Sometimes the best excuse for a weekend away is simply the opportunity to shop somewhere different.
Add a stylish hotel, good food, a few drinks and plenty of time to relax, and a shopping trip can quickly become a proper two-night city break.
Southampton is particularly well suited to this type of weekend. As one of the south coast’s major retail destinations, the city attracts shoppers from across Hampshire and beyond. But shopping is only part of the attraction.
With restaurants, bars, entertainment and centuries of history to discover, there is plenty to fill the rest of the weekend once the bags have been put down.
Make a Weekend of It
Travelling somewhere specifically to shop doesn’t necessarily mean arriving in the morning and heading home before dinner.
Staying for a night or two changes the pace completely.
Instead of trying to visit every shop within a few hours, you can arrive on Friday, check into your hotel and enjoy an evening in Southampton before dedicating Saturday to shopping.
For a weekend break, accommodation should be more than somewhere convenient to leave the bags.
Maison Carlton provides a boutique hotel experience on Carlton Crescent, offering visitors an individual base from which to enjoy Southampton.
Choosing stylish accommodation in central Southampton also gives you somewhere comfortable to return to when you’ve had enough of shopping for the day.
Drop the bags off, relax for a while and then get ready for Saturday evening.
Start at Westquay
For serious shopping, Westquay is the obvious place to begin.
Located in the heart of Southampton, the shopping centre brings a huge selection of retailers together in one destination.
Fashion, beauty, technology, jewellery and lifestyle brands are all represented, making it possible to spend several hours browsing without having to travel across the city.
The advantage of making a full weekend of the trip is that there’s no pressure to race around.
You can stop for coffee, have a proper lunch and take your time.
If you’re visiting in the run-up to Christmas, looking for something for a special occasion or simply planning to update your wardrobe, having a full Saturday available makes the experience considerably more enjoyable.
Look Beyond the Main Shopping Centre
Although Westquay may be the biggest attraction for shoppers, don’t assume it’s the only place worth exploring.
Part of the enjoyment of visiting another city is discovering businesses you don’t see at home.
Allow some time to wander beyond the main retail areas and look for independent shops, cafés and other places that catch your attention.
Shopping weekends are at their best when they aren’t treated like a military operation.
You don’t need a spreadsheet listing every shop you intend to visit.
Pick a few priorities and leave enough room to explore.
Stop for a Proper Lunch
One of the biggest mistakes on a shopping day is trying to survive until dinner on coffee and snacks.
You’re away for the weekend, so make lunch part of the experience.
Southampton offers plenty of places to eat, whether you want something quick and informal or would prefer to sit down for a longer meal.
A leisurely lunch also breaks the day into two halves.
Shop during the morning, stop for food and drinks, then decide whether you actually want another few hours of retail therapy.
If the answer is no, Southampton has plenty of alternatives.
Discover Another Side of the City
Shopping may be the main reason for the trip, but spending an hour or two exploring Southampton adds another dimension to the weekend.
The city has an extensive maritime history and surviving sections of its medieval walls.
The Old Town provides an interesting contrast to Southampton’s modern retail areas, while SeaCity Museum explores the city’s long relationship with the ocean.
You don’t need to visit every attraction.
Even a walk through some of the historic areas can provide a welcome change of pace after several hours inside shops.
Return to the Hotel and Reset
By late afternoon, you’ll probably be ready to stop.
This is where staying overnight really comes into its own.
Rather than loading everything into the car and beginning the journey home, return to Maison Carlton and take a couple of hours to relax.
Put the shopping away, have a shower, change and get ready for the evening.
That gap between the daytime and evening makes Saturday night feel like a separate part of the trip rather than simply the end of a long shopping day.
Make Saturday Night Count
Once you’re ready, head back out and enjoy Southampton’s evening offering.
Book somewhere for dinner, start with cocktails or find a relaxed bar for drinks afterwards.
For couples, this can turn what started as a shopping trip into a proper weekend away.
For friends, it provides an opportunity to combine shopping with a night out without anyone having to worry about driving home.
Depending on what’s happening during your visit, you could also combine the evening with theatre or live entertainment.
Enjoy a Slower Sunday
There’s no reason to rush home on Sunday morning.
Enjoy a later start and find somewhere for breakfast or brunch.
If there were shops you missed on Saturday, you have another opportunity to visit them. Alternatively, forget shopping entirely and spend your final few hours seeing more of Southampton.
Visitors travelling by car could also extend the break by heading into the surrounding Hampshire countryside before going home.
The New Forest is within easy reach and provides a dramatic change from a weekend spent in the city.
Shopping Is Better When You Don’t Rush
A Southampton shopping weekend doesn’t need to be complicated.
Choose somewhere enjoyable to stay, give yourself enough time and avoid trying to fit everything into a single day.
Shop when you want to shop. Stop for a long lunch. Return to the hotel when you’ve had enough. Get dressed up and enjoy Saturday evening.
Then wake up on Sunday knowing there’s still more of the weekend left.
You may come home with more bags than you planned.
But you’ll also have had a proper break — and that’s much more enjoyable than simply spending Saturday at the shops.
Digital content credit: Mutatio Change Group Ltd