Mall of America

Mall of America is less a shopping centre than a small indoor city, and for many visitors to the Twin Cities it is the first stop. It sits in Bloomington, just south of the airport, and is free to walk into, which makes it one of the easiest days out in Minnesota, whatever the weather. The building is laid out as a giant rectangle of shops on several levels around a central court, and that court holds Nickelodeon Universe, a full indoor theme park with roller coasters and family rides under a glass roof. Around the edges you will find SEA LIFE Minnesota, an aquarium with a walk-through tunnel on the lower level, FlyOver America, a flying-theatre ride over American landscapes beside the theme park, the Museum of Illusions, Crayola Experience and adventure golf. Add department stores, fashion, toys, food courts and sit-down restaurants and it is easy to spend a whole day here. The mall is particularly useful in November and winter, when cold, dark afternoons make outdoor sightseeing hard work. This page links to the official Mall of America site for hours, directions and the store directory. Attraction tickets are sold separately, and we link them on their own pages in this guide.

How to visit: Mall of America is at 2131 Lindau Lane in Bloomington. Standard hours are 10am to 9pm from Monday to Saturday and 11am to 7pm on Sunday, but individual attractions keep their own hours, so check each one. In 2026 the mall is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday 26 November, and opens early at 7am on Black Friday, 27 November. Easiest of all is the METRO light rail, which runs from downtown Minneapolis to the mall in about 40 minutes and connects both airport terminals to the mall in around 12 minutes. Drivers can use the large parking ramps on the east and west sides.

What to expect: the mall is big enough to need a plan. Decide which attractions you want, buy those tickets in advance, and fit shopping and meals around them. Nickelodeon Universe sits in the centre, with SEA LIFE, FlyOver America and the Museum of Illusions a short walk away, so a family can do two or three attractions in a day without going outside. Weekends, school holidays and the days after Thanksgiving are very busy, and the holiday season brings Santa visits and festive events.

Making the most of it: arrive at opening on a weekday, start with your timed attraction, then shop once the families settle into the theme park. Wear comfortable shoes, as you will walk miles. If you are staying for the mall, the JW Marriott is attached to it, and the light rail means you can easily stay downtown and come out for the day.