Mall of America is worth it for a weatherproof shopping-and-entertainment day, especially with children, a long MSP layover, or a specific attraction in mind. It works best when you arrive early with a short target list rather than trying to see all 5.6 million square feet.
Enter the mall free
There is no admission ticket or timed entry for the mall itself; only attractions such as Nickelodeon Universe and SEA LIFE require separate paid tickets.
MoreBook SEA LIFE ahead
SEA LIFE uses demand-priced timed entry, and booking on its official site secures your chosen slot; mall entry and most other browsing do not need advance booking.
MoreArrive at opening midweek
Tuesday through Thursday mornings are the easiest time for parking, food queues, rides, and calmer corridors; weekends, holidays, and special events are notably busier.
MoreChoose the right entrance
Use East Ramp for Blue Line and SEA LIFE, West Ramp for LEGO and Nickelodeon Universe, South Ramp for Crayola, and North Entrance for shuttles, buses, and the North Food Court.
MoreNickelodeon Universe
Free to walk through the public central area; rides require separately purchased points, wristbands, or bundles.
SEA LIFE Minnesota Aquarium
Separate timed general-admission ticket; book ahead for a chosen entry time.
Crayola Experience
Separate attraction ticket.
Moose Mountain Adventure Golf
Separate paid admission for one 18-hole round.
Rock of Ages Blacklight Mini Golf
Separate paid admission for one 18-hole round.
Mall of America is a 5.6-million-square-foot indoor retail-and-entertainment complex in Bloomington, Minnesota, built on the former Metropolitan Stadium site and opened in 1992. Shops, restaurants, hotels, Nickelodeon Universe and other paid attractions surround a skylit central court; the mall now draws about 32 million visitors annually and hosts more than 300 events a year. It exists as a destination-scale, climate-controlled shopping and entertainment hub rather than a conventional local mall.
It is worth the trip for families, shoppers taking advantage of Minnesota’s clothing-and-shoe tax exemption, roller-coaster fans, weather refugees, or travelers with several hours near MSP airport. The appeal is its scale and concentration of indoor choices—especially Nickelodeon Universe, LEGO, SEA LIFE and dining—not local character or architecture. Skip it, or limit the stop to an hour, if chain retail, crowds, advertising, noise and long indoor walks sound draining; it is not a substitute for Minneapolis’s neighborhoods, museums, lakes or outdoors.
Before you go
No. Entry to the shopping mall, restaurants, stores, and the public areas around Nickelodeon Universe is free and does not require a ticket or timed reservation. Standard mall hours are Monday–Saturday 10 a.m.–9 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m.–7 p.m.; individual businesses and holiday hours can differ. Confirm the date’s hours at https://www.mallofamerica.com/plan-your-trip/hours-directions.
Book SEA LIFE Minnesota in advance if you want a particular time: its general-admission tickets are timed, prices vary with demand, and walk-up availability is not guaranteed when it is busy. Buy through https://www.visitsealife.com/minnesota/tickets-passes/. Nickelodeon Universe wristbands and point passes can be bought online or on arrival; if a product is unavailable online, try a Nickelodeon Universe kiosk or retail counter, the North Guest Services desk, or MOA Guest Services.
Buy points if you expect to ride only once or twice: point passes start at US$4.25 plus tax for 3 points, and rides require differing numbers of points. Buy an unlimited wristband if rides are the main purpose of the day: the regular one-day wristband is US$52.49 plus tax, while Deal Day wristbands are US$41.99 plus tax on designated reduced-schedule days. A two-day wristband is US$64.99 plus tax for two consecutive days. Online purchases have a 5% processing fee. Compare current ride requirements and buy at https://nickelodeonuniverse.com/tickets/.
Nickelodeon Universe points start at US$4.25 plus tax; unlimited ride wristbands are US$52.49 plus tax; and attraction bundles start at US$59.99 plus tax. SEA LIFE Minnesota timed admission starts at US$25 per adult online. Moose Mountain Adventure Golf or Rock of Ages Blacklight Mini Golf costs US$14.99 plus tax for one course, or US$24.99 plus tax for both; Deal Day single-course admission is US$10.99 plus tax. These are optional attractions, not admission to the mall.
From MSP, take Metro Transit’s Blue Line to Mall of America Transit Station; the mall quotes about 12 minutes. From downtown Minneapolis, take the Blue Line to its Mall of America terminus; the quoted end-to-end trip is about 39 minutes. The station connects through the East Parking Ramp. From downtown St. Paul, Metro Transit Route 54 serves Mall of America Transit Station.
Regular parking is free in the East and West ramps, South Ramp, and North Lot. Use West Ramp for Nickelodeon Universe, LEGO, Apple, and Nordstrom; East Ramp for SEA LIFE and Blue Line access; South Ramp for Crayola Experience and L.L.Bean; and North Lot for the North Food Court, JW Marriott, and Nickelodeon Universe. Rideshare pickup/drop-off must use a designated zone: Level 1 East Ramp, Level 1 West Ramp, North Entrance, Radisson Blu, or JW Marriott. Do not use the ring road. Overnight parking is US$12 per night on East Ramp Level 7; valet at JW Marriott and Radisson Blu is US$15 per day.
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