Mall of America

Are the predictions of a long, dark COVID winter putting you on edge? Fighting visions of being trapped in a wind–swept Ice Station Zebra? Fret no more. Much has changed since the dog days of Stay at Home MN. Many uplifting and energizing recreation options will be open this time around.

Join me as we chart our top five diversions that will keep a smile on your face and the winter blues in the rear view mirror.  

1.    Skiing Aims to Be the Next Golf Craze.  Many ski slopes across the country were sucker punched by COVID-19 and closed abruptly...

The Foundation for AIDS Research is kicking off their 8th annual charity event, this time around kicking off with a few celebrity motorcyclist appearances. The "Road to Nashville, will be an eight day, multiple state, charitable motorcycle journey from Minnesota down to Tennessee. All of this is to raise money and awareness to battle AIDS. The celebrities on hand to kick off the event at the Mall of America are Anthony Carrino (HGTV's America's Most Desperate Kitchens) actor Gilles Marini (Teen Wolf, Sex and the City) TV host Grant Reynolds and many more. The President of Kiehl's will be on hand, as well as the CEO of amfAR to kick the event...

I am one of those people who enjoys going out for a bit on Black Friday -- my wife and I usually spend a few hours in the afternoon stopping at a few stores and grabbing some early Christmas presents. I find it so ironic how, literally one day after people say "thanks" for all they have, it's a feeding frenzy at retail stores for the "marked down" consumer products as people fight for more. Though I enjoy the time with my wife on these days, I will never fully understand the craziness that surrounds Black Friday. The hordes of ravaged shoppers, the merciless fighting, the absurd lines starting...

If you like fishies and other sea creatures, in just a week, you'll be able to see all sorts of aquatic creatures accompanied by a lot more fun.

The soon-to-be expanded Sea Life Aquarium at the Mall of America is hosting an event called "Sharks After Dark" on Nov. 7, starting at 9 p.m. and ending at midnight. The $35 event includes a nacho bar, drink specials...

Despite news of more international competition stepping onto the scene, Minnesota's Mall of America is not slowing down. New stores, restaurants and even a multi-stage expansion are combining to make a perfect buzz-storm for the tourist hot-spot.  

#1 More Stuff for Kids... Literally

The colorful and classical landmark of the ...

The 1960's belonged to four guys from Liverpool. John, Paul, George and Ringo invaded the United States, winning the hearts of throngs of fans en route to becoming one of the most influential sounds in the history of music. The Beatles are perhaps the greatest band of all time. During their unrivaled career, they won ten Grammys and an Oscar, sold over 600 million records worldwide, and released enough number one albums (19) to make even Justin Timberlake jealous. And, now...

[caption id="attachment_274042" align="aligncenter" width="570"] The Mall of the Emirates, existing mega-mall in the United Arab Emirates - Peijian Huang[/caption] Minnesota invented the indoor mall concept out of necessity. Then we built the Mall of America for the sake of tourism. But sometimes a good idea can get a little warped when others try to copy it. Take the King of Prussia Mall for example, it's just a commercial space that kept getting added onto; its two separate hubs are currently being connected so it can...

The Mall of America is making plans to upgrade the attractions in its Nickelodeon Universe theme park this summer (in addition to their other expansion plans). Things are looking up as the park plans to install a zipline, which will be suspended 55 feet in the air and run about 405 feet long. ...

Did you know Minneapolis and St. Paul came into existence and grew up largely independent of each other? They are truly twins, born because of the same Mississippi River but for different reasons (St. Paul for river trade and Minneapolis for water-powered mills). This is one of the reasons why the two cities have such distinctly different cultures. Their two downtowns just happen to be a short drive apart; but soon they will be bound by light-rail as well. The power of the light-rail had lost its appeal for a short while, but in the recession it has proven itself a winner. It's a modern,...