The Mall of America

[Guest RushNY]

I know i'm probably insane but i promised my BF a trip to said place as a Xmas gift,now he definitely has the gay shopping 'gene'in spades whereas i can happily not see a mall from one year to the next.

 

Now what i want to know apart from the number of a good doctor.:-) is has anyone actually been,what is it like ( i can imagine !!!!) what are the hotels like are the big chains gay friendly (i suppose they want our cash just as well as Mr and Mrs Middle America)i ask as i never usually book into a big chain hotel so there's a 1st.

 

any info would be gratefully received its gonna be a test but i cant go back on my word.:-)

[Casteran]

Hotels want cash, gay, straight, bi, TS what-ever. Now being the U.S. most chain hotels do not care and I have found don't hassle. Checked in to a Hyatt once with two boys - twinks - in tow and not a word said about the king bed with a man with two "sons".

The Ritz Carlton is right by MOA and very nice - no need for rental car if Mall is your only destination - they have shuttles to casinos as well and taxi is short ride to/from airport.

Enjoy :7

[Paul Revere]

Is it just me, or is this a very sad statement of what American culture has become?

 

Rush, you seem like a nice guy, and you seem to be trying to do something nice for the BF, but somehow a trip to the mid-west to stay in a chain hotel to see a mall seems very wrong. The Marketing types have won, and they have taken over the heads of you and your BF. Why spend valuable vacation time, and airfare to go visit a very big mall, with lots of chain stores in it. Chain stores exactly like you have at home?

 

If you live in New York, your BF has already shopped at every sort of store and shop that can be found. If he is interested in unique shopping opportunities why not take him to London or Paris or even Montreal?

 

I am sure the Mall of America is nice and it seems to have some unique features, and if I were ever in Minnesota, I might visit out of curiosity. But to plan a vacation around a visit to a mall seems like a waste of time and money considering all of the other possible vacation adventures possible.

[Guest Bitchboy]

I think it sounds campy and fun. I can be a traditionalist as well, but I really like to do the totally off-the-wall and unexpected sometimes. Have a great time!:-)

[Karl-G]

Actually it is a lot of fun. There aremany hotels, including the Ritz-Carlton, Hilton, Sheraton, and lots of others within very short taxi ride or long walk. The Mall itself has 500 stores of every kind, so you can easily spend all day or a couple of days walking around. There are lots of eating places of all kinds. Camp Snoopy has all sorts of rides. At night there are a number of movie theaters plus bars. If you have not yet experienced it, of course! come and have a nice weekend. Be sure and stop at a Courtesy desk when you enter. All sorts of special services are offered to guests - they will keep all your purchases in one place until you have finished the day, discount coupons, specials, etc. etc.

[Guest Armand Tesla]

If you live in New York, your BF has already shopped at every sort of store and shop that can be found.<<

 

 

I agree. I live in an area where there is a mall every five to ten miles, and believe me, I'd rather shop in New York. The stores in New York have the best goods and selection that can be found anywhere; malls are built on impulse buying and don't have nearly the depth of product you can find anywhere in Manhattan.

Having said that, it's a great thing to want to make your boyfriend happy and if he wants to experience a mall than find a great vacation spot that just happens to have a mall close by, not for the mall itself.

[Guest figaro]

It is daunting. Blomingdales, Macys and Nordstroms with every possible chain thrown in. Tha Napa Valley Grill is nice and there is some entertainment on the top floor. I only brave it to visit the Faconnable

shop in Nordstoms. There is no Ritz Carlton in Bloomington MN. The most convenient hotel-across the street is the Carlson Country Inn. All the hotels have shuttles. There is a nice Deco Embassy Suites nearby and any other chain you could imagine. I much prefer the more civilized downtown Nicollet Mall with Neiman Marcus, SFA and Marshall Field.

But for a shopping trip, I would definitely head for Rodeo Drive, Chicago or NY in the US or London (very pricey).

 

figaro

[Minneapolis]

Just do it! Listen, New York may have all the great stores, but the Mall of America is like its own city. The resturants are great, the shopping is great (you don't have to go all over town to hit all your favorite stores--they are right here). I may be bias, but I know many people who make a trip to the mall for their holiday shopping and love it. There are activities going on as well--NSync did a promotion there, Peter Jennings will be doing a signing this month at Barnes & Noble, many many more. In addition to the shopping experience, you have Minneapolis nightlife. Now it's no NY or Chicago, but we do have a nice atmosphere downtown. Visit the Gay 90's--one of the biggest gay complexes in the world. Head down to the Saloon or into the Uptown area for a drink at Chino Latino's. Minnesotans are friendly and love to have a great time. I say, if you are going to make the Mall of America mecca, enjoy your stay in the whole city.

