America's 9 Best Malls For An Unforgettable Shopping Experience, According To Reviews

If you took a trip to any of the best abandoned malls to visit in the U.S., you may believe that malls are a relic of the past. But, contrary to popular belief, the American mall is not dead. Yes, the number has vastly dwindled thanks to the online shopping revolution spearheaded by Amazon and the shuttering of big-name department stores. Many of the malls thriving today are the ones that leave an indelible impression, making them shopping destinations of choice again and again.

From a hipster-friendly Georgetown Trailer Park Mall made entirely of trailers to an open-air Tennessee fairy-tale mall (also known as The Village) with breathtaking views of the Smokies, today's malls are redefining themselves to offer unique shopping experiences that make them destinations worth visiting. We've done the research and unearthed some of America's most unforgettable malls. Art enthusiasts will find a mall that's as much an art museum as it is a shopping mecca. If you've ever wanted to know what shopping in Venice would feel like, we found a mall where you can get some retail therapy in "Venice" without ever taking an airplane. Our list was not left to chance. We searched through reviews from visitors recommending the most memorable malls they'd shopped in, then double-checked our list on reputable review platforms like Tripadvisor and Google.

When a reviewer says a mall has more art installations than many museums they've been to, you know you're in for a treat. NorthPark Center in Dallas calls itself the shopping museum because of the extensive collection of art around the mall. Visitors who want to peruse the sculptures and paintings while shopping can even pick up an art map at the concierge desk. With almost 50 pieces scattered around the mall, both art lovers and the indifferent will leave the mall with an indelible memory of their unusual, museum-like shopping trip.

Just before heading into the Neiman Marcus on Level 1, stop to admire a series of Andy Warhol works called Endangered Species. In true Warhol style, the pieces add color to the shopping experience. After your upscale finds in Neiman Marcus, head toward the Tiffany & Co. and Dolce & Gabbana stores, and a sculpture that is obviously a flower catches the eye. Called "Black Magnolia II," the sculptural piece by Dallas native David Bates, surprises the senses with its unexpected black facade. Expect to see other pieces as you continue toward other luxury stores like David Yurman and Balenciaga.

Most memorable is the "Five Hammering Men" installation, a collection of men posed with hammers in the South Court area. Mid and lower price stores like Macy's, Zara, and Bath & Body Works are well represented in the mall. The second level has a food court, an AMC theater, more shopping, and more art. NorthPark Center was so unforgettable, this visitor said on Reddit: "There's a really cool mall in Dallas that I've forgotten the name of. It's built like a box around a central courtyard, and it's got more art installations than a lot of museums."

It isn't the Vegas Strip outside Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian that leaves the biggest impression. Across the board, reviewers found the mall's authentic Venetian setting most unforgettable. Here is what one visitor had to say on Google: "The Grand Canal Shoppes is such a beautiful and unique shopping experience! The Venetian-inspired design, complete with gondolas gliding through the canals, makes you feel like you're walking through Venice. The atmosphere is lively, with a mix of high-end boutiques, specialty shops, and great dining options."

For the most unforgettable experience (and photos), interrupt your shopping with a stroll around the canal where gondoliers glide their gondolas as calmly as their counterparts in Venice. While strolling, you'll notice that the walkways between the stores are cobblestone, just like you would expect in Europe. The Venetian hotel has also replicated Venice's St. Mark's Square, lining it with shops nestled inside Venetian-style buildings.

From Banana Republic to Burberry; Steve Madden to Stuart Weitzman, the stores at The Grand Canal Shoppes are a true mix of midrange and luxury shopping. You can also easily find inexpensive fast-food options like Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen on the same level as fine dining eateries like Smith & Wollensky. Grand Canal Shoppes is also home to a Madame Tussauds and an escape room.

Bal Harbour Shops in Miami majors in luxury, and this is evident long before a single store is entered. Gorgeous gardens, luxurious waterfalls, and a koi pond distract from the shopping mission with an invitation to sit and enjoy a moment in the lush outdoor oases. In fact, the whole mall is outdoors, making it easy to enjoy the warm weather customary to the Miami Beach area, where Bal Harbour is located. With palm trees lining the walkways and the lush gardens as a backdrop, shopping in the upscale mall is truly an unforgettable experience.

When you've pulled yourself away from the gardens, you'll find that there's nothing low or midrange in Bal Harbour Shops. Instead, popular high-end names like Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Balenciaga, Chanel, and Ferragamo tempt with their designer wares. Other rare-to-find boutiques also await. Luxury children's wear Italian brand, Monnalisa, has only four U.S. locations, and one is in Bal Harbour Shops. And one French brand Roger Vivier's four U.S. locations is also in Bal Harbour.

