Fresh Produce
Sunny and spirited Fresh Produce sells beach-inspired clothing made with comfy fabrics. The boutique's easy-to-wear pieces are perfect for vacations and weekend getaways.
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San Diego’s retail landscape has changed radically in recent years with the opening of several new shopping centers—some in historic buildings—that are focused more on locally owned boutiques than national retailers. Where once the Gaslamp was the place to go for urban apparel and unique home decor, many independently owned boutiques have decided to set up shop in the charming neighborhoods east of Balboa Park known as North Park and South Park. Although Downtown is still thriving, any shopping trip to San Diego should include venturing out to the city’s diverse and vibrant neighborhoods. Not far from Downtown, Little Italy is the place to find contemporary art, modern furniture, and home accessories.
Old Town is a must for pottery, ceramics, jewelry, and handcrafted baskets. Uptown is known for its mélange of funky bookstores, offbeat gift shops, and nostalgic collectibles and vintage stores. The beach towns offer the best swimwear and sandals. La Jolla’s chic boutiques offer a more intimate shopping experience, along with some of the classiest clothes, jewelry, and shoes in the county. The new La Plaza La Jolla is an open-air shopping center with boutiques and galleries in a Spanish-style building overlooking the cove. Point Loma’s Liberty Station shopping area in the former Naval Training Center has art galleries, restaurants, and home stores. Trendsetters will have no trouble finding must-have handbags and designer apparel at the world-class Fashion Valley mall in Mission Valley, a haven for luxury brands such as Hermès, Gucci, and Jimmy Choo.
Enjoy near-perfect weather year-round as you explore shops along the scenic waterfront. The Headquarters at Seaport is a new open-air shopping and dining center in the city’s former Police Headquarters building. Here there are some big names, but mostly locally owned boutiques selling everything from gourmet cheese to coastal-inspired home accessories. Just next door, Seaport Village is still the place to go for trinkets and souvenirs. If you don’t discover what you’re looking for in the boutiques, head to Westfield Horton Plaza, the Downtown mall with more than 120 stores. The sprawling mall completed a major restoration project in 2016 to include a new public plaza, amphitheater, and fountains.
Most malls have free parking in a lot or garage, and parking is not usually a problem. Westfield Horton Plaza and some of the shops in the Gaslamp Quarter offer validated parking or valet parking.
Sunny and spirited Fresh Produce sells beach-inspired clothing made with comfy fabrics. The boutique's easy-to-wear pieces are perfect for vacations and weekend getaways.
Crammed floor to ceiling with merchandise and decorated to look like a 1950s auto repair shop, the city's largest souvenir shop is the place to head for Padre's gear and San Diego mementos. The store also stocks a wide variety of sportswear and sandals from brands like Reef, Roxy, and Volcom, and the Kidz Garage has toys, electronics, and apparel from infant to size 12.
This family-run toy shop has been in business for more than 40 years. With nine locations throughout San Diego, the store offers classic toys and games as well as the newest must-haves. It's a great place to wander with kids or pick up something to take home.
This store can be a bit overwhelming with thousands of pieces of swimwear lining the walls from floor to ceiling. To make shopping a bit easier, swimsuits have been arranged by color. Browse through mix-and-match pieces from the most fashion-forward swimwear designers like Luli Fama and Indah. It's worth taking the time to peruse what is simply San Diego's best swimwear selection.
Established in Pittsburgh in 1895, this company has helped make hats hip again with its stylish takes on fedoras, bowlers, and Panama hats. The San Diego location occupies the first floor of the historic Yuma building, a former brothel in the red light district.
Before taking a brisk dip into the Pacific Ocean, swing by this local swimwear boutique where all the suits are designed in-house. A wide variety of styles are available from one-piece wonders to string bikinis for every body type. And in case of occasional clouds, peruse their selection of sweatshirts and shorts as well. The shop is open every weekend, but they also do shopping by appointment throughout the week as well.
Located one block from the ocean, this gift shop sells T-shirts, souvenirs, seashells, jewelry, and nautical items.
With a county-fair atmosphere and proceeds benefiting La Jolla Elementary, this large market features not only fresh produce and flowers, but also paintings from local artists, handmade clothing and jewelry, and a tempting food court serving everything from crepes and tacos to gyros and roasted corn on the cob. The market is open Sunday 9–1 pm.
