1451 Coral Ridge Avenue
Coralville, Iowa
When reviewer Chelsea (of Mommalou)‘s family drives from Kansas City to Northern Michigan every year, they always stop in Coralville, Iowa to enjoy the Coral Ridge Mall.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Chelsea writes. “A mall? Lame! But this mall is great. You can see it from the expressway, so it doesn’t require out-of-the-way travel time. It has a carousel, an ice rink and a children’s museum. We pretty regularly do the carousel, children’s museum, and we eat. We have yet to do the skating, but heck -why not?! Probably because we could spend all day there!”
The reviewer's daughter enjoys the children's museum.
The children’s museum is no small operation: it offers five main galleries on two levels, including CityWorks, Notion of Motion, and ImaginAcres, a preschool paradise.
The carousel is located on the north side by the food court, and there‘s also a full cinema. If you’re looking for something more low-key, there’s a children’s soft play area near the Barnes and Noble. (Sounds like a perfect combination!)
Date last visited: Annually.
Distance off the interstate: Directly off I-80.
Hours and Admission Prices:
Mall hours: Monday-Saturday: 10:00am-9:00pm, Sunday: 11:00am-6:00pm
Children’s Museum Hours: Tuesday-Thursday: 10am-6pm, Friday-Saturday: 10am-8pm, Sunday: 11am-6pm Admission: 1-59: $6, Seniors (60+): $5, Infants (under 1): FREE
Food Services: Besides the food court with the usual mall food offerings, there’s a Panera Bread Co, an Olive Garden, a Red Lobster, and Chili’s, and a Bennagan’s all located within the mall.
Website: Mall: http://www.coralridgemall.com/ Children’s Museum: http://www.theicm.org/
Directions: From I-80 (near Iowa City), take Exit 240.
It doesn’t sound lame to me! While I might have shunned it in my single days, having kids makes you “stop and smell the roses”, even in the form of a mall.
That’s the truth!