Carlsbad is one of the northern-most communities in North County, yet the trip is always worth the drive for southern neighbors. Carlsbad is most well known for the beautiful flower fields, outlet mall shopping, vast car country, Lego Land theme park, and the beautiful Four Seasons Aviara Resort and Spa. Carlsbad is home to one of the more affluent communities of San Diego residents, with western oceanfront homes and eastern suburban developments available for all.
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As the largest real estate association for all of San Diego County, we usually focus our statistical analysis on the county as a whole. But as any San Diegan will tell you, the county is vast and there are some big differences in the various communities. So I thought I’d take this opportunity to be community-specific and really delve into each of the smaller real estate markets within the county...
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Until I moved to San Diego nine years ago I had never heard of an outdoor mall.
Before my days of stress-free and wildly varied shopping in San Diego, malls gave me nothing but anxiety; the crowds, the energy, the food courts and clothing boutiques on top of the other. Then I walked into Fashion Valley and took a deep breath of fresh air. How could I feel claustrophobic with the sun on my shoulders? Since then I have been to every shopping plaza, outlet center, and mall in San Diego, learning must-share Insider tips and trends along the way.
Discover the top ten San Diego malls and shopping plazas.
The Forum in Carlsbad
Beautiful scenery with numerous and varied stores to frequent including a med spa, Victoria’s Secret and boho chic favorites Anthropologie and Free People. theforumshopping.com
Otay Ranch Town Center
You’ll be surprised to find a clean, neat and gorgeous set up with great dining, stores and a movie theatre at this new center in Chula Vista. Women, men and children are all satisfied by the center’s options for shopping, including Bebe, Aldo, H&M, REI and Zales. otayranchtowncenter.com
Del Mar Plaza
“Come for the shopping, stay for the views” is the motto of this coastal Del Mar shopping center, and I am here to comply. Arguably one of the best combinations of ambience, shops and views in San Diego, Del Mar Plaza is a fantastic alternative to the ho-hum ambience of a generic mall. delmarplaza.com (pictured)
Fashion Valley Mall
There is no true local that knows not of this San Diego mall. One of the greatest attractions in San Diego, Fashion Valley is responsible for many shopping sprees that include a jaunt to Michael Kors, American Apparel, Neiman Marcus and Forever 21 to name a few of FV’s medley. Spend 44K at Fashion Valley. simon.com
Carlsbad Premium Outlets
This beautiful outdoor center of outlets in Carlsbad features your favorites shops, but with lower prices! Find yummy items from past seasons at Juicy Couture, Kenneth Cole, Banana Republic, Gap and Guess; are only a few outlet jewels from the selection. The cherry on this Premium Outlet sundae? Michael Kors is setting up shop in September. premiumoutlets.com
Westfield UTC La Jolla
A skating rink and a lovely price variety brings a diverse customer base to this outdoor mall in La Jolla. 24 Hour Fitness, Apple, Coach, Charlotte Russe and Nordstrom are among the storefronts giving you that come hither look. Coming soon: $900 million renovation. Spend $4K at UTC. westfield.com/utc
Flower Hill Promenade
Located in Solana Beach in the greater Del Mar area, Flower Hill is a prized shopping center that has been a part of the community for 30 years. Originally developed by the Fletcher family in the mid 1970s, it has continued to provide an upscale array of shops and restaurants as well as a movie theatre to its nearby communities of Solana Beach, Del Mar and Rancho Santa Fe. flowerhill.com
Westfield Plaza Bonita
Although not as majestic as the other shopping mall options on this list, the sheer number of eateries, services and stores cannot be overlooked. When heading to the South Bay to shop, don’t miss a trip to Plaza Bonita in Bonita near Chula Vista. westfield.com/plazabonita
Seaport Village
Aside from the fun shops and family entertainment, Seaport Village made the list because it’s truly a wonderland made of bay views, cobble stones and small patches of grass begging you to pop a squat. When wandering into Seaport Village in downtown San Diego, I recommending stopping into the Village Hat Shop. seaportvillage.com
Las Americas Premium Outlets
Any place that can get me my designer duds for less is on my top ten list. Stop in here to pick up that Max Studio dress you wanted a few months ago or that Hugo Boss suit you couldn’t afford. Did I mention they have a Neiman Marcus Last Call? Well, they do. Though located in San Ysidro near the border, this outlet experience is worth the drive. premiumoutlets.com (pictured below)
Discover more of the best boutiques and malls in San Diego in our local shopping directory, and keep up to speed on the latest style trends in our shopping blog.
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Adult toys of all shapes and sizes help us discover innovative ways to please our partners and our selves. Although the benefits of sex toys are endless, many of us are still timid to explore or embarrassed to admit what we’ve learned. From local novelty stores to online websites, there are now many ways to browse and buy adult toys. Beyondpleasure.com is a new sex toy website founded by local entrepreneur Adam Watkins...
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Happy Museum Month, San Diego!
