Galleria

Ice skating. Shopping. An icy, air-conditioned oasis in the Dallas summer. This is what Galleria Dallas brings to mind, and to reality for its shoppers.

The centerpiece of this North Dallas landmark is a large ice-skating rink, located in the center of the mall and visible from terraces on each floor. It's a great spot for people-watching, and even ice skating if you're adventurous. Admission is $8 and skate rental is $3.

But most don't come here to skate. Galleria Dallas hosts 19 million shoppers a year and is home to more than 200 stores, some of them unusual destinations, including the only American Girl Bistro and Boutique in Texas. Macy's, Nordstrom and Saks are among the anchor stores. Coming into town? Stay at the Westin Hotel Galleria, which is an actual part of the mall building. Wake up, have a coffee, and be shopping in minutes.

The variety of stores is truly eclectic, with furniture running the gamut from Pottery Barn to something called the LoveSac (a sort of beanbag). There's high-end stationary at Papyrus, high-tech gadgets at Brookstone, and, of course, mall standbys like Old Navy and Victoria's Secret.

Galleria Dallas is rather tony, given the high-income part of town it's in (close to I-635 and the Dallas North Tollway), but it's not snobby. You'll see your share of roaming teenagers next to the moms with the thousand-dollar strollers. Galleria Dallas is an especially nice destination in the summer, when being outside is miserable, but you'd still like to take a stroll.

HelloDallas tip: For the toddler set, there is a jungle-themed play area on the third floor for guests 42" and under.

- by Jessica Burgess, Dallas Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Jessica Burgess

Jessica Burgess spent most of the '00s working for The Dallas Morning News and San Antonio Express News as an editor and writer, and now she teaches high school journalism. She has resided in the Dallas area for 29 out of her 33 years. She is married with a toddler son.