Anyone who follows us knows that travel is our love language. And one of our favorite destinations is remarkably convenient to our Minneapolis home — Mall of America®! Whenever we need a quick-fix getaway (looking at you, Spring Break staycation), the Mall gives us a vacay reset in a single day. Here are our recos for a dawn-to-dusk play date.
Morning: Easy Does It
Set a relaxed tone for the day. Our favorite ease-into-it is to grab coffee at Nordstrom eBar and plan our full day of fun. If a little decadence is your fave way to wake up, swing by Cake Boss-famous Carlo’s Bakery for one of their divine Italian pastries.
Style Stroll
We never manage to stop in every store we love in one trip, but we do hit our must-shop stops first thing. Stocking up on perfect-fit tees at True Classic is mandatory, as well as peeping what’s new at Shady Rays. A spin through Vuori gets us set for our next extended flight (nothing better than matching butter-soft outfits on international jags!), then we love to linger in Aritzia to be inspired by their artful, curated collection.
Classics Meet Cuisine
If you haven’t been to the iconic Twin City Grill, you’re in for a treat. It’s a best-kept secret at the Mall, a fan favorite for its Minnesota dinner-club lighting and mahogany paneling, and service that makes a quick stop feel like the main event.
Pro tip: Don’t sleep on their walleye, made with traditional Northern-woods almond crust.
Recess for Grown-Ups!
Refueled and refreshed, it’s time for some serious excitement — and a chance to release our inner-child energy. Our favorite after-lunch tradition is to take tons of pics at the Museum of Illusions — even though we know exactly how the dozens of astonishing effects are made, it never fails to delight us. And the staff is so helpful in snapping photos of the two of us!
And of course, no trip to Mall of America is complete without hitting the rides at Nickelodeon Universe. Since we’re both roller coaster lovers, it’s quite possible we’ll treat ourselves to more than one spin on the SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge coaster — but there are four other coasters to get our thrills on as well.
Pro tip: Our favorite souvenir is always a photo from the final drop of the Paul Bunyan Log Chute — prep your silliest face for the flash if you can.
Stopping for a snack is essential to keep the momentum going. Our recos for midafternoon fuel-ups: Treats is the can’t-miss for ridiculously delish cereal-infused ice cream — be sure to add a customized boba for sips on the side. And nobody does chocolate like the Swiss, and Laderach is the closest place outside of Switzerland to enjoy the freshest, most exquisite creations — including their take on luxury Dubai offerings.
Another date favorite we never would have expected — Mall of America’s The Fair on 4. It sounds crazy, but there’s something incredibly bonding about enjoying State Fair food then crushing your beloved in a head-to-head go-kart race.
Pro tip: Trying axe throwing for the first time was a humbling but exciting experience — but the helpful staff showed me how bringing the axe over my head like throwing a soccer ball was the secret to success!
Downshift into the Evening
After putting out so much energy, we love to wrap up by sitting back and rehashing our favorite moments over a leisurely dinner. Cedar + Stone, Urban Table puts a feast in front of us as well as some of the most inventive cocktails in the Twin Cities. Afterwards, a leisurely stroll to catch a late-night movie at the in-mall theaters is the perfect wind-down — and with 13 theaters, we’re sure to find a film that we’re both excited to see.
Pro tip: After a busy and fun-filled day, it’s nice to just hop in the car after a movie without any hassle — we try to park our car in the East Ramp on level P4 if possible, since it’s the quickest way out through the Level 3 passage.