I'm a '90s kid, and that means I grew up with a lot of cultural touchstones. I saw "Jurassic Park" seven times in theaters. My Saturday mornings were defined by "Batman" and "Animaniacs" cartoons. And when it came time for me as a teenager to strike out for some independent fun, there was one place I was heading: the mall. Malls were everywhere in the '90s; in fact, I grew up between two malls only 15 minutes apart on the same bus line! I spent countless hours at the mall, hanging out at the arcade, seeing movies, reading at the bookstore, and eating at the food court. It was the center of our social life as teenagers as well - "Meet me at the mall" was the easiest way to hang out with friends.

And then, something changed. Retail took a downturn, online shopping took over the world, and malls started struggling. Many have a lot of open spots now (including one of my local duo), and some have even closed or been redeveloped and turned into mixed-use complex.

But my love for the mall never faded. Call it nostalgia, but there's just something magical about these enclosed retail plazas. They have a little bit of everything - and the best malls in America and beyond have even more. Ever since 2014, I've been periodically visiting a small number of malls in North America that aren't just retail centers - they're entertainment destinations where you can easily spend a whole vacation. There are five of them that fit this mold, but I wouldn't be surprised if this is the model that winds up reviving the Great American Mall.

Being sandwiched between Woodbridge Center and Menlo Park Mall my whole life, it's been interesting to see the mall "life cycle" for these two. Menlo is still thriving, with a mostly full food court, two anchor stores, and a unique dine-in movie theater. Woodbridge has seen several anchor stores close and was recently sold, but still has some buzz-worthy locations like an escape game and a Dave & Buster's arcade. But it's made me wonder - what makes a mall really thrive these days?

I got my first glimpse of the answer at Palisades Center in Nyack, a four-story mall about an hour outside of New York. One of the biggest malls in the Empire State, it's still primarily a retail destination although it's added a few unconventional options like a Target (very useful for stocking up on supplies in my opinion). But the fourth floor is a completely different beast -- it's a thriving dining concourse filled with restaurants, including hibachi, seafood boil, gourmet burger bars, and even a high-end Japanese barbecue restaurant.

The fourth floor is also home to unique entertainment options, including escape rooms, arcades, and the world's largest indoor ropes course. This area of the mall gives more "theme park" than anything else. And while you're in Nyack, make sure to visit the unique slice of New York history in the parking lot. The mall doesn't have a hotel right next door, but the Hotel Nyack is less than two months away if you want to extend your stay.

This was the first mall that ignited my love of this new sort of "supermall" and it wouldn't be long before I would book a trip halfway across the country to visit the legendary Mall of America - the largest mall in the United States at the time. This mall features hundreds of stores, but what really attracted me was the huge collection of attractions - including an indoor Nickelodeon-themed amusement park, a large aquarium that weaves through tunnels under the mall, and a massive LEGO store. There's even a virtual reality ride that sends you soaring over America!

The dining scene at Mall of America ranges from high-end wine bars to a unique restaurant that serves fair food all year round. I actually didn't leave the mall until it was time for my flight home - the Radisson Blu Mall of America is attached to the mall via a convenient indoor bridge!

That led me to what remains my wildest travel adventure to date: leaving the country for the first (and so far only) time to visit the West Edmonton Mall in Alberta, Canada. The largest mall in North America and owned by the same company as the Mall of America, this mall takes this concept of the mall as vacation destination up to 11. A massive indoor water park, an aquarium with a live sea lion show (mostly consisting of the sea lions being fed fish!), and an indoor go-kart rink are some of the highlights here. The decor at this supermall is also the most unique I've ever seen, with unique sculptures around the mall and even a massive pirate ship in the central lagoon.

The dining here is by far the best of any of the malls I've visited, as well - maybe partially because all the chains were new to me as an American. But my favorite spot to eat actually wound up being the large T & T Supermarket - a massive Vietnamese market with an independent food court offering dim sum, stir-fries, and so much more. There's even a dinner theater, Jubilations, on site. I stayed at a nearby hotel for this trip, but for those looking for a romantic getaway, the Fantasyland Hotel offers dozens of themed rooms and is located within the mall itself.

I got a chance to another one of these unique malls when I traveled to Syracuse for the total solar eclipse in April 2024, and chose a hotel right next to Destiny USA, the largest mall in New York. The team behind Palisades Center has turned the former Carousel Mall into a massive entertainment spot with one of the best visual designs of any of these malls. A wacky location with a massive Wonderworks museum on its second floor, its most eye-catching feature is a massive indoor ropes course that takes people over the mall's main atrium.

When it comes to dining, the mall is known for its fantastic brewpub scene - you can easily do a beer crawl without ever leaving the mall! And the Embassy Suites by Hilton Syracuse Destiny USA is located just across the street with a convenient bridge, making it a perfect family getaway.

My love for these places has been seen as odd by many of my friends over the years, who can't believe I travel this far for malls! But there's something magical about these all-in-one destinations, many of which are located in areas with harsh winters. That makes them perfect for all-season destinations. But the best part is - I don't have to travel for them anymore.

American Dream, the third mall by the team behind Mall of America and West Edmonton Mall, is now open in New Jersey after a decades-long development process and several development teams. What's emerged is truly spectacular - this mall leans more into entertainment than any of the others, with unique attractions like the DreamWorks Water Park, the country's only indoor ski slope, and the first Hasbro-themed arcade. Its most distinctive feature is the Dream Wheel, a massive Ferris Wheel that offers a stunning view of the New York skyline.

The dining here is the highest caliber at any of these mall resorts, with a focus on fine dining. Where else can you find a new restaurant by Marcus Samuelsson, a modern retro-chic diner, and a pour-your-own wine bar under the same roof as Mr. Beast's signature restaurant and the finest soup dumplings in the world? It definitely took me more than a day to explore this massive complex, so I was thankful that the Homewood Suites by Hilton East Rutherford was only a short bus ride away.

How has your local mall weathered the changing shopping climate? If you haven't visited your local mall lately, it might be time to pay a visit - and if you're lucky to have one of these "supermalls" near you, tell a friend and go have some fun!