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Miami Herald
21-07-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Don Soffer, who sketched an idea for Aventura on a napkin, dies at 92
Aventura began as a sketch on a napkin. Now it's home to the biggest mall in Florida, one of the five biggest in the country. Aventura is also one of Miami-Dade's poshest — and busiest — neighborhoods. Real estate mogul Don Soffer, developer of Florida's Aventura Mall and the city's 'godfather,' died Sunday morning at 92, his son-in-law Craig Robins and The Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center said. The synagogue was founded by Soffer. In a statement to CBS News Miami, the city of Aventura called Soffer a 'visionary developer and philanthropist whose leadership and foresight transformed South Florida swampland into the thriving, vibrant community we proudly call home.' The condo community, once an unincorporated slice of Miami-Dade, became a city 30 years ago. 'Mr. Soffer's legacy is etched into the very foundation of Aventura,' the city said in a statement. 'His development of what would become the city's heart — from Aventura Mall to residential communities and the Turnberry golf course and brand — laid the groundwork for Aventura's incorporation in 1995. Without his vision, the city of Aventura would not exist as we know it today.' In addition, there's a charter school, Don Soffer Aventura High School that was named after him in 2019; the Don Soffer Clinical Research Center, a part of UHealth, the University of Miami Health System on Northwest 14th Street in Miami; and a three-mile Don Soffer Exercise Trail on West Country Club Drive that rings Aventura. In June, Aventura Mall, under the stewardship of his daughter Jackie Soffer, chairman and CEO of Turnberry Associates, the real estate development group that has principle ownership of Aventura Mall, was voted the best in the country in USA's Readers Choice Awards. MORE: This Miami area mall was just voted best in the country. Here's why it's No. 1 Real estate developer Robins, who developed Miami's Design District and co-founded Design Miami, is married to Jackie Soffer. He called the family patriarch his 'hero' in an Instagram post on Sunday. 'He had the vision and fortitude to take swamp land and transform it into a city,' Robins wrote. 'Following such a dynamic and visionary parent can be especially hard for their successors. Jackie has managed to brilliantly take what Don did and carry it forward.' Soffer was a 'builder of community.' He turned Aventura into 'a model city that continues to grow and flourish. Though Don Soffer never held a formal title in Aventura's government, he was, in every sense, the godfather of the city,' the City of Aventura told CBS News Miami. Famous folks like tennis champ Jimmy Connors and his wife Patti Maguire Connors, John McEnroe and Princess Caroline once owned Aventura condos. Cirque du Soleil hosted its first big show in South Florida at Turnberry in 1989. Pop superstar Elton John, a frequent guest at Turnberry Isle in the 1980s, lit the torch for the venue's Whole Earth Run in 1986. Actors James Caan and 'Where the Boys Are' co-star George Hamilton dined with Soffer in Turnberry Isle. The Monkey Business Soffer's success also afforded him the opportunity to own a mega yacht. Alas, that yacht's name became infamous after the Miami Herald exposed a scandal concerning Democratic presidential candidate Gary Hart in May 1987. Hart was aboard the Monkey Business yacht he'd leased from Soffer. So was his date Donna Rice. They weren't married. A photo of the pair — Hart clad in a white T shirt reading 'Monkey Business Crew' and Rice perched atop his lap — ran in the National Enquirer in June 1987, weeks after Hart ended his campaign. The Herald's reporting on the affair led Hart to suspend his campaign as a Democratic candidate in the 1988 presidential race. After the Coast Guard seized half a marijuana cigarette on The Monkey Business in June 1988 — no one said to whom the roach belonged but the feds were into 'zero tolerance' at the time of television's 'Miami Vice' — Soffer had had enough. 'I'm thinking very seriously of changing the name,' Soffer told a Miami Herald columnist in 1988. 'They handcuffed the crew and confined them to the fly bridge under armed guard. Then they came up and said, 'Look what we found.' They could have brought the thing on with them. They just wanted to see where Donna Rice and Gary Hart slept. If this hadn't been the Monkey Business, it never would have happened.' Soffer teased the new name for the Monkey Business could be 'The None of Your Business.' Instead, he sold the yacht. Building Aventura from a napkin sketch MORE: What did Aventura Mall look like when it opened four decades ago? See for yourself All of this fame, success and admiration from associates, friends and family stemmed from notes scribbled on a cocktail napkin. In the 1960s, the Pittsburgh Soffers, including Don, loved visiting Miami 'to golf, boat and swim in the ocean,' his family said. The Aventura and Turnberry neighborhood began when Soffer visited Northeast Miami-Dade with his father Harry Soffer, a Pittsburgh mall developer, in 1967. The father-son duo were scouting sites for a possible shopping mall. 