The Ultimate Minnesota Girls’ Trip

When I think of a girls’ trip, I immediately think of shopping adventures, fabulous food and nights filled with girl talk and shenanigans.  A weekend hanging with my daughter in Minnesota was perfect for all the above!

We asked our Instagram family what they liked to do on a girl’s trip and many agreed with my thoughts — especially shopping!

• thestylishmommy Shopping, duh! Lol!!! Love this shot of your gorgeous gals ❤️
• freakdeluxe There must be a great night out, and a great night in! Jim jams, popcorn, real talk.
• passports_and_wanderlust Bonding time is the best part of girls trips!
• marialuisastyles I love to go shopping everywhere I go
• chante_allday I think to eat and vent when on a girl’s trip

What to do

Girls’ Trip shopping…

Minnesota makes the perfect shopping destination for three reasons: Tax-free shopping, Mall of America and tax-free shopping. Did I mention tax free shopping?? I’ve already made a pact with my daughter that my next trip to Minnesota I’m coming with and empty suitcase. Yes, empty! I plan to do much more shopping than I did this time. You can judge me. 😊

With over 500 stores the Mall of America has every possible store you can think of. Their Lululemon Experiential store is aHhhhhhmazing (amazing) with a yoga studio as well as a café. It’s the second largest Lululemon store! We stopped in to check out their new collection and have drinks and cookies.  If you haven’t seen their newest collection go check them out. I’m in love with every piece.

We couldn’t help but go play among the ice sculptures in the Canada Goose Cold Room too.  The rooms are set to -27 Fahrenheit so customers can test their jackets before they buy but also make for an IG worthy experience. This trip we stumbled into the B8ta store this trip. If you love gadgets or you’re looking for a unique gift this is the perfect store. They carry a lot of innovative and useful unique products.

Besides shopping there’s soooo much to experience at MOA, as it’s affectionately called. We were oblivious to the snow outside with the Escape Game, Fly Over America, a Comedy Club, and more to entertain us! With a slew of restaurants to choose from as well as hotels in proximity it’s like its own city within Bloomington. To really experience all of Mall of America you need more than a day!

Experience the food…

I love food almost as much as I love shopping and Minneapolis did not disappoint. Beyond the food itself we really enjoyed the experiences at each restaurant. My favorite food stop this trip was at the Keg and Case Market. It was dubbed “Best New Food Hall” by USA Today and we can totally see why. The vibe is great with many little shops and foods to choose from. They have Trivia every Thursday night too. That was fun!

If you only have one thing to eat you have to try Sweet Science Ice Cream. I was full by the time we wandered over to the ice cream. I tasted my daughter’s ice cream, however, and full went out the window! It was a spoonful of creamy deliciousness. I had to have my own Salted Caramel goodness.

NineTwentyFive in Wayzata is definitely a must try. The fact that it’s in Wayzata and Hotel Landing is a win for sure. Added to that their brussels sprouts excite your taste buds and their scallops had the perfect sear and ‘bacony’ flavor. Yes, I made up that word. They cure their own bacon and used it in the both the brussels sprouts and scallops. They also have an amazing desert selection including their house made deserts.

The Sugar Factory is a TOTAL experience! From the drinks with a life of their own, to the lowered lights for birthday celebrations and the service we totally enjoyed our dinner experience. I really appreciated that drinks can be non-alcoholic plus they have drinks for kids. I wanted a milk shake so badly even though I knew I had zero room for anything else! Their Peace Love and Harmony drink will have your taste buds singing. When a drink is pretty for the gram but great on the taste buds that’s a win! We shared a video snippet of our experience on our Instagram @fashncurious. Do follow us!

Explore the cities

Minnesota has so many cities, towns, lakes, museums and sights to explore. We thoroughly enjoyed the picturesque city of Wayzata. In the summer it is gorgeous especially sitting by the lake listening to the sounds of the water and the outdoors. In winter too its gorgeous, blanketed with snow. There are so many little shops, restaurants and cafes to explore. I’d choose Wayzata every time! Excelsior and Minnetonka were also beautiful though we did not get to explore as much as we wanted. We needed more days!! Can a girls’ weekend be a month long? Ha! Minneapolis also has a lot to see and experience even in the winter with several Museums to explore. We are already planning another return trip too to see the ice castles, have dinner in an igloo and try ice fishing.

Where to stay!

AC Hotel Mall of America

We stayed at two amazing hotels while in Minnesota on our girls’ trip. If you’re heading to Minnesota to experience the Mall of America and shopping the AC Hotel Mall of America is a perfect choice. The rooms at the AC Hotel Mall of America are comfortable and decidedly stylish with their sleek minimal décor. Being so close to the mall we were able to drop off our shopping and head back to the Mall for dinner and a comedy show. Added to that too, their breakfast is fabulous! Sweet and savory pastries, fresh fruit and freshly sliced prosciutto delighted our taste buds. Foodie heaven! The view was the perfect foil for breakfast too. Book your trip to AC Hotel Mall of America and tell us about it!!

Hotel Landing

For our trip to explore Wayzata, Excelsior and Minnetonka we had the pleasure of staying at Hotel Landing. This hotel is EVERYTHING! The twinkle of the fireplace greeted us as soon as we walked into the foyer. And then the room – scratch that – the suite we stayed in was gorgeous with a spectacular view of Wayzata. I am always a sucker for a bathroom with full sized toiletries too especially one as beautiful as Hotel Landing’s!

We loved that the suite had a separate living area where we could sip on tea and chat. Or truthfully, with more room to dance! Ha. Peek at our dancing session. My daughter looked at me and said we are not checking out until we absolutely must! The hotel is perfect for a girls’ trip with a spa and fitness center on site and is within walking distance of the heart of Wayzata and shopping. Plus, for foodies like us their restaurant Nine Twenty Five has delicious food and the best deserts. Take our tour of the hotel  and book your trip to Wayzata and Hotel Landing. I can’t wait to hear about your trip!

What girls’ trip plans do you have this year?

TRIP SPONSORED BY EXPLORE MINNESOTA BUT ALL THOUGHTS AND OPINIONS ARE OUR OWN.

Photo Credit BBright Photography