What is the number one shopping center in the United States?
 

Hey it is Christmas shopping season and I love to shop and travel. I also love large regional shopping centers.<BR><BR>I travel to almost every metro area sometime during the year on business and find that my evenings usually consist of going to the mall. Most malls are pretty average. I am looking for the top regional malls in the country.<BR><BR>Here is my idea for a good mall:<BR><BR>Over 200 stores<BR>Lots of expensive shops<BR>Great people watching<BR>Nice layout, new, fresh looking<BR>Great selection

Tysons Corner VA (Mclean, VA)

Southdale in Edina Minnesota

Tysons Corner I and II are all that!

I normally get bored with most malls, but a new one opened in metro Atlanta that is truly awesome! It's Discover Mill and is located in Gwinnett County. It seems to be an "interactive" type mall like I've never seen before! Have fun if you get to go!<BR>

what about Mall of America can't imagine this can be topped

South Coast Plaza in Orange County, California. While a smaller mall, Fashion Island in Newport Beach is very nice and is good for people watching. <BR><BR>I just checked out the two new malls in Southern California over the weekend. One just opened in Hollywood and another in Pasadena. Both are new and clean and offer high end stores. But there's no department stores in the Hollywood location and only an older Macy's in the Pasadena location. Both are outdoor malls and were very wet and had slippery walkways in the rain on Saturday. <BR><BR>You might also want to check out the recently renovated Fashion Valley Mall in San Diego.

Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto!

King of Prussia Mall in suburban Philadelphia. Second in size only to the Mall of America.

It's not all about size. My girlfriend told me that. <BR><BR>It's about the clientele or customer base. The trendiness of the shops. The median income level, which is proportional to the education level. My favs include Tysons I and II, the outdoor mall in Columbus, OH (forgot the name), and the Atlanta Mall. Mall of America is too big. Also, it's got droves of teens that obviously lack a little direction.

The Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri.<BR><BR>Approximately 16 square blocks of beautiful shops and restaurants, all in Spanish architecture complete with tile roofs, in an upscale neighborhood dotted with beautiful fountains and sculptures.<BR><BR>It's unlike anything that I have seen in the United States.

Oh, and all of the buildings on the Plaza are outlined in colorful lights from Thanksgiving through the Christmas holidays.<BR><BR>Stunning.

Finley Square Mall in Downers Grove, Illinois, offers a wide selection in a very pleasant atmosphere. A little-known gem and a great place for jewelry!

Pacific Place Shopping Center on Pine Street in Seattle is one of my favorite newer malls. It's got some nice upscale and trendy stores, a large theater and some nice restaurants. While not the largest Nordstrom's, probably one of the nicest I've been to. <BR>

Maybe it's just me, but I absolutely can't stand Tysons Corner. It may be clean and new-looking, have expensive shops and a diverse selection, so I suppose it fits Vance's criteria in these regards BUT I find driving there a REAL pain with often horrendous traffic at times when I can shop, parking can be horrible, and many stores (even the hallways) are too crowded, culturally antiseptic and dominated by the megachains for my taste. I find that once inside, I tend to just want to get outta there as fast as possible. Then again, I don't like malls generally...<BR><BR>If I had to choose a mall: the Inner Harbor in Baltimore...not because I think the mall portion is particularly eclectic but rather because upon leaving the stores, one can go outside and be right by the water and city sights.

There is only one answer to that question: Short Hills Mall in Short Hills, NJ. Has only the top stores. Basically any store that you can find on Madison Avenue, you will find at Short Hills: Cartier, Fendi, Neiman Marcus, Armani, Hugo Boss, Tiffany, Movado, Louis Vuitton. The list goes on and on. And the mall is a pleasure. Also, across the street is a hilton which is Hilton's only five diamond resort and the spa is fabulous!

Can not think of anything more boring than shopping, except shopping in a mall.

"Good" and "mall" should never appear in the same sentence.<BR><BR>

A hint for shopping at Tyson's Corner... park at the deck outside of JC Penney. Since hardly anybody uses the JC Penney at Tyson's I (most people don't even know it's there) there's always a ton of parking!

king of prussia (philly area) - elegant and great stores