University Village

Great place to hang out specially Fall time and December, great for family because U village are open shopping mall and perfect for kids while shopping. Winter time was festive decor and more fun to walk. At the time starbucks are in the process of renovation. Lots of restaurants and home shopping close the beach other. Love this place

We walked over to get an early dinner at Eureka and discovered a lovely outdoor shopping mall! There was something for everyone here, lots of dining options and countless retail stores (well, not really countless, but ain’t nobody got time for that). We appreciated the outdoor seating and art fixtures. Worth stopping in if you’re in the area.

Fabulous place to shop. Easy walkable with flat wide pathways, free parking lots of cute boutique stores and big name stores like Pottery Barn and Williams & Sonoma. Easy access for disabled. Carefully Curated selections at every store. Umbrellas available everywhere. We had a great meal with short wait on the Saturday before Christmas at Dim Sum.

Generally overpriced stuff but it was an evening the week before Christmas, lots of people milling around, decorated lovely for the holiday, so frankly it felt a bit magical. Found a couple of cute shops but the prices stopped me from buying anything. All in all it was fun to browse and do a bit of window shopping, and it had a delightful holiday vibe going.

Such a nice, cool and modernized shopping mall with many restaurants. Also you can find lots of art

I love spending time here! Either with friends, family, clubs, groups, or even just alone (although it’s not as fun alone). This is an amazing place with amazing stores. I would say it is quite pricey…

University Village offers convenient free parking, which makes shopping trips stress-free. I love that it features all my favorite stores, making it a one-stop destination for everything I need. The selection of restaurants is fantastic, with plenty of great options to choose from. However, the security could be improved. I’ve reported issues with people parking in spaces designated for daycare, but nothing has been done. As a result, I’ve stopped worrying about it and now park wherever I can find a spot.

Went to Hey Bagels in U Village. Bought a dozen bagels, some plain cream cheese and a large drip coffee. Bagels and cream cheese were great but the coffee was terrible. I think I've had better coffee at a freeway rest stop with powdered cream. Absolutely the worst. To add insult to injury, my debit card was over-charged $20.00. The charge was for $77 bucks. I can kinda expect the hit for $50 for my food plus tip and tax. In conclusion, I hope they improve their coffee brewing process. And I remind shoppers to review the charges on their debit cards.

If you don't mind shopping in freezing temps then you should be fine at this open air shopping center. Definitely a Southern California vibe to it. This is my third favorite shopping center in Western WA. First one is Southcenter mall (indoor), second one is the outlet mall in Tulalip (deals). I like coming here because U Village has a unique mix of national chains and local stores. It's pretty clean and most people are pleasant. They have a nice variety of restaurants too. I had my first DTF dining experience here shortly after they arrived in 2013. A new bagel shop recently opened. Get there early so you can get the best picks. If you're meeting up with friends there are a couple of buses from UW that'll take you down here. Surface parking is limited but at least they built multiple garages to accommodate shoppers. Kind of a nightmare getting out of there on the weekend but that's just how it is. They also hold special events like summer concerts and celebrations like Christmas and Lunar New Year.

This area has really grown up over the past two decades. It's so beautiful to see. This outdoor food and retail shopping destination has everything. I recently visited for lunch at Ding Tai Fung and shopping at Williams Sonoma, Crate and Barrel and Restoration Hardware. Yes, we also went to Starbucks. There's even a QFC market, in case you need groceries. There is parking but it's quite busy here and spots fill quickly, this includes weekdays. You can make a long afternoon here. We actually went before a UW game, so be mindful of game days because of the traffic. See website for more information and hours.

UVillage is always busy, especially being so close to UW campus. The best thing about this shopping plaza is that it's outdoors, which is not common in Seattle. You'll find the usual selection of mall stores here like Aritzia, Sephora, and VS. I'm a fan of Allbirds myself. The food options are pretty lackluster here, and best bet is Din Tai Fung. Parking can also be tough, as this place gets packed.

