Beautiful, wealthy, refined and steeped in old school glamour, West Palm Beach is where the rich go to shop for expensive antiques. Visit its 45 shops along the pristine Antique Row on South Dixie Highway, and you’ll be sure to come across more than one dreamy decorative item. Several major shows also take place in West Palm, starting in January and running through mid-March. The first is called the Winter Antiques Show, held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, the others are known as, the Palm  More »

Beautiful, wealthy, refined and steeped in old school glamour, West Palm Beach is where the rich go to shop for expensive antiques. Visit its 45 shops along the pristine Antique Row on South Dixie Highway, and you’ll be sure to come across more than one dreamy decorative item. Several major shows also take place in West Palm, starting in January and running through mid-March. The first is called the Winter Antiques Show, held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, the others are known as, the Palm Beach Connoisseur Fair, held at the Kravis Center – and the Palm Beach International Fine Art Exposition, held at the Convention Center. Smaller shows fill in the gap and include the Antique & Collectibles Spectacular, America’s International Fine Art & Antique Fair, and the Antique & Jewelry Show. Delray Beach also boasts several shows a year as well. When you’ve had your fill of antiquing, West Palm Beach is a vibrant scene, with festivals, jazz and blue grass and entertaining dining spots. Outdoor activities include swimming, beaching, bird watching, tennis, and golf. Local museums include Palm Beach’s Flagler Museum, an Edwardian mansion built in 1902, and the Norton Museum.   « Less

North Florida was nicknamed “the treasure coast” for good reason. The area, which includes St. Augustine, Jacksonville and many non-coastal small towns, has an estimated 100 antique stores. Plus, Florida’s largest flea market/antiques fair, Renningers, is located in Mount Dora. In St. Augustine, most of the antique shops are located in the town’s district along San Marco Avenue, while others are located on Granada and Aviles streets and King Street. There is also a  More »

North Florida was nicknamed “the treasure coast” for good reason. The area, which includes St. Augustine, Jacksonville and many non-coastal small towns, has an estimated 100 antique stores. Plus, Florida’s largest flea market/antiques fair, Renningers, is located in Mount Dora. In St. Augustine, most of the antique shops are located in the town’s district along San Marco Avenue, while others are located on Granada and Aviles streets and King Street. There is also a mall at the Lightener Museums that contains numerous antique shops. If shows are more your pace, shows are held on the last weekend in December in mid-March at the National Guard Armory. In Jacksonville, you’ll find approximately 50 antiques stores, which are spread throughout the town’s neighborhoods: Avondale, Riverside and Give Points. The Avondale Mall on the beach is also worth a look as well. Head to Orlando, and you’ll find 50 more antique shops, half of them are located along North Orange Avenue – a stretch commonly referred to as Antique Row. Near Orlando, in a town called Mount Dora, is an adorable antiquing town called Lake Dora. Here you’ll enjoy about 24 antiques stores, carriage rides, a boardwalk and a lovely downtown nature park. The biggest show here, of course – is Renningers weekend indoor flea market, featuring 180 dealers from around the world. And because Florida is a place where people often own second homes, you’ll find a rich variety of antique furniture at your disposal. Furniture styles range from Art Deco and vintage lighting to vintage linens, shabby chic and 1940s/1950s European furnishings, Oriental rugs, and Asian objects. All three locations, specifically St. Augustine, are rich in historic attractions, house museums, forts, and houses. So if you’re looking for a coastal antiquing adventure that shows you what Ponce De Leon saw when he landed on this coast in 1513, then hit the road and head to Northern Florida.   « Less

Perhaps best known for John Berendy’s 1994 nonfiction bestseller, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Savannah, haunting, beautiful and rich in antiques, has much more to offer than a good story. The city is peppered with small shops, antique malls, and galleries filled with topnotch jewelry, collectibles, Chinese porcelains, and Continental and Southern furniture. Founded in 1733, Savannah has over two square miles of 1,500 preserved historic structures used as businesses,  More »

Perhaps best known for John Berendy’s 1994 nonfiction bestseller, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Savannah, haunting, beautiful and rich in antiques, has much more to offer than a good story. The city is peppered with small shops, antique malls, and galleries filled with topnotch jewelry, collectibles, Chinese porcelains, and Continental and Southern furniture. Founded in 1733, Savannah has over two square miles of 1,500 preserved historic structures used as businesses, residences, and museums. Among these are a number of Neo classical mansions and the Talfair Museum of Art and its impressive American Impressionists connection. The list of Savannah’s historic attractions include the 1850 Gothic Revival Green Meldrim House and the 1820 Davenport House. Also worth noting is the Owens-Thomas House, representing the first use of cast iron in the U.S., and the First African Baptist Church, one of the nation’s oldest functioning African American Churches. And if you just want to stroll through the city, grab a Mint Julep and soak in the atmosphere, Savannah has plenty of that too. From historic inns to the charming riverfront to the Spanish Moss hanging from giant oak trees, Savannah is an antiquing destination you’re destined to love.   « Less

