Top 10 USA Shopping Experiences

For many travelers, shopping is more than a frivolous and superficial pursuit. It is a chance to explore a city's history, architecture, cuisine and culture. The United States has an international reputation for its phenomenal retail industry, with malls, boutiques, outlets and department stores at every corner. Yearly, this industry attracts millions of visitors with money to spend. Some want the best bargain, others an indulgent splurge. Retailers are catching on and giving consumers what they want, with more stores and services to accommodate the insatiable. A shopping center is no longer limited to retail and the busiest malls are incorporating fine dining, lodging, spas, water parks and other activities to provide an overall experience.

The following is a summary of America's 10 best shopping adventures, with a focus on the biggest, boldest, most high-end and unique retailers in the country.

Clothing on a Mannequin in a Department Store.1

MALL OF AMERICA

Located in Bloomington, Minnesota America's biggest mall opened in 1992. It is located ten minutes from downtown Minneapolis and is considered the busiest mall in the world, with 40 million patrons every year. The mall is located on the former site of the Metropolitan Stadium, where the Minnesota Vikings and the Minnesota Twins used to play. Several memorials are placed throughout the mall to commemorate its sports affiliations. The exact seat to which Harmon Killbrew's longest home run ball was hit is still located in the same spot and elevation in the mall, and a plaque at Nickelodeon Universe denotes the exact location of the former home plate.The mall takes up 4.2 million sq ft (390,000 sq m) and offers 20,000 free parking spaces. An expansion completed in 2008 almost doubled the mall's size and incorporated the adjacent Ikea store into the mall's retail jungle. The Mall of America is home to 520 stores, 50 restaurants and two food courts. There is no sales tax on clothing and shoe purchases, easing the guilt for compulsive fashion junkies. The anchor department stores include Bloomingdale's, Macy's, Nordstrom and Sears, and serious style junkies can get their fix at one of the many shoe stores and accessory boutiques like Steve Madden and Coach.

Among the mall's amenities are three hotels, an ice rink, water park, the Underwater Adventures Aquarium and a movie theater. Other on-site attractions include the A.C.E.S. Flight Simulation, Moose Mountain Miniature Golf, Mystic Lake Casino Store, NASCAR Motor Speedway and the Chapel of Love. Younger shoppers gravitate towards the LEGO Imagination Center and Nickelodeon Universe, a centrally located amusement park with rides based on popular cartoon characters like Sponge Bob Square Pants. Some unconventional mall features include the Metropolitan Learning Alliance, an alternative high school, and the River Care center.

Dining at the Mall of America can be memorable, with plenty of fast food and several sit down restaurants. The California Cafe is an American restaurant with an emphasis on casual delicious dining. Diners have the opportunity to sit at the Chef's counter and experience his daily creations, while sipping on creative cocktails and relaxing in the bright open space.

KING OF PRUSSIA

This mall first opened in 1963 as a modest open air plaza in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. Several additions, renovations, expansions and decades later, it is the largest mall on America's east coast with over 400 retailers, three distinct food courts, a tennis court for the Philadelphia Freedoms and 20 restaurants. King of Prussia Mall is a shopper's paradise and the only concentration of high-end retail in the area. The anchor stores include Bloomingdale's, JCPenney, Lord & Taylor, Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and Sears.

The collection of jewelry stores is particularly impressive, with 25 stores ranging from Swarovski and Tiffany & Co. to Movado. Clothing and apparel provides the most variety with stores like Fredrick's of Hollywood, Forever 21 and Pea in the Pod. Also worth a visit are the mall's two fine art galleries, Wentworth Gallery and the Masterpiece Gallery. Whatever visitors set out to buy they are almost certain to find it at this massive mart.

After a day of spending, visitors often retreat to one of the many restaurants in the mall. Legal Sea Foods is one of those eateries, with its soothing aquatic decor and fresh high caliber seafood, including a gluten-free menu.

ALA MOANA

The Hawaiian Islands offer a seductive allure, with the balmy weather and stunning scenery. Oahu is the most urbanized of the island chain, with the state capital Honolulu attracting business and pleasure seekers. The Ala Moana Shopping Center is located minutes from Waikiki Beach, the epicenter for resort hotels, surfers and sunbathers. The name Ala Moana means "path to the sea" in Hawaiian and the mall holds the title of the largest open air shopping center in the world, with 290 shops and restaurants, mostly targeted at Japanese tourists. The mall also serves as a gathering place for locals with several eclectic restaurants, bars and nightclubs not found elsewhere on the island. Ala Moana Centerstage is among the most popular public amphitheaters in Hawaii. Many musicians, hula dancers and special guests have showcased their talents in this prestigious venue and the local singing competition, Hawaiian Stars is filmed on this stage.

