University Town Center in Sarasota is western Florida’s newest retail development.  The 880,000 square foot, two-level enclosed regional shopping center is anchored by Saks Fifth Avenue, Macy’s and Dillard’s, the center is located at the S.W. quadrant of I-75 and University Parkway, in Sarasota. shopIn addition to retail stores there are several restaurant options including Brio, an upscale yet affordable restaurant serving authentic, northern Italian cuisine in a Tuscan villa atmosphere, the Capital Grille, a fine-dining restaurant known for its dry-aged steaks  and fresh seafood, Kona Grill and sushi bar and The Cheesecake Factory among others.

Learn more here.

Prime Outlets  Ellenton, just east of Bradenton, showcases luxury factory outlet shopping with 130 designer and brand-name stores including COACH Factory, Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH, Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Store and Dooney & Bourke. 

Learn more here.

Crossings at Siesta Key has over 40 stores, including:  Dillard's, Saks Fifth Avenue, Banana Republic, Macy's, Pottery Barn, Talbots, Williams-Sonoma and more!  Westfield Southgate Shopping Center is just a half hour south of Bradenton at 3501 South Tamiami Trail, Sarasota FL 34239.  941-955-0900. 

Learn more here.    

St. Armands Circle - an island shopping center reached by two bridges over Sarasota Bay. Set amidst a tropical paradise, St. Armands is a circle of fine shops and gourmet restaurants. Renowned as a market place with a continental flavor and lush tropical plantings, courtyards and patios, antique statuary and contemporary architectural.  Relax in the restaurants, explore the shops - from trinkets to treasures, gourmet snacks to candlelight feasts, you'll find it on St. Armands Circle.  

Learn more here.

Main Street At Lakewood Ranch is an outdoor venue offering more than 30 fashion boutiques, 7 international restaurants, and the Lakewood Ranch Cinemas. Famous names and specialty shops line the streets. The open-air environment provides a unique plaza for strolling and shopping and often offers evening, free music concerts overlooking Lake Uihlein.

Learn more here.

International Plaza, adjacent to Tampa International Airport, is a spectacular shopping and dining destination in Tampa.  There are four major department stores, over 200 specialty shops and Bay Street at the Plaza... an open-air village of fine restaurants and distinctive boutiques. Nordtrom, Tiffany Neiman Marcus, Gucci, Apple, Crate & Barrel and Burberry are just a few of the retailers at the International Plaza.  All are just 50 minutes north of Bradenton.

Learn more here.

Miromar Outlets is a shopping center with over 140 designer and brand name outlet stores including Ann Taylor, Adidas, Banana Republic, Bass, Calvin Klein, Brooks Bros., DKNY, Gap, Izod, Nike, Neiman Marcus Levi’s, Van Heusen and many, many more!  Voted Southwest Florida’s “Best Factory Outlet Shopping Center” ten years in a row the center is located between Fort Myers and Naples on I-75 about an hour and 45 minutes south of Bradenton.  

Learn more here.

The Red Barn is Bradenton's one-stop flea barn destination for the whole family. Search every conceivable kind of great stuff in air conditioned comfort! Explore an unbelievable variety in over 600 booths and specialty shops. Park free on 15 acres of space around the market.  Stroll paved lanes to find your deals. Then head outside for even more…practically anything you can think of! It’s a fun day of discovering what you need and then negotiating the price!  Get a deal!  

Learn more here.

The Farmers Market on quaint, tree-lined Main Street in Bradenton is an outdoor market open every Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. from October through May.  Shop for fresh food and produce, arts and crafts, plants, jewelry; listen to live music and view events and demonstrations.  Find fresh just off-the-boat seafood, local produce brought in from the farm, fresh gourmet bread and flavored olive oil.  Grab a Kosher hot dog or bratwurst, perhaps some BBQ, and take home real Wisconsin cheese.  There are also children's activities, holiday-themed contests and performances.

Learn more here.

