Mall of America

Welcome to a structure which combines the American drive for the grandiose with the love of indoor shopping. Welcome, to the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota. It is huge, with 520 stores, but not in the sprawling sense. They've packed a lot of stores into a relatively small piece of real estate by making it square and stacking it up three stories high.

Presumably to help keep you from getting lost, each straight section of the mall is adorned with its own style of decoration. Different tiles, carpets, and furniture themes serve as visual cues to remind you that you still have a half a mile walk to get to the side where you parked your car.

Many features set this mall apart from the others, such as a hotel, a miniature golf course, and Nickelodeon theme park residing in the center of the mall, replete with roller coasters and a log flume! If you need energy to get you around the mall, don't worry. There are over 60 restaurants, including 6 coffee shops! Other than the funkier features, this mall is essentially the same as any other mall with all the same chain stores and a small handful of unique ones.


Here is a view down one of the mall's triple-decker corridors.



And here is another. Notice the design contrast?



My personal favorite was the Lego store. Life-size dinosaurs and space scenes were a real treat to see. It's imagination gone brick-wild!



Where can I get a job as a Lego-maniac?



Moose Mountain Mini-golf anyone?



If not, how about a log flume ride?



Or a stroll in the amusement park?