I historically fly by the seat of my pants. This trip I want to know in advance  what is cool and what isn't worth my time. Seems that the whole world knows of this mall and it's size. I want to know from the locals if this mall lives up to the hype. Thanks in Advance xo Erin

I think it's worth going. There is soo much to see, people watch and some good food.

You can do all your shopping, fine dining (or not so fine, if you just want the food court), and sightseeing at the mall alone.  Plus, if you like thrill rides, Nickolodean Universe has three roller coasters, a log raft ride, and quite a few other good thrill rides.  Of course, there are other places in the Twin Cities to see, so I'll just suggest downtown Minneapolis, which has an excellent skyway system, and all the same amenities as the mall (minus the amusement park).  The only thing I need to warn you about at Mall of America is: don't stay at the hotel.  Security is nuts there.  However, there are a lot of good hotels nearby, and that also means you're close to the airport.

Well what do you like to do?
Shopping- lots
eating- lots
amusement park- yup
clueless people wandering around- oh lots (good for people watching)
aquarium- cool but expensive

It's worth checking out I think. You don't have to stay long if it's overwhelming.

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The Mall is also the start of the Blue Line light rail.  You can easily travel from the Mall to the Airport and then Downtown (Nicollet Mall, entertainment) and end up at Target Field (Twins Baseball).  Makes for an easy way to get around to a lot of places without having to rent a car.

Keep in mind the mall is undergoing allot of renovations and construction right now.  In 6 months it will look shiny and new, but right now it is kind of a mess.

Otherwise, my opinion is that it is just an enormous mall which makes it take longer to get in and out of.  But when shopping, my preference is to know what I want ahead of time and get in and out as fast as I can so MOA doesn't do much for me.

I used to go there a lot when I was married and living in the area. I haven't been there for four years and don't miss it a bit.

Except for one place, the Twin City Grill. It's the greatest mall storefront restaurant I've ever been to and it rivals the best restaurant experiences I've had during a lifetime of living here.  

It gets dark and ambient fast. If you can get seated only 30 ft. from the door, you forget you're even in a mall. If you get into the rear dining room, you almost go back in time.

The food is excellent; steaks, chops, burgers, chicken, ribs, and great salads and sides. You can eat light or go crazy, you can just have water or you can choose from wide selections of beer, wine, and liquor.  

The wait staff really makes the place. They hire nothing but consummate pros. I never had a mixed-up order or anything other than service that made me want to compliment the manager.

If you go to the Mall, definitely stop in for a meal at this great restaurant. It's the one thing I miss about the place.