The Furthest We’ve Ever Traveled to a Mall
I’ve taken long road trips to go shopping before but taking a 3-1/2 hour flight from Orlando to Bloomington, Minnesota wins the prize for the furthest distance traveled to a mall.
And before you get all judgy, the Mall of America is special. It’s the largest mall in the United States, spanning 5.6 million square feet of attractions, shops, and dining!
Mall of America is Not Just Another Mall
To describe the Mall of America in the best way possible, let me provide some amazing facts:
:: Mall of America is so big that it has its own zip code
:: You can fit 74 football fields inside the mall
:: Over 40,000,000 people visit the mall annually
:: Walking the loop around the mall is more than 1 mile
:: There are 4 levels to explore
:: Shop at 520+ stores
:: Dine at 50+ restaurants
:: Opened in 1992, former Metropolitan Stadium of the Minnesota Vikings football team and Minnesota Twins baseball team
:: More than 12,000 parking spaces available
:: Indoor temperate stays around 70 degrees year round
Endless Entertainment Options at the Mall of America
Of course, you can shop at the Mall of America, but the attractions are unbelievably phenomenal. It’s got a theme park, an aquarium, movie theater, mini golf, and much more. It’s truly a mecca of indoor entertainment for all ages.
Attractions include:
:: Amazing Mirror Maze
:: B&B Theatres Bloomington 13 at MOA®
:: Behind-the-scenes tour of the Mall of America
:: Build-A-Bear Workshop®
:: ClimbZone
:: CoComelon Playdate Attraction
:: Crayola Experience
:: Double Dare Human Crane
:: Dream Riders
:: Dutchman’s Deck Adventure Course
:: FlyOver America
:: Great Big Game Show
:: M&M’S
:: Moose Mountain Adventure Golf
:: Museum of Illusions
:: Nickelodeon Universe®
:: Rick Bronson’s House of Comedy
:: Rock of Ages Blacklight Minigolf
:: Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium image
:: Star Express
:: The Escape Game
:: The Fair on 4
:: The LEGO Store/LEGO Imagination Center
:: Universe of Light
:: Xscape Arcade
Nickelodeon Universe Indoor Theme Park
Nickelodeon Universe, a Nickelodeon-based indoor theme park, offers more than two dozen rides with varying thrill levels, Nickelodeon character greetings, dining, and shops. You can purchase an Unlimited Ride wristband or if you only want to go on a few rides, you can buy point passes for individual rides. There are also multiple food and snack carts, and a café if you get hungry.
Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium at the Mall of America
Sea Life, Minnesota’s biggest aquarium, is home to thousands of sea creatures including sharks, sea turtles, stingrays, jellyfish, and more. The 300-foot-long ocean tunnel is an awesome sight as is the rainforest.
Crayola Experience
Explore a world of color and creativity with more than 25 Crayola activities. Plus, see how crayons are made. Activities include the opportunity to create a Crayola crayon with your name on it and turn a personalized coloring page into a 4D adventure.
Lots of Dining Options at the Mall of America
With over 50 dining options to choose from, there is food for everyone. Multiple food courts and typical mall foods are available. Auntie Anne’s Pretzels, A&W, Dairy Queen, Johnny Rockets, Cinnabon, Haagen-Dazs, Panda Express, and Sbarro Pizza, make for some fun mall-nostalgic meals. Other notable great restaurants are Wahlburgers, Twin City Grill, Crave, and Cadillac Ranch.
Radisson Blue Hotel: Steps Away From the Mall of America
Traveling to the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota is something extra special. And staying at the Radisson Blu hotel (that’s actually connected to the Mall of America) makes the experience even more special.
You see, there are other hotels nearby that shuttle guests to and from the mall. However, by staying at the Radisson Blue hotel, you never step one foot outdoors but instead, simply walk across the Radisson Blu via the hotel’s skyway bridge directly into the mall. I consider that convenient, very special, and much appreciated that we didn’t have to move the parked car once during our 3-night visit.
Another appreciated perk of staying at the Radisson Blue hotel is that the hotel offers free airport transportation from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Intl Airport. There are not too many hotels still offering free airport shuttles these days.
About the Radisson Blu Mall of America Hotel
During and after shopping and taking advantage of the Mall of America attractions, it is so nice to simply walk back across the bridge and take a rest in your hotel room. And this is not just any local hotel. It’s a beautiful, stylishly decorated “Radisson Blue” hotel blending ultimate style and comfort. There’s even an indoor pool, fitness center with Peloton® bikes, and the full-service Laughing Waters Spa.
Full list of hotel amenities:
:: Premium Free WIFI
:: Free airport transportation
:: Indoor heated pool
:: Restaurant offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner
:: Lounge/Bar
:: Room service
:: Surveillance security
:: Kids Club
:: Laughing Waters Spa
:: Fitness Center
:: Pet friendly
:: Parking available (fee)
:: VIP Floor
:: Concierge Desk
:: Concierge Lounge
:: Business center
:: Meeting and event space
:: Express check-out
:: Accessibility amenities
The hotel’s restaurant, FireLake Grill House & Cocktail Bar, serves traditional heartland dishes, appetizers, drinks, and you can even play a game of pool. Room service is also available so you can enjoy a meal in the comfort of your room as the restaurant delivers the food right to your hotel room door.
Comfortable Accommodations at Radisson Blu
The Radisson Blu Mall of America hotel features 500 fashion-inspired guest rooms and suites with lots of amenities. The rooms and suites offered stylish decor with modern furniture. The VIP concierge level rooms offer those guests special VIP lounges and continental breakfast options. We had a regular Superior King Bedroom that was impressively clean and very comfortable. Our room did not offer any VIP lounge access nor breakfast options. The hotel also offers turndown service in your room and that adds a nice extra touch.
Room types include:
:: 1 King Bed, Superior
:: 2 Queen Beds, Superior
:: 2 Queen Beds, Mobility and Hearing Accessible
:: 2 Queen Beds, Executive Lounge
:: 1 King Bed, Corner Room, Studio Suite
:: 1 King Bed, Corner Room, Studio Suite, Mobility and Hearing Accessible
:: 4 Queen Beds, Family Connecting Room
:: 1 King Bed, 1 Bedroom Suite
:: 1 King Bed, 1 Bedroom Suite, Mobility and Hearing Accessible
:: Pet friendly rooms
Room amenities include:
:: Daily housekeeping
:: Adjoining rooms
:: Free WiFi
:: 40 inch LCD/Plasma TV
:: Flat screen TV
:: Desk
:: Coffee maker
:: Refrigerator
:: Hair dryer
:: Iron and ironing board
:: In-room safe
:: Robes
Fun Visit to the Mall of America
The Radisson Blu Mall of America hotel was a great mix of elegance, comfort, and a family-friendly atmosphere. The direct access to the mall via the skyway bridge was super convenient, especially when we took a mid-day rest at the hotel before heading back to the mall for evenings of more fun.
There was no free hotel breakfast or free coffee in the lobby. But the mall was steps away from the hotel and there were 50 restaurants and plenty of coffee options like Caribou Coffee and Starbuck’s.
From check-in to check-out, the staff was warm, friendly, and accommodating.
If you’re planning to visit the Mall of America, this hotel is a great choice. It couldn’t be nicer or more convenient.