Insider's guide to Mall of America holiday shopping

With more than 500 stores, free concerts and coffee plus valet parking, Mall of America bustles all December.

Enjoy MOA's festive Christmas season 

Feature & photos by Lisa Meyers McClintick

If you’re want to brave the crowds for holiday shopping at Minnesota’s Mall of America, there are plenty of reasons to join in the festivities.

Mall of America's Disney store

Here’s what you should know to be a savvy holiday shopper at the Mall of America and to make the most of your experience.

Best bit of advice? Take a day or half-day off and make it fun. Why? Because some of the best services are Monday through Wednesday from 1 to 7 pm, which is this year’s MOA Holiday Happy Hour.

Make MOA parking easy:

If you can get your shopping done during Holiday Happy Hour,Mall of America offers free valet parking at the mall’s north entrance. Follow valet parking signs from 24^th Avenue. Valet parking also is available from 7 pm to closing Monday through Wednesday and 10 am to close Thursday through Sunday, but it costs $10.

Besides not needing to troll for a good parking spot, you can text the valet crew to get your car and have it warm and ready when you’re ready to go.

Grab free coffee

Hair salon at Mall of America's America Girl store.

Stop by one of five Caribou coffee locations in Mall of America and use the secret code (“Happy Hour”) for a free 12-ounce cup of coffee. It will give you the pick-up you need when shopping energy flags. If you’re really lucky, you might catch a surprise giveaway, free treats or gift cards given out by holiday helpers.

Sit with Santa

 Kids can visit Santa at the Sears Court from 9 or 10 am to 7 or 8 pm daily through Dec. 24 without any appointment. Avoid the 1 to 2 pm or 5 to 6 pm break times. You also can schedule a more intimate photo session with Santa through www.professorbellows.com.

Let the kids play Nintendo

 If you or your kids need a break or a distraction from the shopping hubbub, head to West Market Square for the Mall of America’s Nintendo Holiday Mall Experience. It’s a chance to try out its new 2DS, Wii U and 3DS XL, as well as sample new games.

Shop MOA, earn ride wristbands

 

If you spend $250 between late November and Dec. 24, you can earn two free wristbands good for all rides at Nickelodeon Universe. That, too, makes a great gift for grandkids. To get the Nickelodeon Universe wristbands, take receipts to the park’s north entrance. Wristbands must be used by Feb. 28, 2014.

Enjoy a new light show

 Grab a spot on the second or third floor overlooking Nickelodeon Universe to see the new Universe of Light show. The nine-minute presentation with lights, music and smoke effects runs at 7 pm and 9:30 pm Monday through Thursday, 7 and 10 pm Friday and Saturday and at 7 pm Sunday. Universe of Light is staged from Nickelodeon’s South Entrance.

Enjoy holiday songs and carols

Mall of America mirror maze

The Rotunda fills with music 10 am to 8 pm every Saturday throughout the holidays with a variety of school groups, church groups and professional musicians that make it festive to stop and take a break. You can grab seats in the Rotunda or watch from the upper levels that overlook it. Don’t miss registering to win a Goo Goo Dolls autographed Fender guitar and album or a necklace set courtesy of Chapel of Love.

Check for other MOA holiday events

There’s truly always something happening throughout December at the Mall of America, so check the events page. You can catch a booksigning by Minnesota Vikings legend Bud Grant, test out Anki DRIVE racing games, test out Canon’s PIXMA Facebook app or gather ideas for Bisquick holiday pancakes.

Read more about the Mall of America's top attractions and enjoying a memorable holiday here with children.

Watch bald eagles soar above the Mississippi River

Photos by Lisa Meyers McClintick.

If you've ever wanted to get nose-to-beak with bald eagles and also watch them in the wild, now is the time to hit the Great River Road. The Mississippi River, between Red Wing and down to Winona is one of the best parts of the United States to see this living symbol of America.

Wabasha--in between the two cities--is the epicenter with its National Eagle Center's Soar with the Eagles weekend events throughout March.

Head to Wabasha's National Eagle Center

Located on a stretch of the Mississippi River that rarely freezes thanks the strong current of Lake Pepin to the north, the National Eagle Center is both a cultural museum and ideal observatory for watching bald eagles in the wild.

The birds can sometimes be tricky to spot against gray winter skies, but the center's five resident eagles face the river and loudly announce wild eagles that swoop across the sky--no matter how far away they are.

"An eagle can see a rabbit running two to three miles away," said Alison Springer with the National Eagle Center.