One block from La Jolla Shores beach, this local institution stocks hip beach and resort wear, plus top-brand surfboards, bodyboards, and wet suits. The shop also rents surf and stand-up paddleboards, beach chairs, umbrellas, kayaks, and snorkel gear.
San Diego's former Naval Training Center is now a mixed-use development with shops, restaurants, and art galleries. With its large grassy areas and Spanish colonial revival–style architecture, it's a great place to take a stroll. The section on Truxton Road between Womble and Roosevelt includes a Trader Joe's, Vons, and restaurants like Pisco Rotisserie & Cevicheria. To the north are more locally owned businesses lining the arcades in the area known as the Arts District. Moniker General sells homewares, custom furniture, and craft beer and coffee; and Banyan Kitchen carries handmade Chi Chocolates and truffles. New in 2016, Liberty Public Market is San Diego's only food hall, open daily with over 30 eclectic vendors selling artisanal goods. If you're in town on the first Friday of the month, check out Liberty Station's Friday Night Liberty (5 to 9 pm), a free art walk featuring refreshments and entertainment.
This locally owned record store in Mission Hills carries new and used vinyl and CDs. They regularly host in-store performances.
Grab your hipster plaid flannels, cleverly named candles, linen jumpsuits, plant-dyed bandanas, and canvas backpacks at this Instagram-worthy shop where you can stock up on clothing, home goods, and accessories, all while sipping on a craft cocktail or coffee.
This huge beach-theme store is filled with seashells of every size and shape, nautical decor items, wind chimes, T-shirts, swimwear, accessories, and toys. For the ultimate "OB" souvenir, grab a sticker or shirt featuring the OB seagull logo, representing the notorious beach town for nearly 50 years.
Affordable handmade jewelry and American-made home accessories like tea towels, candles, and glassware fill the shelves at this whimsical boutique and design studio in Ocean Beach. NOON also stocks fresh-smelling soaps, lotions, and perfumes, as well as letterpress greeting cards.
San Diego's largest weekend artisan market presents live music and local artists selling jewelry, paintings, photography, handblown glass, apparel, pottery, and decorative items. The San Diego Trolley's Old Town stop is two blocks north of the market.
The atmosphere is colorful, upbeat, and Mexico-centric at this eclectic market. Local artisans create some of the wares for sale, including everything from dolls and silver jewelry to gourmet foods, home-decor items, and apparel.
In La Jolla for nearly 40 years, Pomegranate pairs contemporary and antique jewelry with edgy and artistic fashions by American, European, and Asian designers.
The shoe shop carries its own house brand of Valentina Rangoni footwear, as well as handbags.
This luxurious boutique sells sexy and sophisticated swimsuits, beachwear, jewelry, and accessories for women, as well as swim trunks, surf shorts, and workout gear for men.
If you're looking for trinkets and souvenirs, this is the place. This complex of kitschy shops and waterfront restaurants has upped its hip factor with boutiques like
Women seeking high-end European designer fashions and accessories love this shop's fine cashmere from Scotland, stylish classics from Italy and France, and sportswear from Herno.
Simón Limón doesn't have a large footprint, but what it lacks in square footage it more than makes up for with unique, colorful wares, showcasing independent, local Latinx artists from both San Diego and Tijuana. Humorous cards, stylish jewelry and t-shirts, skincare products and scented candles featuring printed affirmations are just some of the items on its shelves.
This spacious warehouse bears the James Coffee logo on the front and the intoxicating scent of its pour-over brews inside, but the building houses considerably more than just the local coffee roaster. Its tenants include Home Ec, which sells kitchen goods and cookbooks; Specs Optometry; games-and-puzzles boutique Art of Play; and jewelry and housewares at Often Wander.
This indie boutique in South Park’s historic 30th & Fern building is filled with quirky art, jewelry, gifts, and clothing from emerging designers and artists using recycled or repurposed materials. This is a great place to pick up souvenirs if you’re into supporting local: 75% of the designers are from California.
This quaint little gallery brings a little edge to otherwise sleepy La Jolla, showing off some of the best lowbrow and street artists in the city. This is a great place to purchase something truly unique for a low price.
This festive "store of the kings" stocks Old Town's largest selection of Day of the Dead art, and carries sculpture, handbags, and glassware from Mexico and Peru.