Top 10 San Diego Shopping Malls

The holiday shopping season is just around the corner. And this being fashion conscious Southern California, San Diego has its fair share of regional shopping malls. Though most are above average in store offerings and amenities, a large majority of them (i.e. those that are part of the Westfield Shoppingtown conglomerate) have such a homogenous feel that you could for all intents and purposes be shopping at a mall in Des Moines, much less San Diego. Especially the indoor malls - c'mon, we live in San Diego, with the perfect climate. What do we need air conditioned shopping malls for anyway? Of course, those living in El Cajon or Escondido may beg to differ.

The point is, the shopping malls that make the most impact, both aesthetically and as a shopping and entertainment experience are the ones that exude the feel of Southern California. Now, my selections are purely subjective. Because when you get down to it, most of the area malls have exactly the same department stores and shops. So, from this male's point of view, it comes down to those other intangible qualities. I do not include any of those "big box" shopping "areas" (don't call them malls) that are becoming more and more prevalent - they don't count because they lack the whole experience of a real mall. Read my Top Picks: San Diego Shopping Malls right here.