Sea Life Aquarium

How many people can say they have an Aquarium located in their local mall?  Unless you live in the Twin Cities, you probably can't.  At the Mall of America in Bloomington, MN, in the basement is the Sea Life Aquarium.  

Originally built in 1996, you'll get various exhibits with your entrance fee.  You'll be able to walk through a world of Jellyfish as well as a "tunnel" to make you feel as if you're in the water with the creatures.  In here, you'll see various sharks, sea turtles and numerous types fish and other sea life.

If visiting both the Aquarium and Nickelodeon Universe in the mall, you should definitely get the combination pass that is offered to save you some money.  This is an aquarium worth seeing, so if you happen to find yourself at the Mall of America, take a visit.

Nickelodeon Universe

When most Americans think of the Twin Cities, one attraction usually comes to mind, the Mall of America, which is right outside of the cities in Bloomington, MN.  In the very center of the mall is an amusement park, Nickelodeon Universe, which features various rides in the theme of different Nickelodeon shows and characters.

There are various pricing structures for admission to use the park's rides, but the one I'd recommend is the unlimited ride pass.  Otherwise, unless you are only doing one or two rides, you won't be getting your money's worth.  The other option is the combination pass with the SeaLife Aquarium in the basement of the mall.  If you're planning on visiting the aquarium, it's best to get the combo pass.

The rides are much more tame than most theme parks, but the indoor nature of it makes it quite unique.  The "Pepsi Orange Streak" allows you to ride around the entire park area, giving you a nice view of the park and the mall.  The "Fairly Odd Coaster" was my personal favorite as the spinning nature of it was very different than any other roller coaster I've been on before.

Mall of America

If visiting Minneapolis, a must visit is the Mall of America. While the mall itself is like any other mall, except with mall gift shops, there is an aquarium in the basement and an amusement park in the center.

Part of the third floor is called South Street, dedicated to high class restaurants, and it looks like your walking down a neighborhood street.

If you're a Twins fan, or a Vikings fan, there are lots of shops to find jerseys, t-shirts and paraphernalia.

CRAVE, Mall of America

Along South Street in the Mall of America is CRAVE, a local chain that has expanded by the want of locals. The chic atmosphere and variety of the menu makes CRAVE the perfect choice for dining that will please everyone in your party.

When we sat down, we were handed the regular menu, a sushi menu, the wine list, and Monday's are burger night, so there was a burger and shake menu on the table, also.

We ordered the special 1881 Sirloin steak, wrapped in bacon and topped with slabs of herb butter and served with mashed potatoes and asparagus. The sauce, the butter, and the potatoes, were delicious. The steak was cooked perfectly. And, well, its wrapped in bacon. What more can one ask for?

We also ordered the roasted chicken and penne (without the goat cheese). Again, the chef nailed the sauce, it perfectly complimented the dish, and the taste of the pine nuts brightened the dish without making it heavy or adding an additional, unnecessary flavor.