Summer is the best time to hang out with friends. It’s filled with plenty of free time, wonderful weather, and many different places to go. So what are the best sites to spend time with friends? I will be ranking my favorite spots based on the prices, variety of shops, environment, and food.
- Downtown Campbell (9/10)
Shops (8/10) Prices (7.5/10) Food (10/10) Environment (10/10)
Although it’s a fairly small area, downtown Campbell is filled to the brim with many different shops. Foodwise, my favorite place is Breaktime Tea, a bubble tea cafe with a variety of drinks and tasty snacks. Whenever I go to downtown Campbell, I make sure to stop by Breaktime and get one of my go-to orders: Thai Milk tea or Mango Green tea. Besides Breaktime, another shop I frequently visit is Besties Boutique, a somewhat expensive clothing store. Everything I’ve gotten there has been super comfortable, and even now they’re still in tip top condition. Although their clothing is very good quality, their prices can be a little expensive, ranging from $20 – 80 per piece of clothing. Unfortunately, this is a continuous trend throughout downtown Campbell stores, everything is pricey. Lastly, the environment in downtown Campbell is wonderful, it is especially beautiful during winter, when they hang lights around the trees. Some honorable mentions are Recycle Bookstore (good books and it saves paper), Blue Line Pizza (the food is heavenly), and Steepers (my go-to when buying tea leaves).
- The Pruneyard (8.5/10)
Shops (8/10) Prices (7.5/10) Food (9.5/10) Environment (9.5/10)
Filled with a variety of unique stores, The Pruneyard is a great place to hang out with friends. My personal favorite store is Books Inc, a bookstore with a multitude of interesting stories and novels. The price for each book is typically around $20 for paperbacks and $27 for hardcovers. Foodwise, my favorite establishment is Teaspoon, a bubble tea place with numerous tasty drinks and affordable prices. My favorite drinks to get there are the Thai Milk tea, and Liquid Gold; a honey Oolong tea. Unfortunately, Teaspoon does not sell any savory food, but their desserts more than make up for it. They sell a variety of different sweets, my favorite being their strawberry and rose leche macarons, as well as their lemon bars. Another great food establishment is Pacific Catch, a west coast fish house, with a multitude of dishes and drinks. My favorite order there is the Hawaiian Teriyaki with grilled chicken and Thai milk tea (I love Thai tea). Lastly, the environment is great, and it’s very pleasing to look at, with unique buildings and hanging lights. Some honorable mentions are the Pruneyard Cinema (super fancy and they bring food to you), Starbird (the churros are to die for), and Trader Joes (the best grocery store).
- Westgate Mall (8/10)
Shops (7.5/10) Prices (8/10) Food (9/10) Environment (8/10)
Despite being tiny compared to other malls, Westgate boasts many great shops. Out of all the stores there, my favorite is Ella, a clothing store filled with great prices, good quality, and fashionable clothes. Their prices range from $5 to 80$ per piece of clothing, and everything I have purchased there stands in good condition to this day. In all, If I go to Westgate, I make sure to stop by Ella. Another great shop at Westgate is King Eggroll, a Chinese food establishment, with a variety of food and affordable prices. My go-to order is a combo of Fried Rice, Sweet & Sour chicken, and Beef Broccoli, which I would highly recommend getting (it’s so good!). Finally, the environment at Westgate is nice and relaxing, and though it does look a little basic, it’s not ugly. Some honorable mentions are Target (who does not love it?), TJ Maxx (good products and it is affordable), Michaels (my go-to art store), and Starbucks (you can find it everywhere but the drinks are so good).
Fun places to hang out with friends can be hard to find, especially in the summer when everyone is looking for a place to go. Downtown Campbell, The Pruneyard, and Westgate mall are all great places to go, and I would highly recommend visiting them.