One would think that if you built a super large mall with between 400 and 500 specialty stores that would take the average person two or three days to get through that it might be enough to entice people to come. However, Mall Of America, in Bloomington, MN, decided it had to be more than that. Therefore, it’s not only the largest mall in the United States, but it’s probably one of the most unique vacation destinations in the country as well.

Let’s start with the shopping and restaurants. There’s a lot; want more? There are stores such as Bose, Apple, Bloomingdales, and Macy’s. There are specialty accessory stores like Coach, Beatniks, and Brighton Collectibles. Well, we could go crazy trying to name all the stores, so we’ll stop there. There are also some famous name restaurants that are contained within Mall of America. Some of those include Bubba Gump Shrimp Co, Nordstrom Café, and Tony Roma’s; there’s even a Wolfgang Puck Express.

Next we have some attractions, indoor attractions that contain lots of things usually seen outside. The one most kids seem to love is Nickelodeon Universe, which has over seven acres of rides. Years ago it was known as Camp Snoopy, for those who might remember it. There are also many indoor roller coasters, which is definitely something one isn’t used to seeing inside a building, and it’s surrounded by foliage that you wouldn’t see at most outdoor theme parks. And, if you’re lucky, you might meet SpongeBob while walking around.

There’s also an aquarium with over 4,500 animals, with animal shows and water sports such as snorkeling and scuba diving encouraged. The shark exhibit has been named by the Travel Channel as the best one on the planet; that’s saying something. If you have the guts, you can even go swimming with the sharks.

One of the fascinating exhibits is the Bodies exhibition. This gives people the opportunity to see every aspect of a body, including bones, skin, organs, etc. There are also bodies in different poses and different layers of dissecting for the curious to observe.

If you like interactive theater, there’s the Tony N’ Tina’s Wedding show, where you get to participate in a staged wedding, dinner reception, and after party while having the opportunity to interact with both the wedding couple and their specially invited "guests", who will dish dirt on both the couples and each other.

And when you get tired, just go back to your room, especially if you’re staying in one of the three hotels contained within the mall. Yes, this is a singular experience where, other than the trip in and the trip going back home; you never have to go outside if you don’t want to. It’s perfect for a winter getaway, and in the summer, you can stay inside as long as you want, then go outside and enjoy the temperate climate and take a look around the rest of the city.