Everything You Need To Know About Shopping In New York

Whether you are a true shopaholic or the occasional spender, shopping in NYC is as easy as 1, 2, 3. Why? New York is the center of fashion in the U.S, like Paris and Milan are to Europe. This fashion capital will have your money spent in a blink of an eye!

In New York City, you will find some of the world's most stylish shops, luxury boutiques, designer brands like Louis Vuitton and Chanel, vintage clothing stores, and some of the world's largest department stores such as Bloomingdale's and Macy's. But you will also find many outlets with great deals on name brands, hundreds of thrift stores, and an amazing selection of art.

And all that is complemented with a shopping experience of a lifetime! If you think of NYC shopping picturing New York girls like Carrie Bradshaw from Sex And The City or Rebecca Bloomwood from Confessions Of a Shopaholic shopping on Fifth Avenue, then you know what I mean!

You see, the options are limitless. But with an endless choice, it can get a little overwhelming when it is your time to go and spend some money shopping. So, is New York really the best shopping city in the world? Make use of the more than 300 Bounce locations for luggage storage in NYC to store your luggage (or shopping bags!) and keep reading to find out.

Popular Shopping Malls in New York City

The Shops At Columbus Circle

Located in Time Warner Center in the center of Manhattan overlooking Central Park, you will find Columbus Circle, a "cultural portal to Manhattan's Upper West Side." Whether you are looking for books, electronics, shoe stores, or you just want to enjoy delicious lunch looking at Central Park from above you can do all that here and more!

You won't be bored in this shopping mall. You won't even have the time. There are three floors of shopping to go through.

Ok, one is for dining, but you are still buying the food. And even if you are not shopping, the views of Central Park are worth checking out every day! If you are into designer clothing, you can find Coach, Michael Kors, and Robert Graham.

You can even get your manicure done here or buy fur items. With over 50 retail stores, The Shops at Columbus Circle will give you an indoor shopping experience you'll never forget.

Westfield Shopping Mall - Oculus

This modern shopping center is a unique structure and one of the largest shopping destinations in Lower Manhattan. It is also a transportation hub with twelve subway lines that connect Downtown Manhattan with the rest of the island.

Oculus takes shopping in NYC on a whole new level with its architectural marvel. With over 100 retailers on the main floor that attract millions of people a week, you will find that this is one of the best places to shop. The variety of stores includes an Apple Store, Sephora, John Varvatos, Victoria's Secret, Montblanc, and many more shops well worth your time and money.

When you get hungry from all that shopping, you have plenty of food to choose from, like Little Hunter Burgers, Eataly, Wasabi Shushi & Bento, and Starbucks. If you are looking for entertainment while shopping or waiting for your commute, they organize weekly programs, starting from art exhibitions to musical and retail events. Finally, if you are looking for NYC shopping with a twist, then this is it!

Hudson Yards

If you want to see what the future may look like, Hudson Yards is a New York City shopping experience that will show you! Located in the newest neighborhood in New York City, along with eight other structures, the four-level upscale mall has exactly what you need and more!

With over 100 shops spread throughout a 720,000 square foot area, the only thing that will make you feel bad is that you won't have the time to see it all. But this is a great reason to become a repeat visitor and enjoy every bit of your shopping experience. Whether you are looking for luxury brands like Cartier jewelry, Rolex watches or designer labels like Coach, or a more reasonable high street fashion like Zara and H&M, you will find it all in this seven-floor shopping complex.

After climbing The Vessel, you will work up an appetite. Luckily, in Hudson Yards, you can get all the food you can possibly think of. From tapas in Little Spain to upscale meals in Queensyard.

Designer Stores and Outlets in New York City

Woodbury Common Premium Outlet

Located in Central Valley, New York, you will need to get out of the city to get to this outlet paradise, which you can do so with daily trip shopping tours. It's no hustle, and it is well worth your time and money. The outdoor outlet mall is a great place to do your shopping on a nice, sunny day.

It is undoubtedly one of the best places to shop on a budget. The outlet has a collection of 220 outlet stores on an 800,000 square feet area. Anything from Gucci, Kate Spade, American Eagle, Bottega Venetta, Ugg, you name it!

Grab a map to find your way around, but also follow the color-coded areas for easier navigation. After walking and shopping for so many hours, you can find a great food selection from restaurants like South Philly Steaks & Fries and China Taste to Pret A Manger and Just Salad as a healthier alternative.

Empire Outlets

Some of the best places to shop on a budget are located a little further from Manhattan. Located on Staten Island, this mall is the only outlet shopping mall in New York City. If you take the free Staten Island Ferry, you will be in Staten Island in less than thirty minutes. Enjoying the ferry is one of the fabulous free things to do in New York, and you'll get to see the Statue of Liberty on the trip as well.

