17 Exciting Things to Do at Mall of America® [2026 Update]

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I never thought I’d go on a vacation to a shopping mall, but as it turns out, there are so many things to do at Mall of America® in Bloomington that it makes for a great destination for a weekend away. I first heard about Mall of America® in Bloomington, Minnesota, when a travel blogging conference was held there, and I was confused as to why they’d host it in a mall of all places.

Then I learned that the Mall of America® (MOA) is much more than just a mall; it’s a retail space and entertainment venue with a whole host of attractions, from theme parks to aquariums to museums. If you’re wondering what to do at Mall of America® and what attractions to check out, this guide is for you! We’ve shared some of our favorite activities in the iconic mall so you can add a few attractions to your itinerary.

Things to do at the Mall of America®

The girls screamed and cartwheeled across the lounge room floor for five minutes when they learned about all the fun attractions at Mall of America®. It’s not just shopping and restaurants; there are plenty of attractions in Mall of America to keep all members of your family entertained. Take your pick from theme parks to aquariums, flyovers and high ropes courses. There are also signature experiences on offer, like Behind-the-Scenes at SeaLife and local culinary dishes at FireLake Grill House & Cocktail Bar. Let’s learn more about these Mall of America attractions.

1. Ride Roller Coasters at Nickelodeon Universe®

In the middle of MOA are seven acres of theme park fun. Nickelodeon Universe, the most famous amusement park at the Mall of America®, has 35 rides, which include thrilling roller coasters and rides for younger children. It also spans an 8.5-acre space, which makes it the largest indoor theme park in the USA! It’s also where you’ll find the Shellrazer, which is the steepest indoor roller coaster in the world with a 121.5-degree drop!

The theme park is surrounded by landscaped gardens and a high atrium, helping you to feel like you are outside, but it still has a very Nickelodeon theme to it, with rides named after your favorite Nickelodeon characters. I have two favorite memories from our time at Nickelodeon Universe:

Fairly Odd Coaster

We all jumped into the cart of the Fairly Odd Coaster, thinking it would be a tame ride similar to the Wild Mouse. On the first drop, we spun quickly around and all screamed. Cautious Savannah’s face fell and turned white. My screams were mixed with bellows of laughter for the rest of the ride. On the morning that we were leaving, Savannah decided to give the Fairly Odd Coaster another go and loved it, requesting to stay in the Mall for longer so she could keep riding it.

SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge Roller Coaster

Kalyra and I first went on the SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge roller coaster together. It has a 90-degree, slow, steep climb up. Kalyra was scared, so in an effort to take her mind off it, I suggested we sing a song on the way up. Failing any other song coming into my head, I belted out a rendition of Mary Had a Little Lamb. We laughed so hard that we barely noticed we’d already begun the dip of the 90-degree drop on the other side!

We stayed on and went around one more time. This time, I found a Pink song from my brain to sing. All up, Kalyra went on this ride several times by herself.

A few of the other rides the girls loved were the Backyardigans Swingalong, the Pepsi Orange Streak, and the Splat-O–Sphere.

We also loved the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Shell Shock flying ride.

There are different packages you can purchase depending on how many days you spend in the mall.

2. Dutchman’s Deck Adventure Course

This high rope obstacle course and zip line are located within the Nickelodeon Universe theme park and are one of the most thrilling things to do in MOA. The Ghostly Gangplank Ropes Course begins with the Barnacle Blast Zip Line, the longest indoor zip line in the USA, which travels across the length of Nickelodeon Universe theme park. Then you’re let loose to play on the three levels of the ropes course.

We do these rope courses a lot when we travel, and this one was a fun one and pretty high up. It took a while to ease into it and stop shaking. Just breathe deep and try not to look down. The harness has you!