Shopping at Third Street South, in Naples next to the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico, the sophisticated and delightful shopping and dining on historic Third Street South awaits among courtyards, antique European fountains, and lush colorful cascading flowers. Nestled among its courtyards and plazas the historic area is brimming with chic fashions and casual clothes, accessories and jewelry; galleries filled with fine art and sculptures; antique stores with porcelains, silver and furniture; boutiques full of decorations and gifts for home and garden; all surrounded by Naples’ history.  Fine restaurants, relaxing cafes, fun bistros and pubs feature delicious choices in many different cuisines nestled near shops.  

Learn more here.

Worth Avenue is an enchanting resort destination in Palm Beach, with European sophistication, style and grace, Worth Avenue has been synonymous with old world grace in the new world tropics – a dreamlike Mediterranean boulevard complete with charming bougainvillea-draped vistas. It’s a place of courtyards and palm trees, gothic arches and doggie bars, sidewalk strolling and al fresco lunches. It’s a street like no other in America – and this year the nation made it official.   Worth Avenue was named to the national Top 20 Iconic Streets in America, according to 10Best.com, a division of USA Today. Shopaholics gravitate to this ultra-upscale venue.  Even if you only browse, the sights are irresistible.

Learn more here.  

In Naples, FL. Fifth Avenue South boasts a unique collection of boutiques, galleries, fine and casual dining, home furnishings, professional services, theater and more! World class art and theater. One of a kind galleries and showrooms. Monthly events and annual festivals. You can find a huge variety of upscale shops, restaurants and cafes on this stylish street.

Learn more here. 

The Mall at Millenia offers an extraordinary experience, for those visiting Orlando. Visitors from around the globe are invited to add world-class shopping to the list of Orlando attractions.  A dazzling selection of international stores makes The Mall at Millenia an essential shopping destination.  This exceptional collection of over 150 retailers is presented in a distinctive environment of dramatic architecture and amenities.  The Mall at Millenia offers a U.S. Post Office, valet parking and a full-service concierge offering an array of superior amenities.  Located in The Mall at Millenia Concierge, Foreign Currency Exchange buys and sells currency from over 80 different countries. 

Learn more here.

Tin City. In 1887, a group of wealthy Kentuckians built a pier 600 feet into the Gulf of Mexico. Soon after, Naples, FL became a winter playground for industrialists and celebrities including Harvey Firestone, Thomas Edison, Greta Garbo, Gary Cooper and Hedy Lamarr. In the 1920s Tin City’s tin roofed buildings were the hub of economic development and in the 1970s, seven of Tin City’s sturdy old buildings were transformed to become “The Old Marine Marketplace at Tin City”, a colorful maritime-mix of shops and eateries. Today, Tin City still holds its historic, old Florida charm, and is home to over thirty unique boutiques, two waterfront restaurants and a variety of water and boating adventures that are fun for all ages! 

Learn more here.

The Oldsmar Flea Market has been a shopper’s mecca on 20 acres for more than 30 years in Oldsmar an hour north of Bradenton. With more than 450 vendors selling every item you can imagine, you could browse all day and still not see everything the Oldsmar Flea Market has to offer.  Slip into some comfortable shoes and put your explorer’s hat on, and embark on an adventure. Antiques, jewelry, parrots, scooters, furniture, watches, sun glasses, luggage, paintings, kayaks, golf clubs, coins and stamps, toys, DVDs, collectibles etc.  Admission and parking are free. 

Learn more here.

Sparkman Wharf is a great entertainment destination to enjoy Tampa’s urban waterfront. If you are looking for a casual or fine dining experience, you’ll find a restaurant to satisfy your cravings. Our Dining Garden features ten of Tampa’s best restauranteurs experimenting with new culinary concepts in a relaxed outdoor waterfront setting. Fermented Reality Biergarten is an open-air biergarten featuring over 30 taps with an emphasis on Florida craft beer. Other refreshments like wine, ice tea and natural soda are also available. Situated adjacent to the lawn and dining garden, the biergarten is covered to provide an intimate and comfortable space to sit in while you enjoy the waterside view.

