If you ever have a full day to yourself with some extra cash tucked away in your wallet, a day visiting Salt Lake City’s shopping districts is a day well spent. A true shopping experience isn’t simply trying on clothes, making a purchase and going home—entertainment and dining options are around the corner from every cool shop and make for a well-rounded day. And if you follow this agenda, you can hit all the stops in one spendriffic day.
1. CITY CREEK CENTER
You’ll first want to stop at City Creek Center around 10 a.m. to enjoy the open-air mall when it’s not yet filled to the brim with crowds. Wake up with a latte at Nordstrom’s eBar and spend a moment with nature, thanks to the 1,200-foot creek that winds through the property—hence the name City Creek. Take a walk through the two-block mall and check out the wide spectrum of specialty stores. City Creek exclusives include Tifffany & Co. and Coach, but if shopping there extends outside your budget, you’ll also find stores like Forever 21 and H&M.
50 S. Main, 801-521-2012, ShopCityCreekCenter.com
2. BROADWAY (300 SOUTH)
Once you’ve checked City Creek off the list, take a late-morning stroll down 300 South, aka Broadway. The street could easily be called Art & Antique Lane, with stores like Jitterbug Antiques pulling at your heartstrings with collectibles and favorite toys from your childhood (or your parents’). For those who relish current fashion over antiques, check out Q Clothing Boutique, specializing in progressive and affordable fashion. After trying on outfits there, wander farther along this quirky street to discover Blonde Grizzly, an art gallery and retail space that exhibits local and national artists and sells rarities and handmade crafts. Your shopping won’t be complete without stepping back in time by visiting Urban Vintage Antiques, a store that sells unique home décor and vintage items.
300 South, between State Street and 300 East
3. FOOTHILL VILLAGE
Next, take a drive east to the base of the Wasatch Range, where a variety of restaurants, services and clothing shops cluster together to provide the ultimate strip-mall experience in a beautiful setting. Bargain shoppers will be delighted by Stein Mart, where you can find name-brand merchandise and designer clothes at a discounted price. If your style is more upscale, boutiques like Bella Forte might draw you in with high-fashion outfits. A sudden urge to be creative can be satisfied with art therapy at Color Me Mine, where you can pick and paint your own pietce of pottery. Before you depart for a whirlwind afternoon of more shopping, refuel with a gourmet hot or cold sandwich at Red Butte Café, or try a taste of Irish-inspired cuisine at MacCool’s.
1400 S. Foothill Drive, 801-487-6670
4. SUGAR HOUSE
Don’t forget to stop in Sugar House, a neighborhood with shopping, dining and entertainment in all directions. If you love dressing up your house more than yourself, you’ll be in for a treat at The Square Nest, an artsy shop that sells home décor, gifts and baby items. Ready to try on more clothes? Sundance Catalog Outlet has unique men’s and women’s fashions and handmade artisan jewelry. For natural grocery shopping, hit up Whole Foods Market to cater to your health-seeking taste buds. Grab a custom ice cream cone at MaggieMoo’s before moseying farther north along 1100 East, where you can visit cute local boutiques like Unhinged and Solissa, and find a book to feed your brain or your love of murder mysteries at Central Book Exchange.
1900 South to 2300 South, between 1100 East and 1300 East
5. 9TH & 9TH
A few blocks from Sugar House is the funky retail and residential neighborhood 9th & 9th, where you can find it all: shops, businesses, restaurants and other services—an ideal destination for afternoon strolling and spending. If you’re the type who prefers to browse boutiques, Nineteen70 is a great place for women’s clothing, purses and more at surprisingly affordable prices. The Children’s Hour is a one-stop shop for gifts for the special woman or child in your life, with fashion, accessories, stationery and books. For something completely different, head across the street to Contender Bicycles, a full-service bike shop filled with employees who share a passion for riding. Find a unique Celtic gift at Gypsy Moon Emporium and grab a sweet pick-me-up at Dolcetti Gelato before heading onward.
900 South, between 800 East and 1100 East
6. TROLLEY SQUARE
Capture Salt Lake City’s historic past with a stop at Trolley Square. Wander through shiny brick-floored halls and visit an eclectic range of stores: Pottery Barn for supreme house décor, Cabin Fever for kooky gifts and memorabilia and The Spectacle for unique designer frames. Hear a dog barking your name? That’s the Best Friends Animal Society Adoption Center, where you can adopt a dog or cat. Before leaving, enjoy a locally crafted beer at Desert Edge Brewery or, if you’re hungry, get your face messy with hot wings at The Trolley Wing Company. Make sure to return on the weekend to catch up on some laughter at Wiseguys Comedy Café.
602 E. 500 South, 801-521-9877, TrolleySquare.com
7. THE GATEWAY
End your shopping day at The Gateway, a restored two-block Union Pacific train depot that’s busy adding more locally owned shops and bars to complement the City Creek scene. Stores at this outdoor mall stay open late, and there’s a plethora of entertainment and dining options. Purchase an exquisite blouse and shop for other fun and stylish clothing at Lola Bella Boutique. If you’ve shopped until you’re ready to drop, catch a movie at Megaplex Theatres, or try something new and experience a laser show at the Clark Planetarium. Finish the night with a slice of pizza at California Pizza Kitchen or, better yet, suck down a beer at ’Bout Time Pub & Grub.
400 West 100 South, 801-456-0000, ShopTheGateway.com
