Travel Guide to California

Shopping Paradise From outlet bargains to high fashion, California shopping has everything you'd expect and many surprises BY LENORE GREINER The Golden State's iconic malls, bohemian shops and posh boutiques can astound even the most jaded sophisticate. An enticing range of California's eclectic creativity awaits visitors throughout the state, from theme park collectibles to homegrown surfing gear to fine wine. Foodies can sample fresh-made cheeses in artisanal food shops. Fashionistas will love San Francisco's luxurious haute couture haunts. And art lovers can bring home an original California landscape from a red- wood-scented artists' enclave. California shopping safaris may entail sighting a celebrity in a Los Angeles bou- tique, arriving at a mall by boat or hunting bargains behind the walls of a recreated Mesopotamian palace. And super shop- ping opportunities entice savvy shoppers in millions of square feet of retail space. SoCal Glamour Malls sprawl throughout Los Angeles, crowned by Rodeo Drive's stratospheric price tags. But you'll find significant bar- gains in rings, necklaces and other pieces in the historic Jewelry District at prices up to 70 percent less than those in Beverly Hills. More than 3,000 jewelry showrooms stand on 6 th and 8 th streets between Olive Street and Broadway Avenue. Behind a facade of bas-reliefs of Babylonian princes and CALIFORNIA SHOPPING There are countless ways to enjoy yourself on shopping sprees in California, from one-of-a-kind hole-in-the-wall shops to the grandest department stores and shopping districts. All of the top brands are here, from Neiman Marcus to Nordstrom to Bloomingdale's, and famous districts from Orange County malls to LA's Rodeo Drive to San Francisco's Union Square will give you plenty to explore. You can always try on a new look, like these shoppers in Huntington Beach, above. HUNTINGTON BEACH CVB. OPPOSITE: CARMEL PLAZA ; PASADENA CVB 74 2 0 1 6 T R A V E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A SHOPPING

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