Centro Arndale is a lot bigger than it first seems, and its labyrinthine set-up can be confusing!…read moreIt's a great local shopping centre, as it has everything you need and lots more, so is great for the necessity of weekly shopping as well for some fun shopping on the side. There are two supermarkets and two department stores here - Woolies, Coles, Harris Scarfe and Big W, as well as three bakeries, which I think is spoiling us! There is a great range of clothing shops for younger and older women, and some casual and formal clothing shops for men as well. They have three Bric-a-Brac stores, including a Reject Shop and two similar independent retailers. The food court is small, but there's enough to choose from, if you're not feeling like bakery wares. There is also a central court which is getting ready for Chinese New Year celebrations at the moment, and has a stage for any concerts or public events. Add to this several hairdressers, banks, a newsagency and bookstore, a fresh fruit store, several shoe shops and bag shops, and you have yourself a great shopping centre with more local personality than the Big Boys like Tea Tree Plaza.

ok, Arndale has everything you would want a shopping centre to have, clothes, shoes, cosmetics,…read morefood, newsagencies, gift shops, bargain stores, cinema etc. But I sincerely dislike the atmosphere, I know it's mainly to do with frequenting this place when I was young with my father trying to find shoes, hours of looking for shoes...blah. It just feels (and looks) unclean and sad. I used to come here back when I was studying at Regency, very convenient, if you aren't looking for shoes you should be out of there pretty soon clutching what you need. Just try not to get lost, I wandered around in there for a good length of time trying to find the cinema, which by the way has a separate entrance, wish someone had told me that! I think with a coat of paint and a different demographic, I could quite like Arndale.

Findon Shopping centre is very easy to find, as it sits on the corner of Grange Road and Findon…read moreRoad, with easy access to its large carpark. While there's nothing particularly exciting about this shopping centre, it is great to have locally because it has all the elements you're likely to need - a choice of two supermarkets, Coles and Foodland, a greengrocer, two bakeries, a chemist, a health-food store, a butcher, a library, and several places to have coffee and a nice lunch. There are also quite a few shops, including homewares, discount wares, women's clothing and shoes, a spectacles store, a newsagent. It's neither small nor large - just the right size to cover all your needs. It's reasonably easy to get in and out of, just remember that if you're coming up Grange Road from the city, you have to turn right and the lights and then enter the carpark from Findon Road. Otherwise you have a lot of traffic and a rather difficult "No U-Turn" sign to contend with.

Findon Shopping Centre is a good option if you want to avoid the hustle and bustle of some of the…read morebigger shopping centres. It's just the right size for doing your grocery shopping, where you might want to stop into the bakery, chemist, butcher, or any of the other specialty shops situated here. There are also a few cafes that do a decent coffee so you can refuel midway through your shopping. The carpark is pretty decent for the size of the centre, and is nice and easy to access.

I love the nostalgia of the amazing architecture, mixed with very modern shops and lively crowds…read more Spent a good amount of time at one of the craft and artisan made shops, then had some tea at an adorable cafe called Cielo. Even if you do not want to shop, this place is worth a quick walk through to appreciate its old world charm.

Now the Adelaide Arcade is a destination in its own right, did you know that? Not just as a…read moreshopping centre, but as a historic building of interest. I should know, one of my first jobs out of school was working at the Industrial First Aid Service which was upstairs at the Adelaide Arcade where I used to put aspirin into aspirin jars, stick on the labels and place them into First Aid Kits; and need I mention that was in the last century! Yes, well, the actual Arcade itself was built long before that - in fact around about one hundred and fourteen years before I was born in 1885. The history web page will tell you they threw the place up almost as fast as a catwalk model throws up her Christmas dinner, and it has been a destination for the refined shopper ever since. Adelaide has a great deal of old historic buildings but nothing quite like the Adelaide Arcade. It is a rather lovely spot and sort of similar to the Queen Victoria Building in Sydney, if you stretch your imagination just a touch. The difference is that the QVB in Sydney sat idle and filled with the poop of pigeons for decades, while the Adelaide Arcade has been operating since it opened. If you have time you should go up onto the rarely visited first floor and have a look in their little museum, it's a cute little spot with some significant information on show. Free of charge and fine for kids. In fact it's a special spot that you can take the kids and help them feel they've had something special that will cost you nothing. Kids as young as six or seven upwards will enjoy the display as long as you can drum up a little enthusiasm for it yourself. I've taken a couple of pictures of the FREE permanent exhibition for you to appreciate so you know what you are looking for, do check them out. Read up at the 'history' section of their website before you go so you can brag knowledge to the kids (or guests) before going - they'll think you're a star! http://www.adelaidearcade.com.au