Our funniest moment was when Savannah schooled us in how to walk the 56 ft high plank. I was actually going to chicken out, but she strode out in front of us, walked out to the edge of the plank, looked down and out over the theme park, and then wiggled her butt. She then strode back with a confident victory smile. How could you not follow that? I stood at the end of the plank and wiggled my butt, too. Craig and Kalyra followed suit. I hope that you will do the same when you visit.

The obstacle course ends with the Anchor Drop and Spiral Slides back to the bottom. Once you reach the bottom, you can walk back up the stairs to do it again – as many times as you like. We had to pull the girls out after about the 10th time.

3. FlyOver America

FlyOver America is a 4D simulation ride. It uses the latest technology to simulate a hang gliding flight with a bird’s eye view of the most awe-inspiring sights over the US (and Canada, during a limited time engagement). We loved flying over America and identifying the places we had already visited on our America Unplugged trip, and those we were still excited to visit. Be prepared for a fully immersive experience with this extreme attraction. I loved smelling the pine trees as we flew over them and experiencing the mist of Niagara Falls. Savannah says the FlyOver was her favorite thing to do in the Mall of America.

4. Signature MOA Experience – Go Behind the Scenes at SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium

Yep, there’s even an aquarium at the Mall of America, which is home to over 10,000 living sea creatures, including sea turtles, rays, and sharks. You can explore various underwater worlds through exhibits such as the tunnels of Shark Cove, the ray lagoon, the rainbow reef, and the mysteries of the rainforest.

Don’t miss the Seahorse Kingdom and Jellyfish Discovery. Not only are they wildly pretty, but our girls found them the most fascinating and learned a lot about them from our guides – one of the educational things to do at the Mall of America.

SEA LIFE Aquarium at Mall of America offers several signature experiences, one being a 45-minute guided Behind-the-Scenes Tour. The tour takes you above the tunnels and into the laboratory to learn how they maintain and care for the water, tanks, and sea creatures, including those who are sick or injured.

Don’t forget to take your underwater selfie at the Rainbow Reef.

5. Crayola Experience and Store

Are you ready for some art lessons? As I am not gifted and talented in this area, I search for art experiences when we travel to ensure I’m incorporating that into our roadschooling curriculum. Thank you, Crayola Experience, on the third floor of the Mall of America. You could spend a couple of hours in here drawing, painting, coloring, and even designing your own crayon labels.

The Crayola experience is divided into 25 art stations, each exploring unique ways to use crayons to create art. We especially loved the art drip. You stick a crayon in a machine that melts it as it spins around, so the melted crayon sprays over the page and hardens into a circular design. It was groovy and gave the girls an insight into different artistic forms and media. The Crayola experience is the only place in the world where the magic of Crayola comes alive.

6. Play Mini Golf at Moose Mountain Adventure Golf

Moose Mountain Adventure Golf is an 18-hole miniature golf course designed with original and whimsical themes. The course promises a delightful adventure for families with courses suitable for children and challenging enough to make it interesting, but not feel impossible.

7. Escape from an Escape Room at The Escape Game

The Escape Game offers an immersive 60-minute adventure, featuring a selection of five captivating themes that challenge teams to solve puzzles and uncover clues in order to escape. With themes ranging from prison break to Gold Rush themes to exploring space and participating in a heist, each game promises an exhilarating and mysterious experience.

Feel the thrill of solving the mystery and escaping the room before the clocks run out, and ignite your sense of curiosity and problem-solving. Whether with family, friends, or as a couple, The Escape Game is an unforgettable adventure.

8. Watch a movie at the Cinema

Of course, one of the top rainy day activities in the Mall of America is to catch a blockbuster movie at the Cinema. B&B Theatres is the cinema in the Mall of America and has the only ScreenX (a 270-degree screen) in Minnesota, so if you’re really into your movies, then be sure to catch a film here. They also have heated, reclining seats in some theaters…

9. Laugh at Rick Bronson’s House of Comedy

Rick Bronson’s House of Comedy, located on Level 4 of the Mall of America, is the place to be if you want to laugh at the sets of the nation’s top touring comedians. The venue has established itself as Minnesota’s home for laughs, showcasing live stand-up comedy that promises uproarious evenings filled with laughter. Attending a show at this renowned comedy club is a must for anyone seeking an evening of side-splitting humor and entertainment.

