Downtown & the Gaslamp Quarter--Space is at a premium in the still-developing Gaslamp Quarter, and rents are rising as the debut of the new ballpark approaches. While only a few intrepid shops--mostly women's boutiques and vintage clothing shops--made the initial commitment to open among the area's multitudinous eateries, in the past few years a number of wonderfully individualistic stores have opened on lower Fourth and Fifth avenues. As the number of condos in the downtown area multiplies, watch for shopping to diversify. Otherwise, downtown shopping is primarily concentrated in two destination malls.
Hillcrest/Uptown--Compact Hillcrest is an ideal shopping destination. As the hub of San Diego's gay and lesbian community, swank inspiration and chic housewares rule. There are plenty of establishments selling cool trinkets, used books, vintage clothing, and memorabilia; a couple chain stores (including Gap); and of course, bakeries and cafes. You'll also find a panoply of modestly priced globe-hopping dining options, too.
There's no defined zone in which shops are found within, so you may as well start at the neighborhood's axis, at the overrun intersection of University and Fifth avenues. From this corner the greatest concentration of boutiques spreads for 1 or 2 blocks in each direction, but farther east on University--between 10th Avenue and Vermont Street--you'll find good options (like the fun Ace Hardware store) along the south side of the street, and on the north side a small shopping complex with several choice bets. Street parking is available; most meters run 2 hours and devour quarters at a rate of one every 15 minutes, so be armed with plenty of change. You can also park in a lot--rates vary, but you'll come out ahead if you're planning to stroll for several hours.
If you're looking for postcards or provocative gifts, step into wacky Babette Schwartz, 421 University Ave. (tel. 619/220-7048), a pop-culture emporium named for a local drag queen, and located under the can't-miss "Hillcrest" street sign. You'll find books, clothing, and accessories that follow current kitsch trends. A couple of doors away, Cathedral, 435 University Ave. (tel. 619/296-4046), is dark and heady, filled with candles of all scents and shapes, plus unusual holders.
Around the corner, Circa a.d., 3867 Fourth Ave. (tel. 619/293-3328), is a floral design shop with splendid gift items; at holiday time it has the most extravagant Christmas ornaments in the area. Head gear from straw hats to knit caps to classy fedoras fills the Village Hat Shop, 3821 Fourth Ave. (tel. 619/683-5533; www.villagehatshop.com), whose best feature may be its mini-museum of stylishly displayed vintage hats.
Lovers of rare and used books will want to poke around the used bookstores on Fifth Avenue, between University and Robinson avenues. Though their number has decreased with the advent of online shopping, you can always find something to pique your interest. This block is also home to Off the Record, 3865 Fifth Ave. (tel. 619/298-4755), a new and used music store known for an alternative bent and the city's best vinyl selection. A few doors down is Wear It Again Sam, 3823 Fifth Ave., south of Robinson (tel. 619/299-0185; www.wearitagainsamvintage.com). It's a classy step back in time, with vintage clothing--for both females and males--in styles from the first half of the 20th century.
A half-mile east of Hillcrest is the start of San Diego's self-proclaimed Antique Row. It lies north of Balboa Park, along Park Boulevard (beginning at University Ave. in Hillcrest) and on Adams Avenue (extending from Park east to around 40th St. in Normal Heights). Antique and collectible stores, vintage-clothing boutiques, and dusty used book and record stores line this L-shaped district, providing many hours of happy browsing and treasure hunting. There are plenty of coffeehouses, pubs, and small restaurants to break up the excursion. For more information and an area brochure with a map, contact the Adams Avenue Business Association (tel. 619/282-7329; www.GoThere.com/AdamsAve).
Old Town & Mission Valley--Old Town Historic Park is a restoration of some of San Diego's historic sites and adobe structures, a number of which now house shops that cater to tourists. Many have a "general store" theme, and carry gourmet treats and inexpensive Mexican crafts alongside the obligatory T-shirts, baseball caps, snow domes, and other souvenirs. A reconstruction of San Diego's first tobacco shop carries cigars and smoking paraphernalia; more shops are concentrated in colorful Bazaar del Mundo .
Mission Valley is the epicenter of San Diego's suburban mall explosion. There are two major and several minor shopping centers here.
Mission Bay & The Beaches--The beach communities offer laid-back shopping in typical California fashion, with plenty of surf shops, recreational gear, casual garb, and college-oriented music stores. If you're looking for something more distinctive than T-shirts and shorts, you'd best head east to Mission Valley.
For women in need of a new bikini, the best selection is at Pilar's, 3745 Mission Blvd., Pacific Beach (tel. 858/488-3056), where choices range from stylish designer suits to hot trends like suits inspired by surf- and skate-wear. There's a smaller selection of one-piece suits, too. Across the street is Liquid Foundation Surf Shop, 3731 Mission Blvd., Pacific Beach (tel. 858/488-3260), which specializes in board shorts for guys.
