11 Best Places to Shop in San Diego, California

San Diego's most upscale mall has a contemporary Mission theme, lush landscaping, and nearly 200 shops and restaurants. Acclaimed retailers like Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's, and Tiffany & Co. are here, along with boutiques from fashion darlings like Michael Kors, Tory Burch, and Ted Baker. H&M is a favorite of fashionistas in search of edgy and affordable styles. Free wireless Internet service is available throughout the mall. Select "Simon WiFi" from any Wi-Fi–enabled device to log onto the network.

If you're visiting from out of state, are a member of the military, or have a AAA membership, you can pick up a complimentary Style Pass at Simon Guest Services (located on the lower level beneath AMC Theaters near Banana Republic), which can get you savings at more than 70 of Fashion Valley's stores and restaurants.

This home-decor shop is run by a husband-and-wife duo. There's furniture, kitchenware, jewelry, greeting cards, and a kids' section.

At the gift shops within the peninsula's main historic attraction, you can purchase sportswear, designer handbags, jewelry, and antiques. Spreckels Sweets & Treats offers old-time candies, freshly made fudge, and decadent truffles. Monroe has designer fashions and accessories, inspired by its Hollywood namesake, while Brady's for Men, with its shirts and sport coats, caters to well-dressed men. S.R.F. is the spot to hit up for outdoor and action sports accessories. En Route is a haven for travelers, offering a selection of top-quality luggage and leather goods.

This beautifully styled shop carries a wide variety of design-conscious goods for the home, including geometric print pillows, outdoor bistro chairs, and home bar accessories. In Pigment's plant lab, you can build your own terrariums, which make great souvenirs.

Customize your correspondence with products from Seaside Papery, including high-end wedding invitations, greeting cards, luxury personal stationery, and wrapping papers.

This new upscale shopping and dining center is in the city's former police headquarters, a beautiful and historic Mission-style building featuring an open courtyard with fountains. Restaurants and shops, many locally owned, occupy former jail facilities and offices. Pop into Urban Beach House for coastal-inspired fashion from popular surf brands for men and women, including accessories and home decor. Perfume Gallery offers more than 1,000 different scents in its extensive collection. Madison San Diego offers a great selection of leather goods and accessories, from apparel and handbags to belts and travel accessories.

Visible from blocks away, thanks to its large mural paying homage to Stephen King, Verbatim Books boasts an inventory of more than 35,000 books in its wide-open wonderland of the printed word. Visually stunning inside and out—decked with chandeliers and the store's name spelled out in books on its back wall (which also has a mysterious, colorful door)—the shop carries everything from classics to cookbooks to supernatural and metaphysical volumes, in addition to maintaining a zine library for those interested in DIY publishers.