Best Shopping Centers in Naples

With more than 150 stores - including anchor stores Dillard's, JCPenney, Sears and Macy's - the indoor, air-conditioned mall is a good place to shop on hot summer Naples days â€" if you are looking for chain stores. You will find Abercrombie & Fitch, Old Navy, American Greetings, Bath & Body Works, Game Stop and more of the usuals, plus a tidy selection of one-of-a-kind or small local chain shops. The mall also boasts a food court plus a few chain sit-down dining restaurants.

Promenade took a hit with the recession and opening of two mega-malls nearby. The good news: It's back on the rise as storefronts fill and the lush, water gushing gardens have returned. A major infusion of vitality came with the opening of DeRomo's Gourmet Market and Restaurant in October 2014. It caters to the Naples area's ravenous taste for fine cooking with the first of its kind (locally) market place for gourmet food products. Its restaurant joins Roy's and Molino's Ristorante in feeding hungry shoppers. The variety and quality of shops make this open-air center a stand-out. Antica Murrina jewelry store specializes in artisan Murano glass from Italy. Epic 31 displays the art and jewelry handcrafted by more than 35 local artists. Kay's On The Beach dresses mature women-- one of a handful of women's clothing boutiques at Promenade. For men's fashion, John Craig Clothier professes top style and sophistication.

This mega-complex north of Naples combines residential condos, big-box stores, diverse dining, movie theaters and name boutiques. Its 140 stores include Dillard's department store, Target, Barnes & Noble, Apple Store, Best Buy, Yankee Candle, Boston Proper (the first storefront for the women's clothing catalog), Banana Republic and Bath & Body Works. Dining ranges from Five Guys Burgers & Fries and Moe's Southwest Grill to upscale choices such as Ruth's Chris Steak House. In season, January through Easter, Coconut Point hosts a weekly Farmers' Market from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Thursday. The outdoor mall also provides free shuttle service around its massive breadth.

Lining the waterfront on two sides of the road (a tunnel allows you to drive or walk under the bridge instead of having to cross the busy road), it effects European style architecture. Another well traveled district for shopping and dining, its stores are of the upscale ilk selling jewelry, art, home accessories and clothing - nearly 60 businesses in all. Everything But Water (formerly Aqua Beachwear) for women and Mondo Uomo for men are popular fashion stops. Try A Horse of a Different Color and Fabec-Young & Co. for gifts and home decor items. Five jewelry stores specialize in everything from watches and pearls to estate jewelry.

Burburry, Coach, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Hermes: Yes, that sound you are hearing is cha-ching. Expect to find the most luxe brands in a setting of pure architectural magnificence. It wasn't built on the waterfront, but its many water features earn the shopping center its name. Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue anchor chi-chi Waterside Shops, part of the exclusive Pelican Bay development. After a little retail therapy, there are plenty of places to grab a bite to eat – high-end chains such as Brio Tuscan Grille, True Food Kitchen, Silver Spoon Cafe and California Pizza Kitchen.

Small and tucked away from the downtown limelight, cozy and compact Crayton Cove has both nautical and historical charm. Known as Back Bay in the early 1900s, it was later renamed for early developer E.W. "Ed" Crayton and attracted a lively mix of commercial fishermen, workers building the Tamiami Trail and business folk who started an inn, a grocery store and Naples' first pharmacy. Today, despite Crayton Cove's deep roots and home to City Dock, the neighborhood has retreated into something of a hidden Naples secret. As far as shopping goes, there's a nautical hardware store filled with fun browseables and close to a dozen galleries and gift shops. A few restaurants add to the character, the most popular being the Dock at Crayton Cove, host of the goofy Great Dock Canoe Race every May.

Naples' newest shopping arena, Mercato builds on the Waterside Shops model of chain stores, but with less sticker shock and more restaurants, a vibrant night scene and residential real estate. Whole Foods Market, Nordstrom Rack and Sur La Table are the largest tenants. Interspersed around indoor-outdoor restaurants and a deluxe movie theater that offers dining options, shops are of the chain variety - Pandora, Sperry Top-Sider, Jos. A. Bank Clothiers and the likes. Most of the restaurants turn into bars in the late hours. Places such as Blue Martini, Cavo Lounge, AZN and the Pub Naples keep the shopping center hopping into the wee hours.

It intersects with the more vital Fifth Avenue South, but the shopping and dining district is five blocks off Fifth, so a bit of a walk. Near the Naples Fishing Pier and beaches, it's popular with the apres-beach crowd. Known for its Gallery Row, it also has earned fame for having one of the first, if not the first, shopping concierge, who can advise and see that your packages get back to your hotel. A plaza lies at the heart of the shopping district, but the recession took its toll, leaving several shops empty. Most of the remaining shops are high-end, one-of-a-kind, such as Marissa Collections, which sells prestige designer fashions, and Gattle's, carrying fine home linens and accessories.

Once a tin-roofed dockage facility for the downtown Naples area, Tin City retains its rustic, salty charm and its dockage. What's changed is its reinvention into a casual shopping and dining complex. Most of the shops and eateries carry extremely casual and inexpensive wares with a nautical, beachy backbeat. The 30 or so shops occupy two ramshackle buildings and tend to be a little on the touristy side. It's a good place to find souvenirs in all price ranges. When it's time to dine, Riverwalk and Pincher's Crab Shack are favorites with water views and local seafood on the menu.

Old Naples' comeback story is one of the most successful in the annals of downtown redevelopment. Reinvented in 1996 with careful planning, Fifth Avenue South was at the heart of the renaissance. What has resulted is a tony street lined with sidewalk cafes, mostly one-of-a-kind shops and galleries, a vital theater, an arts center, hotels and a city park. But let's talk shopping: Mixed in with great restaurants, the shops sell art, resort wear, jewelry and fun gifts for everyone, including the pets. You will find chains such as Chico's and Tervis Tumblers, but also unique shops such as Port Royal Jewelers, where you have to ring a doorbell to gain admission. The restaurants of Fifth Avenue South present some of the town's most divine dining options.Throughout the year, the merchants host a number of street art and other festivals.