'The first thought was to build a mall here,' said Soffer, then a principal of Turnberry Associates in a 1988 Miami Herald story. 'Most of the land was under water. I sketched out on a napkin what I thought would fit into this property beside the shopping center.' Soffer kept that napkin for years. More than 20 years after scribbling on it, and about 16 before Aventura Mall opened in 1983, and seven years before the city of Aventura was officially incorporated in 1995, Soffer told the Herald reporter in 1988 that he'd found the cocktail napkin. 'It's remarkable how close it is to the actual development,' Soffer said. Early life and education Donald Morley Soffer was born on Sept. 20, 1932, in Duquesne, Pennsylvania. In 1954, Soffer graduated from Brandeis University in Massachusetts with a bachelor of arts in economics. He attended Brandeis on a football scholarship. After graduation, Soffer weighed a few choices. He had an opportunity to join the San Francisco 49ers, the military or the family business. He chose the latter two options, his family said in an obituary. Soffer served in the United States Army's 101st Airborne Division, today known as the 'Screaming Eagles.' He then returned to nearby Pittsburgh and went into construction and real estate with his father to develop suburban shopping centers. Aventura means adventure In 1967, Soffer and his business partners co-led a groundbreaking deal to acquire 785 acres of swampland in Miami-Dade. He founded Turnberry Associates to realize that vision, his family said. Not everyone was on board. Environmentalists and controlled growth advocates didn't share Soffer's vision for the land. Through a friend, Soffer secured a five-minute meeting with then Florida Gov. Claude Kirk in Tallahassee. Soffer, his family said, often shared the story that he convinced Gov. Kirk that his idea to employ 4,000 people in a $100 million construction project to create a modern city where 100,000 people would visit daily was actually Kirk's own idea. 'That way, Kirk could pitch it to his cabinet and take full credit. That salesmanship sealed the deal,' his family wrote in his obituary. In 1969, the county approved Soffer's ambitious 23,900 condominium unit master plan. Over the 1970s and 1980s, Soffer and his business partners would go on to create what is now the City of Aventura, building everything from high-rises and golf resorts to libraries, fire stations and Aventura Mall. According to a January 2012 Biscayne Times article, local author and historian Seth Bramson said Soffer came up with the city's name after telling his father, who died in 1972 at 63, that developing the city would be an 'adventure.' Aventura is Spanish for adventure. Soffer expanded his footprint with other real estate projects like Turnberry Isle Resort and the purchase and restoration of Fontainebleau Miami Beach. Turnberry is currently led by his daughter Jackie Soffer, who used to lead it with her brother Jeffrey as co-chief executives before they split ownership in 2019. Jeffrey Soffer currently leads Fontainebleau Development and owns the Miami Beach Fontainebleau hotel and the Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Aventura Mall secured South Florida's first Macy's when it opened in 1983. The Northeast Miami-Dade mall, under his daughter's leadership, recently welcomed Florida's first Eataly Italian marketplace. Other Florida first recent arrivals include Massimo Dutti wardrobe store, the fashion boutique Cinq à Sept, Dolce Vita footwear and Kim Kardashian's Skims store. Philanthropy and honors Outside of construction and real estate, Soffer, who championed an outdoors lifestyle through frequent fishing, boating and camping excursions with his children, was a philanthropist. He donated $15 million to Brandeis University. He was given an honorary doctorate at Brandeis in 2023 and inducted into the Brandeis Athletcis Hall of Fame in 2009. Soffer also supported the University of Miami, Mount Sinai Medical Center and helped establish the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center in honor of his parents, Ida and Harry, as well as helping to build the New Hope orphanage in Haiti, his family said. His other contributions include City of Hope, Best Buddies, Breast Cancer Initiative and the Humane Society of Greater Miami. He received the Simon Wiesenthal Center Humanitarian Award in 2024. Survivors and services Soffer's survivors include his wife, Michele King Soffer; his sister Rita; children Marsha, Jackie, Jeffrey, Brooke, Rock and Abigail; 13 grandchildren and a great-granddaughter. His funeral service was held on Monday, July 21, in the Harry & Ida Soffer Sanctuary at the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center. Miami Herald news partner CBS News Miami contributed to this report.