This is a cute area meant for monied, or soon to be monied (college graduates) people. It reminds me of the village near Stanford University, but much more compact. I liked walking around this area and they had a nice parking garage. I did go into Rothys, but didn't try on shoes because I was with my husband, kid and grandkid. I had an online class, so had to take an UBER to meet them up there. We ate at Eureka and I shopped in another place, where I bought a perfume that gave me a headache. I'm too far to return it. And we bought some candy, which I'm sure the grandkid loved because his father doesn't allow that often. We went to a place with speakers and keyboards for gamers. We ended with me purchasing some very good glute free cupcakes. They were wonderful!!! And the box held them perfectly. There was no sliding frosting or anything. I really appreciated that. I don't know if

Love coming here. U Village an upscale outdoor mall. Love the atmosphere and the layout is truly like a village. LOL! Assorted Stores and Restaurants available. To name a few: Apple store, QFC, Banana Republic, Away Travel, Shake Shack, Amazon books, Franki & Jo's ice cream shop, All Birds, Din Tai Fung, CB2, Crate and Barrel, Pottery barn kids, Hanna Anderson, Shawarma King, Levi's and many more! The vibe is chill. Abundance of space to walk around. This place can hold a large amount of crowd. The restroom stalls have their own sink and trash container (really like that). Dog friendly. The parking can be an issue should you decide to park near the shopping stores. However, there is a multi-level garage parking available as well. I usually am fortunate to alway find a parking spot. I stopped by to visit the Away Travel store to pick up my 2nd Away Large luggage on 4/4/23. I'm so happy with the color sand. I don't always come here but when I do, my family and I enjoy. It's a pretty fun and cool place!

My favorite shopping area is close to seattle. Although there aren't a huge variety of stores like other malls, they have a good variety. The surroundings are pretty too. They have many places for food and drinks. There is plenty of parking but it can take a while to park. I usually like to go get some hot chocolate or Rachel's ginger beer and do some shopping or just window shopping and walk around. A lot of cute shops to do window shopping. Would highly recommend this place.

I drive from the Tacoma area to U village because of the selection of stores and the ease of parking. I love William and Sonoma,Anthropolgie, and crate and barrel. The stores are on the more expensive side so I don't go there often. As I always I try to review the bathrooms that are huge with their oval sinks in each stall and very clean. If you're looking for urban wear or Sneakers this is not the place. Hours Mon - Sat: 10am to 8pm Sun: 11am to 6pm 2623 NE UNIVERSITY VILLAGE ST. SEATTLE, WA 98105

The mall reminds me of the malls in San Diego, minus the sunshine. It's nice to be outdoors, even in the drizzle. There's a boatload of stores at primarily higher price points, and a plethora of restaurants to choose from, including Din Tai Fung which is quite popular. Bamboo Sushi is a great place to stop for lunch or dinner and Hello Robin never disappoints. Parking borders on ridiculous especially during the holidays; be sure to plan an extra 30 minutes or so to circle the various parking structures.

Shopping plaza located near the University of Washington. Places to eat, shop, play, and socialize for everyone in the family. Enclosed free playground for kids with seating. Apple store, Shake Shack, QFC, Bookstore, Starbucks, lawn area for picnic, Rivian showroom and much more. Busy on the weekends and evenings so come early. Bathrooms located onsite for free. Limited parking. Prices are reasonable. Hot spot for many.

University Village is a large network of stores. A squared strip mall composed of a bunch of stores and restaurants. It's pretty cool. The only thing similar we have to this back in NJ would be the 'Outlets'. So much is here, you could do probably all your shopping here on one visit and I'd wager to guess that's what most of the folks who come here do. On the nicest of days, it's great place to kill some time, get some sweet treats. You might score browse the clothes at Banana, pick up a new pair of kicks at Van's, get grandma's prescription at Bartells. Go over to QFC to food shop, get an air freshener for the car at O'reillys. So on and so on. There is a lot here. University Village, or for short U-Village, named for its proximity to University of Washington where not just locals, but college students can come to do their thing. Buildings nearby will add to this be it students or occupants of those new luxury dwellings. U-Village is nice and all but it isn't without it's expected problems. It was a "nice" day, a little cool outside, weekday and it was pretty crowded, not even a picture perfect day. I can't even imagine trying to come here on a day where it's like 75 degrees, sunny on a Saturday. Parking is not the easiest as is. Lots of being in the right place sorta thing. There is a parking garage to help with this, but yeah, it's tricky. Lots of folks all over the place so gotta have patience. There are decent attempts to make walking lines and paths as you make your way across driving areas and the parking lot but it's still a lot going on. If you can get past the inevitable crowded-ness, there is quite a bit of outdoor mall-ing to do here.

