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Begin Again: 50 Years and Counting marks Laumeier’s 50th anniversary by celebrating five decades of artist commissions and exhibitions. Featuring hundreds of artists and rarely seen works from Laumeier’s collection, […]
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If you’ve got a kid who eats, sleeps, and breathes PAW Patrol, put this trip on your bucket list. Is Mall of America on my travel bucket list? Nope. But as a parent, seeing the world through your children’s eyes and seeing them experience joy is worth it all. So as I watch my 5 year old run around the house in his Chase costume, I wanted to share the best tips for visiting PAW Patrol Adventure Bay at the Mall of America.
Last summer we road-tripped from St. Louis for my son’s 4th birthday, and I figure it was about time I share about it! Because let me tell you…he asks every month when we are going back. Even more so since the new Paw Patrol Dino movie came out.
Here’s everything I wish I’d known before we went.
We opted to drive instead of fly — partly to save money, partly because we could pack everything without playing suitcase Tetris. It’s about a 7.5-hour drive if you do it in one shot, but breaking it up with a stop in Cedar Rapids Iowa made it way more manageable with two kids.
PAW Patrol Adventure Bay is inside Nickelodeon Universe, the massive indoor theme park at Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota (just outside Minneapolis). You don’t need a separate ticket for PAW Patrol (it’s part of the park) but you will need wristbands or ride points to get in.
Tip: Go right when the park opens. We basically had Adventure Bay to ourselves for the first hour.
My son lost his mind (in the best way) the second he saw the Lookout Tower. Here are the highlights:
The Lookout Tower Slide – Kids climb up and slide down just like the pups gearing up for a mission.
Ryder’s Pup Pad Play Structure – Climbing, tunnels, slides, and lots of places to burn energy.
Chase’s Police Cruiser & Rubble’s Digger – Stationary but perfect for pretend play and photos.
MEET & GREETS. Yes, you read that right. Chase and Skye make appearances, and the hug my son gave Chase might go down as the peak of his tiny life so far.
It’s not a giant section of the park, and it might not seem worth it for some but my kids loved it. There is a time limit on how long you can stay in the play area but you can leave and get back in line. During less busy times there was no additional wait time. It’s also contained so that’s great for parents!
Nickelodeon Universe offers:
All-day wristbands (unlimited rides)
Point passes (pay per ride)
For kids under 42 inches, there are quite a few rides they can actually do, not just the PAW Patrol area. Each ride is worth a different number of points and it’s worth calculating how many rides you want to do to determine if a wristband or point pass makes more sense. Most of the kid rides were just 3 points.
Stroller parking is nearby, and they let you bring in snacks for the little ones.
The character meet and greets were the best. You can find the list here and I would take a look before planning if meeting Chase, Skye and Marshall are a must for your kids! When we visited there were barely any lines and the kids got to have a long interaction with the pups. They also have characters from the rest of the Nickelodeon Universe.
Like any mall, there are plenty of food options at Mall of America. From the food court to more sit down restaurants, we decided to go all in on the kid themed day and ate at Rainforest Cafe. I hadn’t been since I was a child and it’s about as campy and nostalgic as you might thing.
There are so many hotels connected or right across from the mall. We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn which was about a half mile away. It was perfect for our family with an indoor pool and spacious rooms. Plus they offer a free shuttle to the airport and the mall.
We spent about one and a half days at the mall and still didn’t see everything. One day is enough for Nickelodeon Universe, but if you’re doing the arcade, aquarium, mini golf, LEGO Land, or just shopping, give yourself more time.
As a mom of two who has done Disney, beaches, and staycations — this trip was shockingly easy and so worth it. Adventure Bay isn’t huge, but when your kid is in the thick of their PAW Patrol era, it feels like stepping into their imagination.
If you’re wondering whether it’s worth the drive from St. Louis for a 4th birthday, the answer is 100% yes. No job is too big, no pup is too small — and apparently, no road trip is too long when Chase is waiting at the end.
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