Making the most of the Mall of America

Shopping at the mall: An American tradition

When I was a teenager back in the 1980s going to the mall was a big deal.  Of course, back then it meant driving anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours as we didn’t live in a big metro area where shopping took center stage.  Decades later, my love for malls (like that of many other Americans) dwindled and as a result I wasn’t sure what to think about going to visit the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota.  Let’s just say it exceeded my expectations and it is worthy of being a road trip destination.  Here’s my guide to this monumental shopping and entertainment complex.

The North Entrance of the Mall of America features a large multi-colored star that’s a perfect backdrop for selfies and group shots.

Do some planning before you go

When you visit a theme park (and there’s one inside the Mall of America) you often do a little homework before you head through the turnstiles.  I strongly suggest you do the same before a visit to this mall.  With 500 stores, restaurants, entertainment venues and the Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park, this is something you might be able to enjoy for one day, but chances are you’ll need at least a couple of days to really get the Mall of America Experience.   The mall website provides plenty of information about your choices of stores, restaurants, and details about Nickelodeon Universe.  And no matter how many times I visited the website before our trip, I still wasn’t prepared for the sheer size of this shopping and entertainment mecca. 

Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park sits in the center of The Mall of America. It operates like most Theme Parks, but you can walk through it without paying, except when there are special events. You can get all day passes to enjoy the rides.

Pick a place to start

There are three full levels and a partial fourth level to wander, so it’s important to pick out a place to begin your journey through it all. 

Remember where you park.  There are two main multi-story garages and two large parking lots.  You can also opt for valet parking.  Each area of the parking garage is marked by a particular state making it a bit easier to find your car once you are done.  There is also electronic signage at each entrance letting you know how many spots are available.

The Rotunda in the Mall of America hosts several events throughout the year. From the lowest level you can see all four of the upper levels of the mall.

Pick a starting point.  Regardless of where you enter the mall, it’s a good idea to pick a level to start your shopping and figure out ways to make sure you are able to check out some of the bigger stores and attractions along the way.  Expect to do a lot of walking.  During our visit my walking tracker said I had covered more than 9 miles in just one day!  We opted to do the full loop of one floor then moved onto another until we had covered most of the mall.  The two anchor stores, Macy’s and Nordstrom are ones we took in on at least one floor, but somehow didn’t get the full experience at either. (During our visit we saw the signs above the old Sears location leaving us wondering just how large that Sears store was when it was open.)

Get familiar with your surroundings

The Rotunda on the East Side of the Mall serves as a great meeting spot if you are with a group of people.  It’s situated between the East Parking Ramp and one of the entrances to Nickelodeon Universe.  The space is often used for special events, so you might want to check the calendar before setting it as a meeting space.

Whether it’s Shake Shack, A&W, Cadillac Ranch or Margaritaville you’ll find plenty of dining choices in the Mall of America. There are two large food courts, an avenue of restaurants and many others scattered throughout the massive complex.

Whether It’s a cup of coffee or a sit-down meal, the Mall of America offers up plenty of options.  The largest collections of restaurants stretch out along the South Street Food Court and the North Garden.  You’ll find a lot of standard food court eateries, but also places like Shake Shack which has seating of its own.  Being a destination mall, restaurants like Bubba Gump, Margaritaville and Rainforest Café are options too.  There’s even a Benihana and a few more upscale choices.

Dora isn’t the only person exploring the Mall of America, but she certainly stands out at Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park at the center of it all.

Nickelodeon Universe takes up the center of the Mall of America.  And while I didn’t ride anything during my visit, I did walk through the park.  Most of the time you can use the walkways through the park to get from one side of the mall to the opposite side, but during special events you will have to have a ticket to access the park.  Still, meeting at the entrances can also be good meeting points.

Stores that ARE attractions

Years ago, the Mills Corporation coined the phrase “shopertainment” when it entered an agreement with Gaylord Entertainment to build a new kind of mall on the site that had been the Opryland Theme Park in Nashville, TN. While the Mall of America may not use that term, it certainly fits the definition.  For starters, the Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park encompasses the entire center of the mall, but the fun doesn’t end there. For starters, the fourth floor features a multi-plex theater, a fair section complete with games and a go-cart track and other entertainment centered venues.

The Crayola Store’s colorful collection of items and displays help promote its theme to “get inspired.”

Throughout the mall, a few of the stores (and restaurants) will entertain you even if you don’t end up buying anything (although, I’m sure they would like that!).  Colors abound in the Crayola Store where you are urged to “get inspired,” especially when you see the Pick Your Pack display on the back wall.  There’s also a large assortment of things to color, Crayola inspired items and a Pucker Powder Candy Art display.

Minnesota nice is on display all around the M&M store at the Mall of America.

America’s favorite candy-coated sweet treats get the Minnesota touch at the M&M’s store. Inside this multi-level shop, you’ll find M&Ms in just about every color along with hundreds of M&M themed items.  But what is for sale is only part of what makes this store entertaining.  The entire place is decked out with special M&M inspired displays and artwork.

It’s difficult to miss the Lego Store inside the Mall of America. Giant Lego creations can be found above and all around the open air store underneath the B&B Theatres.

Brick by brick, Lego creates super eye-catching displays that loom large above its small store on the lower level. The absence of ceilings in most of the store allow you to stand under giant robots, a helicopter and a knight on a horse.  Whether you are a Lego lover or not, chances are you’ll want to be a part of the fun.

The Mall of America is something you’ll find #onlyinmn .

How long should I plan to be there?

While you might plan on being at a mall in your hometown for a few hours, you should probably plan on at least a day and a half to visit the Mall of America.  Of course, if you add in the theme park (and/or the planned waterpark) then it would be wise to set aside two or more days to take in all the mall has to offer.  I found a day and a half to be more than enough for me, even though we were there longer.  When I return, I hope to take time to enjoy Nickelodeon Universe.

The Mall of America is situated in an area filled with hotels and stores like IKEA. It’s close to the airport and is served by the metro area’s light rail system.

The Mall of America IS a destination, but remember, it’s only a small part of a vibrant metropolitan area that has a lot more to offer including the headquarters for Target.  With that in mind, if you are planning to visit the Twin Cities then try and work the Mall of America into your plans, it’s well worth the trip.