Not very big, a bit spread out, and more boutique than mall. If you're looking for high-end goods, it might be an option, but certainly not a mall in the traditional sense that we were looking for.

University Village in U-District is probably one of the best if not the best outdoor shopping mall/urban development I've ever been to. As a realtor in Texas and someone that overanalyzes most buildings and public places I go to, I think UVILL is exceptionally laid out, has stores and restaurants that are places I would actually go to, and is kept very clean from each of the times I have visited. The stores at UVILL range from Restoration Hardware to Warby Parker, and the restaurants include everything from Din Tai Fun to Chipotle. One of the best parts of UVILL is the fact that the parking is free (for now) making it a nice stop even if you are only going to buy something in particular or just getting something from Chipotle or Jamba. I see reviews on here complaining about the parking but there are actually two parking garages both with something like 6 floors and I've never had any issues finding a spot even if I have to go a bit further up. Over the years, from when I visited Seattle or lived in U-District, I always enjoyed spending some time at UVILL with friends or just to pick up whatever I might need. It is almost always very lively and there are people walking dogs throughout the area as well. Also, Molly Moon's is better than Salt & Straw uh huh

My absolute favorite place to shop in Washington. U Village has the best shops and best food options. I'm also madly in love with how they redesigned the area to feature this really serene and peaceful open lawn where you can eat and they host music events. My go to places are: Elemental, Ma Ono, Delfinos, Shake Shack, Pasta & Co- Food/drinks H&M, Gap, Aritza, Sephora, Victoria's Secret, Gap, Banana Republic Definitely a must visit

University Village (or U Village for short) is an outdoor mall that has shops, restaurants, bars, and really everything that you'd need for your shopping needs. There is a wide range from locally-owned shops/restaurants to the nationally-recognized brands. For parking, there are multiple parking structures and lots throughout the mall but it can get pretty hectic during the busiest times. Especially during nice summer days and evenings you might end up parking on the top level because it's all filled (speaking from personal experience). After that though, it's very pedestrian friendly and it's easy to get around. It's close to University of Washington but the only issue is that it's not close to the light rail station (20+ minute walk from both the UW and U District stations). Busses are more convenient for that reason if you don't want to drive. Whether you want to study at the Starbucks, buy a new sectional for your home, celebrate a special occasion at dinner, go grocery shopping, or just stroll around and window-shop, all of that can be done here.

Really nice shopping area with tons of fun shops and places to eat. It's open air and has nice upscale ambiance. Lots of shops like Pottery Barn, a garden store, small local shops. It's a fun place to amble and browse. I like the idea of having yellow umbrellas everywhere in case of rain. Very thoughtful! You can spend half a day just wandering. There's a parking garage and the most fun elevator area! They play animal sounds that match the parking level floor you've parked on. So if you're parked on "bear" level, there's a bear growl as you approach the elevators. How fun is that?

This area is awesome! We came here for some shopping and it was a great time! They have lots of great stores and restaurants. We also came in the fall and the color of the leaves were so beautiful. They keep up the place super well and have umbrellas for people to use when they are shopping. We would love to come back to this area next time we are in Seattle.

I like this Mall. It has a very good array of shops to visit, a nice grocery, and good play area for the littles. Parking is at s premium, but a steady in out works, so you don't really have to wait too long.

The weather was perfect, a little breezy and sunny at the same time. Just strolling to different shops and shopping. U Village is really nice, it wasn't too crowded and plenty of shops to go to and variety of places to eat at. I would highly recommend it. Just a good place to window shop and what not.

