The holidays are a time to spend time with family and friends, take part in fun winter festivities, and of course, shop till you drop. Retailers are gearing up for the holiday season and travelers, while more budget-conscious than in previous years due to the weak economy, are ready to dish out green on everything from clothing to electronics. Stores like Macy’s are expected to see an increase in consumer spending on Black Friday and Cyber Monday compared to 2008, thanks in large part to a slowly recovering economy and deep discounts they are looking to take advantage of. the buyers. Read on for a roundup of holiday shopping hot spots in major cities.
Shop in the Big Apple
With shops along its famous Madison and Fifth avenues drawing travelers to the Big Apple year-round, New York City has become a true shopping mecca. Many of the world’s most exclusive boutiques, from Gucci and Coach to Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren, are conveniently located on Madison Avenue. World-famous Fifth Avenue is lined with luxury stores including Louis Vuitton, Prada, and Tiffany & Co. If you’re a price-conscious shopper, you can opt for New York department stores like Macy’s 10-story flagship store. in Herald Square. A wide range of budget hotels are located near Fifth Avenue, including The Gershwin Hotel, Wellington Hotel, Millennium Broadway Hotel, and Murray Hill East Hotel. Offering something for every taste and budget, it’s no wonder travelers from far and wide come to New York City to open its stores.
Christmas Deals by the Bay
With high-end boutiques like Dior, Giorgio Armani, and De Beers, as well as department stores like Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, and Macy’s, San Francisco’s Union Square is a popular shopping destination for both business and leisure travelers. The Westfield San Francisco Centre, just two blocks from Union Square along Market Street, features more than 170 boutiques like Herve Leger and Hugo Boss. Plus, great accommodations abound and you won’t have to go far to find them. The elegant Hotel Abri and the avant-garde Hotel Diva are located in the heart of Union Square. The Kensington Park Hotel and Hotel Nikko are also just a short walk away, meaning you’ll be up to bed in no time after a long day of scouring the aisles for gifts and waiting in checkout lines.
Winter deals in the windy city
In National Geographic’s 2006 edition of “Top 10 of Everything: A Definitive Guide for Travelers,” the Magnificent Mile, which has more than 460 stores, was named one of the world’s top ten shopping avenues. (Of course, it was in good company, as Fifth Avenue and Rodeo Drive, both featured in this entry, made the cut.) From chic boutiques like Cartier and Lacoste to department stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, The Mile continues to attract millions of avid shoppers annually. Travelers can stay at the Inn of Chicago or the Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel, both located directly on the Magnificent Mile. The Ambassador East Hotel, a National Historic Landmark, is within walking distance of the shopping venue, as is the Ecological Hotel Felix.
Shopping for Gifts in Beantown
They call Boston’s Newbury Street in the Back Bay the “Rodeo Drive of the East” for a reason. It spans eight blocks packed with lounges, restaurants and shops specializing in everything from menswear to sportswear. Want to shop till you drop at the mall? You can choose from popular venues like Copley Place, Atrium Mall, and Emerald Square Mall. Travelers can spend the night at the newly renovated Copley Square Hotel, take in the sleek design of The Colonnade Hotel, or absorb the warm old-fashioned charm of The Lenox Hotel. No matter your age, Boston has something for the shopaholic in all of us.
Hollywood Christmas Fever
The city of Los Angeles is heralded as nothing less than a commercial capital. Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills is home to dozens of popular stores and boutiques, including Chanel, Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Valentino and BVLGARI. Nearby properties include Hotel Beverly Terrace, Mosaic Hotel, Luxe Hotel Rodeo Drive, and The Tower Beverly Hills. Travelers along Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica will find stores like Apple and Armani Exchange, as well as a farmers’ market and movie theater complex. Of course, there’s Hollywood’s world-famous Sunset Strip, lined with a plethora of restaurants and boutiques. The European-style, four-story Le Montrose Suite Hotel and Le Petit are just a few minutes’ walk away.
With so many places to see and things to do, the holiday season can get hectic for shoppers, and a fragile economy makes things even more challenging. While many shoppers still plan to frequent their favorite luxury haunts, the budget-conscious will turn to what becomes the national pastime this time of year: bargain hunting.
