Must-see shopping destinations in New York City

KRISTIE Kellahan has the lowdown on the best ways and places for eager shoppers to pick up a good deal in New York City.

Shopping on the Lower East Side.

1. Designer discounts

Those glory days of the Aussie dollar surging past parity with the greenback may be over (right now the exchange rate has settled at around US92¢ to the Aussie dollar), but there are still cheap deals to be found all over New York, especially on US brand goods.

Start your shopping spree at Century 21, downtown in the Financial District and now on the Upper West Side. The bargain-hunting can get chaotic here, but you'll be rewarded with designer handbags for less than $US20; shoes at $25 and under; endless racks of clothes marked down to next to nothing; and top-notch bed linen at less than half price. Similar stores worth a look: TJ Maxx, DSW and Ross Dress for Less.

2. Out of Town

A day trip out of the city to Woodbury Common Premium Outlets is worth the effort for sensational bargains at the 220 outlet stores including Coach, Frette, Ralph Lauren and Nike, where merchandise is regularly discounted by up to 75 per cent.

Buses run at least every hour from Port Authority Terminal in Manhattan's Midtown; the trip takes about 90 minutes. Consider buying a cut-price Samsonite or Tumi suitcase while you're there to cart your loot back to the city.

3. To Market

Paw through the cool and quirky items at New York's flea markets and you're guaranteed to take home unique souvenirs of the Big Apple. Selling handmade and original products, as well as vintage clothes, records, books and bric-a-brac, markets can be found in many neighbourhoods of Manhattan and the outer boroughs. Some of the best are Chelsea Antiques Garage (weekends), GreenFlea on the Upper West Side (Sundays) and Young Designers Market on Bleecker St (Wednesday to Sunday).

Chelsea Markets. Picture: Joe Buglewicz

Don't miss the Brooklyn Flea, with its hundreds of vendors of antique furniture, vintage clothing, locally designed art and jewellery. Food vendors at this market sell everything from organic cupcakes to melt-in-the-mouth lobster rolls from Maine. If eating is a passion, schedule a stop at Brooklyn's Smorgasburg market, a trendy outpost for some of the city's best chefs.

4. Time Your Visit

Time your NYC visit to coincide with citywide sales. Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is one of the best. Shops in the major foot traffic zones of Times Square and 34th Street open as early as 4am with doorbuster specials that make excess baggage seem a small price to pay. Last year, Gap reduced every item in store by 50 per cent and Victoria's Secret had bras from $5.

5. Mega Macy's

Trust New York to claim the largest single department store in the world. Macy's 12-storey flagship store on 34th Street covers an entire Manhattan block and is crammed with enough retail therapy temptations to keep shoppers occupied all day. It's business as usual during landmark renovations this year.

International visitors can show their passports to in-store concierges to obtain the Welcome International Savings Card, offering 10 per cent savings in all Macy's stores nationwide for 30 days after validation. And if your bags are crammed to overflowing, select your purchases in-store and then order online: Macy's now ships to Australia.

6. It takes a village

Often described as a city of villages, New York's pockets each offer something new. The celeb-heavy West Village's cobblestone streets and brownstone buildings house trendy boutiques including Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors and Aedes De Venutas. SoHo on sunny Saturdays is busier than Grand Central Station, with shoppers flocking to Broadway and Sixth Ave for big names such as Levi's, H&M, Prada and Bloomingdale's, and harder-to-find favourites including Uniqlo, Muji, Topshop and Desigual. The whole world meets at Times Square, or so it seems when the bustling pre and post-theatre crowds surge on to the streets already filled with gawkers, buskers and food trucks. Shop here at the mega Toys R Us store, Forever 21, M&Ms World and one of the biggest Sephora stores in the city.

7. Shop at the Museum

New York's world-famous museums are known for their priceless works of art and standard-setting exhibitions, but did you know they are also home to some of the best shops in the city? You'll find a wide selection of books about New York, jewellery, kids' toys, quirky design objects and cheerful knick-knacks in the stores, which can be accessed without paying admission. Shop for elegant souvenirs and gifts at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, MoMA, Museum of the City of New York and New York Historical Society Museum.

8. Hotels for Shoppers

Many New York hotels make it easy for guests to maximise their shopping experiences with innovative partnerships, guided tours and facilities. At the Wolcott Hotel, a budget-friendly hotel near Macy's 34th St store, Shopping Suites are available offering accommodation with a third room for storing shopping bags.

The Surrey, New York on the Upper East Side this month launched docent-led tours of local art galleries for those looking to acquire or simply admire.

Guests of InterContinental New York Times Square can email the hotel's concierge in advance for shopping tips, addresses and help sourcing products. Purchases can be pre-ordered from stores and delivered to the hotel in anticipation of the guest's arrival.

Shopping on the Lower East Side.

9. Emerging Hot spots

Adventurous shoppers are advised to hop on the subway and explore the outer boroughs: from Park Slope and Cobble Hill in Brooklyn, to Astoria in Queens and the resurgently hip Harlem boutiques, there's a different pace and vibe than Manhattan's frenetic hum. You'll find fewer large chain stores and more one-of-a-kind family-owned businesses selling everything from vintage comic books to bespoke leather shoes. Follow the lead of New Yorkers and hit the ubiquitous 99 cent stores for cheap souvenirs in bulk and the occasional fab find in the tat.

10. Aussie Enterprise

If travelling makes you homesick for all things Australian, you'll have no trouble finding a slice of Down Under in the Big Apple.

B-Space, a concept store and showroom in Nolita brings Aussie brands including Volley, Mambo and Driza-Bone to the attention of an international clientele.

Damsel in Distress on Mulberry St exclusively stocks Australian brands such as One Teaspoon and Sass &Bide.

And Melbourne success story Aesop now offers gorgeous products for the skin, hair and body from six NYC locations, including the flagship store on Bleecker St.

Go2 - New York

GETTING THERE

United flies daily from Australia to LA and San Francisco, with connections to New York.

STAYING THERE

There are literally thousands of choices, but one option is Hotel Beacon on the Upper West Side, a favourite with Aussie travellers who appreciate the spacious rooms with fully equipped kitchenettes.

More: See nycgo.com or newyork.com

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