Revitalized downtown White Bear Lake is lined with small specialty shops, gift and craft shops, and many independently owned stores. Shoppers stroll along the streets, drifting in and out of quaint shops and greeting friends and neighbors. In the last five years, many restaurateurs have bought and restored old buildings to their original states. Bistro tables are clustered French-style on the sidewalk, so that diners can enjoy warm summer nights as they sip wine and savor a good meal. In fact, White Bear Lake has become quite a destination for those looking for an evening's escape to a unique spot.

Dellwood is home to Pine Tree Apple Orchard, which also offers a unique shopping experience. Owned and operated by the Jacobson family, the orchard is famous for its old-fashioned apple picking, take-home apple pies, doughnuts, and cider. Open year-round, the Pine Tree Apple Orchard also attracts visitors to pick strawberries and pumpkins in addition to 20 varieties of apples. When snowfall blankets the ground, many people take to the fields in cross-country skis and finish their excursion with a glass of freshly pressed cider.

More practical needs are met by the small shopping centers in the area, which house Wal-Mart and Target stores that accommodate residents' needs for everything from cosmetics to clothing. North Oaks Village Center, at Highways 49 and 96, boasts a restaurant, European bakery, bookstore, and a bagel shop. Those looking for a day's worth of browsing and buying are a quick drive from Maplewood Mall, whose centerpiece is an old-time Venetian carousel complete with intricate hand-painted murals and over 2,000 lights. If the 130 stores at Maplewood don't satisfy, extreme shoppers are a quick half-hour trip from Mall of America in Bloomington.

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