Shopping

 
MiamiMiami


Miami is an absolute mecca for shopaholics, and it almost seems like most of south America comes to shop there. It is also great for European shoppers with many items being considerably cheaper than they are back home. South Beach is home to countless boutiques and downtown Miami is good for electronics - but it's probably best to stick to the many shopping malls you'll find here. Two to mention are Aventura Mall, which is crammed full of great shops as well as a multiscreen cinema, and Dadeland Mall, with Burdines store in its middle. Another place to go is Sawgrass Mills, an absolutely huge outlet mall with almost as many visitors a year as Disney World!

Shopping Malls:
Aventura Mall (19501 Biscayne Blvd.)
One of our favourite malls, it is very popular with local shoppers and tourists as it is very close to the beaches - a 5 minute taxi/car ride from the Golden Isles. Much improved in recent years, with new wings and department stores added. Dept. stores there are Macys, JCPenney, Sears, Neiman Marcus, Lord & Taylor and Burdines. There is also a multiplex cinema there and a nice food court which gets very busy at lunchtime which means it is sometimes difficult to get a seat.

Bal Harbour Shops (9700 Collins Avenue)
Very exclusive, it is the only mall on Miami Beach. Designer paradise for Versace, Prada, Bulgari, Tiffany's, Chanel. Also has stores such as Gap and Banana Republic and the expensive Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue department stores.

Dadeland Mall (7535 SW 88th Street)
Located in Kendall in South Miami, the last stop on the Metrorail. An elegant mall, it is called "The Queen of Miami Malls". A first-class Burdines is located right in the middle and splits the mall into two.

Sawgrass Mills (1208 West Sunrise Blvd., Broward)
The largest discount mall in the US! A little bit further to reach than some other malls, it is about 45 minutes by car from Miami Beach. Also reachable by public transport using Broward buses: from Aventura Mall, get bus 1 to the Broward Central Terminal and change there for bus 22 which will take you to the mall. Close to 300 shops, it also has two food courts and an 18-screen cinema. Serious shoppers should not miss it - but avoid the weekend because it gets impossibly busy.

For more on shopping in Miami, see RetailGuide Miami.