Fort Lauderdale's anchor mall is surprisingly upscale. There are the usual standards—department stores like Dillards, Saks, and Macy's (once known as Burdine's, and famed for its snazzy range of hot-weather clothes), plus Victoria's Secret and Banana Republic—but you'll also find L'Occitane, BCBG, and a branch of jeweler Bailey Banks & Biddle.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 10 am to 9 pm, Sundays noon to 6 pm.

Eleven miles west of Fort Lauderdale's waterfront is the discount retail palace of Sawgrass Mills; reach it from the city via Interstates 75 or 595 by taking the Sawgrass Expressway exchange. Unlike many discount or outlet malls, it isn't filled with B-list brands or stores selling specially-made low-priced seconds. Instead, come here for an astonishing range of off-price products, whether clothes (J. Crew, Hugo Boss), underwear (Jockey), shoes (Adidas, Athlete's Foot), cosmetics (The Body Shop), or even electronics (Brandsmart USA). The pick of the bunch, though, are the two designer-crammed department-store offsprings, Saks Off 5th and Neiman Marcus Last Call; don't miss Sanrio's budget Hello Kitty shop either. Plus, a newer open-air promenade of shops next door, called Colonnade, has more high-end outlets like Barney's New York, Burberry, and Cole Haan. Sawgrass is also home to the superb kids' attraction Wannadoo City, which is like a career-themed DisneyWorld, where pre-teens can try out jobs like pilot, nurse, and TV anchor in the indoor miniature town.

Open Mondays through Saturdays 10 am to 9:30 pm, Sundays 11 am to 8 pm.

This downtown unisex boutique holds a smartly edited collection of the current must-try labels: there's a massive stock of Juicy Couture for women (denim, velour, etc.) as well as jeans from J Brand, Citizens of Humanity, True Religion, and Chip & Pepper; dressier options include Angeleno designer James Perse, Sky, Michael Stars, and Brit favorite Ben Sherman.