City: Phoenix, AZ

Category: Shopping

Telephone: (602) 271-4000

Address: 400 E. Van Buren St.

Description: The Arizona Center is a 2-story, open-air collection of shops, restaurants, and bars. Incorporated into the design are office towers and numerous gardens, sculptures, and fountains. The main garden in a sunken area near Van Buren Street and 3rd Street offers a shady oasis for lunch breaks and people-watching. The restaurants and bars can get crowded at times, especially with visitors staying at the nearby high-rise hotels, but the more sedate atmosphere in the shops provides a pleasant diversion if you’re downtown.The more than 25 shops include New York & Company, Jayne’s Marketplace, and Arizona Beach Company for clothes or gifts. Other specialty shops include Flag World, with an extensive selection of the world’s flags; Oak Creek, with Southwestern home accessories; and Sports World, featuring sports apparel.Many retail carts are scattered about the Arizona Center, selling everything from refrigerator magnets and T-shirts to wind chimes and posters. Restaurants include Sam’s Cafe, which has great drink specials and Southwestern favorites, in addition to a few other choices that are more popular with the downtown lunch crowd. Another attraction is the AMC 24-screen theater, the only movie house in downtown Phoenix. The mall is open daily and provides a Guest Services Center in the food court. Find ample parking in the garage on Fillmore Street, which is open to Arizona Center customers, or try to find a spot along 3rd Street.