Most of us that travel love to buy gifts and uncover special local finds to take home as a memento of the trip. Others actually make shopping the main activity of their holiday and travel to destinations to shop until their heart’s content.
One of the biggest shopping destinations is wintery Minnesota. The Mall of America in Minneapolis attracts people from all across the globe and this is especially true during the holiday season. It’s one of the biggest malls in the world but it has more to offer than just stores teeming with merchandise. It actually has bargains. On a global standard America is pretty cheap and the sales are continuous. The US tends to blow away the twice yearly sales we have in Europe. Minnesota also offers tax free on clothes further increasing the value.
A new Radisson Blu hotel links to the mall which is ideal in the Minnesota winters as you now never need to go outside. The hotel also offers a trendy cool ambiance with rooms that are modern and fresh. There is a concierge service (at only an additional $20) which provides discount coupons and a nifty service. The hotel will pick up your packages from any store and bring them back to your room at no additional charge. It’s perfect for shopaholics.
The mall is quite extensive with an amusement park that fills the middle of the mall with roller coasters for all ages. There are movie theaters, discount stores, top flagship department stores like Nordstrom’s and Macys, and great restaurants. You can shop till you drop and then even get hitched! Yes there is a chapel for weddings. Weirdly I have even seen the bride and groom eating at Tony Romas after their ceremony. Not great for a white dress
Heading a little further East and much more Southernly, the best outlet mall in the world is Sawgrass Mills in Florida. This mall is fantastic as they have stores that discount Gucci, Prada and Burberry. The only downside here is that there is always a daily surge of people which makes it hard to park and there is not direct hotel to link it. There are a few surrounding hotels but they offer nothing like the glamor of the Radisson Blu in Minneapolis .
There is another terrific outlet mall which is almost on a par with Sawgrass called Woodbury Commons in upstate NY. The problem is the difficulty getting there. You can get a bus from Penn station but it’s a hike. They have similar discounted stores with outlets like Gucci and Prada offering 30% to 70% discounts. I think it’s worth the effort to visit.
But it’s not just America that has great malls.
Bicester Village near Oxford in the UK is also a great outlet mall and well worth the trip. In Tuscany the Italians are also cashing in on the trend toward discount outlets. Near Florence there is an outlet center with brands like Valentino, Gucci, Todds , Dolce and Gabanna and YSL. The Prada one is fantastic but it is a stand alone store in a nearby location. For this mall I suggest you get the hotel to get you a driver for the day. This will make it much easier to shop without any worries about Italian drivers or parking. This is the home of Ferrari after all.
The key to all the above malls is to avoid going on the weekends and Monday. Monday is when they tend to replenish the stock so that makes Tuesday the best day for the hardcore bargain shopper.
Daniel Green, the Model Cook is a Celebrity Chef known for his healthy approach to food and living well. With TV, books, magazines and live appearances, Daniel spends his time helping fans to cook better, feel better and live better. He’s also an avid traveler and a self-confessed Foodie.
To contact Daniel or learn more visit www.themodelcook.com or follow on Twitter @themodelcook.