10. Challenge Your Friends to Laser Tag at Tactical Urban Combat

Experience the thrill of Tactical Urban Combat‘s laser tag, an adventure offering a unique blend of excitement and strategy. With multiple battle arenas and the promise of intense 5 vs. 5 laser tag battles, this attraction is not to be missed. Tactical Urban Combat delivers an adrenaline-pumping Call of Duty-like laser tag experience, making it fun for all the family.

11. Visit The LEGO Store

Families who shop together stay together, right? With over 520 retail stores, you could be shopping forever. Want another great reason to shop at the Mall of America? There is no tax in Minnesota on shoes and clothing! We’re not big shoppers, so we didn’t utilize this as much as we could.

One shop we visited a lot was the LEGO store. It’s not only a cool shop, but a place to rest for us grown-ups while the kids immerse themselves in the store. It’s also just outside the theme park entrance, so a great “meeting point” in case anyone gets lost. They have a sitting area outside with a LEGO work station, which we utilized many times for rest breaks.

You can also step inside the store for some LEGO shopping – there’s a pick-a-brick wall with 180 different LEGO elements to choose from. Be sure to marvel at the LEGO sculptures on the roof of the LEGO building. The robot one is solid LEGO on the inside, except for a metal spine!

Food at the Mall of America

From gourmet restaurants to casual cafes, there is plenty of food in the Mall of America to satisfy everyone’s tastes and budgets. We experienced the following restaurants at the Mall of America.

12. Signature Experience: FireLake Grill House & Cocktail Bar

For a signature dining experience at Mall of America, head to FireLake Grill House & Cocktail Bar inside the Radisson Blu, one of the Mall of America hotels. FireLake is an upmarket casual restaurant that specializes in regional dishes using locally sourced produce. It’s a true Minnesota-inspired experience, and it’s a wonderful addition to the dining scene at the Mall of America.

FireLake Grill was our favorite dining experience at the Mall of America. We didn’t even feel like we were in the Mall.

I loved getting to taste the locally wild-caught walleye with wild rice. Both are sourced from the local Indian tribes, who are the only ones with permission to commercially fish.

13. Hard Rock Café

Hard Rock Café is one of the few chain restaurants we enjoy visiting. We’re rock fans, so it makes sense. Plus, they have gluten-free options for their food, and their burgers are delicious and reasonably priced. You can do a memorabilia tour at the Hard Rock Cafe in the Mall of America, Bloomington. Let the server know you’d like to do one, and they’ll find someone to take you around and share the significance of various pieces.

Of course, at the Hard Rock Café in the Mall of America, Minnesota, you are going to see memorabilia from local pop royalty, Prince. A glassed cabinet, including his Purple Rain suit, is dedicated to him in the hallway leading to the restaurant.

We had lunch at the Hard Rock Café on our first day visiting the Mall of America. I suggest sitting out on the patio for relaxing views over the theme park with roller coasters zipping past overhead.

And if you’re looking for bars at the Mall of America, parents with older kids could easily sit here and relax with a drink while their kids have fun in the theme park. We were fortunate to eat dinner at Hard Rock on a Friday evening as they have a local acoustic band, Monkeys in the Zoo, live on stage.

They sang several Prince songs, which were perfect after visiting Paisley Park and experiencing Prince the Tour.

14. The Fair on 4

If you love arcade games, another one of the fun things to do at Mall of America is head up to The Fair on 4, on the 4th floor of Mall of America, for dinner, beers, and some car racing fun. It brought back memories of my time as a youth playing arcade games, especially on vacations with newfound friends.

I especially loved the basketball throwing game and bowling. I used to play in a shooting position for netball, which is a similar game to the one we play in Australia. It was fun to slip back into that role and get almost every ball I shot through the net. I’ve still got it!