I have no doubt.

March is for migration and bird lovers

There are decks and spotting scopes to watch wild eagles swoop for fish, gather sticks for building huge nests or spiral into an elegant mid-air mating dance.

March can be a temperamental month. It typically doesn't inspire travel with its messy, monochromatic clash of winter and spring. Birders, though, know it's the ideal month to see ducks, cranes, swans and eagles. Why? Lack of foliage makes them easier to see. So does the tendency of flocks to arrive in groups from wintering grounds before pairing up and heading to remote nesting spots. It is the absolute best time to see bald eagles in particular.

Bald eagles make a comeback
I often stayed at my Grandma's riverside cabin in Wabasha in the 1970s and into the 1980s. We never once saw an eagle. They were almost wiped out by DDT pesticide, which thinned egg shells so much they'd crush beneath the parents' weight.

An eagle rests above Red Wing's Colvill Park.

In 1963 there were about 450 nesting pairs in the en country and a 260-mile stretch of the Mississippi River between Wabasha and Rock Island was down to just one nesting pair.

Now there are more than 1,000 eagle pairs across Minnesota alone.

These days there are about 40 nesting pairs of eagles within a few-mile radius of Wabasha that stretches into Lake Pepin and along the Chippewa River. There are more than 1,000 eagles thriving throughout statewide, especially on the Upper Mississippi River in Minnesota's Chippewa National Forest.

Take the kids on an eagle field trip
My kids and others of their generation may take spotting eagles for granted, but it's impossible not to be impressed by seeing them up close and learning more about them.

Kids giggle at learning eagles can projectile poop six feet away to keep their nests clean. They lift simulated eagles to feel how surprisingly light the birds area. Molted feathers from resident rescued eagles are given to Native Americans who might wait years to receive one.

Cultural references to eagles are everywhere--from the rock group and fighter jets to space craft and "Old Abe," an eagle that followed Yankees into 37 Civil War battles and survived.

Soar with the Eagles events:

March 12-13  The Flyway
Guests include the Cincinnati Zoo's Wings of Wonder Traveling Bird Show, a session with a loon expert, hunting dog handler and wildlife photography specialist.

March 19-20  The Eagle
Special events include a photography class, sessions on the ivory-billed woodpecker, flint-knapping, falconry and a field trip to hot spots for eagles and other species.

March 26-27  The River
Special sessions highlight local wildlife, birds of prey and symbolism of the eagle.

Staying overnight?
Eight places offer special March packages from $121-$241/night with National Eagle Center admission, gift shop and local dining gift certificates. If you're taking kids, AmericInn of Wabasha is the best bet.

Make it an easy day trip
If you want to do a shorter eagle trip, Red Wing's Colvill Park is about 45 minutes from the Twin Cities and another excellent open-water place to spot the eagles. Two years ago, locals counted 156 eagles in one afternoon.

This year's eagle numbers--perhaps due to fluctuating weather--are not as plentiful as in years past. But it's not the numbers that impress. It's the chance to see the soaring flight of bald eagles, see how nests are carefully restored and catch a close-up look at fierce but proud faces that became a national symbol.

MN Minute: The lull of winter waves on Lake Superior

I shot this morning moment in front of Lutsen Resort on Minnesota's North Shore Jan. 16, 2011.

Minnesota's German Christmas traditions

Christmas Market at Germany's Annaberg-Buchholz in the Erzgebirge.

Longing for Light: Ore Mountain miners influence the world
Christmas traditions throughout Minnesota, the U.S. and even the world can be traced back to the woodcarving of miners in need of more income near the border of Germany and Czechoslovakia in the 1800s.

They, in particular, craved and treasured light during the cold, dark season of winter and brought more of it to their homes with wooden candle arches (Schwiboggen), carved miners and angels (who represented their wives), elaborate chandeliers, and grand windmill-topped pyramids that spin from the heat of candles and lights.

Schwiboggen

Other beloved crafts: delicately curled boughs on wooden pine trees (Spanbäume), smoking Santas and figurines that puff curling wisps of incense, and the well-known Nutcrackers, a wink-wink, nudge-nudge way of mocking the stern mining officials from the Erzgebirge (also known as the Ore Mountains).

You can read my whole feature on Christmas traditions from the Erzgebirge in the Nov. 27 Star Tribune travel section. 

Find hand-crafted German ornaments in Minnesota

While it's a dream trip to see these crafters and the area that inspires them, it's also enchanting to find these Christmas crafts closer to home.

