Best New England Factory Outlets
LL Bean, Tommy Hilfiger, Gap, Coldwater Creek, Coach, Bass, Bebe
Northeast outlet shopping, Christmas holiday sales, Eddie Bauer, Banana Republic, Chico's, Guess, Williams-Sonoma, Nautica and Jockey, are a dream for bargain shoppers.
Holiday Shopping
Thanksgiving and Black Friday are a thing of the past for now. Hanukkah, Christmas and Kwanzaa are fast approaching and factory outlets have been busier than ever decorating their windows just like Macy's in New York City. Their stores are stocked to the rafters with the newest, biggest, loudest, fastest and most delicious gifts. Factory outlets do have sales promotions and flyers with coupons, but their marketing approach is somewhat different than big box stores. Outlets like LLBean, Land's End, Victoria's Secret and plenty more have shiny print catalogs they mail out to you and offer online shopping.
Factory Outlets vs. Big Box Stores
Factory outlet shopping can be fun and a lot more relaxing than the mad rush of box store shopping. Most of these outlets are well planned in quaint shopping villages with gourmet restaurants and pastry cafes for a quick bite. Nearby hotels with beautifully appointed rooms tempt the shopper to make a weekend out of it. There are even organized factory outlet bus tours that take you right to the stores.
Getting Organized Before You Shop
The stores are all waiting for you and your wallet to walk through that door, and many offer deep discounts to the first 100 shoppers in line. Some stores get creative and offer bigger incentives to those brave enough to go shopping in their PJ's! Most factory outlets have websites and you will reap the biggest savings by searching online first, then printing off coupons for parking, discounts and bargains.
Popular magazines on the supermarket racks, loaded with those annoying little cards between their pages each have big dollar coupons.
Tips for Bargain Shopping Survival:
- Eat your meal before 6pm the night before. You don't want to waste time trying to find a restroom during the biggest shopping event of the year.
- Go to bed early the night before. Dream of bargains.
- New England is cold, so dress in layers. Gloves, hat, earmuffs, warm shoes or boots for that cold pavement.
- Serious walking shoes for shopping inside.
- Raincoat or umbrella in case of inclement weather.
- A whistle to scare away purse-nappers. Mace for a last resort.
- Cell phone to call home and tell your family how much money you saved them.
- Massage or chiropractic appointment for the day after.
Biggest and Best Factory Outlets in New England and How to Get There:
- Connecticut: Clinton Crossing Premium Outlets - Over 70 Premium Outlets. Located off I-95 at Exit 63 Clinton on Route 81.
- Connecticut: Tanger Outet Center - Over 65 designer outlets. Just off I-95 at Exit 65, Flat Rock Place in Westbrook .
- Maine: Freeport, Maine - 170 factory outlets including world-famous L.L.Bean. Route I-95 to the Maine Turnpike, Exit 52 to I-295 North, Exits 17, 20 or 22 for Freeport. All exits lead to Route 1.
- Maine: Maine: Kittery Outlets - 120 stores. I-95 at Exit 3 on Route 1 North in Kittery.
- Massachusetts: Wrentham Village Premium Outlets - Over 170 outlet stores. It is located on Route 1A in Wrentham, MA at the intersection of I-495.
- New Hampshire: Settlers' Green Outlet Village - Over 60 Tax-Free Premium factory outlets. Route 16 in North Conway.
- Rhode Island: Garden City Center - over 70 stores and boutiques. Route I-95 Exit 14 to Route 37 West, Route 2, Reservoir Avenue, Cranston. While not a factory outlet center in the true sense, Garden City is a shopping mecca of specialty shops and big name stores.
- Vermont: Manchester Designer Outlets - Many, many designer stores spread out along several side streets in a picture postcard setting. Route 7A North to Manchester Center.
More stores to shop: Stonewall Kitchen, Corningware, Crabtree & Evelyn, Brookstone, Crate and Barrel, Oneida, Bombay Outlet, Spyder and Yankee Candle.
For more shopping tips, learn How to Shop the Big Box Stores
