The 10 Best Shopping Centers in America

Reports of the death of shopping centers have been circulating for years, but apparently the country’s best malls never got the memo.

It turns out that the really good centers in America are thriving more than ever and, in fact, 10 of them rank among the best shopping experiences anywhere.

USA Today, which loves to rank anything that’s not nailed down, just released its list of the 10 best malls in the country, voted upon by its readers in what is as much a popularity contest as it is a testament to outstanding retailing. Nevertheless, the list includes centers that the industry frequently cites as among the best, but there are also a couple of surprises.

Get your shopping shoes ready:

1. Peddler’s Village, Lahaska, PA. Certainly an unexpected choice, this 60-store, 42-acre outdoor center in Bucks County has all the “storybook charm” one would expect plus Strawberry and Scarecrow Festivals — not something most other malls can claim.

2. Ala Moa Center, Honolulu. It claims to be the largest open-air mall in the country with 350 stores and 160 dining choices, but let’s face it: It’s in Hawaii, so of course it’s great.

3. The Shops at La Cantera, San Antonio. Another open-air center — are you sensing a trend? — this one has 150 stores and all kinds of water features, which make sense for Texas.

4. Kitchen Kettle Village, Intercourse, PA. Another unexpected choice, but perfect for tourists in Pennsylvania Dutch Country with its 40 stores and eateries. And yes, that’s the actual name of the town.

5. Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, IL. The only traditional mall to make the list, this Chicagoland staple has all the standards of the genre and its enclosed structure makes perfect sense during those long winters.

6. Fashion Island, Newport Beach, CA. One of the best-known open-air centers in the country, this one attracts all of Orange County’s finest to its location near the beach.

7. Easton Town Center, Columbus, OH. Another outdoor center that braves those Midwest winters with its more than 200 stores and businesses.

8. Scottsdale Quarter, Scottsdale, AZ. This is also an open-air center but the issue here is the heat, not the cold, yet the weather doesn’t seem to bother shoppers at either location.

9. Kierland Commons, Scottsdale, AZ. The second selection from the affluent Arizona town, this 70-store and restaurant destination is another outdoor choice, confirming that the locals do leave their AC sometimes.

10. The Point, El Segundo, CA. The list finishes up with one more open-air pick, which should give mall developers proof that this is how consumers want to mall today.