Tysons Corner Center

Tysons Corner Center is the best option if you want to spend a day at a shopping mall and you live in either Washington D. C. or Virginia. Although this mall is technically situated in Virginia, you can quite easily access it from Washington D. C., as it is close to the US capital city, and the city's metro system allows you to reach several areas in Virginia - it has numerous metro stops in the state.

Tysons Corner Center is a great option when it comes to enjoying a day of shopping because it is the most comprehensive in this part of the United States of America. It has a large number of shops, huge department stores, restaurants and fast food chains, as well as a cinema. This shopping mall is genuinely massive, and you will find anything and everything that you are looking for right here in Tysons Corner. It is spread across three floors, which are accessible via lifts and escalators. There is lots of on-site parking, as well as an outdoor square.

Within the outer square, there is a Shake Shack, as well as a large play area for children, tables and chairs that you can eat at, chess boards and ping pong tables, and a space where they hold concerts or screen films outdoors. It couldn't be more comprehensive if it tried. However, to this day, I haven't had the opportunity to enjoy this outdoor area for myself because it is winter and, every time that I have been, it has snowed. I am sure that, when the better weather comes, I will spend a lot of time there. I have only been to the Shake Shack, but, even then, only inside it. To get to this outlet, you have to enter from outside, as it doesn't have a direct entrance from inside the centre itself. That being said, there are signs that point you in the right direction of it, as well as other stores and eateries. Shake Shack is an American fast food chain famous for its Angus beef burgers, its crinkle-cut fries and its hot dogs, although they also sell some amazing milkshakes. They don't do combo meals, meaning that you have to order each item separately, so it ends up being a little more expensive than McDonalds. Something strange that I've noticed is becoming increasingly more "on trend" at restaurants is that they give you a little device that vibrates when your order is ready. They also have a stand where you can grab ketchup, water and other things that you may need, just like at Starbucks.

The number of stores that Tysons Corner is home to is really rather extensive, and amongst these, you will find: Zara, Forever 21, H&M, Disney, Michael Kors, GAP, Abercrombie & Fitch, Sephora, Victoria's Secret, The North Face, Apple Store, Foot Locker, Louis Vuitton, LEGO, Guess, Barnes & Noble, Levi's, and Gucci.

With regards to the big department stores that it is, they serve as a great advantage of coming and shopping here because, although they usually sell almost all of the same products and have the same departments, each one has their own sales and prices, as well as a diverse range of brands. At Tysons Corner, there is a Macy*s, Bloomingdale's and Lord & Taylor; it is only missing Barney's to have the full set of the most popular American department stores. You can find Macy*s stores across Washington D. C. and in the city's outskirts, but in case of Bloomingdale's, this is the first time that I have ever seen one; I was very excited about this because it's where Rachel worked in the hit TV series, Friends. I would classify Bloomingdale's as a department stores that sells more luxurious items from more famous brands than Macy*s, but the format and layout of both stores is practically the same. Each of the three department stores occupies units on all three levels, and they are divided up into Women, Men, and Home. What I personally like the most about these department stores are the huge sales that you find on big-name brands, like Michael Kors and Tommy Hilfiger.

In addition to all of this, there are coffee shops, like Starbucks, fast food chains (McDonalds, Sbarro or Subway) and restaurants, like Kelly's Cajun Grill. The options for dining or simply grabbing a snack are as endless as the clothing stores here. They even have a sushi bar that goes around on a conveyor belt!

On the third floor, there are more restaurants, play areas for children, and a cinema. As you can see, it is very comprehensive in what it offers, and only really lacks a supermarket for it to be the perfect shopping destination; although, for how far away it is, it doesn't massively bother me.

To get to the mall, you can travel either by car or by metro. If you choose the latter option, the stop that you must alight at is called "Tysons Corner" and is served by the silver line. The stop itself is situated very close to the mall, but you do have to walk a little bit of the way; you shouldn't get lost, but if you don't know how to get there, I recommend following the crowd or asking someone.