Shopping in Florida

My friends are often horrified to hear that I drive whilst on holiday in Florida. ‘How do you cope with those big cars and driving on the wrong side of the road. ’ The response is simple, my husband and I are incompatible, I love to shop but he doesn’t. He can cope with a couple of forays into an air-conditioned shopping mall on a hot humid afternoon but that is nowhere near enough for me.

As well as the famous department stores like Bloomingdales and Macy’s there are the American brand stores like Abercrombie & Fitch and Victoria’s Secret. Retail therapy comes in two extremes, high-end designer stores to be found at the Mall at Millenia and bargains galore in the outlet stores at Premium Mall. Festival Bay offers an interesting selection of stores, which can even capture the imagination of the reluctant men and teenage boys. There is an amazing store supplying all your hunting , shooting and fishing needs from quad bikes to fishing boats and camouflage wear in colours for all seasons and sizes from 3months to XXXL. Nearby there is a Vans Store with a full size skate park inside and a Ron Jon Surf Shop with a beach themed entrance. Shepplers western store is mind-boggling, you cannot begin to imagine the range of cowboy boots.

My particular distraction are the craft stores, I am like a child in a sweet shop when I enter Michaels Craft Store, a huge array of materials and supplies to peruse and purchase. A niche market in America is still huge so stores can cater for all hobbies. Before departing for my holiday I prepare a shopping list because once inside these wonderful emporiums, common sense goes out of the window and I am quite likely to buy random items or not be able to decide what I like the most. Greeting cards hold another fascination for me, I usually get my total years supply of cards during my stay. It is nice to be able to purchase from a broader selection than available in the UK.

I also like to browse in the regular supermarkets, the range of goods available are so diverse and it is amusing to find Heinz baked beans in the ethnic isle. The deli counter, salads bar and in store bakeries are fascinating and enable you to put together and interesting meal with very little effort, which is a bonus whilst on holiday.

Finally I have to confess to one final shopping experience, DIY. Anyone with an ounce of interest in interior design can’t help but enjoy the products available for home improvement. I was once amazed to discover a whole display dedicated to renovating your cooker!