Good spot for some outlet stores, plenty of parking and a reasonably eclectic mixture of things on…read moreoffer; you can get clothing, shoes, tiles, marine equipment and motorbikes... that has to suit some folk, Some of the stores are empty at the moment but the ones operating as listed so far actually do pack some price savings, mainly because they are not in the city; slightly cheaper rent. If you are interested in opening a store here - leasing one of the empty spaces (I think there are two available) you need to contact the managers Intrepid Property. They are a the Real Estate Agency leasing, and managing what they call this Bulky Goods centre. I think it's a hilarious name; but the idea is the businesses purchase in bulk to keep the costs down and the venues are large with a lot of stock storage space; hence "Bulky" ... sounds like it's fat. The one thing that's missing is a little refreshment stand or cafe. I think the best thing to do is check it out if you don't want to go into the actual city. It's a good alternative. If nothing else you will save on parking.

I agree with John, this place is alright. Honestly, I was expecting a very dodgy local shopping…read morecentre, complete with dirty floors and bad lighting, and what I got was the complete opposite of that. There's an awesome little deli in there, a few places to get fresh fruits and vegetables, the very nice looking cinema, a few cafes, and really, it's got everything you would probably need if it were the only shopping centre you used. Parking, for me at least, can be a bit of a pain to find, but it's not too bad. There's parking underneath, but plenty outside as well.

The Mitcham shopping centre is a social and shopping hub of the Mitcham area. Having undergone…read morerenovations a few years ago after a serious amount of fire damage, the centre has expanded from what was a bit of a dingy, tacked on mall to a vibrant retail community. The variety is what sticks out most in the Mitcham Square. It differs from other shopping centres around Adelaide like the Burnside Village in its family orientation and diversity. It's a cliché, there's probably something for everyone in the family in the centre, from kids and adult fashion, to toy and gadget stores, to the supermarket and cafes. Not to mention the impeccable Wallis Cinema upstairs. It has some history too. If you head along with the kids make sure to check out the big fiberglass whale outside in the courtyard. His name is squirt and he's a favourite of the locals. Everyone's had a play on Squirt.

I really like the North Adelaide; it's a clean airy shopping centre that has everything from a gym,…read moreFoodland, fruit and veg grocery, bakery, newsagency, to restaurants and cafes. Although it isn't my local, I am there quite a bit. Located on O'Connell St North Adelaide, it is accessible and convenient. Furthermore, there is onsite parking which is free for the first two hours - and for some reason whenever I park here, whether it's a Tuesday afternoon or a Saturday night, it's never full! It's always busy, but never full. There are always available spots, which is amazing because finding on-street parking during peak times can be a bitch. The place is complete with restrooms and best of all, Outback Jacks is just upstairs! Finally, what I love most about North Adelaide Village is that it's open late (restaurants, Foodland, and cafes) and you can get everything done in just one easy trip!

The North Adelaide Village, just like North Adelaide, is definitely posh-ville. Which I'm not…read moresaying is a bad thing. Because it means there are some really gorgeous boutique style stores available here. I absolutely love walking past the stores here and falling in love with the dresses in the window every time I do. There's some good places to have a coffee and breakfast also. There's a lot of things available here, but I recommend going to look at the beautiful fashion stores!