CBS News
21-07-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Real estate mogul Don Soffer, developer of Florida's Aventura Mall and city's "godfather," dies at 92
Don Soffer, a real estate mogul best known as the developer of Florida's Aventura Mall and often credited as the city's "founder," has died, CBS News Miami has learned. He was 92. The Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center (ATJC), a Miami-Dade County synagogue founded by Soffer, announced his death on social media Sunday. "Your love and support mean so much to his family during this difficult time," ATJC said. In a statement to CBS News Miami, the City of Aventura said it's mourning Soffer's death, calling him a "visionary developer and philanthropist whose leadership and foresight transformed South Florida swamplands into the thriving, vibrant community we proudly call home." "Mr. Soffer's legacy is etched into the very foundation of Aventura," the city said. "His development of what would become the city's heart-from Aventura Mall to residential communities and the Turnberry golf course and brand-laid the groundwork for Aventura's incorporation in 1995. Without his vision, the City of Aventura would not exist as we know it today." The city continued, saying that Soffer was not only a builder in the traditional sense of the word, but also a "builder of community," where his commitment to excellence, innovation and public-private collaboration helped turn Aventura into "a model city that continues to grow and flourish," and that it's proud to have its high school bear his name. "Though Don Soffer never held a formal title in Aventura's government, he was, in every sense, the godfather of the city," the City of Aventura said. Aventura ended its statement by extending its condolences to the Soffer family and his other loved ones, saying his contributions "will continue to shape our community for generations to come." "His name will forever be synonymous with [the City of Aventura] he helped bring to life," the city concluded. "May his memory be a blessing." Born on Sept. 20, 1932, Donald M. Soffer was born in Duquesne, Pennsylvania — about 12 miles outside Pittsburgh. In 1955, he graduated from Brandeis University on a football scholarship with a Bachelor of Arts in economics. After graduation, he returned to Pittsburgh and went into construction and real estate with his father, Harry, to develop suburban shopping centers. In 1967, Soffer co-led a groundbreaking deal to acquire 785 acres of swampland in Miami-Dade County, Florida, where he and his business partners would go on to create what is now the City of Aventura, building everything from high-rises and golf resorts to libraries, fire stations, and the iconic Aventura Mall — one of the largest malls in the United States. According to a January 2012 Biscayne Times article, local author and historian Seth Bramson said Soffer came up with the city's name after telling his father that developing it would be an "adventure," as "Aventura" means just that in Spanish. Ten years later, Soffer founded Turnberry Associates and expanded his footprint with other real estate projects like Turnberry Isle Resort and the purchase and restoration of Fontainebleau Miami Beach. Turnberry is currently led by his daughter Jackie Soffer, who used to lead it her brother Jeffrey as co-CEOs before they split in 2019. Jeffrey Soffer currently leads Fontainebleau Development, which includes the Miami Beach location and the Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Many people in South Florida often credit him as the city's "founder." "Without him, there would not be a City of Aventura," former mayor Jeff Perlow told Biscayne Times. "Soffer's visionary acumen is responsible for the community of Aventura," according to ATJC's About Us page. Outside of construction and real estate, Soffer was a major philanthropist, donating $15 million to Brandeis University and supporting numerous causes in education and the arts. His funeral service will be held on Monday, July 21, at 10 a.m. in the Harry & Ida Soffer Sanctuary at the Aventura Turnberry Jewish Center on 20400 NE 30th Ave in Aventura.
