Google Sightseeing takes you on tour of the world as seen from satellite, using the free Google Earth program, or Google Maps in your web browser. Each weekday your guides James and Alex present new weird and wonderful sights as suggested by readers.
Although not very interesting to look at from space, the Mall of America is the USA’s largest mall. If you switch to map mode you can see that it’s so big inside the building they’ve named the streets.
And if that’s still too boring you can scroll north to Minneapolis / St. Paul Airport where a whole manner of planes are parked, landing and taking off.
Thanks: Brandon, PikaPikaChick & a million others.
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Link to specific places either as a Google Maps page or a decimal latitude and longitude written like this: lat/lng:55.949400,-3.200000.
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The Mall of America “streets” are labeled on Google Maps since they are actually USPS-deliverable addresses. Instead of giving the mall a few gazillion “suites” for mail service, they set up virtual streets, and the mall has at least two postal stations (one that’s a store and handles customers’ outgoing mail, and one for the businesses in the mall).
You can actually look up the virtual street addresses on USPS.com. For example, the Napa Valley Grill is at 220 W Market St, Bloomington, MN 55425-5522.
The crazy thing about the Mall of America is comparing to houses in the area, and even the airport itself. It’s HUGE! No wonder they can fit an entire amusement park inside of there.
If you go a ways north you’ll find the Metrodome, home of the Minnesota Vikings and the Minnesota Twins.
Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth
Why are so few cars parks at this National Monument?
I wish Edmonton, Alberta was in High res. West Edmonton Mall is there. The world’s biggest mall….
Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth
this is a lockheed martin at the airport above the mall, with a small collection of military planes…
does anybody know what carrier those red planes belong to?
did i mean martin??
what am i on about
Those red planes might be Northwest — we’re the home of Northwest airlines here in Minneapolis. Seems like the airport is their plus a few token Southwest flights.
Why don’t you see cars at the Mall of America? The roof! The two large buildings on the east and west sides of the mall are parking ramps. But you’re right — there are few enough cars it does seem odd. The lots at the north and south sides of the mall should be occupied.
You can see our new IKEA being built just to the northwest of the mall, as well.
a few miles west we have the Eden Prairie Mall. Bunches smaller, but with a sorta cult following. you might remember it from Mallrats, though they’ll convince you it’s in jersey…
Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth
-james
hahahahhhahaa, silly americans, americans biggest mall, so what, Canada has teh WORLDS BIGGEST MALL, and were expanding it again, try and top that, hahahahah
Most of the parking at the mall is under the two large parking ramps on the east and west end. You can see the parking stripes on the top. The seventh floor is rarely used, and is occasionally blocked off. Construction of the newly-opened (2004) Hiawatha Light Rail can be seen one block east.
Speaking of the airport, my wife’s office is in Mendota Heights, which is in the flight path of the south runway. Near there is a jet coming in for a landing, and it looks like its parked on the top of one of the buildings:
Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth
Eden Prairie Mall is actually THIS one –> Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth and I really like the almost round parking lots around it
The first indoor mall in the US was Southdale in Edina, MN that can be seen here: Placemark: Google Maps / Google Earth unfortunately the resolution gets VERY bad on the east side, and it stays like this all the way through downtown Minneapolis
Yup, those red ‘uns are Northwest. I’ve flown from there a bit, and that’s their major US hub.
Note the SR-71 (retired) recon plane parked in the military facility to the N of the main airport. US military no longer uses these, supposedly, but it’s the fastest airplane ever built.
You don’t always see a lot of cars because of the ramps, it’s always hard to find parking in the lower levels. The nearby hotels also have shuttle services for their guests, and the Minneapolis transit has service running to the mall.
Why drive there if you can take public or hotel transportation?