Bal Harbour Shops has more than 100 shops to peruse, so a shopping trip can be as long as you need. For the rest, one of the benches next to the waterfalls or garden areas will do the trick. Or you could take a break in one of the mall's upscale eateries to refuel while you rest your feet. If this Reddit review is anything to go by, your shopping trip will be unforgettable: "Bal Harbour Shops, bar none. It's one of the nation's supreme shopping destinations – beautiful, classy, airy, luxurious. Terrific dining selections and pleasant to stroll. Nothing else comes close."

With Disneyland's ever increasing prices, spending fewer days at Disneyland is one way to save. That leaves the problem of lots of spare time with nothing to do. Along with these five things to do in Downtown Disney, the Disney Spring in Orlando is a memorable way for kids to get the sights of Disney without spending multiple days at the expensive theme park. Ranked America's best mall on Tripadvisor, Disney Springs is a top-tier shopping destination. But it's the myriad of Disney experiences that will make it unforgettable for its youngest visitors.

Stop in at Lululemon, Uniqlo, MAC Cosmetics, Zara, Vera Bradley, and more if you're after some retail therapy for yourself. If you're looking to save and entertain the kids, head to the carousel, where, for five bucks, a rotating teacup adds Disney magic to the ride. A ride on the Express Train in the same area also costs $5. The free Art Walk in the Town Center area has a painting of Mickey Mouse, among others. And there's a face-painting kiosk that can transform the kids into their favorite princess or other Disney character.

If you don't mind spending more, Disney Candy Cauldron has treats shaped like popular characters, and Disney Style has teen accessories with a Disney twist. Other stores include Star Wars Galactic Outpost, where lightsabers, galactic headgear, and more will bring out the extraterrestrial in your kids, and the gigantic World of Disney, where the largest collection of Disney merchandise in the world awaits. If you stick to the lower-priced experiences, Disney Springs is a good way to make memories and save. For the best experience, try timing your visit, so you don't go at these most expensive times when tourists should avoid Disney.

King of Prussia is one of the five biggest shopping malls in America. But don't be fooled into thinking that all the malls considered larger have more stores.  Though larger in square footage, much of the space in American Dream Mall and others like it is taken up with amusement parks and other nonshopping attractions. King of Prussia is different. The beloved mall is purely shops — upwards of 450 stores, to be exact. It's this sheer number of stores that leaves an indelible impression on visitors looking for a pure shopping experience devoid of distractions.

Here is what one such visitor had to say on Reddit. "I've been maybe 10 times and I still feel like I haven't seen everything." Another shopper explained King of Prussia's sheer size like this: "Yea came to say KOP. I'm pretty sure it is the largest by retail space though. Mall of America and others have things like amusement parks to bump up their numbers where KOP is literally just shopping."

In comparison to King of Prussia Mall's more than 450 stores, American Dream, considered the U.S. second largest mall, has around 400 tenants, but this number includes dozens of large-scale attractions and even more eateries.

This makes for a mall that outweighs others when it comes to pure shopping experience. Shopaholics who want to shop without distractions will be impressed with the lineup of stores. There are lower-end brands like Aeropostale, Claire's, H&M, Old Navy, and many more. Midrange brands like Ann Taylor, Lacoste, Free People, Steve Madden, and more are also available. And from Gucci to Fendi, higher-end finds come easily.

It seems impossible that one mall could combine the most interesting features of many of the malls on this list into one pleasing destination. American Dream in East Rutherford, New Jersey, happens to do exactly that, with unbelievable attractions that led many reviewers to call the mall names like "impressive" and "exciting." One reviewer on Google said this: "This isn't just a mall, it's a super mall."

Being America's second-largest mall, it has a massive number of stores much like King of Prussia Mall. On the first level, a relaxing garden area is almost as nice as the Bal Harbour Shops. And like NorthPark Center, artistic pieces pop up inside the garden area at various seasons throughout the year. Most memorable is its massive number of action-filled amusements. With the Western Hemisphere's largest indoor water park, an amusement park, an ice-skating rink, an indoor ski resort, an aquarium, and many attractions inside, it far surpasses Disney Springs.