Learn more here.

The Town of Micanopy about two hours northeast of Bradenton is the antiques capital of Florida. Dedicated on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, Cholokka Boulevard, is Micanopy's main street, and the Town's primary tourist destination famous for its antique shops. Micanopy's eclectic mix of authentic rustic storefronts lure casual shoppers, collectors, seasonal scouts from all over the country, and Hollywood film makers.  Charming diners and the nationally lauded Greek revival mansion, the Herlong Mansion Historic Inn (1845), provide Southern hospitality as a bed and breakfast. A two-story brick schoolhouse (1895) the Town Hall. Across the street, the wood-planked Thrasher Warehouse (1890) houses the Historical Society and old cracker houses add to the picturesque warmth of "the town that time forgot." 

Learn more here.

Arcadia is a small quaint town home to one of the largest antique shopping districts in the area. It’s located an hour southeast of Bradenton and has quite a few antique shops where one can browse seemingly forever exploring really old furniture, fixtures, tools, you name it! Spend the day or weekend. Just park your car and walk to all the shops and restaurants on Oak Street.  

Learn more here.

Tampa Premium Outlets is conveniently located in the heart of Wesley Chapel, about an hour northeast of Bradenton is filled with beautiful landscapes, wildlife and, of course, shopping off Interstate 75 and State Road 56. Anchored by Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH, guests will enjoy over 110 shops including, Calvin Klein, Coach, J. Crew, Michael Kors, Polo Ralph Lauren, and Tommy Hilfiger. You will also enjoy delicious options at Market Hall, including Green Leaf's Beyond Great, Villa Fresh Italian Kitchen and Johnny Rockets. Tampa Premium Outlet is just 30 minutes from local attractions like Busch Gardens, Lowry Park Zoo, and the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI).

Learn more here.

Orlando Premium Outlets is located about an hour and forty minutes east of Bradenton and near Universal and Disney theme parks.  The
150 outlet stores include: Ann Taylor, Barneys New York Outlet, Burberry, Coach, Diesel, Fendi, Gap Outlet, Giorgio Armani, Kenneth Cole, Lacoste, Nike, Polo Ralph Lauren, Salvatore Ferragamo, Tommy Hilfiger.

Learn more here.

Matlacha. The most workaday aspect of town is the mile-straight road through it, its two lanes useful for shopkeepers to flaunt sometimes outrageous mannequins, mailboxes decked out like polka-dot dogs, dolphins and manatees. Pronounced right, the name of the place rhymes with "sashay," so, Matt-LaShay. Hard not to like the Doll Lady even if you never meet her yourself. She lines the roadside out front of her toy-sized house with hobby horses and stuffed dolls in salvaged metal chairs. Sign on her door says, "Sorry. This is not a shop. It's just for fun."  There's also fishing, shrimping, crabbing and clamming in this charming, eclectic village. Spend a day smiling!

Learn more here.

The Bridge Street Sunday Market has become a Bradenton Beach tradition. Located at 107 Bridge Street, this outdoor market is a place to find local artwork, crafts, produce, special gifts, music, and more. The market is held 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. November-April weekly. Located on Anna Maria Island the market is close to fishing on the Bridge Street pier and to sunbathing on Coquina beach.  There are many shops and restaurants along the two block long street as well as a miniature golf course. 

Learn more here.

Fishermen’s Village is Florida’s unique combination of a full-service destination resort and a home town hang out for visitors and locals alike. Fishermen’s Village Resort and Marina can fill a day, define an evening, or pack the itinerary of an extended stay. Located on Charlotte Harbor, Fishermen's Village has over 30 shops, restaurants and services, a resort and marina, a military museum, plus frequent special events, it's a perfect place to come for a day of shopping or for a vacation.

Learn more here.