The two best places to find "Echte Erzgebirge" or "Authentic Ore Mountains" ornaments? Käthe Wohlfahrt store in Stillwater and several shops in New Ulm.

Stillwater features most famous Christmas store
The Käthe Wohlfahrt store is one of those mandatory stops in Rothenburg, which ranks as one of Germany's most picturesque (and touristy) medieval towns. Stillwater, Minnesota, claims a rare U.S. branch of this Christmas store.

It complements an already beguiling and historic downtown with its unique blend of boutiques.

Heirloom ornament sets.

Christmas reigns in New Ulm 
In New Ulm, several stores sell one of the greatest wedding gifts I've seen: heirloom sets of holiday ornaments. What a great idea and nice twist on the usual sets of pans and home decor brides and grooms put on wish lists.

Try these stores for all things Christmas:

Lambrecht's Gifts, 119 N. Minnesota St., is an efficient one-stop shop for unique women's wear and accessories, home decor and baby gifts with two stories and multiple rooms that make it fun to explore. You'll find a Christmas village and more than one upstairs room filled year-round with German ornaments from elegant to playful.

Guten Tag Haus, 127 N. Minnesota St., has the nicest display of Erzgebirge Christmas crafts such as nutcrackers, the smoking Santas, candle arches and pyramids. They also have colorful displays of German blown-glass ornaments that glitter and catch the light, along with German and Czech cut-glass vases and bowls. If you have Norwegians and Irish in the family, too, you can find gifts for them as well--just not as many. Germans rule New Ulm.

Domeier's German Store, 1020 S. Minnesota St., sits along a residential stretch rather than downtown so you have to go looking for it. They pipe in the oom-pah-pah music and cram the store with ornaments, clocks and sweets galore. It's not the best choice if you have kids bundled in bulky winter gear, but it's fun in a folksy way. Don't miss looking up at the ceiling that's covered in postcards.

Minnesota adds Lake Vermilion as a state park

We had wonderful news in Minnesota last week. The state has finally negotiated a major land purchase along the shores of Lake Vermilion. It will be an amazing addition to the state park system.

What makes Lake Vermilion so attractive? For one thing, the new state park would connect to the existing Soudan Underground Mine State Park. It's literally and figuratively one of the coolest places to explore on a hot summer day.

Right: Lake Vermilion fun at Ludlow's Island Resort


Zip through underground mine tour
To experience this part of the Iron Range, you don a hard hat, cram into an elevator and plunge about a half-mile into the earth. Trust me, you'll get the kids attention with that. Pile into the cars that zip through the pitch-black tunnels, and they'll agree it's better than the fake mine ride at Disney's Magic Kingdom.

Interpretors spin great tales about the gritty life of miners, plus there's a gorgeous view from above ground. If you have a budding scientist in the family, there's also a High Energy Physics tour of the University of Minnesota's underground lab within the mine. It's a mind-boggling James Bond kind of experience as they study the universe's dark or missing matter.

The new state park, once developed, means visitors can camp nearby and have access to one of Minnesota's most impressive and beautiful lakes.

Above: Ready for the mine tour.
Right: Interpretive displays help visitors picture the mining life.

Ludlow's Lake Vermilion island
If you prefer a more luxurious stay than camping, Ludlow's Island Resort is the perfect northwoods splurge (not to mention one of the state's most unique resorts). Our kids were enchanted by using an antique crank telephone along the shore to summon one of their cheerful staffers--the kind of nice young college students your 8-year-old can't stop following around. He loaded up our gear into the vintage boat and headed to the island. It was too early in the year for swimming, but we adored the setting.

Plus there's something about an island that removes you that much more from reality and all the usual responsibilities you flee when on vacation. And the lake views? Stunning, of course.

How thrilling it is to know everyone will be able to enjoy this lovely lake real soon. Watch for day-use openings later this year and camp sites in the years to come.

If you want more inspiration for worthy state parks, check out the June/July issue of Midwest Living. I was one of many writers who helped find the best of the best. I had no idea Fort Snelling--a beloved living history site--also had a great beach tucked away near the river.

Above: Boating back and forth between Lake Vermilion's shore and Ludlow's island.

Save money at Wisconsin Dells & water parks

I was talking with Floridians last week who were puzzling over Minnesotan's love affair with indoor water parks. This time of year--as it's finally nudged past 11 degrees--I would go to an indoor water park just to peel off long underwear, wool socks and turtlenecks. Not to mention bulky sweaters that make me feel as svelte as Frosty the Snowman. There's also this "We're in this together" camaraderie with Midwest water parks. Go to Florida with pasty winter skin, and you risk blinding the locals. Go to an indoor water park, and, hey, we're all solar-challenged.

