Christmas is just around the corner and it's time to start shopping for the holidays. There is no shortage of great shopping in and around the Villages of Citrus Hills.
There are lots of great shops in places like Inverness, Crystal River, and Floral City, but when you really need a big dose of retail therapy, Orlando is the place to be.
In Orlando, you will find the perfect combination of high-end department stores and great factory outlets. Fantastic local restaurants also surround many of the great shopping locations around the city, which makes shopping in Orlando a favorite day trip of many Citrus Hills residents.
The Mall at Millenia
http://www.mallatmillenia.com/
The first stop for many shoppers who venture to Orlando is The Mall at Millenia.
This incredibly high-end mall is completely focused on the latest fashions from all of your favorite designers. Here you will find luxury brands like Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Chanel, Cartier, Rolex, Prada, Versace, Coach, TAG Heuer, and Tiffany & Co.
The Mall at Millenia is anchored by department stores like Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s, and Macy’s. There is also a California Pizza Kitchen, which makes an excellent option for lunch, and a Cheesecake Factory and Capital Grille if you are still in the area when dinnertime nears.
The Florida Mall
http://www.simon.com/mall/the-florida-mall
If The Mall at Millenia’s elite fashion isn’t what you are looking for, The Florida Mall offers a slightly different mall experience just a few minutes southeast of The Mall at Millenia. There is only one word that can properly describe The Florida Mall: HUGE!
While you won’t find quite as many of the high-end luxury stores here, The Florida Mall will make up for that in terms of pure size.
There are over 250 stores and restaurants here that take up approximately 1.8 million square feet of retail heaven.
Here you will find anchor stores like Macy’s, JC Penney, Dillard’s, Nordstrom, and Sears. There are also specialty stores like The Apple Store, Armani Exchange, and Pandora Jewelry.
Orlando Premium Outlets
http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=96
http://www.premiumoutlets.com/outlets/outlet.asp?id=94
While mall shopping is great for checking out the latest trends, nothing makes a true shopaholic happy like getting a great deal at an outlet store, and there are plenty of outlet options in the Orlando area.
There are Orlando Premium Outlet locations on International Drive and Vineland Avenue. Both of these locations are similar, but the International Drive location has 20 more stores to choose from than the one on Vineland.
At the International Drive location, you will find an outstanding selection of factory stores from high-end labels like 7 For All Mankind, Coach, DKNY, J.Crew, Lacoste, Ralph Lauren, and True Religion. If you get hungry in this area, the new Cafe Primo restaurant is a great option for Italian food.
Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores
http://www.lbvfs.com/
If you are still looking for more, great shopping, heading a little further south to the Lake Buena Vista Factory Stores will give you a different type of outlet shopping experience. There are less high-end stores here, but there are still many interesting options like Big Dog, Crocs, Oshkosh B’Gosh, and Old Navy.
While everyone generally thinks of Orlando as the place to take kids because of the theme parks, there is also a vibrant shopping community there that is just as impressive.
Residents of the Villages of Citrus Hills have access to all of these great amenities that are less than 90 minutes away. The next time you get the itch to go shopping, plan a day in Orlando!