Destination: The Mall of America

The Mall of America, in the Minneapolis, Minnesotaanxious because the mall has its own 100-person
suburb of Bloomington, gets 40 million visitors asecurity force. Security officers walk the mall
year. Forty million! That's more visitors thanconstantly and are very visible. One hundred sixty
Disney World, Graceland, and the Grand Canyontelevision monitors scan the crowd. In case of
combined. Visitors go there to shop at the 500+trouble, the mall has 130 call boxes, 44 help
stores, visit the Underwater Adventure Aquarium,phones and, something many people don't know,
LEGO Imagination Center, Dinosaur Walk Museum,jail cells on a separate level.
A.C.E.S. Flight Simulation Center, see movies in 14Eating is an adventure at the Mall of America,
theaters, and party at seven nightclubs.which has 20 sit down restaurants, 30 fast food
Before you visit the mall you need to make somerestaurants, and additional specialty restaurants.
plans. Log onto the Mall of America Home PageBut many sit down restaurants are open to the
for maps, directions, a store directory, a list ofmall and the crowd noise is so bad you can hardly
special attractions, an events calendar, and acarry on a conversation. Ask if inside seating is
restaurant directory. Though this website isavailable before you enter a restaurant. Even
packed with information, there are things itrestaurants with inside seating, such as the Rain
doesn't tell you.Forest, can be noisy places. Nordstrom's
First, you need to understand that the Mall ofdepartment store has an excellent, quiet cafeteria.
America is city within a city and employs almostYou order your food, pay for it, and a server
12,000 people. During the summer months anddelivers it to your table.
holidays this number swells to 13,000 employees.The Mall of America has been hugely successful
On weekends the mall is often so crowded thatand Phase II construction will make it more so.
walking is difficult. Wear comfortable shoesPlans are in the works to build hotels connected
because the Mall of America covers 4.2 millionto the mall, an office center, a conference center,
square feet.spas, and you guessed it, more stores. IKEA, the
Getting to the mall is easy. Driving directions areSwedish home furnishings store, is step one of
posted on the Mall of America website. The 35this plan and has already been built across from
hotels near the Mall of America provide freethe mall.
shuttle service. If you stay at a downtownYou may walk from the mall to IKEA, but you're
Minneapolis hotel you may take Light Rail directlycrossing a high-traffic street, so cross with the
to the mall. Light Rail service is also available fromlights and watch for cars. Just like the mall, IKEA
the airport to the mall. Parking at the mall is free.is huge and you can spend a day there. Arrive
With 12,550 on-site spaces and 22,000 overflowearly and enjoy the 99-cent breakfast before
spaces, it's a good idea to jot down the locationyou explore the showrooms, displays, and
of your parking space.warehouse. Visit IKEA and the Mall of America on
Be sure to get a mall map from the Guesta Monday morning for a quiet, leisurely experience.
Information Service Desk. Desks are located onIt's so quiet on a Monday morning you could roll a
the first level at each of the four entrances,bowling ball down the walkways.
North, South, East and West. Instead of going inGoing to the Mall of America? If so, I welcome
all directions, choose one area and explore it.you on behalf of all Minnesotans. We're "Minnesota
Young children should have identification on them.nice" and glad to have you here. We hope you'll
Some parents dress their kids in bright t-shirts orvisit other attractions while you're in town. For
caps so they can spot them quickly. Decide on amore information on the Mall of America go to
meeting place in case a family member gets lost.the Home Page and request a Free Information
When you're in a crowd you need to be aware ofKit. To get the inside scoop on events and sales
personal safety and this is true at the Mall ofsign up for the free electronic newsletter.
America. However, you don't need to be overly