Holiday Bargains by the Bay
With high-end boutiques like Dior, Giorgio Armani and De Beers, as well as department stores including Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Macy’s, San Francisco’s Union Square is a popular shopping destination for business and leisure travelers alike. The Westfield San Francisco Centre, just two blocks from Union Square along Market Street, boasts more than 170 boutiques such as Herve Leger and Hugo Boss. What’s more, great accommodation abounds, and you won’t have to go far to find it. Elegant Hotel Abri and avant-garde Hotel Diva are set in the very heart of Union Square. The Kensington Park Hotel and Hotel Nikko are also a short stroll away, which means you’ll be plopping into bed in no time after a long day scouring the aisles for gifts and waiting in checkout lines.
Winter Deals in the Windy City
In National Geographic’s 2006 edition of “The 10 Best of Everything – An Ultimate Guide for Travelers,” the Magnificent Mile, which boasts more than 460 stores, was named one of the Ten Best Shopping Avenues in the world. (Granted, it was in good company, as Fifth Avenue and Rodeo Drive – both highlighted in this entry – made the cut.) From fine boutiques such as Cartier and Lacoste to department stores including Saks Fifth Avenue, the Mile continues to draw millions of avid shoppers annually. Travelers can stay at Inn of Chicago or the Millennium Knickerbocker Hotel, both of which lie directly on the Magnificent Mile. The Ambassador East Hotel, a National Historic Landmark, is just a short walk away from the shopping hot spot, as is eco-friendly Hotel Felix.
Gift Buying in Beantown
They call Boston’s Newbury Street in Back Bay the “Rodeo Drive of the East” for a reason. It encompasses eight blocks chock full of salons, restaurants and shops specializing in everything from men’s fashion to sports apparel. Want to shop till you drop at the mall? You can pick from popular locales including Copley Place, Atrium Mall and Emerald Square Mall. Travelers can call it a night at the newly renovated Copley Square Hotel, size up The Colonnade Hotel’s sleek design, or soak up The Lenox Hotel’s old warm charm. No matter your age, Boston has something for the shopaholic in all of us.
