Orlando: Shoppin until we droppin'
Last week Loanne and I jetted off on a shopping trip to Orlando. (Casual I know and just in time for Christmas! Woophee!)
The last time we visited Orlando was of course to visit the wondrous world of Disneyland so the place always conjures up feelings of a magical, movie-like show where dreams come true! Haha this visit was a little different, more mature shall we say. We were lucky enough to be invited by ‘Simon Shopping Destinations’, which offers the largest collection of shopping destinations in the US.
As a global leader in the ownership of premier shopping, dining and entertainment we pretty much immersed ourselves in the world of Simon and literally shopped until we dropped with a little room in between to visit Orlando and its various attractions!
With one shopping centre and two outlets in the area, we really were spoilt for choice. Simon has two outlets centres (International and Vineland) and one generic mall (Florida Mall) some of the outlets had savings of up to 65% like Victoria Secret, KSNY and Salvatore Ferragamo so for all you bargain hunters this is certainly the place to visit.
We thought it would be a great opportunity to do some early Christmas shopping, however, that didn’t really go to plan as our wandering eye combined with the variety of incredible clothes and discounts got the better of us and we ended up splurging a little more on ourselves than expected. Oopsiee!
Below we have listed our favourite places to visit at Simon as well as things to do and visit!
Hope you enjoy.
Top spots at Simon
Bath & Body Works at Orlando International premium outlet
We loved this place firstly because you can’t get it in the UK but also the variety of amazing smelling body creams, soaps and lotions on offer. Our friend Sabrina, another influencer on the trip recommended coming here as she had tried and tested the lovely body lotion before, it was totally worth the visit.
Tip: Make sure to pick up the Coco Shea cucumber Aloe Gel lotion, It’s light and leaves your skin feeling as smooth as a baby’s bottom (The price point is reasonable too!)
Victoria Secret at the Florida Mall
The discounts here are incredible, we spent a good 45 minutes trailing through beautiful bras and underwear, some retailing for as little as $6! What a bargain, I ended up coming out with the cutest silk Pjama set for $24 dollars which usually at home would retail for around £50. Bargain or what!
Tommy Hilfiger at Orlando Vineland outlet
As most of you probably know, we’re huge Tommy fans so we were super excited to check out the discounts on offer. We managed to get a couple of Christmas presents here from socks and underpants all ranging from around $15 another great bargain!
Things to do whilst in Orlando:
(A huge thanks to Visit Orlando for organising so much of our trip and allowing us to do take part and experience all the below !)
I mean you simply cannot go to Orlando and not visit Universal studios. This is for anyone who loves to channel their inner child once in a while. Make sure you go on the HULK ride (multiple times) and take a trip on the train to the Harry Potter world, if you’re not a Harry Potter fan, you will be after this!
If nature and walking are your thanggg look no further than the Harry P Leu gardens, an amazing 50-acre botanical oasis minutes from Downtown Orlando. Meander through the trails shaded by 200-year old oaks and forests of camellias and stop off by the lake to do some crocodile and sea snake spotting! (Not for the faint hearted! )
Visit Park Avenue
We spent an evening on Park Avenue and I have to confess this was our most enjoyable evening. Tick off the cultural box and visit the Morse Museum, it has the most comprehensive collection of the works of Tiffany found anywhere and the most beautiful graphics and American paintings dating back to the 19th and early 20th century.
After head to the Wine Room for wine tasting. An electronic self-service wine tasting store that allows you to try a variety of different wines from around the globe!
Tip: give yourself an evening for this activity as after a couple of glasses of wine we went off for dinner but came straight back as we were having so much fun. This is perfect for those that love wine, delicious nibbles and an animated atmosphere.
If you’re into Speakeasies, well this one is pretty special! Located in on 30 S. Magnolia Avenue. it’s an antique-filled, parlor-style cocktail lounge which is currently decked out with the most amazing Chrimbo decorations. It’s definitely the most festive I’ve felt this holiday and the largest Christmas tree I’ve seen! Great vibe and yummy cocktails!
Food lovers this is one for you. The East End market has a vast array of artisanal vendors in one marketplace, from bakers to pasta makers to coffee roasters. Make sure you stop off at Gideon’s bakehouse and indulge in the chocolate chip cookie. There are no words to describe the taste of this absolute delight, and if you don’t believe us, it’s actually the winner of countless awards ranging from the best in Florida to the best in the world! (It’s truly sensational!)
Shop the Look:
Baker Boy Hat | ASOS
White Frilly Top | ASOS
Black Jeans | And Other Stories
Dungarees | Tommy Hilfiger
Blue Jeans | And Other Stories
Sunnies| RayBan