Thread: travelling to Florida- any good shopping ideas?

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Hey all! I'm heading down to Florida for a few weeks at the start of October (but it kills me I couldn't get the time off work after the 31st instead!!) and am wondering if anyone has suggestions for good shopping in the Port Charlotte/Ft. Myers area? We're driving down from Canada, so I know I'm sure to find things I can't get up here, which both me and my Visa are thrilled about, but I'd love to hear any ideas for haunts etc.

Thanks!

If your driving you can hit every halloween store in the US thats on your way.

You have to go to either Halloween Horror Nights at Universal in Orlando (get discount tickets on lg drinks at BK) or Hallowscream at Busch Gardens in Tampa.

What day are you coming? and when are you going back home?

It would be helpful to know what route you are taking down to Florida. There are lots of good places along the way.

Well, we'll probably be taking 75 from Detroit down past Tampa and down to Port Charlotte. Though we have been toying with hitting Memphis on the way down, since the boyfriend has never been to Graceland (it's awesome and has the power to convert anyone into an Elvis fan!!). So that would bring us fron I-75 to Cincinatti, I-71 to Louisville, I-65 to Nashville, and 40 to Memphis. Then we'd swing over to atlanta to catch up with 75. That seems to be the most direct route, but this is a pretty 'fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants' kind of trip, and I'm not opposed to getting off the beaten track for a good haunt or shopping.
Thanks guys!

I can offer these places once you get south of Atlanta. Just south of Atlanta, on I-75 there is a Garden Ridge at exit 228 (Mt. Zion Pkwy). It's right there at the exit, you'll see it, it's huge. I hope they still have Halloween merchandise. I got a lot of stuff there in August.
Also south of Atlanta is a Party City on Mt. Zion Rd. which I believe is Exit 231. There's a Home Depot, Michaels and some other shopping. Hope you have a large car.

From there to Gainesville, FL there is nothing. In Gainesville, there is really nothing except high gas prices, me, and a Michaels and Target(not even supercenters). In Ocala, exit at SR 200 is a lot of shopping, A Walmart supercenter, Michaels not too far off I-75. Personally I would skip those and head more south.
I couldn't find a Spirit Halloween along that route but I'll keep looking. There is one in Ft. Myers but I don't know how it relates to your destination.
I know there are Party City's there just a bit north of Tampa, one on E. Fowler Ave. off I-275, and also accessible from I-75, but may be a longer drive. And there are some Walmart Super Centers along I-75, you'll see them.
And I ditto about going to Halloween Horror nights at Universal, if you can, it's fantastic. I hear Bucsh gardens Hallowscream is also great but haven't been there.
I'll keep thinking and if anything else comes up I'll post.

As you are heading south on I-75 go to hwy 60 exit go east to Brandon town center mall(on the right) has a halloween express store in the parking lot. Also heading east again on 60 go to spirit store at 1045 W. Brandon Blvd.. Also in this general area is a target and a walmart super center. You'll probably need to rent a u-haul for the trip back. . If you need more help email me.

Thanks for that info hermit4099. I might just have to take a day trip down there to shop.

If you're looking for non Halloween shopping, the Ellenton mall is on your way. Once you get past Tampa, it's not too far (around the same area as Sarasota, but right off 75). It's a big Outlet Mall. I always find great deals/prices on namebrand stuff.

There's also a few Spirit Places popping up in Tampa Bay. And Busch Gardens has there Howl-O-Scream! Just like Universal's HHN, but cheaper and less crowded (though these two attractions are argued about all the time on which is better...)

Ha ha! OMG, you guys are awesome! Marsham, and everyone, these help out a lot! Makes the fact that I'm missing 2 weeks of setup a lot easier to bear when I come back home with a carload of goodies! (Though one wonders what the customs officers at the border will think of it!) Now I'm getting psyched- who needs the sunny beaches of Florida...it's all about the Halloween shopping!!
Thank you all!