Forbes
16-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Florida's Aventura Mall Named America's Favorite In USA Today's Top 10 Malls List
The Aventura Slide Tower is just one of the reasons this Florida mall was ranked top by USA Today. Part of American pop culture, synonymous with the age of the automobile, the rise of consumerism and the death of small town Main Street, America's malls have had a rough ride in the 21st century. While there are around 1,200 malls in the U.S., according to Capital One, it estimates that as few as 900 may still be in operation within the next three years as closures continue. The number of malls declined 16.7% per year from 2017 to 2022 and Hudson Yards in New York and American Dream in New Jersey are the only (relatively) recently completed centers in a ranking by USA Today of the top 10 malls in the country. While the demise of the department store anchors that used to define the malls as much as the movie theaters hastened so many of the well discussed troubles, along with the rise of ecommerce, physical retail – stores, malls and main streets – have revived in recent years, especially post-pandemic as people rediscovered their love for connecting in real life. Despite the losses there are plenty of successful malls and many shopping centers bear little resemblance to their former selves, with hotels, offices, residential and leisure as likely ot feature as retail. With more than 300 tenants and the largest mall in the state of Florida, Aventura Mall, located midway between the cities of Miami and Fort Lauderdale, was awarded the top spot of USA Today's 10 Best Malls list. The national newspaper lauded Aventura for its museum-worthy art collections, its chrome slide tower created by artist Carsten Holler and its claim to being the first site in Florida to host Italian dining and retail extravaganza Eataly. Time for a countdown then, the full top 10 went as follows: 10. Brookfield Place What was previously the World Financial Center in downtown Manhattan was transformed into Brookfield Place in a unique redevelopment for a mall that spans 14 acres and includes a marina, a sailing school, a culinary institute, and a glass-domed, plant-filled pavilion called The Winter Garden Atrium. With chef-driven eateries and cultural programming, Brookfield Place blends retail, lifestyle, and leisure with the Hudson River 9. Tysons Corner Center Metro D.C.'s famous mall, home to the original Apple store way back when, had a redevelopment which began 10 years ago and has turned Tysons Corner into a 24/7 urban hub that includes an 18-story Hyatt Regency hotel and a 429-unit luxury apartment tower. It has around 300 stores, 40 restaurants, a movie theater, and is anchored by department stores Macy's, Bloomingdale's, and Nordstrom, plus specialty shops like Warby Parker and Dyson. 8. Grapevine Mills This 1.8 million-sq.-ft. mall just outside the exit of DFW Airport was built for whole mix of entertainment. With over 200 shops, including outlets like Saks Off 5th and Coach, it offers a mix of value retail and entertainment such as Sea Life Aquarium, Legoland Discovery Center, Peppa Pig's Land of Play, Rainforest Café, plus activities such as an escape room, gaming bistro, bowling alley, and a 24‑screen AMC dine‑in theater. A single‑level, racetrack‑designed mall, Grapevine Mills caters to families seeking shopping, dining, and play. 7. American Dream Mall of America's Triple Five partner (see #2) ranks seventh as an indoor entertainment-meets-shopping megacomplex. Spanning 3-million-square-feet, it's the nation's second‑largest mall, with over 400 stores and 100 dining options, 20 of which are full-service restaurants. The owner had a torrid time delivering a mall that had gone through multiple blueprints and ownerships, but the scheme now includes unique attractions such as a water park, indoor snowpark, and Nickelodeon theme park. 6. Scottsdale Fashion Square Arizona's largest mall, with over 240 stores across three levels and anchors including department stores Macy's, Nordstrom, Dillard's, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Neiman Marcus, Scottsdale Fashion Square is adjacent to the Caesars Republic Hotel and holds frequent cultural events. With designer boutiques, a 14‑screen movie theater, and upscale dining, it offers a polished, luxury shopping experience for customers. 5. King of Prussia Mall The largest under‑one‑roof mall in the U.S., spanning approx. 2.8-million-square-feet and featuring 450 stores, King of Prussia Mall in Pennsylvania is anchored by Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's, Macy's, and an upscale dining pavilion. A multi-year expansion project has added over 50 restaurants and amenities to better serve an affluent shopper base and to maintain its position as a high‑end shopping destination. The sun sets behind the Vessel at Hudson Yards in New York City. (Photo by Angela Weiss / AFP) ... More (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images) 4. The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards Opened in 2019, the most recent entry on the list is Hudson Yards, a million-square-foot urban center integrating indoor and outdoor spaces with views of the Hudson River in a city that doesn't really do malls. Anchored by luxury brands and trendy eateries, The Vessel and public art add cultural flair to the scheme. It's taken a while for Hudson Yards to become part of the New York furniture in a previously ignored corner of Manhattan but the huge mixed-use complex has found its feet. 3. Galleria Dallas Ranked third, Galleria Dallas combines traditional retail with a year-round indoor ice rink, over 30 dining venues, and a broad mix of stores including children's fashion, jewelry, tech, and specialty souvenirs like Texas Treasures and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop. This three-story, climate‑controlled mall offers holiday-themed events and a festive atmosphere geared to families and locals. 2. Mall of America Once the home to Camp Snoopy in an age where attractions rarely featured in malls, the nation's largest shopping destination draws about 32 million annual visitors across over 500 stores and dozens of restaurants. Beyond shopping, it's a major entertainment complex — home to Nickelodeon Universe (the country's largest indoor theme park), Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium, Crayola Experience, Moose Mountain Adventure Golf, and hotels. 1. Aventura Mall Topping the USA Today list for its blend of luxury retail, dining, art, and accessibility is Aventura Mall. Boasting over 300 shops — including Hermès, Gucci, and first-in-state Eataly — it features more than 50 eateries, a 24-screen AMC movie theater, community events, and museum-quality art installations like Carsten Höller's chrome slide tower and Gorillas in the Mist. A Brightline train stop provides mall access from Orlando and Miami.
