Best LA Christmas Shopping – Americana Mall Glendale

The beautiful Americana in Glendale is almost more of a planned community than a shopping mall.

Surrounding the upscale retail stores and restaurants are four luxury apartment/condominium complexes.  If you are fortunate enough to live in one of them, all you need do is take the elevator down to the lobby area and do your Christmas shopping.

If not, it is totally worth the trip out there even if you don’t live in Glendale.  Glendale offers several advantages when it comes to shopping.  The traffic isn’t as bad as in most parts of LA and parking is much easier to find.  I often will drive to Glendale for my shopping even though there are closer places for just that reason.

Right now the grounds are completely decked out for Christmas.  Santa’s workshop sits near the pond and the musical dancing fountain (designed by the same company that designed the famous fountain at the Bellagio in Las Vegas) where Santa is ready to jot down what your children want him to bring them for Christmas.  If you go after 7 pm you can see snow (yes snow in Southern California) on the green near the fountain every night until Christmas.

Beautiful bows adorn the entrances, light posts and the retro electric trolly car that circles the grounds.  Oh, and of course there is a huge, beautifully decorated Christmas Tree.  Even if you aren’t shopping, it is worth going there just to see the grounds.

The spacious open air outdoor design is what puts the Americana at Brand on the top of my list for shopping year round.  I love the feeling of space around me and being able to drink in the environment while I move from store to store.  Likewise that is why I also listed its sister mall, The Grove out in Beverly Hills, as a recommended place to Christmas shop.  You will see the same outdoor theme, including the dancing fountain and trolly car at both locations.

Both The Grove and The Americana at Brand  were built and are owned and operated by Los Angeles businessman Rick J. Caruso.  As for your Black Friday shopping,  the Americana at Brand has eighty-two retail shops including Barneys New York, Nordstrom, XXI Forever, and David Yurman.  You’re sure to find no shortage of sales!

For a complete list of retail shops, restaurants and holiday events, visit their website.