 

P.S. You can also see the Mary Tyler Moore house by Lake of the Isles. I don't know why, but ever visitor I know wants me to take them by it when they come here. Enjoy!

[trilingual]

Hard as this may be for many to understand, for a New Yorker a trip to a place like the Twin Cities and the Mall of America is EXOTIC. After all, most of them have never been west of the Hudson (that's the river that marks the edge of world as they know it)! The few who have ventured farther afield in this strange country they're dimly aware they're a part of have rarely been south of Washington or west of Philadelphia, except, of course, for visits to South Florida or Puerto Rico (the sixth and seventh boroughs). The truly intrepid might have actually steeled themselves up for a peek at San Francisco or Los Angeles. The rest of the U.S. is absolutely terra incognita. Most New Yorkers aren't even aware the Midwest exists! (That raises the interesting question, Rush, how do you suppose the BF ever even heard of this Middle American wonder?) :7

 

Once Rush and the BF arrive in Minnesota, they may be shocked by local customs, like being greeted by perfect strangers, retail employees who actually smile and provide service, etc.

 

Dying to hear the full report when you guys get back! Compared to Puerto Rico, this is REALLY adventurous! ;-)

[Guest Rob007]

I stayed at the Marriott right across the parking lot from the mall. They have a shuttle from the airport and one to the mall every half hour till like 1am.

 

I was really pleased with the room. Got in on travelocity for like $75 bucks, the room was great.

 

I dropped about $500 big ones in Nordstoms, they were having a sale, what can I say.

 

It was a fun trip.

 

Enjoy

Rob

[SmallTownJohn]

They have a mini-amusement park in The Mall, right?

 

 

John

http://www.SmallTownJohn1.com

(new pix added to my site)

[Huey]

The replies so far are interesting. It does seem a little odd to me to focus a trip to the Mall of America if that is your main reason for this destination from a farwary city.

 

I'm sure it's a great mall except to plan a special trip to visit it sreally appears out there to say the least }> .

 

-----------

WAR IS OVER

if you want it

GIVE PEACE A CHANCE

[Karl-G]

Yes, there is an amusement park inside - Camp Snoopy.

 

"Strange that someone would travel far to visit a shopping mall?"

 

Almost every day, NW airlines has special planes from London filled with English people who are takenly directly by bus to the Mall. They are given special coupon books, both for discounts and also so they can cuy whatever they want and not carry it. All items purchased are taken to a central point and packed and you pick them up at the end of the day. Box lunches are provided so you don't waste any time.

 

This goes on all year long. NW offers specials from other cities as well, frequently c. $100 roundtrip, so people will come and buy.

[BewareofNick]

>Once Rush and the BF arrive in Minnesota, they may be

>shocked by local customs, like being greeted by perfect

>strangers, retail employees who actually smile and provide

>service, etc.

 

True story. When I lived in Florida, I was shopping at Publix one day and had a very agitated lady ahead of me. The person in line ahead of her had just paid and was leaving when we arrived. The cashier was very pleasant, tried to strike up a nice conversation with her and took care of her order quickly and efficiently. The woman was fuming all the while. At the end of the order, she saw the manager on the front end and proceeded to bitch him him out.

 

She said she did not like having her time wasted with idle chitchat and that if this cashier worked up north, she would be fired on the spot for wasting a customer's time. She said that up north, cashiers have a productivity quota to make. The manager smiled at her and apologized. He said that down here, we believe our customers are people, not dollars, and that everyone should be treated like a guest in our home. The woman stomped off obviously not satisifed with the answer. Go figure.

 

-Truth Justice and the American Way-

[Guest Chazzz69]

I went there about 8 or 9 years ago, it was an experience to say the least. Last month I was back in MSP for a business trip and a number of my co workers (all women) were very excited to go there. I bowed out, the last thing I wanted to do was spend a day shopping with straight women, ugh.

 

Actually, I suggest you stay in Minneapolis and take a shuttle or rent a car. Minneapolis is a fantastic city to vist and has a decent gay scene. There are a number of hotels in the city to fit your budget.

 

The main shopping district is called Nicolett Mall but don't think of it as a shopping mall. The downtown area is connected by skybridges on the second floor of the major buildings and these allow easy travel without going outside. This is how the locals cope with the rough winters.

 

Nicollet Mall is actually a street where traffic is limted to buses and taxis so that its very pedestrian friendly. I think its one of the best aspects of the city.

 

And the eye candy is amazing, there are some really hot guys, gay and straight in that city.

 

Well that's my two cents for the Minneapolis -St. Paul Convention and Vistors Association.

 

Let us know how the trip turns out.

 

 

Chazzz69

[Guest DevonSFescort]

>Almost every day, NW airlines has special planes from London

>filled with English people who are takenly directly by bus

>to the Mall.

