10 Holiday Shopping Tips

Make your holiday shopping experience stress-free and from the heart.

#1 Combine a Winery Holiday Open House with Shopping . . .

Take an enjoyable shopping trip through some of Virginia’s most scenic areas with a visit to a winery. The state has more than 140 of them and what better place to shop for that wine lover in your life?

Many Virginia wineries and vineyards hold open houses and special events around the holidays. After tasting some award-winners, purchase a bottle or two along with engraved glasses for an ideal gift. Don’t forget to pick up extra bottles to bring to all those holiday parties.

» More Holiday Winery Events
» Winery Gift Shops

#2 Shop a Virginia Main Street Community . . .

Virginia's gorgeous small towns boast some of the best shopping around. Visit Main Street communities for quality, unique gifts at locally-owned shops. You'll feel right at home in a historic hotel or B&B when you take a holiday shopping getaway.

And Park the Car
Save gas money and parking hassles when you park the car. Virginia is full of great places to walk from shop to shop for unique gifts. Check out Carytown, Richmond’s “mile of style”. The shops on Cary Street sell vintage clothing, works of art, antiques, one-of-a-kind bags and accessories. Other great shopping strolls include Old Town Alexandria, downtown Roanoke, and Middleburg.

#3 Pamper Yourself and Loved Ones . . .

What better way to erase stress and find decadent gifts than with a visit to one of Virginia’s spas? After enjoying a relaxing treatment and massage, pick up lotions, soaps, scented oils and gift certificates for the ultimate indulgent gift. Places like the Spa at Colonial Williamsburg, the INN Spa at Poplar Springs, The Wintergarden Spa at Wintergreen and Boar’s Head Inn Spa in Charlottesville feature products made especially for their services and available for purchase in their shops.

#4 Buy (or Create) an Original . . .

Visit Virginia’s artisan havens to purchase one-of-a-kind keepsakes.

Find fine art, pottery, baskets, sculpture and more at places like the Torpedo Factory in Alexandria, the Cave House in Abingdon, the Jacksonville Art Center in Floyd, Sunspots Studios & Glassblowing in Staunton, Contemporary Arts Center of Virginia in Virginia Beach, the McGuffey Art Center in Charlottesville, the Bay School Cultural Arts Center Shop in Mathews and the Southern Virginia Artisan Center in Martinsville.

» Artisan Centers
» Craft Shows

Feel like being the artist? Try your hand at paint-your-own pottery, beading, or stained glass. Check out All Fired Up in Richmond, You Made It! in Harrisonburg, Hands to Create in Front Royal, Color Me Mine in Richmond and in Norfolk, or A Glass Expression Stained Glass Studio in Pound.

#5 Purchase Tickets & Family Passes . . .

Give the gift of togetherness! Purchase tickets and season passes to favorite attractions for year-around enjoyment.

Check out the discount admission tickets for "From History to Theme Parks" and the Portsmouth Museums Key Pass.

» Museums
» Theme Parks & Zoos
» Musical Events

#6 Shop For Antiques & Collectibles . . .

Virginia features almost 1,000 places to find antiques. From colonial keepsakes to '50s diner signs, you can find something for every collector on your list.

Many antique dealers are located in antique malls, such as Antique Village Mall Complex in Mechanicsville or in historic homes, such as Hingley's at the River in Urbanna. Other antique shops specialize in a certain era or theme.

» More Antiques
» Crafts, Gifts & Collectibles

#7 Shop a Different Century and Add Culture to Your Cart

Virginia is an American history destination stretching back more than 400 years. Take a trip to historical sites and shop for gifts from a different century. From Jamestown to Colonial Williamsburg to the Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton, you'll find four centuries of gift ideas for history buffs!

Virginia’s museums cater to interests ranging from the Civil War to gardening to bluegrass music. For the mountain music lover, stop in the Ralph Stanley Museum gift shop in Clintwood for Stanley CDs and Crooked Road apparel. Check out the shop at the American Civil War Center at Tredegar in Richmond for the Civil War buff in the family. Marine life fanatics would love a gift from the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center in Virginia Beach. Green thumbs will delight in the gardening gifts at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens in Richmond.

With more than 700 museums, Virginia is a treasure trove for unique holiday gifts. For example, the O. Winston Link Museum Shop features photographs of steam engines and railroad towns; the Berkeley Plantation Gift Shop offers specially designed crossstitch samplers and kits of the plantation; and the Blue Ridge Institute and Farm Museum Shop offers regional folk arts, unique to the Appalachians.

» Museum Shops
» Presidents & Patriots
» Plantations

#8 Give the Gift of Outdoor Adventure . . .

Richmond's Adventure Challenge offers trips, lessons, and tours in whitewater kayaking, snow skiing, coastal kayaking, river tubing, and rafting. Combine your next vacation with lessons for yourself, family and/or friends.

What about kitebording lessons at SEE Kitebording School on the Eastern Shore, flyfishing lessons at some of Virginia's Resorts or golf lessons from Virginia's pros?

#9 Virginia's Popular Outlets and Shopping Meccas . . .

If you're like millions of other shoppers, you're looking for bargains. Consider shopping at Virginia's Outlets! These popular destinations feature upscale clothing, sporting goods and electronics at bargain-basement prices. If the price tag isn't as important as the designer tag, you'll probably find what you're looking for at Virginia's high-end shopping centers.

» Shop Virginia's Outlets
» Richmond Shopping
» Tysons Corner Center
» Tysons Galleria

 

#10 Give the Gift of Love . . .

"Virginia is for Lovers" is one of the oldest and well-loved tourism slogans in the world. Put this famous brand under the tree this year for travel lovers on the list in the form of a t-shirt, wine glasses, coffee cup or even a dog leash. Take a virtual trip to the Virginia is for Lovers merchandise shop at www.TheVAStore.com.