San Francisco is a world-class shopping mecca. Union Square is typically the first stop for a serious shopper, since that is where almost all the major department stores, such as Macy's, Saks, and Nieman Marcus, are located along with scores of all kinds of haute couture boutiques, including Gucci, Escada, Hermes, and so on. Just a few blocks down to Market Street at Fifth Street, you'll find the San Francisco Center, anchored by the department store Nordstrom, which is famous for attentive customer service. There are many other stores inside the Center as well, worthy of exploring. Also along Market Street is the Virgin Megastore. And since you made it this far, at Mission and Fourth Street, there is the Metreon, which has stores to buy the latest in Sony electronics and CDs, as well as other specialty shops. (You can take in a movie here if you like. They've got a fantastic IMAX theatre.)

Union Street off of Van Ness is another very popular place to shop. Here you will find charming, upscale boutiques and sidewalk cafes. Some of the boutiques include well-known names such as Armani and Kenneth Cole, as well as shops specializing in unique hand-knit sweaters, jewelry, elegant home décor and so on. This street is also a popular destination at night for its many restaurants such as Perry's, Prego and Betelnut, and others.

Not far from Union Street, is Fillmore Street in Pacific Heights, which is where you'll find the very popular Fillamento, for the most chic in home décor, as well as many fashionable boutiques.

Hayes Street, off of Van Ness, near Davies Symphony Hall, is very cutting edge. You'll find the latest in hip, off-beat fashion, home décor and music, including recent "vinyl" releases. There are interesting art galleries and plenty of excellent dining choices here as well, to explore.

Valencia Street, in the up-and-coming Mission district is also cutting edge, definitely on the funky side, and getting very popular, especially with the younger set. From 16 th Street to 22nd Street, along Valencia you will find a wide variety of new, interesting shops and boutiques keep you fascinated for hours, along with plenty of enticing restaurants and cafes to take a rest and refresh. It is always changing on Valencia, so repeat visits will offer new surprises each time you go.

Although the above shopping destinations are the most popular, there are other enclaves around The City that offer some excellent shopping opportunities, such as the shops at The Embarcadero along the waterfront, and some upscale shops on Sacramento Street in the Richmond District.

Outside of The City, some notable shopping centers are The Stanford Shopping Centre in Menlo Park, The Broadway Center in Walnut Creek, and the shopping center in Corte Madera, all offering plenty of FREE parking.

Mill Valley in Marin has a delightful, charming town village atmosphere, which features many upscale boutiques, and several inviting cafes and restaurants. It's a very relaxing, magical kind of a place, also great for people-watching.

In the same vein, another delightful place to spend an afternoon browsing through tasteful, inspiring home décor and clothing boutiques is Fourth Street in Berkeley, right off the highway after taking the University Ave. exit. Here you'll find such tempting stores as Sur La Table, The Gardner, Z Gallerie, Rabat, CP Shades and many, many others, on a tree-lined, slow-paced street, a great place to unwind while sipping a latte and people-watching.

So, whatever your mood, you'll find a variety of destinations in or around San Francisco to have a rewarding, fun, shopping experience.

Got questions? Ask wendy@sanfranciscoandbeyond.com!

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