The
Mall, Just those two words conjure up lots of images. Shopping, food, the
American past time of people watching. Long gone are the days of just heading
there for convenience because lots of shops are in one place. The mall has become an adventure all its
own. For the mall aficionado, the two
words bring to mind the most popular ones like Minnesota’s Mall of America,
North Park Center in Dallas and of course the Forum Shops in Caesar’s Palace in
Las Vegas. But, there’s a hidden gem right here in Tampa Bay that the locals
love and the visitors quickly fall for: International Plaza and Bay Street.
Located right next to the Tampa International Airport, International Plaza and
Bay Street has everything mentioned above and so much more. With its wide
variety of stores, restaurants and clientele of all shapes and sizes it’s easy
to see why it’s so popular.
First
things first, the reason you put all those stores under one roof, the shopping.
International Mall Plaza has anything you can possibly want. They run from
upscale to casual. You can simply go in and pick up a pair of shoes, a new hat
or a good book then head to the second level of the mall and window shop.
Perhaps splurge a bit, if you are a visitor enjoying your vacation. Stores like
Neiman Marcus, Burberry and William and Sonoma provide the upscale. For the
more casual shopper they offer Hot Topic, Quiet Flight and Urban Outfitters.
But this is only a small sampling of over 100 stores offered at International
Plaza.
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| Courtesy : shopinternationalplaza.com |
Secondly,
all that shopping and walking can work up an appetite. You are in so much luck
at International Plaza when it comes to food; you will think someone tucked a
four leave clover into your bags. International Plaza does have a food court
with your standard fare of Subway, Burger King and that mall staple Sbarro.
However before you pop by there for a calzone you can get at every other mall,
take a little walk down Bay Street. Your stomach and taste buds will have you
shopping for a thank you card after. Do you want a quick but fresh made
sandwich? Too jays will take care of you. If it’s happy hour feel free to stop
by The Pub for a craft beer and ham and Swiss pub pretzel. In the mood for fine
dining? The Capital Grille is famous for dry aged steaks and seafood. There’s
everything from small bites to big meals to perfectly accompany your shopping
experience.
Now
you have picked up some new shoes and full stomach. Time to take off, right?
Not so fast. International Plaza also has events that take place in different
stores at different times. Williams and Sonoma offers junior chef cooking
classes for kids. That next Father’s or Mother’s Day breakfast in bed can
include more than a pop tart or a bowl of cereal! If you’re visiting around
Christmas time your whole family can have their photo taken with Santa, even
Fido! Neiman Marcus has trunk shows where you can view a certain collection of
fine jewelry and sometimes meet the designer. There are all kinds of different
experiences you can have at International Plaza and Bay Street.
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