Go Shopping

Go Shopping in Puerto Rico

Shopping in Puerto Rico
There are all kinds of places to shop In the San Juan metropolitan area, from the many stores scattered throughout Old San Juan’s historic district to the modem Plaza Us Americas, largest shopping mall in the Caribbean. Below are some of the city’s main shopping areas.

OLD SAN JUAN
Old San Juan offers a little bit of everything, from folk art and local crafts to designer jewelry, trendy clothing, shoe boutiques, and outlet shops. You can f nd famous brand names like Polo Ralph Lauren, Coach, Dooney & Bourke, Tommy Hilfiger, Rolex, David Yurman, Faberge, Versace and many others. If you’d like to plan a shopper’s walk­ing tour, start at Plaza San Jose and make your way down Cristo Street, where the highest concentration of stores are found. Turn left on Fortaleza Street and follow it to Plaza Colon; head up the hill one block and turn left on San Francisco Street, taking it back to Cristo Street. You’ll pass many, though certainly not all, of the old city’s best-known shops, galleries and restaurants. If you have a car, the ideal place to park for this tour is the Ballaja lot at the top of Cristo Street.

CONDADO / ISLA VERDE
Oceanside strips here are lined with clothing boutiques, jewelry stores, surf shops, restaurants, and gift shops. Directly in front of the Ventana al Mar Plaza in the Condado, 1054 Ashford Avenue is billed as the Caribbean’s most expensive address, with such famous shops as Louis Vuitton, Salvatore Ferragamo, Gucci, Cartier, and Christian Dior. Slightly to the east, the stores at Plaza Sara showcase L’Occitane body products, Furla handbags, Prada shoes, and Calypso resortwear, among other brands. La Galeria at El San Juan Hotel in Isla Verde. A dozen sophisticated stores and gift shops are located off the hotel’s legendary lobby.

ROOSEVELT AVENUE
Franklin D. Roosevelt Avenue of Las Americas Expressway features several clusters of trendy stores. Turn east off the expressway toward Carolina in the Hato Rey district and you’ll find several high-end clothing boutiques. Turn west off the expressway toward De Diego Avenue in the Puerto Nuevo district and you’ll be in the heart of upscale home decorating shops.

MAIN SHOPPING CENTERS IN OR NEAR THE SAN JUAN METRO AREA
Most of the island’s major malls are open Monday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

BELZ FACTORY OUTLET WORLD PUERTO RICO
Km. 18.4, Road #3, Canovanas    787-256-7040
www.belz.com

• Puerto Rico’s f rst enclosed factory outlet mall, designed in an Old San Juan style and featuring top designer names like Polo Ralph Lauren, Tommy Hilfiger, Nike, Liz Claiborne, and Guess. There is also a food court and Caribbean Cinema complex. The new Expressway 66 linking Carolina to Rio Grande ends at the mall entrance, making it a pleasant half-hour drive from the metropolitan area.

LAS CATALINAS MALL 787-745-4105
Luis A. Ferre Expressway (52), Aguas Buenas exit •A new concept in commercial centers, located on an old sugar plantation complete with chimney in the cre-ole city of Caguas. Over 100 stores and a food court.

MONTEHIEDRA TOWN CENTER 787-720-6165
South of San Juan on Las Americas Expressway, Montehiedra exit (9410 Los Romeros Ave.), R(o Piedras
• Montehiedra features a variety of stores, a food court, movie theaters and a children’s play area.

PLAZA CAROLINA 787-768-0514
www.plazacarolinamall.com
East of the airport on Baldorioty de Castro Expressway, 65th Infantry Ave. exit Fragoso Ave. and Loiza Expressway, Carolina, minutes away from airport and Isla Verde
• Plaza Carolina is a large modern shopping mall which features Sears, JC Penney, 195 specialty shops, a movie complex with 12 screens, and a food court.

PLAZA DEL MERCADO Rio Piedras 787-763-3438 Santurce 787-723-8022
•For a true taste of Puerto Rican culture, try these marketplaces. Vendors at the plaza del mercado sell local foods, herbs, religious paraphernalia, and much more.