Fashion United
16-07-2025
- Business
- Fashion United
Kurt Geiger launching bespoke handbag service
London-based accessories and footwear brand Kurt Geiger is expanding into luxury personalisation with the launch of a 'One-Of-A-Kind' handbag service, allowing fans of the brand to create a bespoke version of its popular Mini Kensington bag. The exclusive, in-store service launches on July 23 and will allow customers to customise their Mini Kensington bag, from colour to fabrication, as well as choose hardware, chain finishes and charms. Rebecca Farrar-Hockley, chief creative officer at Kurt Geiger, said in a statement: 'At Kurt Geiger, individuality is at the heart of everything we do. With One-Of-A-Kind, we're inviting our customers to take the reins of creativity and reimagine the iconic Mini Kensington into something truly personal.' Kurt Geiger 'One-Of-A-Kind' bespoke handbag service Credits: Kurt Geiger The service will be available at Kurt Geiger's flagship stores in London and Miami, including the Oxford Street location and the boutique in Miami's Aventura Mall. Customers will be able to select from 21 colour options for the bag body, as well as 21 flap finishes, including rainbow, leather, suede, and denim. Other personalisation options include selecting from 11 eagle ornaments, 15 charms, and five chain finishes to ensure a 'unique' handbag. Prices will range from 236 to 325 pounds. Kurt Geiger 'One-Of-A-Kind' bespoke handbag service Credits: Kurt Geiger
Forbes
16-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Ranked: Sunshine State Mall Is America's Favorite As Top 10 Revealed
The Aventura Slide Tower is just one of the reasons this Florida mall was ranked top by USA Today. Part of American pop culture, synonymous with the age of the automobile, the rise of consumerism and the death of small town Main Street, America's malls have had a rough ride in the 21st century. While there are around 1,200 malls in the U.S., according to Capital One, it estimates that as few as 900 may still be in operation within the next three years as closures continue. The number of malls declined 16.7% per year from 2017 to 2022 and Hudson Yards in New York and American Dream in New Jersey are the only (relatively) recently completed centers in a ranking by USA Today of the top 10 malls in the country. While the demise of the department store anchors that used to define the malls as much as the movie theaters hastened so many of the well discussed troubles, along with the rise of ecommerce, physical retail – stores, malls and main streets – have revived in recent years, especially post-pandemic as people rediscovered their love for connecting in real life. Despite the losses there are plenty of successful malls and many shopping centers bear little resemblance to their former selves, with hotels, offices, residential and leisure as likely ot feature as retail. With more than 300 tenants and the largest mall in the state of Florida, Aventura Mall, located midway between the cities of Miami and Fort Lauderdale, was awarded the top spot of USA Today's 10 Best Malls list. The national newspaper lauded Aventura for its museum-worthy art collections, its chrome slide tower created by artist Carsten Holler and its claim to being the first site in Florida to host Italian dining and retail extravaganza Eataly. Time for a countdown then, the full top 10 went as follows: 10. Brookfield Place What was previously the World Financial Center in downtown Manhattan was transformed into Brookfield Place in a unique redevelopment for a mall that spans 14 acres and includes a marina, a sailing school, a culinary institute, and a glass-domed, plant-filled pavilion called The Winter Garden Atrium. With chef-driven eateries and cultural programming, Brookfield Place blends retail, lifestyle, and leisure with the Hudson River 9. Tysons Corner Center Metro D.C.'s famous mall, home to the original Apple store way back when, had a redevelopment which began 10 years ago and has turned Tysons Corner into a 24/7 urban hub that includes an 18-story Hyatt Regency hotel and a 429-unit luxury apartment tower. It has around 300 stores, 40 restaurants, a movie theater, and is anchored by department stores Macy's, Bloomingdale's, and Nordstrom, plus specialty shops like Warby Parker and Dyson. 