 

American malls really seem to capture the imaginations of the English. They either see shopping malls as the epitome of everything that's wrong with America or as a Utopia well worth making a pilgramage to. Years ago, I was on a train in England and chatted with these two women, a mother and daughter, who lit up when they heard I was from Houston. They talked about the Galleria like it was the promised land. I'm sure they were on one of the first planes over when the Mall of America opened. :+

[KY_TOP]

I am traveling to Minneapolis on a business trip sometime next year with 2 female co-workers. I've added an extra day to the trip just so they can spent a day at "The Mall of America". My problem is I like to shop as much as they do!

[Guest Tomcal_]

Well guys i will add my 2 cents on this topic. I grew up in Minnesota and moved to Calif. 12 years ago. With my job i fly every week, usually NYC, Miami, Phoenix, Honolulu, Chicago. I also go frequently for vacation to London, Rio, Shanghai, etc, i say this to put in perspective, that i have been around and seen all the place that other have mentioned as being more worthy or patronizing. when, particulary New Yorkers talk about going to the midwest like it's a prison term. Shopping is not my thing at all(unlike my friend LAShowbiz who posts here and would crawl a mile on his belly to see a pair or Prada shoes), if i spend 1 hour a year shoppping i would be surprised, but I found the Mall fascinating! and Tri is right, the people are so friendly and there are many hot, blond guys there!! Minneapolis has a highly educated and high income population, therefore you will find the same stores as in Manhatten, and some you dont' find there, with quality of goods equal to there.

[Minneapolis]

One more juicy tidbit for everyone thinking of doing their holiday shopping in Minnesota--NO SALES TAX ON CLOTHING

[Guest ncm2169]

Being a "Twin Citian", I should chime in here.

 

For you foreigners, "Twin Citian" means a resident of the Twin Cities...there are two of them: Minnneapolis and St. Paul. The MOA is in neither, but don't let that confuse you. Actually, the MOA is more like a suburb of the airport. ;-)

 

I love the Twin Cities and wouldn't consider living anywhere else (well, maybe between mid-January through late March x( ). IMHO, there are lots of reasons to visit here, but the MOA would not be at the top of my personal list. Here's my assessment of the MOA:

 

Pro's: (1) no sales tax on clothing in MN; (2) a "self-contained" experience: shopping, dining, entertainment; (3) a chance to experience "Minnesota nice"...SUPER friendly people.

 

Con's: (1) Except for a handful of stores with a "local orientation", there's nothing there that you can't find in any regional mall anywhere in the US; (2) IMHO, "self-contained" gets sterile real quick; (3) while there is "entertainment" there, it's of the wholesome family type :-( ; (4) people-watching is great but forget about the men's rooms, they're patrolled x( .

 

So, if the "self-contained" experience appeals to you, by all means, GO...there's nothing like it anywhere in the US.

 

However, I'd vote with one of my fellow Twin Cities posters here: stay in downtown Minneapolis and take a shuttle to the MOA; you'll experience the best of both worlds. :7

 

Finally, I'm happy to answer any more questions you have. I might also have time to play "tour guide." (Remember "Minnesota Nice"? :o ).

 

Feel free to either private message me or email me.

 

Mark

[Guest ncm2169]

Screw the "mini-amusement park" at the MOA. ;-)

 

You get your ass and accompanying equipment up here to the north country, and I guarantee you, you'll be amused! }>

 

Mark in Mpls.

[TinyBubbles]

Rush, If you dont wanna spend an entire weekend at the MOA but still wanna keep your promise to your beloved here is a suggestion. For the past 5 years Northwest Airlines has had a fare, available only on its website, for a one day trip to MOA. It usually runs about $129.00 Round Trip from most east coast cities. They usually offer the fare on Saturdays in the beginning of December. You fly out about 7am, arrive by 10AM (with the time change), take the local bus to the MOA (5 minutes) and shop until 6pm. The flight back usually leaves at 7pm (NWA has a checkin counter in the Mall, maximizes shopping time) and your back on the east coast about 10pm. NWA usually advertises this on their web site starting the week before Thanksgiving. Good luck, the mall is fun!!!

[Guest RushNY]

Thanks Guys for all the info

 

well over the weekend i booked flights and hotels for 13-15th of December,which came to about $600 or so which i thought was pretty cheap.

 

When i told the BF i had done it he started to hyper-ventilate i think it was all those shops-whats the phrase so many shops so little time- .I think i will be able to cope with all the Christmas cheer and stuff but i might just take a day out to sleep if it gets too mad .

 

AHHHHHHH the thing s you do for love :+

[Rick Munroe]

>i might

>just take a day out to sleep

 

Or better yet, you can go worship the Mary Tyler Moore statue! (I sure would)

 

http://www.eriehl.com/digitalphotos/2002-05-14_Mary_Tyler_Moore_Statue/P5142966.jpg