FIVE-HOUR
Hours One + Two
After sitting in an airplane, some activity can do wonders—
especially if you still have a connecting flight to board. Start
your layover by exploring all that Bloomington has to offer
with a little help from a taxi, Lyft or Uber. For some fresh air,
take a trip down to local favorites like the Minnesota Valley
National Wildlife Refuge’s 14,000 acres of hiking trails, the
multi-story play area of Hyland Lake Park Reserve or the
peaceful atmosphere of the Normandale Japanese Garden.
For indoor excitement, young children will spend hours
playing at the interactive Works Museum. Vertical Endeavors
will give everyone in the family a taste of rock climbing—the
Bloomington location has the most routes and auto-belays
for newcomers and experienced climbers alike.
For those who want a concentrated variety of things
to do, Mall of America® is easily one of the best picks and
is just 13 minutes down the METRO Blue Line light rail
from the airport. Find wonder as you walk underneath
sharks and touch sea anemones at SEA LIFE® Minnesota
Aquarium, or get a little competitive with Dick’s Last
Resort Scavenger Hunt, one of the Mall’s new signature
experiences. SMAAASH and Moose Mountain Adventure
Golf are just some of the many entertainment possibilities,
as is Nickelodeon Universe®, which houses the longest
indoor zip line in North America. Make sure to check out
times for Rick Bronson’s House of Comedy or the new
state-of-the-art CMX Cinemas, too.
Hour Three
Kill two birds with one stone: Take a break from the activity
and experience Bloomington at the same time by going out
to eat at one of the city’s restaurants or bars, such as fine
dining at Lela, Sawatdee and its Thai cuisine, the no-frills
bar food of Lucky’s 13 Pub or Cowboy Jack’s, or the best
Bloody Mary’s at Ike’s Food & Cocktails. For a special treat,
go to nearby Kincaid’s or the Bloomington Chophouse. If
you want to stay in the Mall, more than 50 dining options
such as CRAVE and Tiger Sushi offer up their unique
experiences, good service and mouth-watering food.
Hours Four + Five
The Mall is the perfect place to end your daylong
vacation, and its location minutes away from the airport
is more than convenient. It has the lure of more than 520
stores including big names like Kate Spade New York,
Levi’s and Ulta Beauty as well as specialty shops and
boutiques. Besides its dozens of eateries, places like the
Chocolate Moonshine Co. and Dough Dough can give
you a sweet treat for the road, while classic Mall food like
Doc Popcorn and Auntie Anne’s Pretzels offer something
more savory to bring back on the plane.
If you’ve been at the Mall all day and want a change
of pace without leaving the transportation hub, meander
to neighbors like the connected Radisson Blu Mall of
America or nearby IKEA. Radisson Blu houses Solimar
Spa, which can fit pampering into any travel itinerary
with 30- to 120-minute massages, facials, manicures and
pedicures, and more. If the TLC makes you hungry, hop
down to the Blu’s FireLake Grill House & Cocktail Bar.
IKEA also has a small restaurant—a favorite menu item is
the Swedish meatballs—and an amazing kids play area,
but most people know the store for its home décor that
hits the sweet spot between design and function.
