I visited Minneapolis in 2007 and went to the Mall of America since I heard so much about it. For me and my husband, the best part was the amusement park area since it was so different (being inside a mall and all). We didn't bring our children with us so we didn't utilize the amusement park that much - we just walked around it and looked at everything. As for the stores, they were ok - nothing spectacular since most of them were chain stores. There were just a handful of stores that I never seen before and those were interesting to visit. I can now say "Been there, done that" and checked the Mall of America off of my list.
Some of my friends from church grew up in the Minneapolis area and gave us some great ideas of where to visit.
1.) One place is Somerset, which is beautiful! There are lots of cute small town shops and local restaurants that are really good. The small town shops were just adorable! The uniqueness was such a nice change of pace. Would definitely visit Somerset again.
2.) Since you will be close to the river, in Stillwater, MN there are lots of cool places to go shopping and eat. One of my favorites is a restaurant called The Freight House: http://www.fhstillwater.com . There is so much history and a beautiful drive in and around Stillwater.
3.) If you want to have a really good/fancy meal that is towards the side of Minneapolis is Ciao Bella Restaurant: 3501 Minnesota Drive, Bloomington, MN. My friends really miss this restaurant. Unfortunately, my husband and I ran out of time and didn't get to experience this restaurant.
4.) If you are in the mood for some great art and culture, the Walker Art Center and outdoor sculpture garden is a wonderful option. My husband's friend proposed to her the sculpture garden. Depending on when you go during the year, my friend said that you could even get a sandwich from a close by shop and have a picnic in the park. It is a beautiful place to be especially since it sits on the edge of downtown Minneapolis.
Hope this helps! Y'all have lots of fun!
Smiles,
K.