While the onset of February is most often associated with the Hallmark-induced love appreciation of Valentine’s Day and the bead-tossing imbibing abasement that is Mardi Gras, it is also the time of year for locals to enjoy the month-long celebration of San Diego museums.
Created in 1989, Museum Month strives to promote awareness of San Diego's captivating museums, intriguing historical sites, educational institutions and cultural offerings. And with half-price admission, how could you possibly say no? From North County favorites like the Oceanside Museum of Art and the LUX Art Institute to Balboa Park gems such as MoPA, Natural History, and Air & Space, these San Diego museums are definitely worth a trip.
How It Works: During the month of February, you can enjoy half-price admission at 39 participating museums in San Diego. Pick up a free Museum Month Pass at any Macy's in San Diego, El Centro, or Temecula. One Pass is good for half-price admission for up to 4 visitors to each museum.
This February, and all year long, we encourage you to live and learn and discover San Diego museums. To help plan your personalized entertainment schedule, we’ve compiled a list of our top ten favorite museums. Get details here.
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Although many of us flock to San Diego spas and salons in the search of pampering and relaxation, some of the best skin care lines and shopping for the home is also found here.
Soy candles, skin care collections, body butters, accessories and even clothing can be discovered in many local beauty refuges. And true to San Diego’s vivid city and talented characters, these shops also feature our region’s gifted artists’ work draped along the walls.
Discover ten San Diego salon and spa art boutique combos.
Disconnected Salon – North Park
From the outside, Disconnected may look like a hip lounge, but the North Park staple offers well-trained stylists with great interior design elements. From hyper modern bar booths to disco-shaped lights and dangling dryers at each station, Disconnected is a great addition to the artsy neighborhood. Their walls are also adorned with art from area artists, and this element has become known as Gallery AKA. Check out Ray Street for other great North Park art galleries. (pictured main)
Beehive Waxing Salon – Carlsbad
A personal favorite, the Beehive is one of the best places to get waxed in San Diego and also offers some of the best boutique items for personal care, accessories, clothing, seasonal knick knacks and bridal gifts. The boutique changes shape with every holiday and you can expect to see new trends in the store on a monthly basis. (pictured left)
A Style Concierge –
Downtown
A Style Concierge is most known for its high fashion hairstylists, high profile owners and pre-style events in some of Downtown’s hottest night spots. But don’t forget to check out the boutique inside for the best trends in denim, handbags, jewelry and clothes. It’s one your one-stop shop for the best style Downtown San Diego has to offer.
Spa Tiki – Downtown/Little Italy
Locals venture to Spa Tiki for island atmosphere without leaving the mainland with spa treatments inspired by ancient island customs. However, the boutique offers some great retail therapy before or after a soothing spa treatment. From skin and body care to things for the home and closet, don’t forget to linger around for some quality products inspired by the islands.
Salon Radius – Solana Beach
Salon Radius intermingles a staff of highly talented aestheticians and edgy hair stylists with a boutique that offers trendy handbags, jewelry, body care, candles and other accoutrements. Salon Radius also changes up the scenery up every few months with paintings from local artists, so don’t be surprised if you see new pieces each time you go in. (pictured left)
Catamaran Spa – Resort on Mission Bay
The boutique at the Catamaran Spa offers their own private label of products, along with other quality skincare products that reflect the tropically inspired spa treatments. Visitors to the resort can also drop by to purchase souvenir clothing, candles, perfumes and other spa staples.
Brow Lounge – La Jolla
For the perfectly coiffed brow line, residents hit the Brow Lounge for expertly shaped brows, along with facials, makeup applications and other waxing services. The boutique also offers some of the best products to maintain your clear face and perfect brows. Check out their all natural products to protect your skin and other advanced skin therapy solutions.
The Sanctuary – Ocean Beach
Not only is The Sanctuary Day Spa a great place to find personalized bliss in a cottage-like ambiance, but you can also shop for decadent items in makeup, skincare, body care, chocolate, art and jewelry. Owner Tracy Duhs makes it a point to offer her clients the best products in her boutique of high quality items that every woman must have. Tracy highly recommends Jane Iredale Mineral Cosmetics, available at The Sanctuary. (pictured left)
Travis Parker – La Jolla
The contemporary salon is chockfull of meticulous hair stylists and has a pretty immaculate art collection under its belt as well. The salon features a new artist, usually San Diego born and bred painters and photographers, every two months to add to the stimulating yet relaxing environment.
Spa Velía – Downtown/Little Italy
This Green Spa not only offers exceptional beauty treatments, but their boutique also offers products that are mindful of the sustainability of the environment. From sweet-smelling candles to perfumes, soaps and skin care, Spa Velía’s retail products are fair trade and 100 percent cruelty free. The boutique is definitely a hub for all natural and organic products.
More notable boutique and beauty combos are Detour Salon and Boutique and Divinity Salon and Boutique, both located on S. Coast Highway 101 in Historic Old Encinitas.
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