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