15. Culinary on North

We dined at the Culinary on North restaurant area on Level 3, Central Parkway, which is essentially a lovely food court at the Mall of America. There is also the South Street Dining area on Level 3. You will find your typical food court chains. We ate at Shake Shack – since visiting New York, we have become fans of Shake Shack. It’s our fast food go-to. I particularly love the coffee milkshakes.

Thai Express for delicious Pad See Ew. It was gluten-free, which is not typical for this dish, so I was excited.

16. Caribou Coffee

Caribou Coffee is the winner for best coffee in the Mall of America. Caribou is a chain, BUT it’s a local chain, and the coffee is good. They can be found in various locations around the Mall of America; we loved that there was one right outside the lobby of the Radisson Blu Mall of America, making it our first stop each day.

Hotels near Mall of America

You have over 50 hotels near Mall of America MN, with two hotels connected to Mall of America (Radisson Blu and JW Marriott).  Most of the hotels in Bloomington, MN, near the Mall of America offer a free shuttle service to and from the mall.

Fun facts about the Mall of America

1. Mall of America is the largest retail shopping mall in the US.
2. How big is the Mall of America? 32 Boeing 747’s could fit inside the Mall, and 258 Statues of Liberty could lie inside the Mall.
3. Mall of America is committed to green design. For example, no central heating is used in the public areas, only solar energy and body heat. For a state that gets a lot of snow, this is super impressive.
4. 70°F (21°C) is the constant temperature inside the Mall of America year-round; it’s the perfect winter vacation.
5. 30,000 live plants and 400 live trees climb as high as 35 feet tall in Nickelodeon Universe.
6. Mall of America is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the world, attracting more than 40 million visitors annually, more than twice as many people as the world’s largest amusement park, the Magic Kingdom at Walt Disney World.
7. 4 out of 10 visitors to the Mall of America are tourists.
8. 350+ events are held at the Mall each year – I told you there were plenty of things to do at the Mall of America!

Tips for visiting the Mall of America

• Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by an adult (21+) in the Mall on Fridays and Saturdays from 4 p.m. until close. While most 15-year-olds would hate this rule, I think it’s a fantastic way to keep everyone safe and reduce potential problems.
• Mall of America is easy to get to with a light rail from Minneapolis and St Paul, and the International airport (12 minutes away). Ditch the boring airport lounge for long layovers and spend a few hours in the Mall.
• Mall of America has teamed up with Uber to make getting to and from the Mall of America easier with five specific pickup or drop-off zones.
• Download the Mall of America app for maps, stores, and money-saving deals. There’s a digital concierge to answer your questions. For those who like more traditional methods, there’s a Mall of America visitor guide and directories all through the Mall to help you get around.

• Stay longer and enjoy the attractions and experiences the greater Bloomington area, and nearby Minneapolis and St Paul have to offer.
• For a list of stores at the Mall of America click here!
• The address for the Mall of America is: 60 East Broadway, Bloomington, MN 55425
• For current opening hours at the Mall of America, and directions to the Mall of America, click here!
• Save more money – The Big Ticket™ Adventure Pass is a 3-day bundled attraction pass that gives 30% savings on top attractions in the Mall of America and the Twin Cities. The Bloomington Attraction pass includes Nickelodeon Universe®, SEA LIFE® Minnesota Aquarium, FlyOver America, Crayola Experience, and the Minnesota Zoo (including IMAX experience). Purchase the pass online. You’ll receive a pass via email or text, which you show to the attraction’s attendant for admission.

Final thoughts

We spent five days in Bloomington, Minnesota, three of which were full days in the mall, where we did not step outside to do anything else. Everything we needed was in the mall, including our accommodation, and we had a wonderful vacation there. We hope this guide on things to do at the Mall of America with kids helped you plan your itinerary.

Video: Our Visit to the Mall of America

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Original Article on yTravel Blog