The stores at Ala Moana are extensive, to say the least. The center's flagships include Sears, Macy's Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Shirokiya, Old Navy, Barnes & Noble, Long's Drugs and Foodland. Haute couture designers flock to this tropical shopping paradise and stores like Jimmy Choo, Fendi, Juicy Couture, Diesel, True Religion and Metropark can be found within.

	The Cloud Over Fashion Show Mall.2

FASHION SHOW MALL

When visiting Las Vegas, shows, nightlife and casinos are usually the main priority. With a plethora of themed hotels lining the strip, Rouse Developers saw the need for a shopping center in the area. In 1981, Fashion Show Mall opened its doors next to Treasure Island Hotel and Casino and true to its name, features a runway with weekly fashion shows. A large cloud structure sits atop the building and serves as a movie screen at night, while scheduled indoor snowstorms are held during the winter. Over 200 stores, restaurants and services reside in the complex, which gets plenty of foot traffic from tourists walking the strip.

Fashion Show Mall's anchors include Dillards, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Macy's, Bloomingdale's and Nordstrom. Specialty stores include Cole Haan, BCBG, Paul Frank and Victoria's Secret. In addition to the food court, the mall provides alternative dining options to those found on the strip. This lineup includes the Capital Grille, which has earned acclaim from the most discriminating food critics, RA Sushi, with its lively happy hour, and the family-oriented Maggiano's Little Italy.

WOODBURY COMMON PREMIUM OUTLETS

Designer shopping is no longer limited to the rich and famous with the influx of outlet malls in the U.S. Visitors can obtain that luxury item for a fraction of the price at these wholesale locations. This principle was the inspiration for Chelsea Premium Outlets, which operates 40 centers with designer factory outlets in the United States, one of which is Woodbury Common Premium Outlets. Located in Central Valley, New York, this outlet mall boasts 220 stores and is one of the largest outlet centers in the world. The savings are significant, at 25 per cent to 60 per cent daily, with additional sales and VIP Shopper Club deals. The mall is laid out around a courtyard setting and trolley buses are available to transport tired shoppers to their next slurge. Stores found in this mall include Betsey Johnson, Ugg Austaralia, Dooney & Bourke, Williams-Sonoma Outlet and OshKosh B'Gosh Outlet. Department stores include Saks Off Fifth and Barney's New York Outlet. An assortment of restaurants are also in on-site, so exhausted shoppers can regenerate before continuing their retail pursuits.

The dizzying array of discount high-end shopping has made this a busy mall, with traffic backups during major sales events. A shuttle bus runs daily from the mall to Harriman Station.

Christmas decorations on Rodeo Drive.3

RODEO DRIVE

The world-famous stretch of excess and superiority is located in Hollywood's playground, Beverly Hills. For years, it has been an international symbol of luxury and prestige, with celebrities, moguls, heiresses and fashionistas flocking to spend and be seen. The street began attracting big name designer labels during the 1970s, and the historic Beverly Hills Hotel has been located adjacent to Rodeo Drive since 1912. Other opulent hotels near Rodeo include the Beverly Wilshire and the newer Luxe Hotel Rodeo Drive. The shopping district spans three palm tree-lined blocks and offers over 100 world renowned boutiques. The Rodeo Drive Walk of Style was introduced in 2003 to celebrate fashion legends and their contributions to the entertainment industry. The honorees names are permanently embedded into the sidewalk, with their personal quotes and signatures. Couturier Giorgio Armani, photographer Mario Testino and shoe designer Manolo Blahnik are some recent recipients. Some of the strip's most famous stores include Bulgari, Chanel, La Perla, Porsche Design, Roberto Cavalli and Valentino. Rodeo Drive has been featured in countless films and television programs, which has only added to its unattainable prestige.

