Sarah and Josh have been engaged for one year and are eagerly preparing for their wedding this May. This fun-loving couple recently caught the eye of our social media team when they posted adorable Instagram photos of a date they shared at Mall of America®. Sarah and Josh live in the North Loop neighborhood of Minneapolis with their French Bulldog, Fonzy, and are longtime fans of the Mall. An adventurous and socially active couple, they love trying new restaurants, scouting new stores and exploring parks with Fonzy while indulging in all things style.
Given that Valentine’s Day falls on a Tuesday this year, it might be tough to fully experience all that Mall of America has to offer in the short time allowed after work. That’s why we’ll be celebrating the weekend before Valentine’s Day to ensure we have ample time to truly enjoy it all. And when we say enjoy it all, we ain’t messing around. We’re talking food, fun, a few selfies and, of course, some #TreatYoSelf moments. Here’s our plan, down to the minute:
10:55 a.m.: Arrive at Mall of America. We always park in the West ramp on the Hawaii level next to Nordstrom.
11 a.m.: A peek into Nordstrom—shoes and TopShop is a must for Sarah, while Josh checks out TopMan and admires the Shinola watches.
11:30 a.m.: Time for a caffeine boost! We use the Starbucks app to order ahead and skip the line. Our go-tos are an almond milk chai tea latte and an Americano.
11:35 a.m.: The shopping continues! We make a stop at a few of our favorite stores such as Madewell, Club Monaco, Zara and lululemon athletica.
12:30 p.m.: Lunch time. We try to branch out but we usually end up at the newly opened Shake Shack. Our order? One original burger and one mushroom burger, some fries to share and a vanilla shake. (This is one of those #TreatYoSelf moments we told you about.)
1:45 p.m.: Craving a thrill, we run to Nickelodeon Universe®. If you have extra time, the Unlimited Ride Wristband is 100% worth it. SpongeBob SquarePants Rock Bottom Plunge, Mutant Masher and Log Chute are where it’s at! And because it’s Valentine’s Day, a trip around the Ferris wheel is a must.
3 p.m.: Finish up some shopping and check out what’s new. The best thing about MOA® is that every time we go, we discover something different. We usually swing by the Rotunda to see what’s happening there. If we’re lucky we’ll wander upon a fashion show or live music. Check out what events they’ve got coming up.
5 p.m.: Dinner at Twin City Grill. Two glasses of Malbec (great pours!), the St. Paul Chopped Salad and French fries—extra crispy—with French and ranch dressings for dipping (trust us). You also can’t go wrong with the fried chicken. So many great choices!
6:30 p.m.: By this time, you may think it’s time to hit the town, but we’ve set our sights on something bigger—we plan to hit some of the more majestic places in America. A new addition to Mall of America is FlyOver America! This virtual reality ride is a great sensory experience that you never want to end and is great to share with someone special.
7:15 p.m.: It’s only right to have a romantic Valentine’s Day nightcap and we love the vibe at FireLake Grill House + Cocktail Bar in Radisson Blu. This trendy hideaway has great wine and beer options, and the Old Fashioned doesn’t disappoint.
8 p.m.: Time to the head home. As much as we’d love to spend the night, we have to get home to our pup, Fonzy the Frenchie (shameless plug).
Looking for more Valentine’s Day inspiration? Check out ideas from trend specialist Sara Rogers and fashion designer Christopher Straub!
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