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Parking, mile-long register lines, that heart wrenching feeling you get when you spot the item of your desires being whisked away by another, only to be informed that it was the last one in stock— it all comes with the package of holiday mall madness. But brick-and-mortars are, after all, a holiday tradition, and you have to admit that indulging in a bit of retail bravado is kind of fun sometimes.
And so for that reason we've created a handy Miami mall guide. It's an effort to solve your mega dilemmas with the city's mega shopping and outlet malls. We've listed them out in alphabetical order, along with their store hours, parking recommendations, and any special sales or services they'll be offering on the biggest day for retail of the year. Click through to start sorting out your shopping sitch, and best of luck!
AVENTURA MALL
Hours: Aventura Mall will open at 6pm on Thanksgiving and close at midnight. The mall will be open on Black Friday from 6am until 10pm. All department stores except for Bloomingdales and Nordstrom will be open on Thanksgiving day, and JC Penney is throwing you a bonus hour by opening at 5pm. Bloomingdales will reopen on Black Friday at 7am, while Nordstrom will reopen at 9am.
Parking: Can't find parking? The Aventura Mall app can help you find the closest parking to where you're going. Or, you can forego the entire self-parking dilemma and valet your car over at The Piazza, Grand Lux, Nordstrom or on the fifth level of the Bloomingdale's garage.
Good to know: It's easy to keep husbands entertained here. This year the mall is hosting a Citi Lounge in the Center Court, which is open to the public and features fashion, beauty, and taste events from Aventura Mall stores and restaurants, not to mention free gift wrapping and coffee, and access to special savings from stores within the mall if you're a Citi cardmember. As for the kids, Aventura's "Model Train Station" display should provide some entertainment for them, and photos with Santa could present some entertainment for you.
BAL HARBOUR SHOPS
Hours: Bal Harbour Shops is closed on Thanksgiving day, but will be open from 9am to 9pm on Black Friday. Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue will both open at 8am, however Saks will remain open until 9:30, will Neiman Marcus will be open until 10pm.
Parking: Compared to other malls, Bal Harbour Shop's parking options are slimmer, however so is the amount of people. Get there early, or take advantage of Bal Harbour's valet service.
Good to know: Don't expect any doorbuster deals (did you really?), but do expect a relaxing afternoon strolling under the mall's poinsettia trees and holiday lights. In the meantime, oogle at the mall's annual gift guide.
DADELAND MALL
Hours: Dadeland Mall will be open on Thanksgiving from 6pm to 1am, and will reopen on Black Friday at 6am. The mall will close at 10pm that evening. Macy's, on the other hand, will remain open through the night.
Parking: Parking at Dadeland fills up fast, but luckily there's valet. Check any of Dadeland's other social media sites for parking updates, or simply download the Simon app to keep up-to-date with your Black Friday intel. If all else fails, you could always pay for parking across the street at Downtown Dadeland, which is just a quick walk from the mall's new wing.
Good to know: If you really need that extra push through the mall, Dadeland offers a complimentary personal shopping service, where a "style expert" will walk the mall with you and help you pick out your wardrobe and gifts. In addition, the first 100 shoppers to visit guest services on Friday score a special gift bag filled with special savings throughout the mall. The mall will also be providing complimentary package checking and, wait for it... phone charging stations!
DOLPHIN MALL
Hours: Dolphin Mall one upped Sawgrass Mills in that it's offering 29 straight hours of shopping, starting at 6pm on Thanksgiving and ending at 11pm on Friday.
Parking: Unfortunately those 360 parking spots we talked about last week won't be finished in time for Friday, so for now bring some provisions to keep you energized as you circle the parking lot over and over and over again.
Good to know: The savings are insane, whether you're catching Movado's 50 to 70 percent off sale or you're splurging on everything at Banana Republic for half off. Try and meet up with the mall staff at the entrances, who will be giving away fliers that detail all the deals throughout the mall. In addition, you'll get the chance to win a $2,500 to $1,000 gift card to the mall over the weekend!
THE FALLS
Hours: The Falls will be open 6pm to 1am on Thanksgiving, and then from 7am through 10pm on Black Friday. Bloomingdales will be closed on Thanksgiving, but will remain open from 7am to 10pm the next day. Macy's will remain open through the night, according to its website.
Parking: If you go to The Falls, make sure you valet your car. It's free, and you'll receive a $5 discount to use at some of the mall's restaurants. Otherwise, download the Simon mall app to keep you updated, and make sure to get there early.
Good to know: There are two reasons to visit The Fall's guest services booth. One, to pick up your "Holiday Coupon Book" full of savings. Two, to enter in a $500 American Express shopping spree, which comes with an American Girl doll and prizes from retailers at the mall.
FLORIDA KEYS OUTLET CENTER
Hours: The Florida Keys Outlet Center will be open on Black Friday from 7am through 10pm.
Parking: We all know how rough parking at outlet malls can be, so download the Simon app which will help facilitate the situation for you.
Good to know: The outlet is much smaller than its closest rival, Dolphin Mall, so don't expect the huge swarms, nor a huge pool of stores to choose from. Expect, instead, plenty of savings on everyday brands like Tommy Hilfigure (40 to 60 percent off everything!), Levi's ($39.99 jeans!) and Izod (60 percent off golfing goods. Go dad)!
MIAMI INTERNATIONAL MALL
Hours: Miami International Mall will be open 6pm to 1am on Thanksgiving, and then from 7am through 10pm on Black Friday.
Parking: Parking at Miami International Mall can be quite tricky, so make sure you get there with time.
Good to know: If you're in need of a serious shopping break, visit the Rejuvenation Station in front of Coach for complimentary coffee, donuts and massages. The mall also has charging stations at seating areas, a shopper shuttle from the main entrance to shopper's cars, a valet service, and several holiday performances.
SAWGRASS MILLS
Hours: Sawgrass Mills will be open a straight 27 hours starting at 6pm on Thanksgiving day. Brandsmart will be opening earlier at 4pm.
Parking: Parking at Sawgrass can be a nightmare, even with valet. Our only suggestion is to get there early, or camp out. One thing that will help this year, is that they've created special off-site lots for employees to park, which will make life easier for you the shopper.
Good to know: No need to tout your bags around America's largest outlet mall, because you can store them at Sawgrass for free! As of today, the Sawgrass Mills circle bus will run throughout the evening and day to take you from one end of the mall to the other
SUNSET PLACE
Hours: Sunset Place will be closed on Thanksgiving and reopening at 9am on Black Friday. The mall will be staying open until 11pm that day.
Parking: Parking within Sunset Place during the holidays is discounted, but if you're unable to find parking in the garage, check the meters, tuck your car in a paid parking lot just a block away, or simply head to the garage where Ra is.
Good to know: Forget the North Pole. Sunset has holiday helpers who will lug purchases to your car for you.
WESTLAND MALL
Hours: Westland Mall opens at 6pm on Thanksgiving and closes on Black Friday at 10pm. JCPenney will open at 5pm on Thanksgiving and will remain open until close the next day.
Parking: A mall rep suggests carpooling, as parking will most likely be at capacity on Black Friday.
Good to know: Check out the Tous Pop-Up cart, and don't forget there's a Toys R Us Express inside, so you can knock some things out for the kids as well. If you're hungry, check out Westland's newly renovated food court, and then head on over to the center court to hear Hialeah's Yuletide Carolers sing from 3 to 4pm.
· The Biggest Black Friday Sales List You've Ever Seen [Racked Miami]
· Black Friday [Racked Miami]