Mall of America

[Disney Addicted]

I had promised my daughter a weekend in the States shopping. Originally I had planned on a couple of nights in Niagara (American side) or Buffalo but I won a 2-night stay at the AC Hotel Marriott Bloomington hotel for 2 people including breakfast and 2 adult big ticket adventure passes.

So... road trip! Instead of paying for two nights in Buffalo we'll stop one night on the way there and one night on the way back home. We have never been out that way so this will be a mini-adventure for us.

Has anyone driven to Minnesota from GTA area? Would it be better crossing at Sarnia or Detroit? Anything in particular we should stop at to see/do? Any quilting stores along the way?
I did find one just 10 minutes from the MoA.

I debated going up to Sault Ste Marie and crossing there but it looks like it's another 2-3 hours of driving. We have not been there either but I thought I might enjoy the scenery along the way. I don't think we will drive that way. Save it for when we finally go for the Agawa train tour.

 

[FigmentSpark]

We go through Chicago when we drive from GTA to Winnipeg. Our first night is between the Wisconsin Dells and Eau Claire. The next day, we drive through to Winnipeg. You might be able to push and make it to Minneapolis in one day, but a stop is nice, too.

You'll love the mall, btw.

 

[trish4bruce]

MOA is awesome. You should also check out the Twin Cities Premium Outlets in Eagan. It is about a 7min drive from MOA. Great outlets.

 

[EmptyNester]

MOA is awesome. You should also check out the Twin Cities Premium Outlets in Eagan. It is about a 7min drive from MOA. Great outlets.

We live an hour north of Eau Claire and frequently travel to the Twin Cities to shop as it is only two hours for us. MOA is great and I love the Premium Outlets in Eagan.

 

[Disney Addicted]

We go through Chicago when we drive from GTA to Winnipeg. Our first night is between the Wisconsin Dells and Eau Claire. The next day, we drive through to Winnipeg. You might be able to push and make it to Minneapolis in one day, but a stop is nice, too.

You'll love the mall, btw.

I'm hoping that's the case. While I have been a passenger for 14 hours of driving the most I have ever driven is 4 hours.

I think I will still need to pay for 1 night at least anyways and it might as well be the first night. If I try to use only the 2 nights free then all of Friday would be taken up driving there and falling into bed exhausted. That would give us only one day (Saturday) to explore and shop. Sunday morning we would have to check out and drive home, either in one shot or stay overnight somewhere.

If we leave Thursday instead, I can drive as far as I can go and use TripAdvisor to look for a hotel for the night. Or hopefully, make it all the way to Minnesota and and pay for an extra night at the AC Hotel. Then we would have two days (Friday and Saturday) to explore and shop. I think I would be better rested and not so rushed having those two days instead of one. Then I should be able to get up early Sunday to drive home and hopefully do the drive without staying overnight somewhere. Hmm.. the more I think of it, I like that idea. If we left at 6 AM Sunday we should be home by 10 PM and I think we'd miss rush hour through Toronto as well. Oh wait.. Sunday! I guess there wouldn't be rush hour anyways.

MOA is awesome. You should also check out the Twin Cities Premium Outlets in Eagan. It is about a 7min drive from MOA. Great outlets.

Thanks! I'll look it up. Maybe it will be in the same direction as the quilt store.

We live an hour north of Eau Claire and frequently travel to the Twin Cities to shop as it is only two hours for us. MOA is great and I love the Premium Outlets in Eagan.

Thanks!

 

[Disney Addicted]

Well, well. The premium outlets are on the way to the quilt store. We will stop there as well. Thanks!

 

[buyerbrad]

Stop at the outlets in Michiganville, Indiana.