Square, Westwinds
Shopping Center, and Shadowood Square.
Delray
Beach
Atlantic
Avenue
Delray Beach's downtown main street portrays the charm
of old Florida, featuring quaint brick sidewalks with
gaslight street lamps. Colorful flowers and plantings,
delightful store fronts and outdoor cafes set the
stage for visitors and locals alike to enjoy shopping,
dining, strolling and the ever popular pastime of
people watching. From the rich architectural and cultural
treasures of Old School Square on the west to beautiful
ocean vistas on the east, Atlantic Avenue beckons
the visitor to stop and relax for awhile and enjoy
the treasures.
The avenue provides a cosmopolitan mix of shops with
a wide array of merchandise - one-of-a- kind gifts
and hard-to-find antiques, art galleries, fine clothing,
and personal and professional services. Many fine
restaurants and clubs offer cuisine for every taste
and lots of establishments feature live music, from
elegant piano to down-home blues. The city offers
frequent special occasions, such as the regular Art
and Jazz on the Avenue and annual Delray Affair.
Palm
Beach/West Palm Beach
Worth Avenue
The county's most famous shopping area
is Worth Avenue, located in Palm Beach - four blocks
of the finest shopping and dining in the world. When
you walk along the tree flanked colonnades and explore
the quaint vias along fabled Worth Avenue, you'll
rub shoulders with the most renowned identities in
international fashion: From Cartier to Tiffany; Ralph
Lauren and Calvin Klein to Giorgio Armani and Louis
Vuitton; Gucci and Chanel to Hermes, Saks Fifth Avenue,
FAO Schwartz, Mondi and Tourneau. In between are nearly
250 exquisite shops and boutiques, tantalizing restaurants
and cafes, and trend setting galleries that cater
to every whim.
Clematis
Cultural, Retail and Entertainment District
Every great city has a street where everyone just
has to go ... where the shopping is so much fun, the
restaurants so delightful, and the people so trendy
that you must be there. In West Palm Beach, that street
is The Clematis Cultural, Retail and Entertainment
District. Beautifully restored buildings maintain
an Old Florida charm. The street is home to a diverse
mixture of more than 30 restaurants, 50 shops and
galleries, and non-stop entertainment and fun. Lined
with colorful landscaping, park benches, and enticing
storefronts, Clematis leads residents and visitors
alike from the Intracoastal waterfront to the heart
of Downtown.
There's never a dull moment on Clematis Street with
a multitude of regular activities and special events
planned all year long - Lunch Concert Series, Saturday
morning GreenMarkets, Clematis by Night and Clematis
Backstage cultural events, live concerts and holiday
celebrations at the outdoor Meyer Amphitheater - to
live music in clubs, author signings and poetry readings,
to name just a few of the activities.
Other
major shopping centers in the area
Nightlife
After dinner, enjoy one of the area's many jazz
clubs or bistros, or relax in a quiet piano bar. There
are many different types of nightlife and entertainment
from which to choose. Palm Beach County has some of
the best night clubs offering everything from country
western to progressive, jazz, contemporary or oldies
music. From comedy shows, live theater, concerts and
movies to a simple stroll on the beach, the county
has something to suit everyone's pace.
|
Isabella
Scott
