MAP IT!
This summer, head to the mall for...the world's best shark encounter? That's right,
Underwater Adventures Aquarium
was rated by the Travel Channel as the World's Best Shark Encounter Without Getting Wet. Located in Bloomington, Minnesota the Mall of America houses giant sea turtles, sharks, stingrays, and freshwater fish which are viewed through a 300-foot tunnel complete with a moving walkway.
At 4.2 million square feet, the mall is big enough to hold 32 Boeing 747s. Determined to hit every one of the 520 stores at the mall? You'll need 86 hours.
But still, before seeing it for myself, I thought, "It's just a mall with an amusement park." I was wrong. I mean, it is a mall, and it DOES have an amusement park, but like the beauty of the Grand Canyon or Niagara Falls, you have to see it to comprehend it.
But will someone in the family be bored? Hardly.
The intellectual will appreciate the stunning architecture and the numerous electronic and book stores. The adrenaline junkie will want to visit
A.C.E.S. Flight Simulation
or the
NASCAR Silicon Motor Speedway
(also at Universal City Walk in Hollywood). Jurassic Park fans will want to spend time at the
Dinosaur Walk Museum.
Kids of all ages won't be able to decide between
The Park at MOA,
Underwater Adventures Aquarium,
or
LEGO Imagination Center.
And the romantic...well, she'll want to get married at the
Chapel of Love.
There's no tax on clothing at Mall of America, so hit the stores! Nordstrom, Bloomingdale's, Macy's and Sears are here, and you can pick up Minnesota mementos at numerous stores: Lake Wobegon USA, Love From Minnesota, Destination Minnesoa, Minnesot-ah! and More, Minnesota Bound and the Mall of America Gift Store.
And for movie buffs, "Jingle All the Way" was filmed in the Park at MOA, formerly "Camp Snoopy."
Business travelers, take note: If your flight takes you through the Minneapolis Airport, you're within minutes of the Mall of America, which is accessible from the airport via light rail. If you are stuck with your luggage, check it at the Aquarium for a nominal fee while you explore the mall.
Vacation travelers to the Midwest will be happy to know that the Mall of America is an easy five and a half hour drive from Milwaukee, traveling up the picturesque I-94. (If you're not familiar with driving in snow or ice, schedule this trip between May and October.) En route, plan to spend some time at Wisconsin Dells, where a plethora of indoor and outdoor water parks are located.
Where To Stay
If staying in Bloomington, there are several hotels right near the Mall of America. We chose
Le Bourget Suites,
just a few minutes down Hwy. 494 (The complimentary shuttle service will have you at the MOA in seven minutes.) A boutique hotel, it offers sumptuous pillow top beds with feather pillows and a flat screen television. It's a cut above the standard hotel, at a fair price.
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