San Diego's greatest concentration of antiques stores is found in Ocean Beach Antique District, along the 4800 block of Newport Avenue, the community's main drag. Most of the stores are mall-style, featuring multiple dealers under one roof. The hundreds of individual sellers cover the gamut--everything from Asian antiquities to vintage watches to mid-20th-century collectibles. Although you won't find a horde of pricey, centuries-old European antiques, the overall quality is high enough to make it interesting for any collector. Highlights include Newport Avenue Antiques, 4836 Newport Ave. (tel. 619/224-1994), which offers the most diversity: Its wares range from Native American crafts to Victorian furniture and delicate accessories, from Mighty Mouse collectibles to carved Asian furniture. Ocean Beach Antique Mall, 4847 Newport Ave. (tel. 619/223-6170), has a more elegant setting and glass display cases filled with superb American art pottery and china. Names like Roseville, McCoy, and Royal Copenhagen abound, and there's a fine selection of quality majolica and Japanese tea sets. The Newport Ave. Antique Center, 4864 Newport Ave. (tel. 619/222-8686), is the largest store, and has a small espresso bar. One corner is a haven for collectors of 1940s and 1950s kitchenware (Fire King, Bauer, melamine); there's also a fine selection of vintage linens. Most of the O.B. antique stores are open daily from 10am to 6pm, with somewhat reduced hours Sunday.
La Jolla--It's clear from the look of La Jolla's village that shopping is a major pastime in this upscale community. Women's clothing boutiques tend to be conservative and costly, like those lining Girard and Prospect streets (Ann Taylor, Armani Exchange, Polo Ralph Lauren, Talbots, and Sigi's Boutique). But you'll also find less pricey venues like Banana Republic, Dansk, and TK.
Recommended stores include Island Hoppers, 7844 Girard Ave. (tel. 858/459-6055), for colorful Hawaiian-print clothing from makers like Tommy Bahama; the venerable Ascot Shop, 7750 Girard Ave. (tel. 858/454-4222), for conservative men's apparel and accessories; and La Jolla Shoe Gallery, 7852 Girard Ave. (tel. 858/551-9985), for an outstanding selection of Echo, Clark's, Birkenstock, Mephisto, Josef Siebel, and other shoes built for walking.
Even if you're not in the market for furnishings and accessories, La Jolla's many home-decor boutiques make for great window shopping, as do its ubiquitous jewelers: Swiss watches, tennis bracelets, precious gems, and pearl necklaces sparkle in windows along every street.
No visit to La Jolla is complete without seeing John Cole's Book Shop, a local icon.
Another unique experience awaits at the Cave Store, 1325 Coast Blvd., just off Prospect Street (tel. 858/459-0746). This clifftop shop is equal parts art gallery and antiques store, but the main attraction is Sunny Jim Cave, a large and naturally occurring sea cave reached by a steep and narrow staircase through the rock (admission $3 for adults, $2 for kids 16 and under). The Crescent Café--not much more than a coffee cart today--is a local institution that has stood on this site for decades. Black-and-white photo enlargements line the walls, depicting this quirky corner of La Jolla through the years, and making the store well worth a stop for history buffs and collectors. The coast walk extends here along the coast into a posh neighborhood.
Coronado--This rather insular, conservative navy community doesn't have a great many shopping opportunities; the best of the lot line Orange Avenue at the western end of the island. You'll find some scattered housewares and home-decor boutiques, several small women's boutiques, and the gift shops at Coronado's major resorts.
Coronado has an excellent independent bookshop, Bay Books, 1029 Orange Ave. (tel. 619/435-0070). It carries a nice selection in many categories, plus volumes of local historical interest, and books on tape. La Provençale, 1122 Orange Ave. (tel. 619/437-8881), is a little shop stocked with fabric, tablecloths, pottery, and tableware items from the French countryside; nearby In Good Taste, 1146 Orange Ave. (tel. 619/435-8356), has a staggering selection of gourmet and food gift items--in addition to a tempting display of luscious truffles and sweets. And, if you're in pursuit of swimwear, poke your head into Dale's Swim Shop, 1150 Orange Ave. (tel. 619/435-7301), a tiny boutique jam-packed with suits to fit all bodies, including rare European makers seldom available in this country.
Elsewhere in San Diego County--If you're looking for San Diego's best outlet mall, head to Carlsbad, about 40 minutes north. The Carlsbad Company Stores, 5620 Paseo del Norte (tel. 760/804-9000), include the usual outlet shops and upscale retailers like Barneys New York, Donna Karan, Crate & Barrel, Wilson's Leather, Dooney & Bourke, and Polo Ralph Lauren. The mall has several unique specialty shops, like Thousand Mile Outdoor Wear (tel. 760/804-1764), which sells outerwear manufactured from recycled products, and makes the swimsuits worn by Southern California lifeguards. To get there, take the Palomar Airport Road exit off I-5; the outlet mall is open daily from 10am to 8pm.
The Cedros Design District, along the 100 and 200 blocks of South Cedros Avenue in Solana Beach, is a outstanding place for designer interior decorating goods. Many of the shops are housed in a row of Quonset huts that were constructed for a company that made spy plane photographic equipment. Today, more than two dozen chic shops sell furniture, original art, imported goods, home decor, antiques, and clothing. There are a couple good cafes, plus The Belly Up Tavern, easily one of the county's top live music venues. The strip is located just northwest of the Del Mar racetrack; reach it by taking the Via de la Valle exit off the I-5 and going right on Cedros Ave. The Coaster station is next to the district.
Garden fanciers will find North County the best hunting grounds for bulbs, seeds, and starter cuttings. North County nurseries are known throughout the state for rare and hard-to-find plants, notably begonias, orchids, bromeliads, succulents, ranunculus, and unusual herbs.
