Great Shopping Areas

Downtown Orlando

If you can think of nothing better than a relaxing afternoon of bargain hunting or scouring thrift and antiques shops, check out Antique Row and Ivanhoe Row on North Orange Avenue (stretching from Colonial Dr./Hwy. 50 to Lake Ivanhoe) in Downtown Orlando. This collection is a long way from the manufactured fun of Disney. The shops are an interesting assortment of the old, the new, and the unusual. Flo's Attic, 1800 N. Orange Ave. (tel. 407/895-1800), and A.J. Lillun, 1913 N. Orange Ave. (tel. 407/895-6111), sell traditional antiques.

Down the road, a handful of places offer less conventional items. Wildlife Gallery, 1219 N. Orange Ave. (tel. 407/898-4544; www.fredlundwildlife.com), sells pricey, original works of wildlife art, including sculpture. And the Fly Fisherman, 1213 N. Orange Ave. (tel. 407/898-1989; www.flyfishermaninc.com), sells -- no surprise here -- fly-fishing gear. Sometimes you can spot people taking casting lessons in the park across the street.

Most of these downtown shops are open from 9 or 10am to 5pm, Monday to Saturday; the owners usually run them, so hours can vary. All are spread over 3 miles along Orange Avenue. The heaviest concentration of shops lies between Princeton Street and New Hampshire Avenue, although a few are scattered between New Hampshire and Virginia avenues. The more upscale shops extend a few blocks beyond Virginia. To get there, take I-4 exit 85/Princeton St. and turn right on Orange Avenue. Parking is limited, so stop wherever you find a space along the street.

Additionally, you can shop for fresh produce, plants, baked goods, and crafts every Sunday from 9am to 2:30pm at the downtown Sunday Eola Market. It's located at the intersection of Osceola and East Central. Get more information at www.downtownorlando.com.

Celebration

Though not the best place to head if you're the shop-'til-you-drop type, this is a rather pleasant spot to stroll leisurely along quaint streets filled with quaint upscale shops, coffeehouses, and restaurants. Celebration, after all, is a Disney-designed community, making it practically the perfect little town (or a facsimile thereof). It's a throwback to mid-20th-century mainstream America, when main-street shopping was in style. Market Street and the area just surrounding it are home to a dozen or so shops, a couple of art galleries, a handful of restaurants, and a three-screen movie theater. The storefronts, especially the galleries and gift shops, offer interesting and unique merchandise, though you'll find that there's a price to pay for perfection. Stores here include the Market Street Gallery (Swarovski crystal, all types of collectibles, home decor, Yankee Candles, Christmas decorations, and more); Day Dream's (a shop filled top to bottom with dolls, teddy bears, books and gift items); Soft as a Grape (a shop filled with comfy 100% cotton resort wear for the entire family); the Village Mercantile (featuring Brighton accessories and apparel by Tommy Bahama, Quicksilver, and Oakley); the Lollipop Cottage (a boutique filled with clothing and gifts for children); Confetti (personalized gifts, sweets and treats); an art gallery; a book store; a grocer; a post office; a perfumery; and a jeweler, among others. The real attraction is the relaxing, picture-perfect atmosphere. The high prices, however, may make for more window-shopping than actual spending. If, by chance, Celebration reminds you of the film The Truman Show, you're not alone. The movie was filmed in Seaside, a Florida panhandle community that inspired the builders of this burg.

Downtown Disney

With three distinct areas -- West Side, Pleasure Island, and the Marketplace -- Downtown Disney (tel. 407/939-2648; www.downtowndisney.com) is chock-full of some of the most unique shops in Orlando, as well as many restaurants and entertainment venues.

The best shops in the Marketplace include the 50,000-square-foot World of Disney, the largest store in Downtown Disney (and the second largest Disney store in the world). There are rooms and more rooms filled with everything Disney, from toys and trading pins to clothes and collectibles -- and everything (and I mean everything) in between. Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique arrived in 2006 and is a place where little girls can have their hair styled, put on makeup, and have their nails done so they look like a princess when they emerge. In the princess room, girls can play dress-up, while the adventure room is geared more to boys -- they can create their own pirate hat, play video games, and check out superhero, space explorer, and cowboy gear.

