Best Shopping Malls In The North Bay Area
Santa Rosa Plaza
1071 Santa Rosa Plaza
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
(707) 575-0115
www.simon.com
Hours: Mon to Fri - 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sat - 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sun - 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Santa Rose Plaza is located one hour north of San Francisco across the Golden Gate Bridge, offers free WiFi throughout the mall, allowing customers to sit back and relax between shopping sessions. Simon Malls, who owns this plaza, offers an App for Iphone or Android phones to browse the stores before coming for your shopping experience. Macy's and Sears are the main departments stores at this very kid-friendly mall, harboring nine children's stores.
The Village at Corte Madera
1618 Redwood Hwy
Corte Madera, CA 94925
(415) 924-8557
www.villageatcortemadera.com
Hours: Mon to Fri - 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sat - 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sun - 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
This high-end mall, situated off Hwy 101 and Redwood Hwy, is 30 minutes from downtown San Francisco. At The Village at Corte Madera, Nordstrom and Macy's are retail anchors while other shops include Restoration Hardware, Anthropologie and harder to find stores such as Free People, Michael Stars and True Religion. Amenities here include valet parking and a children's play area. Be prepared to bring some credit cards--there are high ticket items ahead.
Northgate Mall
5800 Northgate Mall
San Rafael, CA 94903
(415) 479-5955
www.shopatnorthgate.com
Hours: Mon to Sat - 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun - 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Northgate Mall is located just 35 minutes from San Francisco, Northgate has stores like H&M, Kohl's and Victoria's Secret, to name a few. Boasting a movie theater among the stores here means larger crowds in the evenings. Some of the amenities for shoppers other than just stores include WiFi in the mall, copy and fax service and taxi pickup. The mall features four sit down dining options as well as 12 other fast food and/or specialty eating options.
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Strawberry Village
Redwood Hwy Frontage Road, US 101
Mill Valley, CA 94941
(415) 388-4460
www.strawberryvillage.com
Hours: Mon to Sat - 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sun - 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Strawberry Village is not a traditional mall, but an eclectic mix of home decor, apparel, groceries, health, beauty and service boutiques kept local and quaint. The stores are paired together in a village for a relaxed shopping experience that matches the local Chamber of Commerce's "no malls" policy. Head North of Hwy 101 and take the Seminary Drive exit. Shops like Athleta, Kidinik Children's Clothing, and Rims & Goggles optical boutique promote local buying to promote a better economy.
Petaluma Village Premium Outlet
2200 Petaluma Blvd. North
Petaluma, CA 94952
(707) 778-9300
www.premiumoutlets.com
Hours: Mon to Thurs - 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Fri to Sat - 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sun - 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Petaluma Village Premium Outlet boasts 60 outlet shops to choose from, including some favorites like Banana Republic, Converse, Kitchen Collection and Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5th. Located just 35 minutes north of San Francisco off Hwy 101, the mall also offers additional perks for customers aged 50 and older every Tuesday, and a V.I.P. membership available through their website to enhance your shopping experience.
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Mel Ball is the founder of AskASalon.com, utilizing her background of 10 years in the beauty industry to promote, market, mentor, and build business for small salons and spas across the country. She links up quality salon or spa talented folks with businesses that need them, and supports the growth of all those in the service industry through her virtual knowledge networking site and real-world events. She resides in San Francisco. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