What can you expect to find once there? With over 30 stores, expect to find some great sample sales and discounts on brands like the Banana Republic, Gap Factory, Guess Factory, and Brooks Brothers. The outlet covers an area of 340,000 square feet, packed not only with designer shops, but you will also find a great selection of restaurants and cafes.

Century 21 

One of the best department stores in NYC is the seven-floor flagship store Century 21, located in Downtown Manhattan. Bring a friend because the great selection of your favorite designer brands at low prices will make you feel dizzy. You will find amazing deals up to 70% on everything from bags and shoes to electronics, perfumes, sports gear, and a lot more!

But Downtown Manhattan is not the only place you can find this department store. With so many different locations scattered around NYC, it's easy to find the closest to you. And, when holidays are coming, this is the best New York City store to do your Christmas shopping.

Macy's Herald Square

Shopping in NYC is not complete if you don't visit the most famous department store in New York and the largest department store in the world, Macy's Herald Square. Located on 34th Street in Midtown Manhattan, on a million square feet area, this gigantic store guarantees the best shopping in New York City. From handbags and watches to cosmetics and fragrances, the ten floors building attracts thousands of people every day for some serious shopping.

Anything from luxury shops, trendy boutiques, and designers like Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, and Louis Vuitton to housewares and furniture, you can find all this here and more! The shopping experience in this mega shopping zone is even better when it starts or ends with some of the best food in NYC. Check out Stella 34, Macy's Chef St., or The Harold to satiate your hunger when shopping is over.

L Train Vintage Store

Shopping in NYC doesn't need to break the bank. You can find a lot of goodies in a thrift shop. L Train is a great vintage and thrift store with three locations in Brooklyn and one in Manhattan, where you can find unique gems from the 1970s and 1990s fashion.

You just need to dig a little deeper, and rest assured you will leave this thrift shop with a big smile on your face. From military gear to Levis denim cutoffs, from Dior and vintage Rolling Stones and Harley Davidson t-shirts, tanks, jackets, and sweatshirts, for many locals, this is the best thrift store for vintage in New York.

Popular Shopping Areas in New York City

SoHo

If you are looking for the best New York city shopping, look no further. From Broadway West to Sixth Avenue and Houston Street south to Canal Street, SoHo (South of Houston) is what shopping should look like! What used to be a neighborhood with an artistic charm in the 70s, today is where the best NYC shopping happens. Packed with art galleries, museums, luxury brands, trendy boutiques, Italian eateries, and some high-end dining, SoHo offers the ultimate shopping experience for tourists and locals alike.

This shopping neighborhood has everything you need and more! South East of SoHo in a short walking distance are Chinatown and Little Italy, and Greenwich Village and Union Square on the North. Walking around the cobblestone streets, surrounded by cast-iron architecture, gives SoHo a distinct vibe unlike any other area in New York City, making shopping the highlight of your day!

Park Slope 

Park Slope is one of the best places to shop in Brooklyn. The shops are mainly concentrated on Fifth avenue and Seventh avenue and sell anything from unique clothing boutiques, antiques, vintage and thrift stores to gift shops, wine, accessories, and furniture.

Park Slope is home to Atlantic Terminal Mall, Target, Metro Flea NYC, the Brooklyn Super Hero Supply Store, Guitar Center, and many more.

Fifth Avenue

You can't go shopping in NYC and skip Fifth Avenue, if you can afford it. Fifth Avenue is the most famous and most expensive shopping street in New York City. It is the Rodeo Drive of NYC.

What to expect? Anything from fashion houses and top designers with flagship stores like Armani, Prada, and Calvin Klein, to less expensive retailers like Abercrombie & Fitch, Nike on Fifth Avenue, and H&M. There are also a few department stores you absolutely have to check, like Saks Fifth Avenue, Nike NYC, House of Innovation 000 and Bergdorf Goodman.

Midtown Manhattan is also the neighborhood where you can see New York's highlights like the Empire State Building, the New York Public Library, or the Rockefeller Center. And some of the best hotels in NYC are located on Fifth and Sixth Avenues.

If you love window shopping, Fifth Avenue is the best place to start. And if you like shopping streets like this one, you may also enjoy Madison Avenue, Lexington Avenue on the Upper East Side, Broadway Street, and Christopher Street in Greenwich. On Wall Street, you can find designer jewelry retailers like Tiffany & Co.

Meatpacking District, Manhattan Neighborhoods and More

New York City is one of the best shopping cities in the world. Each neighborhood has its own shopping area or famous shopping street. From Greenwich Village to East Village and Little Italy, from Staten Island to Madison Avenue and West Broadway, New York has a little bit of everything for everyone.

Whether you are looking for designers, high-street fashion, record stores, bookstores, hotels, and art, you can find it anywhere and at any time in New York City.