PLAZA DEL SOL 787-778-8724
Exit #10 (2nd exit after toll, south 1 mile),
De Diego Expressway (22), Bayamon
•With over 120 stores, including Banana Republic, Gap, Charlotte Russe, and Old Navy, Plaza del Sol is a great place for fashions. Other stores include Wal-Mart and Home Depot. For family entertainment, there are restaurants, a food court, and a 14-screen theater complex.

PLAZA ESCORIAL 787-778-3724
Km. 6.1, Route 3, Carolina
•Center for major discount stores such as Sam’s Club, Wal-Mart, Home Depot, and, across the avenue, Costco. Also numerous stores and shops, restaurants, movie theater complex, and indoor children’s park. A short drive from the airport.

PLAZA LAS AMERICAS 787 767-5202
www.plazalasamericas.net
Las Americas Expressway, Charddn and Roosevelt Ave. exits (intersection of Roosevelt Ave. and Las Americas Expressway), Hato Rey
• Plaza Las Americas proudly holds the title of largest shopping mall in the Caribbean, and it is also the most elegant. There are over 300 stores, including Macy’s, Chico’s, Coach, Reinhold Jewelers, Tumi Luggage, and Brooks Brothers. When you tire of shop­ping, you’ll find 13 theater screens, 35 restaurants, and a bowling alley/entertainment complex.

PLAZA RIO HONDO 787-795-490
Comerio exit, De Diego Expressway (22), Bayamon •Conveniently located, this mall features some 110 stores, such as K-Mart, Marshalls, Capri, and Kay-Bee Toys as well as Ponderosa Restaurant, Blockbuster, and a Caribbean Cinema theater complex.

PRIME OUTLETS PUERTO RICO 787-846 5300
www.primeretail.com
Barceloneta exit (#55), De Diego Expressway (22), Barceloneta
•At Puerto Rico’s Prime Outlets center, a 45-minute drive from the San Juan metropolitan area, you’ll find world-famous brand-name stores with savings and a great variety of merchandise in a colorful village setting. For non-shoppers, there is a Caribbean Cinema theater complex, a food court, and a free-standing Ponderosa Restaurant.

SAN PATRICIO PLAZA 787-792-1255
www.sanpatricio.com
San Patricio and Roosevelt Ave., Guaynabo •This remodeled shopping mall offers 150 specialty stores, a Big K-Mart, a large food court, four family restaurants, and a nine-screen movie complex.

SAN PATRICIO TOWN CENTER 787-977-8484
B-2 Tabonuco Street, San Patricio, Guaynabo •A newly opened small mall with restaurant, spa, com­puter and fashion stores, ice cream shop and more.

SANTA ROSA MALL 787-622-9600
Km. 7.1, Route 2, Bayamon
• Home of Sears, Western Auto and other stores, plus the island’s only rooftop skate/entertainment center. Located next to the El Deportivo stop of the Urban Train.

OTHER MAJOR SHOPPING CENTERS AROUND THE ISLAND
Aguadilla
Aguadilla Mall
Arecibo
Plaza del Atlantico
Los Colobos Shopping Center
Plaza Fajardo
Plaza Guayama
Hatillo
Plaza del Norte
Oriental Plaza, Plaza Palma Real
Isabela
Plaza Isabela
Mayagiiez Mall
Ponce
Plaza del Caribe Centra del Sur Mall
Plaza del Oeste
Vega Alta
Centra Gran Caribe Mall
Plaza Vega Baja
Yauco
Yauco Plaza

24- HOUR DRUG AND CONVENIENCE STORES METROPOLITAN SAN JUAN
Farmacias El Amal
Condado/Ashford Avenue    787-721-3662
Isla Verde Mall    787-253-2277
Plaza El Amal/Jesus T. Pinero Avenue    787-763-2125
Walgreens
Condado/Ashford Avenue    787-725-1510
Isla Verde Avenue    787-982-0222
San Patricio Shopping Center    787-792-2144

ISLAND
Farmacias El Amal
Ponce/ Valle Real Shopping Center     787-844-5555
Toa Baja/ Plaza Davidson    787-795-7221