You all know me, I love to squeeze in a little antiquing anytime I can. So that means when we are traveling I love to hunt for treasures just the same. I thought it may be helpful to share a few tips to consider to help you find the best antique stores when you are traveling the country. Sometimes these shops can be hit or miss, so putting a little extra investigative work into your plan can be worth your while.
1. Space
First and foremost – keep in mind space. If you are flying to a destination keep in mind what you can realistically take home with you on a plane or if shipping items home is a good option. If you are incorporating shipping into your treasure hunting, make sure you incorporate that into your cost factoring too. You better believe that I have carried many a piece of jadeite in my carry-on bag!
2. Research
When planning a vacation, I always take some time to research what type of shopping is available, retail therapy anyone? I first look for antique shops or malls, thrift stores, second-hand stores, and goodwill locations. A quick google search with antique and your city of choice will yield several results. I typically go through the reviews on each shop listed to get a feel for the aesthetic of the shop. Don’t discount garage sales and estate sales if you have time for those in the area that you are traveling. One of our favorite things to do when we travel to New York each year is to hit up estate sales and garage sales.
3. Look at Pictures
Most shops have some type of Facebook or business website, where you can see photos of the type of treasures available or even recent store events, sales, etc. This gives you the opportunity to see what type of store it is and what type of shopping you will encounter.
4. Word of Mouth
Once I find a store that I really like I will often ask them if they know of other antique/vintage style stores in the area. Most businesses will tell you what other shops are good too. Often times antique malls will have those fun pamphlets with all of the antique stores listed or even a bulletin board with events! Asking friends prior to your trip is also a great way to scope out great shops. The communities of friends I have met through social media are an excellent resource as well.
5. Events
Don’t forget special events. If you can a hit a travel destination during a flea market or vintage shopping event that is a huge BONUS! Often times these events are a gathering of vendors from the area, so you get the opportunity to shop on a huge scale. Winning! Once we traveled to Illinois to visit my sister-in-law and we were able to attend the community flea market, which was so much fun!
I think it’s so interesting to hunt for antiques in different parts of the country. Prices differ but so do the type of merchandise people are after, so it is neat to see the different style and demeanor of each place as well. When we recently traveled to Florida there were pieces of furniture I had never seen before for sale! The East Coast has a wealth of amazing antiques as well!
Do you go antique shopping when you travel? I would love to hear about your favorite travel spots with the best antiques!