When it comes to antiques, you won’t find a bigger selection to choose from than in Atlanta, Georgia. Rebuilt after the Civil War, Atlanta’s love for antiques has only increased over time. Consisting of three antique-centric neighborhoods, you’ll find everything from multi-dealer shops to individual stores, to malls to consignment dealers. Any time of year is a good time to visit Atlanta, but on the second weekend of the month, two shows attract buyers from around the  More »

When it comes to antiques, you won’t find a bigger selection to choose from than in Atlanta, Georgia. Rebuilt after the Civil War, Atlanta’s love for antiques has only increased over time. Consisting of three antique-centric neighborhoods, you’ll find everything from multi-dealer shops to individual stores, to malls to consignment dealers. Any time of year is a good time to visit Atlanta, but on the second weekend of the month, two shows attract buyers from around the world. The shows go by the names of, the Lakewood Antiques Market, and the Scott Show. Both shows include furniture, decorative arts and accents, carpets, lighting, ceramics, jewelry, art and more. Atlanta is also home to many wonderful cultural and performing arts activities. Museums worth exploring include the Martin Luther King Center, the botanical society, and the High Museum of Art, which boasts a significant collection of 19th through 20th century American furniture and arts, including masterpieces of the Herter Brothers. The Atlanta History Center also showcases a variety of fascinating items such as textiles, urban historic pieces, furnishings and other interesting historical objects.   « Less

Charleston, founded in 1670, is proud of its history and its antiques. It was the first city in the U.S. to establish a museum and the first to zone an historic district. One of the America’s busiest ports in the 18th century, Charleston quickly became known for the finer things in life – and their hundreds of cabinetmakers and craftsmen. You can see some of their work today in Charleston’s more than 150 antique dealers, which offer everything from 18th and early 19th  More »

Charleston, founded in 1670, is proud of its history and its antiques. It was the first city in the U.S. to establish a museum and the first to zone an historic district. One of the America’s busiest ports in the 18th century, Charleston quickly became known for the finer things in life – and their hundreds of cabinetmakers and craftsmen. You can see some of their work today in Charleston’s more than 150 antique dealers, which offer everything from 18th and early 19th century American, English, and Continental pieces, along with decorative arts, silver, and porcelain. Also to find in this area are paintings and prints by naturalists Mark Catesby and John James Audubon. The best time of the year to visit this charming town is March. Mid-month, the College of Charleston holds its five-day antiques symposium, which kicks off the Historic Charleston Foundation’s Annual Antiques Show – and attracts 30 American and European dealers, exhibiting European, American, and Asian antiques. In addition, Charleston is home to superb house museums, national monuments, civil war buildings, and the internationally acclaimed Spoleto Festival plus its offshoot, Piccolo Spoleto, which runs from Memorial Day weekend through mid-June.   « Less

Located in the stunning Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville, North Carolina has been a thriving tourist destination since the late 19th century and is home to the magnificent Biltmore estate. This French Renaissance chateau, designed by Richard Morris Hunt, was the largest private residence in the U.S. at the time. But this stunning estate is not all Asheville has to offer. It’s also home to spectacular scenery, quaint Southern restaurants and 30 antique stores; all of which have the makings  More »

Located in the stunning Blue Ridge Mountains, Asheville, North Carolina has been a thriving tourist destination since the late 19th century and is home to the magnificent Biltmore estate. This French Renaissance chateau, designed by Richard Morris Hunt, was the largest private residence in the U.S. at the time. But this stunning estate is not all Asheville has to offer. It’s also home to spectacular scenery, quaint Southern restaurants and 30 antique stores; all of which have the makings of a perfect antique weekend getaway. These shops sell everything from fine European and American pieces to art pottery, to Appalachian folk art. Additionally, Asheville boasts the Brunk Auctions, with eight to ten sales a year, and early 20th century architecture and art deco buildings, making the town a strong rival to Miami’s South Beach. When you are done antiquing for the day, you can lose yourself in the town’s vibrant nightlife, 150 boutiques, shops and galleries, and wonderful restaurants. Other places worth visiting here are a contemporary art museum, a botanical garden, the North Carolina Arboretum, and of course the Blue Ridge Mountains – one of the most visited sites in the National Park system.   « Less