Getting summer ready with my friends at Asheville Outlets
Thanks to Asheville Outlets for collaborating on this post! As always, opinions are my own.
Last summer, I shared my back to school shopping adventures at Asheville Outlets. Now that the school year is winding down, and vacation season is ramping up (not to mention Father’s Day and birthday season in my house), it was time to head back to the outlets! I was invited out to do a little bit of shopping in preparation of the summer season and I have a few tips for any visitors (or locals!)
When visiting the outlets, check out their store listing and come up with a plan! I started with Field & Stream, which is on one end of the center and I worked my way back to OshKosh, which is on the opposite end. I had looked at the various stores I wanted to visit, and figured out just what types of items I needed from each. I may have even had a list….because I love a good list.
When in doubt, carry an umbrella. May was Asheville’s wettest month on record, and while I was covered for most of my time by overhangs and awnings, the umbrella came in handy.
Fuel yourself. I visited Starbucks before I started shopping, and I think the dose of caffeine gave me enough energy to get through SEVEN stores in under two hours. That’s right. Seven.
Take. the. shuttle. If you are visiting Asheville, and you don’t want to deal with traffic, the free shuttle is where it’s at! A shuttle driver and pick you up from your hotel or area attraction, at a scheduled time, and the service is available daily! Just call 828-620-1803 or visit their website to schedule a pick up.
Enjoy your time! You can make this trip as short or as long as you want it. I tend to swing by the outlets for a quick stop (I happened to visit three times last week) and I know that when I’m vacationing, my shopping adventures can be several hours.
Want to see what I bought? I was pretty intentional about everything. And I was really excited to try a couple of new stores.
First stop: Field & Stream. I went in thinking I was going to shop for my husband (Father’s Day is coming up, friends! Get dad’s gift now!) While they had a great selection of sandals, I ended up buying a shirt and workout capris for myself. I was thinking of my husband and I got sidetracked for myself. (Last summer, I ended up buying items for my kids, so getting sidetracked is nothing new for me.)
Next: Coach. This store is one of my happy places. My husband and son bought my beloved Coach purse there almost three years ago for Christmas, and I love it so much. I only wear Coach sunglasses (the quality is out of this world) and it’s been four years since I’ve bought new sunglasses. I ended up getting a pair for under $55. I was tempted by the bags, but I have been wanting sunglasses. But, y’all. Look at the colors of these bags!
Up next: Pandora jewelry. The customer service in this store (and really, everywhere) was amazing. The sales person was super nice and informative. I went in thinking I was going to buy a bracelet, and ended up with two rings that stack – they’re so pretty! And super on sale. The pair cost just over $50.
Vineyard Vines. We’re attending a wedding in a couple of weeks, and I found THE cutest dress for my daughter. I also bought a gray polo shirt for my husband (which was a steal at under $15!) I was again blown away by the customer service of the salesperson who helped me. I had never shopped this store before, and I loved all of the dresses. The multicolored pink/blue/yellow dress? If I’d found it in my daughter’s size, I would have purchased it.
Then I headed to Bass Outlet. I went in thinking just shorts for my husband. He needed some new shorts for summer, and for our upcoming trip. So a pair of shorts for him and two shirts for me! They had so many great deals going on, even after the Memorial Day holiday. The tote bag? It’s like they could read my mind.
Finally I found myself in OshKosh. Even though I had been in OshKosh just three days prior (and not only picked up an online order, but also bought a few new things for my kids), I still managed to find SO MANY things for my kids. My daughter needed shoes, my son needed a few summer shirts, and seeing how my kids keep growing up, it wasn’t difficult to pick out a few other items that may come in handy next school year.
But that’s not all, friends. When I finished shopping, I had to eat. I first ate at Acropolis last summer, and I was excited to eat there again last week. My advice? Always get the garlic knots. I had pizza and garlic knots, and their food is so, so good.
Now, the fun part for you! While at the Asheville Outlets, I visited the Vanity Fair outlet store and now I have a $25 gift card for one lucky reader! Enter through the Rafflecopter below and good luck! The winner will be selected on June 13 and will have 24 hours to respond so I can get your gift card mailed quickly.
What is your favorite outlet store to shop? (If it is just for myself, Coach is always a favorite. But I also manage to spend a lot of money on my family in so many stores.)
I would love that tote bag! Also, if there’s a straw hat that fits my head, I’d be all over that, too.
I love these outlets! So many great stores in one space. I need to do some shopping before this summer. Looks like a really fun day!
I would totally be all over some new fun jewelry for myself and clothes for my youngest kiddo! Kids grow faster than I can buy clothes! š