If you're ready for an steamy oasis of fake tropics and ecstatic, shrieking kids, here are
a few tips for saving money and making the most of visiting the Midwest's indoor water parks:

• Aim for a mid-week visit if you have toddlers and can take advantage of the often-cheaper rates and lighter crowds.
• If traveling mid-week, make sure the park is open. Some smaller ones close mid-week in the off-season and larger ones have to do occasional maintenance work (such as waxing slides for maximum speed).

• Watch for coupons and online specials, especially in large resort areas such as Wisconsin Dells. (That's the Wilderness Resort's wave pool pictured above. With a clear roof, you'd never know it's indoors.)
• Plan ahead. The most economical and least crowded months to go are May and September. The last week in August is good, too. Wisconsin kids go back to school before Minnesotans.
• Try one of the smaller water parks, usually 10,000 to 12,000 square feet, if you have preschool children or toddlers. Save the big guns--tummy-flipping slides and gotta-scream rides--and the big budgets for later. You can get nickle-and-dimed by all the big resort kiosks (or feel mentally battered by incessant begging). Think hair-braiding, fake tattoos, toys and gadgets and those blingy arcades. This is an ideal time to motivate older kids to earn and save an allowance.
• Most water parks allow a limited number of non-guests in for a day fee. Adults, even if they stay out of the water, usually need to pay admission as well. Always call first for availability in case general admission tickets are sold out.

• Take extra swimsuits so you don’t have to wear a wet one for a second trip to the park. Bring a cover-up for walking through hallways, which tend to be cool, and waterproof sandals. Those flip-flops or Crocs are hard for us to remember in Sorrel season, but you don't want to risk someone swiping expensive shoes or soaking nice leather.
• Bring quarters for lockers if you need them.
• Feed kids well before heading to the park or be prepared to shell out for snack-bar food. It's more nutritious, cheaper and easier to slap together a PBJ and slice up some apples in a hotel room. And how many moms want to go dining elsewhere with water park hair, no make-up and kids without patience for any quick fixes? Did I mention bringing a baseball hat?
• Take a waterproof camera (a disposable one should work) or risk ruining a regular one when some kid aims a water cannon your way. We have a shockproof, waterproof Minolta model, but it shoots better photos of eels in the ocean than kids shooting down a slide.
• Have a pre-determined meeting spot in case anyone gets lost.
• Pack waterproof Band-Aids in case of scrapes.
• Most parks do not allow water toys or floaties, but they do usually provide life jackets, which offer both parents and non-swimming kids some peace of mind.

(Above photo: The Edge at Duluth's Best Western.)

Walker's Eelpout festival: Spring break on ice

Let's see...We have the fake-baked Coors girls looking like Barbie in Siberia, a bikini contest, and a whole lot of people donning swim trunks to jump into Leech Lake where 4-foot chunks of ice have been removed. This is Walker, Minn., during one of the town's biggest events of the year. The annual Eelpout Festival runs Feb. 19-21 this year. Technically, it's an ice-fishing competition, but it's really just an excuse. This is Minnesota's version of spring break on ice, WE Fest in winter. The goal is fun--and the chance to laugh in Mother Nature's frigid face.

Bawdy and a bit naughty     

A few things to know about the festival. It can be bawdy--even in the daylight. It's pretty hilarious, though, to drive through the mass city of ice houses and watch ATVs pulling couches loaded up with people (jokingly called "red-neck ski couches"). Our kids were even invited to shoot arrows at the giant inflated gorilla. Just be sharp enough to drive around the R-rated encampments. There are places named "The No-Tel Ho-Tel" and signs suggesting visitors do things that would earn you beads at Mardi Gras.

Go jump in the lake. Really.

There are kids games in the City Park, but mine, especially our 9-year-old son, were most fascinated by watching just-this-side-of-crazy folks who raise money to jump in the lake. The plunge is set up just below the gorgeously renovated Chase on the Lake Hotel. One participant (I think he was the European) managed a graceful swan dive before getting chastised. You have to jump feet first. Either way, you risk screaming like a girl. Of course, the shock might muffle it. Hats off to the Hackensack group who dressed like the cast of "Paul Bunyan: The Musical" and made the most colorful, flannel-themed splash. You were our favorite.

Read more about the Walker, Minn., festival at www.startribune.com/travel.