I always stop in at the LEGO Imagination Center when I'm in town. The large store is easy to shop in and offers lots of play areas to entertain the kids (I'd hate to be the one cleaning up at night). Shelves are filled with LEGO blocks designed for everyone from toddlers to tweens, Bionicles, T-shirts, and trinkets. Check out the display behind the counter when you cash out -- it's filled top to bottom with teeny tiny LEGO people (visible thanks to a nifty magnifying glass that runs back and forth across their little faces). Once Upon a Toy is one of the best stores in the Marketplace, and the best toy store I've ever been in. It's stocked from floor to ceiling with games and toys, many of them classics -- you know, the ones you played with while growing up. Its 16,000 square feet of space is divided into three separate sections: The first is filled with board games; the second is loaded with stuffed animals, building sets, and Playskool toys; the third features action figures, vehicles, and videos. The store's popular "build your own" and "fill your own" stations, including a new "build your own light saber" station (where you can pick and choose from a variety of doodads, packing on as many pieces as possible), are sprinkled throughout the premises. Disney's Design-A-Tee (presented by Hanes) lets guests create their own souvenir T -- from sleeve length, to color, to design (there are hundreds to choose from); it's all up to you. Simply make your selection via touch-screen and your personalized T will be ready within minutes. TrenD, as its name implies, is a hip and chic urban boutique that features an eclectic mix of Disney-inspired designer duds from the likes of Roxy, Tarina Tarantino, and Kidada Jones -- and a must for the fashion-conscious Disney diva. Other smaller, but similarly interesting, shops include the Art of Disney, where you can buy posters, limited-edition animation cels, and other Disney collectibles. Team Mickey's Athletic Club sells character clothing with a sporty spin.

Hoypoloi features contemporary glasswork, original sculptures, and an assortment of distinctive gifts. At Curl by Sammy Duval, you can pick up the hottest surf and skate wear, accessories -- even the latest gear. Other notable stores at West Side include Magic Masters, where you can load up on magic tricks for your budding Harry Houdini; and Magnetron, which sells a huge variety of magnets (though, strangely enough, no Disney ones).

Getting Your Fill -- The neatest way to buy toys at several Downtown Disney stores (especially Once Upon a Toy) is in bulk . . . sort of. Toys such as Lincoln Logs and Mr. Potato Head, as well as a few others, can be purchased by the piece. Here's how it works: You pick out a box (often with two sizes to choose from) and fill it up with as many (or few) pieces as you can fit inside. The only stipulation -- you have to be able to close the lid properly. No matter how many pieces you've stuffed inside, the price of the box remains the same. If you've got good space-saving skills, buying your toys this way may net you a very good deal. (Here's a hint to get you started -- Mr. Potato Head has a hole in his back, so fill it up and you'll fit more pieces in your box.)

International Drive Area

(Note: Locally, this road is almost always referred to as I-Drive.) Extending 8 or so miles northeast of Disney between Hwy. 535 and the Florida Turnpike, this busy thoroughfare is one of the most popular tourist districts in the area, in part because it is filled with so many restaurants, shops, hotels, and attractions. From indoor surfing and glow-in-the-dark golf to dozens of themed restaurants and shopping spots, this is the tourist strip in Central Florida. Its main shopping draw is the Orlando Premium Outlets, just off south I-Drive . Another I-Drive shopping spot, Pointe Orlando (tel. 407/248-2838; www.pointeorlandofl.com), features an ever growing collection of upscale restaurants, clubs, and specialty shops in an inviting outdoor setting. Thanks to extensive renovations, the completely re-created space now includes winding walkways, shaded courtyards, fountains, and all new lighting.

Kissimmee

Skirting the south side of Walt Disney World, Kissimmee centers on U.S. 192/Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway, as archetypal of modern American cities as Disney's Main Street is of America's yesteryear. U.S. 192 is lined end to end with budget motels, smaller attractions, and almost every fast-food restaurant known to humankind (though a handful of good eateries can be found here as well). Kissimmee, however, does not offer the fabulous array of shopping options found elsewhere in Orlando. The shopping here is notable for the quantity, not necessarily the quality, but it's a good place to pick up some knickknacks, white elephant gifts, or those seashells I mentioned above.

Winter Park

Just north of Downtown Orlando, Winter Park (tel. 407/644-8281) is the place many of Central Florida's old-money families call home. It began as a haven for Yankees trying to escape the cold. Today its centerpiece is Park Avenue, which has quite a collection of upscale retail shops -- Ann Taylor, Restoration Hardware, Crabtree & Evelyn, Williams-Sonoma, and Pottery Barn, among numerous others (including several locally owned boutiques) -- along its cobblestone route. No matter which end of Park Avenue you start at, there are more shops than most can survive (over 140 in and around the Park Ave. area), but you're bound to find something here you'll not find anywhere else. Park Avenue is also home to a handful of unique upscale restaurants, cafes, and art galleries. Note: Leave the kids with a sitter if you plan to shop (or dine) here. You'll both be happier for it. To get here, take I-4 exit 87, Fairbanks Avenue/Hwy. 426, east past U.S. 17/92 to Park Avenue and turn left.