Top Rated Shopping in Albuquerque

Bookworks is a bookstore with an excellent selection, but it is also much, much more. Somehow this small independent store manages to sell almost anything you might be after, while remaining cozy and manageable. There are quality notebooks, calendars, diaries, day planners, cards, magazines, fridge magnets, mugs and humorous gifts. A unique selection of CDs are stocked, and concert tickets may be purchased in advance here, often cheaper than at the door. Both famous and unknown authors regularly hold readings, signings and question and answer sessions. A fire burns in the fireplace throughout the winter and store encourages the visitor to linger and browse.

Layer by layer, history unravels itself in the charming Old Town Albuquerque. A locus of the city's cultural, architectural and historic tenor, Old Town has been the focal point of community life since 1706. The winding alleys of this neighborhood are dotted with traditional houses awash in lovely Pueblo-Spanish architectural influences. This quaint quarter was laid out in the quintessential colonial way, and is home to a string of notable landmarks which attest to the quarter's historical and cultural importance, for example the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History, the historic San Felipe de Neri Church and the Plaza, which is perhaps the cultural and communal nucleus of Old Town. Here, wrought iron and adobe bancos (benches) rest under the shade of the plaza, offering a respite from the usually balmy weather year round. Unique items from around the world, as well as those distinctively Southwestern are sold in an array of quirky shops and boutiques. Soaked in old-world charm, Old Town is a part of the city, which can never be forgotten.

ABQ Uptown brought an upscale shopping, dining, and entertainment experience to Northeastern Albuquerque. This area includes urban loft apartments, several restaurants, a Trader Joe's grocery store, and retail favorites like Anthropologie, Coldwater Creek, MAC Cosmetics, Apple, and Pottery Barn. The pleasant landscaping of the area also makes it a nice place to stroll when the weather is warm, and with an underground parking garage right beneath the shopping area, you shouldn't have to walk far when it's cold out. Moreover, you can spot ABQ Uptown by the big neon "Q" sign at the corner of Uptown and Q Street.

Since 1946 this store has been the leader in men's and women's head wear, offering custom fitting, accessories, cleaning and hat blocking. Choose from straw hats and Greek Fishermen's hats, Kangol Caps and French and English Barrettes, and of course cowboy hats. People in New Mexico know if they are looking for a cowboy hat this is the place to go. This shop is easy to find. Located in downtown Man's Hat Shop sits on the world-renowned Route 66.

Treasure House Books & Gifts is a charming shop known for its impressive selection of books about New Mexico or by local writers. From regional cookbooks to mystery novels set in Albuquerque to local history books, this bookstore has it all. The collection also contains general books, such as dramas and children's books. There is also an impressive collection of CDs, music, and local souvenirs. Treasure House Books & Gifts even holds events, such as author readings.

Give yourself the better portion of a day to visit Cottonwood Mall, New Mexico's largest indoor shopping mall. With as many as three shopping levels, this mall harbors just about everything you need. Anchored on one end by J.C. Penny's and on the other by multi-screen Starport theater, it will take some time to see it all. Strategically positioned in the center of it all is a huge, upstairs food court that looks up at an upside-down landscape and skyscapers of Albuquerque.