Best Shopping Malls and Centers in Palm Springs

If you love brands like Oakley, Guess and Reebok but hate paying full price, head about half an hour north of Palm Springs to the Cabazon Outlets to score your beloved brands at discount prices. The Cabazon Outlets feature over a dozen brands, including Columbia Sportswear, Under Armour, Puma and Adidas. If you need a mid-shopping snack, you'll find a Starbucks and Auntie Anne's Pretzels in this outlet mall. After a few hours browsing the shops, you can head next door to Morongo Casino for a bit of gaming and fine dining or to Desert Hills Premium Outlets for more shopping.

Charming, retro and uniquely Palm Springs are three ways to describe the Uptown Design District, and if you're a modernism fan in any sense, you won't want to miss the shops in this district. This stretch of Palm Canyon Drive celebrates the modern designs, art and fashion that have come to define Palm Springs. Here, shoppers can celebrate an artistic fusion of mid-century design and modern vision. Dig for antique treasures, try on the latest desert designer dresses or pick up a retro lamp for your office. You'll find contemporary art, high-end furnishings and a few of the desert's trendiest restaurants, too.

Every Saturday and Sunday morning, the College of the Desert parking lot transforms into the desert's largest street fair. Hundreds of vendors set up makeshift shops at this street fair, resulting in hours of shopping and bargain hunting. You'll find everything from designer swimwear and purses to hand tools and fresh, local produce. Many local artists also take advantage of the street fair to showcase their paintings, photographs and sculptures. A food court sits in the center of the street fair, offering popular local favorites like date shakes, angus burgers and gyros. Spend a morning wandering the aisles of the COD Street Fair and you'll be sure to fill up your suitcases with gifts for friends back home--and yourself.

Old Town La Quinta features dozens of boutiques and restaurants in the heart of downtown without a chain in sight. This is the perfect spot to find unique gifts for friends and family back home. Within these boutique shops, you'll find items like handcrafted soaps and lotions, cold-pressed olive oils, home decor with a desert flair and hard-to-find wines. You'll also find boutiques carrying designer resort wear by names like Diane Von Furstenburg and Calypso. On Sundays, the shopping district opens into a street fair, and many of the retail shops open their doors and fill the sidewalks with their wares.

A stroll through downtown Palm Springs is a must for any trip to the desert. The downtown area is a shopping mecca for anyone who loves art, boutique clothing stores and all things modern. Spend a day looking for antique treasures at thrift stores or antique shops, or get the perfect resort outfit for your Palm Springs retreat at one of the designer boutiques on Palm Canyon Drive. You'll also find specialty items like cigars, music boxes, collectable coins and healing stones. Some of Palm Springs best restaurants can be found downtown, which is why it's a must-visit for anyone visiting Palm Springs.

Love designer labels but not the designer prices? Head to the Desert Hills Premium Outlets in Cabazon, where you can score trendy merchandise from hundreds of designers at a fraction of the retail price. Less than an hour from Palm Springs, this outlet mall features more than 150 outlets across two wings, meaning you'll be able to score discount designer goods from all of your favorite brands. The stores range from names like Kenneth Cole, J. Crew and Prada, to brands like Levi, Coldwater Creek and Sketchers. An onsite food court will also keep you satisfied while you hunt for the best deals.

Whether you want to window shop under the warmth of the desert sun, look for a new piece of art to have shipped back home or browse the latest desert fashions, The River in Rancho Mirage is the lifestyle shopping destination for you. While you browse both the local boutiques and familiar shops of The River, you'll be soothed by the sight and sound of the manmade waterfront that surrounds the shops. The River also has a number of restaurant chains like The Cheesecake Factory, P.F. Chang's and the Yard House. On weekends, the amphitheater features live music to add to the uniquely desert ambiance.

Want to enjoy shopping with your favorite retailers in an air-conditioned mall? Head to Westfield Palm Desert, one of the only traditional indoor shopping malls in the Coachella Valley. Anchored by retail giants like JCPenney, Sears, Barnes and Noble and Macy's, Westfield Mall offers a range of retail shops and restaurants that offer everything you're looking for. Fashion shows and family-friendly events are held on weekends throughout the year, adding an interactive level to the traditional mall experience. Westfield Mall is also home to Cinemas Palme D'or, a movie theater than screens indie and international films in addition to blockbuster releases.

The Gardens on El Paseo is an upscale retail shopping center in Palm Desert. Located in the heart of El Paseo, a street inspired by the famous Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, The Gardens are a separate shopping mall between San Pablo Avenue and Larkspur Lane. High-end tenants include the likes of Saks Fifth Avenue, The Loft, Anthologie and Sephora. A namesake garden also sits in the middle of the center, adding a relaxing vibe to this shopping destination. After your shopping spree, grab a happy hour cocktail or a light dinner at nearby restaurants like Sullivan's or Pacifica Seafood.

While Beverly Hills has Rodeo, the Coachella Valley has El Paseo. The Shops on El Paseo shopping district is often compared to the iconic Los Angeles shopping district, and for good reason. With blocks of boutiques, high-end retailers and quaint restaurants, it's easy to spend a day window-shopping along El Paseo. At The Shops on El Paseo, you'll find designer wear for men, women and even dogs. El Paseo contains a mix of large designer names, like Escada and Ralph Lauren, as well as small boutiques and storefronts for local designers. El Paseo also includes a number of art galleries and jewelry stores.