It goes without saying that kids will absolutely love a visit. But adults will also find the ultimate in retail therapy. From Hermès to Balenciaga, luxury finds are easy to come by. Those on a budget can head to H&M, Old Navy, Mango, and more for affordable finds. And the dining experience is top-notch, with fine dining options like Isola Bella on the first level, and casual favorites like Cinnabon, Five Guys, and more than 80 other eateries. American Dream stunned reviewers in our research. Here's one Redditor's reaction after visiting: "The American Dream mall floored me when I visited, didn't know they made malls like that."

Mall of America's shopping is unparalleled. This isn't surprising, given that with about 500 stores, 60 eateries, and plenty of attractions, it's the U.S.'s largest mall. Like American Dream, the mall's numerous attractions elevate a visit into an action-filled adventure. An amusement park, a golf course, and an aquarium, are just a few of the exciting activities responsible for the mall's oversized appeal.

With the vast number of stores, shopping at the mall is as diverse a shopping experience as you can get. Casual brands, high-end names, and midrange stores can all be found. In addition, you could just as easily get a piercing (at Almost Famous Body Piercing) as you could a haircut (inside Final Cut Sports Barbershop). The larger-than-life mall even has a hotel, JW Marriott Minneapolis Mall of America, attached to it. This is in addition to the Nickelodeon Universe theme park, SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium, a laser tag attraction, mini golf at Rock of Ages Blacklight Mini Golf, mind-bending thrills at the Museum of Illusions, and many more unforgettable experiences.

These attractions elevate the mall into a kind of superstar status that makes it impossible for its fans to imagine the gigantic mall ever failing. Here is what one visitor had to say on Reddit: "Mall of America has also pivoted well with the loss of anchor stores (Crayola). They've increased the number of restaurants and now have more "experience" type of stores (escape room, laser tag, etc) ... I've said that the MOA will be the last mall standing."

Visitors reviewing Sawgrass Mills in Florida consistently raved about the deals and steep discounts they got in the outlet stores at this popular mall. The mall's quirky shape is just as memorable. Built to look like an alligator, there is nothing cookie cutter about the popular mall. Granted, you won't be able to see the full shape of the mall with just a visit — unless that visit includes aerial shots or a helicopter tour or the area. But the mall never lets shoppers forget that it is an ode to the creature ubiquitous in Florida.

Whimsical alligator sculptures and statues pop up inside Gator Garden, playful reminders of the mall's quirkiness. The mall is laid out in color-coded sections, each containing different shopping experiences and each in a section of the "alligator's" body. For instance, the green district at the head of the alligator contains one of the mall's food courts, Target, and a few other stores. And the yellow district at the alligator's tail majors on children's clothing stores and shoe stores like Crocs and Foot Locker.

The red section contains Colonnade Outlets, where more than 40 luxury outlets and eateries can be found. This section made a big impression on reviewers, like this shopper on Tripadvisor, who couldn't stop praising the deals: "This outlet mall is huge. Parts are indoors and parts are outdoors. We scored some really good deals at Burberry, Ferragamo and Gucci. We gave up on Prada because the line was so long ... Overall the prices were about 30-50% lower than their boutiques."

Enjoy gorgeous water views that a shopping trip to Bayside Marketplace in Miami comes with. Thanks to an open-air build, the Miami skyline is also on full display. The open-air design is also responsible for scenic waterfront dining, along with the shopping and entertainment options in the mall. As amazing as the views are, the most memorable thing about shopping in Bayside Marketplace will be the picturesque cruises shoppers can take either before or after a shopping trip.

The boat tours were some of the most mentioned features by visitors in our review: "Great place to buy souvenirs or eat near the Biscayne Bay. Also, you can take a boat tour to the Famous Mansions or take the Hip on Hip Off Bus to go around Miami and Miami Beach." The cruises available go past many of Miami's most popular areas. Hop on, and while passing Star Island and its celebrity-owned mansions, you may just spot Jennifer Lopez or Gloria Estefan, who both own homes there. Cruises also sail by the Art Deco District and Miami's skyline.

After your tour, Bayside Marketplace is easy on the pocket with budget-friendly stores like Rainbow Shops, Claire's, Bath & Body Works, Crocs, and more. Chain eateries like Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., Five Guys, Benihana, and more also call the mall home. Bayside Marketplace also offers a Ferris wheel-like skyline experience for those wanting to see Miami from a new perspective.

We read through thread after thread on Reddit where visitors were actively looking for recommendations on the best malls to visit. We weren't looking only for malls that were being recommended or reviewed as the best ones for shopping; we were also specifically searching out reviews that raved about the mall having a special character or unique features that made it outstanding. From this, we got the majority of our malls before searching through reviews on Tripadvisor and Google to bolster our findings.