Somerset Collection

Somerset Collection is, hands down, the fanciest mall in Michigan — and it knows it. Split into a North and a South building straddling Big Beaver Road, the two halves are linked by a glass-enclosed moving skywalk that glides you over the traffic in climate-controlled style. It’s genuinely a little theatrical, in the best way.

We came for the Apple Store and stayed because the place is just a pleasure to wander: bright, gleaming, full of light, and lined with everything from Nordstrom and Macy’s to the kind of luxury names you don’t find under one roof anywhere else in the metro. But our favorite stop was the one with the most heart — The Detroit Shoppe, a love letter to the city stocked with local-made goods and Motor City memorabilia. (We walked out with a 45 record carrying one of Berry Gordy’s earliest songwriting credits — the sort of small, perfect find that makes a trip.)

A few honest notes: prices run high, parking can be a hassle, and it’s cold inside even in summer (bring a layer). But for a polished, do-it-all afternoon of shopping, food, and people-watching — especially around the holidays, when the decorations come out — Somerset is the gold standard. Pro tip: ride the skywalk at least once, just because.