Like I told you in the last post, you needed to come back for part two because here's where I give you all the additional details around the Mall of America. When we weren't riding rides in Nickelodeon Universe, we were walking around and exploring this incredible tourist destination. And what a destination it is! A space exploding with more than just shopping, which there is a lot of that as well, but there are so many fun experiences to be had. And we took advantage of them.
On our first evening in Bloomington, we spent several hours in the mall. We played mini golf at Moose Mountain Adventure Golf which is full of wild wood fun. This 18 hole course is difficult at times, but also offers little ones a chance at that hole in one. It's fully accessible, so everyone can play, and at times you get a birds eye view of Nickelodeon Universe. So what exactly do you see while wandering through the woods? How about Paul Bunyan's axe or a coal train above your head or a tree farm or a water mill that shoots your ball out at random onto the green. And most important of all, or at least to McKinley, is the appearance of Sasquatch himself. But where is he? I will never tell! In the end, our scores were pretty good! Joel and I tied and McKinley won by only one stroke. Make sure you browse the cute gift shop. McKinley found a commemorative magnet for his fridge collection. And on your way out, take a "spin" on the logging truck located just outside the golf course.
We left the hotel at 10:00 the next morning and got to the mall at 10:30. In part one I wrote all about our time in Nickelodeon Universe, and if you missed that information, you can check it out here. Today it's all about the different experiences and activities we did, as well as the dining options. But first, I have to talk about the interactive butterfly exhibit located on the first floor, just outside the Nickelodeon Universe. This hands-on installation was so cool. A giant butterfly is suspended from the ceiling and attached to that is a large rope. Stand underneath the butterfly, pull the rope, and watch the wings move! There are beautiful monarchs, in various sizes, all around the giant one. It's absolutely beautiful!
When we weren't riding rides in the seven acre theme park, we were exploring the mall. And thank goodness for the touch screen directories located often and throughout the mall. These kiosks not only allow you to either search for the specific place you want to visit, it provides a list of hot spots based on a keyword search. And once you've pin-pointed where you want to go, it gives you walking instructions! Like, "take this elevator to the next elevator to level three and then walk this way to desired location"! It's awesome! You can also map out your entire visit before hand! Head here to get the entire directory of stores, including the ones currently closed, and put together your itinerary before you leave for your trip! And with over 520 stores throughout the mall, you might want to go in with a game plan! We just winged it...
I can tell you that we went into four different toy stores! McKinley was dying to take home a souvenir in the form of a toy. Haven't a clue why, but that's what he had his heart set on. I had to talk him out of so many frivolous purchases. So many! An electric guitar that wasn't really electric. A Mario Kart track set that I knew he would play with for five minutes and be done with forever. A dump truck for the same reason. The list went on. But, we did get to see some really cool toys. And I can tell you that Air Traffic Toys does not sell as many air traffic toys as you would think, given the name. McKinley was really sad about that. Hands down, the best toy store for selfie's and photo ops goes to Legacy Toys! We loved the slime colored floor squares as you entered the shop and the working waterfall was so cool! Also, the oversized stuffed animals were amazing. Even if you aren't on the hunt for a toy, check it out for the instant attraction.
Next up, more mini golf, but this time it was at Rock of Ages Blacklight mini golf. A challenging course in its own right, but when lit by black light, it takes on a "hole" new challenge! This ultra groovy backdrop was my absolute favorite. Something from every era, this 18 hole mini golf course really took you back in time. And tested your knowledge of pop culture with graffiti and figures around every hole. I won this round by one, woo-hoo!
Another fun place to explore is the M&M Store! This 24,000 square foot space is full of merchandise paying homage to our family's beloved candy. And nothing in here melted in our hands, but there were some things that melted my heart. I have un-buyers remorse! You can buy anything from t-shirts to golf balls to insulated water bottles, which is what McKinley picked out. Red is our favorite! Just look at the shirt I wish I had purchased. And, you can customize your items! Visit one of the sale associates to get all the details.
If you are looking for a post all about the shopping, I can't help you there. I was allowed to window shop, but when you're traveling with an 11 year old boy and your husband, one isn't really given that much of an opportunity to shop. I did get to check out Zara. It's been my online favs for years so to walk into an actual store was amazing! I found so many things I wanted, but didn't have the time to stand in line for the checkout. Everyone had the same idea! My favorite item was a green tiered maxi dress. I saw another mom wearing it in Nickelodeon Universe, she paired hers with sneakers, and I knew I had made the perfect mental choice. I just need to get that piece on order! Check out all of my picks below. The other darling store front that called my name was Anthropologie. I just adore their clothing and the window displays were equally as stunning.
It was dinner time and you definitely need to make a reservation! We didn't think to do this ahead of time and were in a waitlist battle with two different restaurants. We had our hearts set on Rainforest Café, but we also liked the looks of Margaritaville. And wouldn't you know it, both restaurants sent texts with table availability at the same time! We politely declined Margaritaville so McKinley could enjoy his first time at Rainforest Café. I loved the looks of Margaritaville's menu, and we had our entire dinner planned, so we will definitely check one out soon.
If your child has never experienced the events within a Rainforest Café, it's a must! Every 20 minutes, a thunderstorm rolls through the restaurant. The lights are dimmed, lightening bolts shine, thunder rolls, and the surrounding animatronic jungle animals come to life! Take a stroll around the restaurant and snap photos and videos. It's quite the experience. Our waiter was amazing. Super friendly and made our evening so enjoyable. And when it came time to go, and McKinley was too full for his dessert that came with his meal, our waiter boxed it up complete with take home utensils and plenty of napkins. Don't worry, McKinley wasn't full by the time we got back to the hotel and devoured it!
I have to mention, that while waiting for our tables, we found the Crayola Store! We were too late to take in the experience, but it sounds amazing. There are more than 20 hands-on activities. Just listen to these. You can name and wrap your own crayon! Have you ever thought about what you would call your own crayon color? If so, what would it be? McKinley said his color would be a florescent hot pink and he would call it "Burn Your Eyes Out Pink". I can see it in the box of 64 crayons now! You can star in a coloring page! Say what? My modeling dreams could come true! And bring your art to life in 4-D! This is definitely an experience worth looking into! Check it all out here. We explored the store and walked away with some really cool supplies for any and all of McKinley's future creations!
It was 9:00 again! After 9:00, if I'm being honest, and we spent 11 hours at this marvelous mall! Now, I have one more experience to share with you and that's coming your way next week. Think large water tanks with sea creatures galore. Think you know what it is? Come back next Monday to find out!
And if you've ever wondered what a parent looks like after an 11 hour day at the mall, here you go....
XO,
Andrea
P.S. This is sponsored post, but all opinions and photos are my own.
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