With more than 125 stores, Las Americas Premium Outlets is the largest outlet mall in the area, located halfway between downtown San Diego and Tijuana. It’s lined with courtyards, fountains, and statues. Take your pick of brand names and enjoy savings of up to 65 percent at stores including American and global brands. Visitors to Las Americas can choose from dining options such as the Achiote, a traditional Mexican restaurant whose menu includes a great pre-shopping breakfast.

Discover 85 designer and brand-name stores at North San Diego County’s Carlsbad Premium Outlets. The outlet features some of the top national brands, but visitors can also cultivate their unique California look at designated stores in the outlet. The mall has excellent neighbors, too: The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch is next door -- blooming with ranunculus flowers in spring, and just beyond that are both LEGOLAND California and the beaches and campgrounds of South Carlsbad.

Located in the area just east of La Jolla and the University of California, San Diego, the open-air Westfield University Town Center (UTC) is home to more than 165 stores, from classic to luxury brands. It’s easy to spend the whole day in this place, with plenty of outdoor papasan-style seating, firepits, and kid-friendly diversions such as a playground and a LEGO store. Dining options include branches of small chains Din Tai Fung and Great Maple as well as local favorite sandwich shop Board & Brew.

The tony community of La Jolla feels like its own bubble in San Diego: The enclave juts off the coastline just north of the city and has its own beaches and a charming walkable downtown. Locals refer to the “downtown” area of La Jolla as the Village or the Cove, since it’s next to a beach cove known for barking sea lions and sweeping ocean views.

Visitors of La Jolla Village can browse the shops on Girard Avenue and Prospect Street, where they’ll find luxury brands as well as independent boutiques, and Jewellery stores. There are surprises, too, like a Goodwill store known for its high-end hand-me-downs, and the Legends Gallery, which has prints of lesser-known drawings by former La Jolla local Ted Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss. Visitors can dine all day too: Enjoying breakfast or a snack at Sugar and Scribe, and finishing the day with cocktails and an ocean view at George’s at the Coves.

The high-end retail stores and modern eateries at this compact shopping center that packs in a lot of big names, are all worth exploring. The Forum Carlsbad has an Anthropologie, Lululemon, and a big Sur La Table, as well as few day-spa options. Don’t miss eating at Casa de Bandini, the North County cousin of a beloved restaurant in Old Town San Diego.

Located in Del Mar, Flower Hill offers a unique shopping experience, blending global brands with a curated collection of local boutiques. Geppetto’s Toys, Sweetpea Children’s Shop, and Lavender Home & Garden are among the locally owned retailers that call Flower Hill home. The Luxury brands specialized in men’s apparel and the highly curated fashion for women both bring a glamour to the mall. Shoppers can also grab a bite at New York–style deli Milton’s, and try the healthful cuisine at Flower Child, or enjoy a sumptuous breakfast at Richard Walker’s Pancake House.

Located just northeast of downtown, Balboa Park acts as San Diego’s cultural nerve center. The 1,200-acre, green space–filled park is home to more than 20 museums and cultural institutions, such as the Fleet Science Center, The Museum of Us, and the Model Railroad Museum. The museums offer a wealth of great gift shops too, which you can often browse even if you’re not exploring the museum. Start with the San Diego Museum of Art store, the San Diego History Centerstore, and the shop at the Comic-Con Museum. Be sure to pay a visit to the Spanish Village Arts Center to see the handiwork of more than 200 local artisans.

For more shopping-trip ideas, check out this Shopping Spree Road trip that covers more retail-therapy hubs across Southern California. Or focus your energy on California’s best outlet malls, or niches like great surf shops and even record stores. It’s always rewarding to shop around California’s cultural districts, since these areas offer an entry point into an area’s vibrant culture, including local artists, and small businesses.