| One the greatest American pastimes is shopping. Whether you enjoy window shopping, buying knickknacks as a tourist, shopping online, or simply walking the local mall, there is something for everyone. Shopping has become central to our way of life, with brand names like Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger covering everything from perfume to designer jeans. First-rate shopping is easy to find with stores like Nordstrom, Nieman Marcus, and Bloomingdale’s in malls across the nation. The Mall of America is the nation’s largest, sporting a huge food court, an indoor amusement park, and shopping for all ages. A simple pair of jeans can turn into a day’s project, presenting choices like loose-fit versus boot-cut, flared versus tight, low-rise or the classic fit? Online shopping simplifies your search with websites like buyerdom.com and shopzilla.com, and the every popular Ebay. Magazines like Lucky Magazine and Domino Magazine feature online and local shopping guides from home décor to date night apparel. The Fashion Editor is one of the largest online fashion and trend setting guides, offering advice on the latest styles, the fashion industry, and famous stylists. It’s not just the ladies that find shopping addicting, with AskMen.com featuring monthly fashion and shopping question and answers. Of course, most men would rather be seen at the nearby Lowe’s or Home Depot for home fix-ups and furnishings instead. Sporting goods, electronics, and entertainment are big among most, and feature venues like BestBuy, RadioShack, and Sports Authority. After a long day, Barne’s & Noble and Borders are popular bookstores offering comfy chairs for shoppers to peruse their books in luxury before purchasing. With so many shoppers and so much to buy, yesterday’s purchases are quickly passed on to consignment shops and secondhand stores like Name Brand Exchange, sold at rummage sales, or donated to The Salvation Army and Goodwill. Which state has over 10,000 lakes, is located on the shore of Lake Superior and is the starting point of the great Mississippi River? The answer is none other than Minnesota, whose name derives from the Dakota Indian word meaning “sky-blue waters.” In addition to every form of water recreation imaginable, Minnesota offers so much more. There is literally something for everyone. With Minnesota’s abundance of woods, wildlife and preserves, there are eco-friendly activities where you can travel without leaving an environmental footprint. For those of you who seek adventure and thrills, take a trip to Moose Mountain, Lutsen and explore some of the most rugged and challenging mountain biking trails. The St. Louis River is perfect for whitewater kayaking and Lake Superior offers a great scuba diving experience. And for the extreme skier, don’t forget White Bear Lake. Minnesota also offers fun and exciting family adventure. Take a trip to Hastings and visit the Afton Apple Orchards. Visit the International Wolf Center in Ely, where you can get an up-close and personal look at wolves in their wild habitat. As if the Mall of America isn’t reason enough to visit Minnesota, make sure you visit The Park at the Mall of America, which includes Legoland and a giant underground aquarium. Finally, if you are feeling a little crazy, visit the SPAM Museum. Learn everything there is to know about SPAM and even try your hand at making it. Minnesota truly does have something for everyone! Great Lakes, Lake Superior, Mississippi River, Moose Mountain, St. Louis River, Afton Apple Orchards, White Bear Lake, International Wolf Center, Mall of America, SPAM, SPAM Museum, twin cities, University of Minnesota, fishing, hunting, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Midwest, Hudson Bay, Red River, Chippewa National Forest, Hastings, F. Scott Fiztgerald, Prince, Bob Dylan, hockey, NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, WNBA, NCAA, Fargo, Minnesota Vikings, Minnesota Twins, Minnesota Timberwolves, Minnesota Wild, World Series, Minnesota Lynx, women’s professional sports, Big Ten, 2006 Winter Olympics, water sports, ice fishing, hiking, biking, skiing, camping, state parks, Land of 10,000 Lakes, North Star State, Gopher State, Land of Sky-Blue Waters, Bread and Butter State window shopping, online shopping, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Marc Jacobs, Prada, Marni, designer jeans, perfume, Nordstrom, Nieman Marcus, Bloomingdale’s, Mall of America, loose-fit jeans, boot-cut jeans, flared jeans, low-rise fit, classic fit, buyerdom.com, shopzilla.com, Ebay, Lucky Magazine, Domino Magazine, The Fashion Editor, fashion industry, AskMen.com, Lowe’s, Home Depot, home fix-ups, Barne’s & Noble, Borders, Amazon.com, RadioShack, CompUSA, BestBuy, Sports Authority, consignment shops, secondhand stores, Name Brand Exchange, rummage sales, The Salvation Army, Goodwill, sporting goods, electronics, furnishings, home décor
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