HOUSTON GALLERIA

With 375 stores, the Houston Galleria is the seventh largest mall in the country, and is located in Houston's business district. The massive building encompasses two Westin hotels, an ice rink and three office towers. The building's architecture contributes to its appeal, with nine types of stone, suspended glass balconies, three types of wood, glass skylights, and plush leather seating, which were implemented during the 2003 expansion. The Polar Ice Galleria skating rink is one of the mall's biggest attractions and the Westin Galleria and Westin Oaks are constantly busy with business convention-goers. The Cosmo Clinic and Day Spa is also popular, with the latest advances in aesthetic techniques and a focus on European deep cleansing facials. The anchor stores include two Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom. A Dillard's is located directly across the street, with a pedestrian walkway connecting it to the mall. Some notable stores at the Galleria include Ed Hardy, Kate Spade, Arader Galleries and French Connection. Over 30 restaurants are available, ranging in atmospheres and flavors. The Oceanaire Seafood Room is a local favorite, with a 1930s ocean liner theme, while the Kona Grill offers an exotic array of Hawaiian flavors.

	Taxis Along New York's Fifth Avenue.4

FIFTH AVENUE

This famous Manhattan street has been known as one of the premier shopping areas in the world, comparable to London's Oxford Street and the Champs-Elysees in Paris. It has been a social hub for New York's high society since the 1860s and features many internationally recognized landmarks. The Empire State Building, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Central Park and the Rockefeller Center are located on Fifth Avenue, between the Upper East Side and Midtown. The area between 34th Street and 60th Street is a retail jungle of high-end shopping and dining. A stroll down this infamous stretch will have any shopoholic salivating over stores like Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Bergdorf Goodman, Emmanuel Ungaro and Harry Winston. Apple's massive underground flagship store and the Trump Tower are also in the vicinity.

Dining on Fifth Avenue is an intersection of fine cuisine and style. Some elite restaurants include celebrity chef Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill, which features the bold flavors of the south; Ilili, a Mediterranean fusion restaurant; and Cru, which combines European flavors with one of the most extensive wine lists in New York. The street is also part of many parade routes including the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

UNION SQUARE

This district in San Francisco is the pulse of the vibrant city, with 24-hour appeal and an eclectic mix of history and culture. The name Union Square comes from the pro-Union rallies that went on in the area prior to the U.S. Civil War. It was dedicated in 1850, and became the spot of the world's first underground parking garage, completed in 1941. The San Francisco party scene erupted in the area during the 1960s and the following decades saw an influx of New Year's bashes, protests and homelessness in the area. The square was closed between 2000 and 2002 for a revitalization project and reopened as the ceremonial center for the city, with public concerts, events, parties and the Christmas tree lighting taking place within.

The nearby Xanadu Gallery is the city's only building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and houses an impressive collection of antiques and various art works from around the world. Also of architectural note is the Post Street Theater, a Spanish-Gothic decorated building, constructed circa 1924. The Hotel Union Square is a boutique hotel, located in a building constructed in 1913. The square is also a hub of international fine dining establishments with the ritzy Cafe Mozart, which offers elegant French dinners, and the rooftop Cityscape, serving Pacific Rim cuisine in an exclusive atmosphere atop the Hilton & Towers San Francisco.

The shopping scene is exceptional with six major department stores, a large assortment of upscale boutiques and the Fashion Institute of Design & Marketing located on-site. Some of the most popular stores include Goyard, Gucci, De Beers, Lacoste, Anthropologie and Wilkes Bashford.

A Palm-Treed Paradise With Plenty of High-End Shops.5

BAL HARBOUR SHOPS

Bal Harbour is a small suburb of Miami boasting a high standard of living and a coveted beach location. The Bal Harbor Shops is an open-air mall with an exclusive collection of luxury retailers. It is one of the most profitable retail spaces in the country, surrounded by manicured gardens and fountains.The mall has been operated by the same family since it opened in 1964 and has a two year wait list for leasable space. The beach breezes and high profile clients first attracted long-standing rivals Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus to this unique mecca of style and privilege. Charity events and fashion shows are frequently held within the mall and a seasonal magazine showcases the latest trends from its shops.

Stores within include elite boutiques like Chloe, Van Cleef & Arpels, Bottega Veneta and Prada. While prime dining destinations include the elegant Carpaccio for unique dishes and people watching and La Goulue for French bistro fare.

1. Mannequin in store; Bloomington, MN, Canada
2. Cloud structure at Fashion Show Mall; Las Vegas, NV, USA
3. Christmas decorations on Rodeo Drive; Beverly Hills, CA, USA
4. Taxis on Fifth Avenue; New York City, NY, USA
5. High-end open air mall; Bal Harbour,FL, USA