Top Rated Shopping in Tampa/St. Petersburg

Once you have observed the crazy tiled floor and the cozy decor, you'll discover the treasures of this old-fashioned store. Word lovers have the chance to access a very rich selection of books here, with various subjects such as fiction, travel, science and medicine, cuisine, history, business or biography. The goal? To increase customer's passion for reading! If you like enjoying a cup of local tea or artisanal coffee while reading, you'll find what you need: the Oxford Exchange also carries an amazing selection of those, to be enjoyed perched on a bar stool or comfortably reclined in a deep armchair.

St. Petersburg's Saturday morning market has been going strong since its inception in 2002. Taking over the downtown area every Saturday morning from 9a to 2p, this lively gathering features live music, mouth-watering food and a variety of vendors selling their wares. Find fresh eggs and goat cheese from a nearby farm or Cajun spices and handmade crafts made by a locals. A great family activity, the market also features kid-friendly events. Check the website for more information about vendors and upcoming music acts and events.

Since Ybor City was created by cigar manufacturers in 1880 and mostly populated by Cuban immigrants, it is a historically rich Tampa neighborhood. Located right in downtown, this area has become one of the most commercial parts in the city nowadays, but still, you can find really traditional places. With a 50 years history, King Corona Cigars is one of those places. Here smokers are able to enjoy a large selection of cigars and accessories. Need a snack? Grab one of the delicious Cuban sandwiches. No hesitation, a visit to Ybor can't be completed without a good cigar or some real Cuban food!

The perfect spot for a cup of freshly brewed tea, cup of iced coffee and a fresh muffin while perusing shelves stocked with books, DVDs, posters, CDs and vintage vinyl is Mojo Books and Music. Located near the campus of the University of South Florida, the shop is a hub for students, locals, and anyone interested in selling, trading, and buying items. With an impressive inventory of new and used audio and visual entertainment, Mojo provides customers with more opportunities to find an elusive CD, rare book, vintage poster or vinyl collectables. - Vickie Ferguson

The charming Hyde Park Village is the place to go for upscale shopping, dining and entertainment. The village features a variety of shopping venues for designer apparel, handmade jewelry, and home décor as well as restaurants, bakeries, and a movie and dinner theater. Located near SoHo and downtown Tampa, Hyde Park Village offers the ultimate in quality services in a relaxing park-like atmosphere. Hours may vary for specific venues.

A mainstay of the Busch Gardens-University of South Florida area, University Mall is anchored by Dillard's, Wards, Sears, Burdines, and JC Penney. Those are intermingled with more than 150 specialty shops. If not everyone in the group is an Olympic shopper, there's a 16-screen Regal Theater for the non-shopper to spend a couple of hours in the land of celluloid. A food court is abetted by a cluster of specialty foods purveyors and restaurants. Carts and kiosks add intriguing items to the shopping cart, from beads to herbs.