8. Grapevine Mills This 1.8 million-sq.-ft. mall just outside the exit of DFW Airport was built for whole mix of entertainment. With over 200 shops, including outlets like Saks Off 5th and Coach, it offers a mix of value retail and entertainment such as Sea Life Aquarium, Legoland Discovery Center, Peppa Pig's Land of Play, Rainforest Café, plus activities such as an escape room, gaming bistro, bowling alley, and a 24‑screen AMC dine‑in theater. A single‑level, racetrack‑designed mall, Grapevine Mills caters to families seeking shopping, dining, and play. 7. American Dream Mall of America's Triple Five partner (see #2) ranks seventh as an indoor entertainment-meets-shopping megacomplex. Spanning 3-million-square-feet, it's the nation's second‑largest mall, with over 400 stores and 100 dining options, 20 of which are full-service restaurants. The owner had a torrid time delivering a mall that had gone through multiple blueprints and ownerships, but the scheme now includes unique attractions such as a water park, indoor snowpark, and Nickelodeon theme park. 6. Scottsdale Fashion Square Arizona's largest mall, with over 240 stores across three levels and anchors including department stores Macy's, Nordstrom, Dillard's, Dick's Sporting Goods, and Neiman Marcus, Scottsdale Fashion Square is adjacent to the Caesars Republic Hotel and holds frequent cultural events. With designer boutiques, a 14‑screen movie theater, and upscale dining, it offers a polished, luxury shopping experience for customers. 5. King of Prussia Mall The largest under‑one‑roof mall in the U.S., spanning approx. 2.8-million-square-feet and featuring 450 stores, King of Prussia Mall in Pennsylvania is anchored by Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's, Macy's, and an upscale dining pavilion. A multi-year expansion project has added over 50 restaurants and amenities to better serve an affluent shopper base and to maintain its position as a high‑end shopping destination. The sun sets behind the Vessel at Hudson Yards in New York City. (Photo by Angela Weiss / AFP) ... More (Photo by ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images) 4. The Shops & Restaurants at Hudson Yards Opened in 2019, the most recent entry on the list is Hudson Yards, a million-square-foot urban center integrating indoor and outdoor spaces with views of the Hudson River in a city that doesn't really do malls. Anchored by luxury brands and trendy eateries, The Vessel and public art add cultural flair to the scheme. It's taken a while for Hudson Yards to become part of the New York furniture in a previously ignored corner of Manhattan but the huge mixed-use complex has found its feet. 3. Galleria Dallas Ranked third, Galleria Dallas combines traditional retail with a year-round indoor ice rink, over 30 dining venues, and a broad mix of stores including children's fashion, jewelry, tech, and specialty souvenirs like Texas Treasures and the Dallas Cowboys Pro Shop. This three-story, climate‑controlled mall offers holiday-themed events and a festive atmosphere geared to families and locals. 2. Mall of America Once the home to Camp Snoopy in an age where attractions rarely featured in malls, the nation's largest shopping destination draws about 32 million annual visitors across over 500 stores and dozens of restaurants. Beyond shopping, it's a major entertainment complex — home to Nickelodeon Universe (the country's largest indoor theme park), Sea Life Minnesota Aquarium, Crayola Experience, Moose Mountain Adventure Golf, and hotels. 1. Aventura Mall Topping the USA Today list for its blend of luxury retail, dining, art, and accessibility is Aventura Mall. Boasting over 300 shops — including Hermès, Gucci, and first-in-state Eataly — it features more than 50 eateries, a 24-screen AMC movie theater, community events, and museum-quality art installations like Carsten Höller's chrome slide tower and Gorillas in the Mist. A Brightline train stop provides mall access from Orlando and Miami.
