Potomac Mills - more info needed
 

Anyone have any info? Several girls looking to go on a shopping trip here. Is this a decent and safe area? Is there enough other things to do here in Feb to keep us busy? <BR> <BR>Any other nice places to shop in the area after we finish Potomac? What is there to do at night? We are 25 - 30 yr olds. <BR> <BR>Last, is anyone familiar with any of the hotels around the area. We like to stay in <BR>a "suite" type accomadation. (Residence Inn, <BR>Embassy, Amerisuites) <BR> <BR> Their web site www.potomac-mills.com does not work. It says "domain for sale" <BR> <BR>Thanks for your help! <BR>

Potomac Mills is lots of fun and alot of stores in the Mall and in the area. <BR> <BR>It is part of the Mills Company and there are lots of mills all over the country. My fav is Franklin Mills in Philly. <BR> <BR>The right website is www.potomacmills.com and will give you lots of info there. <BR> <BR>Have fun

Potomac Mills is a nightmare. It's packed on the weekends to the point where it's tough to even find a parking space after 11 a.m. (opens at 10 a.m.), or even walk through the halls after 12 p.m. The stores don't really offer any big bargains--you're better off going to the real stores, not the outlets. <BR> <BR>Woodbridge is safe enough, but pretty much strip mall hell. There are the regular chain hotels around. <BR> <BR>The best places to shop in the D.C. area are Pentagon City Mall in south Arlington, Va., Tyson's Corner (also gets pretty crowded) in McLean, Va. & (from what I hear) White Flint Mall in Bethesda, Md.

I'm glad Annie said it first. The main thing I recall about Potomac Mills is that I don't want to go back there. I just didn't see any bargains, and it was a tremendous hassel, unless you really, really, like to lose yourself in a mall for a really long time. But if that is what you are hoping to do, then Potomac Mill is perfect. <BR> <BR>Britt, if you give us some more info about what you are looking for on the trip, maybe we can weigh in with alternatives.

A mall is a mall. They're right - no bargains here, although Feb. probably has the least crowds. The Nordstrom's Rack is the only serious drawing card here, otherwise, I'm guessing that you will be very disappointed unless you live in the boonies and have never seen a discount mall. This one's huge, poorly laid out, and very few prices are actually discounted. Just because it's an "outlet" for a manufacturer doesn't mean they're not charging retail. If shopping's your thing, a regular mall with Feb. White Sale Prices will do it -- and Tysons I and II are the places to go. Where, by the way, are you coming from?

Potomac Mills Mall is way out in the suburbs about 35 miles from Washington, DC. There is nothing to do around there!! It's certainly very safe. If you want to have fun, stay either in Old Town Alexandria, VA or Washington, DC where you can find good restaurants and cafes. I happen to like Potomac Mills Mall, and I visit there about twice a year.

We are coming from Michigan. Really, we shop for a day, sometimes buy things sometimes dont. Mainly, its a girls weekend to get away and just do something with the girls. We usually go out in the evening and do something too. <BR>Last year we were in Buckhead (Atlanta) and had a blast. We do not need another "Buckhead" type place to go, but are open to any ideas. Any other cities anyone can suggest. We prefer not west of Phoenix, just because its only for a weekend and want short flights without having to be too far off our time zone. <BR> <BR>Thanks for any info! <BR> <BR>

I live in DC area and went there once and vowed never to return. It is awful, and there are no great bargains--you can get just as good prices or better anytime one of the main dept stores has a good sale. I didn't think even Nordstrom Rack was any good, but I have one about a mile from me anyway in an outlet mall in Silver Spring so don't get too excited about it. Furthermore, it is difficult to find (don't try going at night) as the roads are not marked well and traffic, even on weekends, is a nightmare around there. It is shopping hell and I don't understand why anyone ever goes there. Aside from that, it is just a lower/working class suburban residential area far from Washington, so I suppose there are fast food and chain restaurants and movie theaters somewhere around there, but that's it. It's safe enough except for the potential of serious traffic accidents, that area of freeway around it is very dangerous. If you like to shop as a hobby, I did read some good reviews of a more upscale and better outlet mall that opened fairly recently in Leesburg Va, a little west of DC, called Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets. At least that might be worth going to and Leesburg is a cute little town and destination, also, and it would be fun to stay there. General info for this town is at http://leesburgva.org (in their links section, you can go to the Premium Outlet link to see stores, etc). There are also outlets in Eastern Md called Queenstown and that at least is in the Eastern Shore area and scenic and quaint, also. I'd definitely go to Leesburg if I were you.