America’s Best Shopping Centers

There are two things people always do, without fail, on vacation: indulge in food and shopping. In the U.S. we are sincerely blessed with abundance and that follows into our shopping malls which rank as some of the best and biggest in the world. All over the country, you'll find dozens of big and beautiful examples of shopping oases but here we will focus on the top ten so follow me and shop till you drop!

1. Mall of America - Bloomington, MN

If you know anything about American malls you had to see this one coming a mile away. Minnesota's Mall of America is the single largest mall in the United States, covering a staggering 4.87 million square feet. Wandering through each and every store would take you days as the mall plays host to 520 stores, 50 restaurants, and a plethora of entertainment venues including an indoor amusement park, aquarium, and children's museum.

2. Fashion Show Mall - Las Vegas

You'd probably recognize the giant metal disc hanging over the outdoor shopping area on the Vegas Strip, even if you didn't know what it was for. The metal disc shades the mall from the hot Nevada sun and shows almost constant video projections of past fashion shows above the heads of shoppers going through luxury brand stores. You can find gigantic anchor stores like Macy's, Nordstrom, Dillard's, and Saks Fifth Avenue but you can also peruse the windows of the country's largest Forever 21 store, and the more than 250 stores located here.

3. King of Prussia Mall - King of Prussia, PA

The second largest shopping mall in the U.S., and the largest on the East Coast, caps its square footage at 2.6 million, drawing in hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Seven anchor department stores, over 400 shops plus luxury brands like Burberry, Louis Vuitton, Hermes and more, and a number of delicious restaurants to sate any craving. The mall itself is iconic with a beautiful glass ceiling letting in gorgeous amounts of natural sunlight showing off their wonderfully inviting yearly decor. Better yet, the mall is insanely close to many of Philadelphia's best tourist attractions which makes it an easy stop in your busy day of touring.

4. Woodfield Mall - Schaumburg, IL

Situated northwest of Chicago, Schaumburg's Woodfield Mall is an unusual shopping center. The largest mall in Illinois, Woodfield is home to roughly 300 stores and some of the largest specialty stores in the country like Sears who has an anchor store here that measures 416,000 square feet.  Woodfield is also often used as a testing grounds for new marketing and design campaigns for retail stores and businesses as the shopping center sees over 27 million visitors every year. Furthermore, Woodfield is beautifully decorated with steel sculptures created by artist Robert Engman.

5. Gurnee Mills - Gurnee, IL

Gurnee Mills could be called an entertainment center with some shopping thrown in for good measure. A visit here will, of course, get you access to a number of amazing stores and shopping deals but your eye will undoubtedly be overwhelmed by the number of amusement venues available. With a 20-theater cinema, laser tag course, mini golf, ice skating rink, and an indoor zoo known as Serpent Safari, you will be kept quite busy all afternoon with a visit to Gurnee Mills. The mall is about halfway between Chicago and Milwaukee and less than an hour away from Six Flags Great America.

6. Destiny USA - Syracuse, NY

Formerly known as Carousel Center, Destiny USA was renovated in 2012 to become the sixth largest mall in the country. Now standing at six stories, this prominent shopping fixture is the largest mall in upstate New York. The stunning interior design is as welcoming as the 300 plus stores within its walls. Anchor stores like Macy's, Lord & Taylor, DSW, Old Navy, and others plus a 19 theater cinema, a mirror maze, rock climbing wall, laser tag, IMAX, glow in the dark mini golf, and a comedy club round out the mall's entertainment options. Destiny USA is also the first American mall to include an indoor go kart track, located on the third floor.

7. South Coast Plaza - Costa Mesa, CA

The largest mall on the West Coast, South Coast Plaza earns more in revenue than any other mall in the United States, gathering $1.5 billion yearly - that's $800 per square foot! This stunning and luxurious shopping center brings in the tourists and locals alike with stores like Chanel, Tiffany & Co., BALENCIAGA, and Bloomingdale's among others. The famous mall has also been the filming location of several TV and movie sets including Clueless, the O.C. and Laguna Beach.

8. NorthPark Center - Dallas, TX

Dallas' NorthPark Center is like a mall surrounding an art museum with the number of famous, expensive pieces decorating the fabulous mall. If you aren't careful, the more than 235 luxury and upscale shops will fall to the back of your mind when you get to touring the pieces of art done by Andy Warhol, Henry Moore, and dozens of other 20th century artists. A modern construction in itself, the NorthPark Center is a beautiful place to gather with friends and window shop even if you don't buy anything.

9. Aventura Mall - Aventura, FL

In a northern suburb of Miami, this coastal Florida super-regional mall is an amazing 2.7 million square feet of indoor shopping making it the largest in Florida and the third largest in the U.S. Not only is it convenient as more than one transit line makes stops at the mall but Aventura is gorgeously decorated with a large peaked sky light over the Fountain Court and fantastically comprehensive with over 300 retail stores on three full floors. You can also find an AMC Aventura 24 Theatres, Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's, and much more!

10. The Grove - Los Angeles

A high-end outdoor shopping complex in Los Angeles proper, The Grove is a popular destination for tourists as well as upscale local shoppers. Associated with the nearby historic Farmers Market, The Grove is intensely scenic and wonderfully convenient. Stop and see the dancing water fountains, stroll through the happily shaded walks, and look into stores like Barney's New York Co-op, Michael Kors, Anthropologie, and a two-story GAP. There may be fewer shops at The Grove but it's well worth the stop and the time spent.