Forget Fifth Avenue and say goodbye to the snow covered winter markets of Europe; holiday shopping has a new home – Miami Beach. The Beach is the perfect destination to work on those fading tans and that holiday shopping list at the same time. Holiday sales are expected to exceed $586 billion this year according to the National Retail Federation. So where should consumers go to make the most of their hard earned cash? Miami Beach offers visitors and locals alike gift ideas galore but the best gift may be time spent shopping in the tropical paradise with an average winter temperature of 70 degrees.
Miami Beach packs a vast selection of world renowned shops into a mere 18.7 sunny square miles, making it the ideal destination for the person who loves variety and lives to shop. Comprised of retail-heavy districts connected by boutique hotel shops, pop-up stores and weekend morning markets, Miami Beach’s diversity of shops makes finding something for everyone on your holiday list as easy as an Atlantic Ocean breeze. Shopping hot spots include Lincoln Road, an outdoor mall with a trendy mix of stores, including the brand new H+M housed in an Art Deco-era theater; art stores; thrift shops, and book boutiques. A few blocks away, shoppers on Española Way are transported to another world. Stroll through Europeanstyle, pedestrian-friendly streets, known to be the former hangout of infamous gangster Al Capone. Recently donned “Miami’s Best Block”, Española Way is the place for unique clothing and handmade jewelry. Walk a little further South on Ocean Drive and Collins Avenue and shoppers will find themselves surrounded by sun-kissed models sporting the latest fashions, and upscale shops like Armani, Versace and Nicole Miller.
North of Miami Beach, the village of Bal Harbour boasts the Bal Harbour Shops, known as the most productive luxury fashion shopping center in America. The Bal Harbour Shops have an exquisite collection of designer boutiques such as Alexander McQueen, Valentino and Harry Winston, just to name a few.
Put on those flip flops and head to Miami Beach, holiday shopping list in-hand, for a shopping experience like no other place in the world.