I have travelled to many places and parked all over the world but NEVER EVER have I ever experienced the worst and I mean absolutely the worse parking ever in the entire world. We visited the mall on a Sunday and the parking and traffic into and out of this mall is horrendously awful!!! It took us an hour to enter the north parkade and find a spot. Parking was a joke! It took us 35 minutes to get from level D to level C as we were leaving. There was road rage everywhere. Not only was I fearful for my life, but I also thought I would have to sleep overnight in this parking lot. As a tourist, I could not believe why this mall was so busy. However, The mall itself was pretty standard with some unique stores. If you're not patient and don't have all the time in the world, then don't bother visiting.

They have Molly moon. That's it one star. Molly moon is a decrepit establishment and it's a shame that they have to audacity to say that they sever ice cream and not the nonsense that they do.

People don't stop at stop signs and park in the middle of the street. The HANDICAP spots are always taken by non handicap people. They need to manage the traffic and parking rules better. People there think they are above the law. If you want to be surrounded by pompous Karens, then the U-Village is the place to go!

I was in Seattle for 2 weeks for work. I had a lunch date with my neice here and we caught up on what's happening with our lives. Haven't seen her in years. I was an hour too early so I decided to stroll and walk around. This is a beautiful shopping mall. It reminded me of San Jose, California's SANTANA ROW. It's outdoors and the set up was pretty modern. There's lots and of parking and there's a lot of peopLe shopping. It was pretty exciting watching people enjoying their shopping time.

This place has garage parking and umbrella's to use in case it rains. The bathroom near the "Kumon" store also has a "woman's lounge" for mom's to nurse and even a play kitchen for kids! Outdoor mall and some eateries around as well. There is a QFC supermarket next to this mall if you dont want sky rocket prices for meals.

While I focused most of my Seattle time on experiencing local restaurants, vendors, and retailers, the truth is that occasionally you need the creature comforts of national brands and some good old shopping. Such is the case with University Village - Seattle's only outdoor lifestyle shopping center with a mix of locally owned boutiques, signature fashion and home-furnishing retailers, and a variety of restaurants and eateries. I'd been referred to University Village by the desk attendants at my hotel. I was staying about a mile from University Village and was really in the mood to do some special dining in my last couple days in Seattle. University Village has 120+ stores and restaurants and is open 7 days a week. To be honest, it wasn't super easy to get to from the hotel (keep in mind I was wheeling in a wheelchair) but I was able to make it happen with some effort. Returning to the hotel was actually more challenging as it was more uphill. Fun facts about University Village - It's home to the second Starbucks to ever open. It opened in 1972. University Village is also home to the oldest family-owned drug store in the nation - Bartell Drugs. University Village actively supports Ronald McDonald House of Western Washington and Alaska and Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. It has been around since the 1950s. University Village is the exclusive destination in Washington to find notable brands such as Room & Board, RH Gallery, Brandy Melville, Pottery Barn Kids, and Scotch & Soda and has a wide variety of dining options including Elemental Wood Fired Pizza and internationally renowned cuisine at Din Tai Fung. While I didn't focus my time here, it was actually kind of nice to see something along the lines of University Village since I spent so much of my time with smaller indie vendors. A good number of vendors offer curbside pick-up with 3-minute parking stalls. They also offer three parking garages and can be accessed via Link Light Rail, Metro Transit, and Metro Bus. They have electric vehicle charging stations, water refill stations, and women's lounges (for nursing). I found a good majority of the vendors to be strong in the area of accessibility in both doorways and throughout stores. Overall, I was able to get what I needed here and check out some national chains and some vendors and eateries local to Washington. So much of Seattle seems to have either limited or tight parking - this place is the closest I experienced to a traditional shopping center and its popularity is obvious. It's definitely worth checking out and if you find yourself traveling in Seattle and in need of supplies you can probably find it here. Their directory is on their website.

HMM- someone liked my poem from years ago. I certainly have been here many times since. It is crowded. The QFC parking lot is your best bet. Suck it up and go shop. I no longer go so often due to parking, crowds and the plastic grass!

It's always nice to take a stroll outdoors while doing your shopping, whether simply taking in the latest styles and trends, or looking for something in particular. The U-Village offers that; with plenty of well-maintained sidewalks, umbrellas for the rainy season and a variety of shops and restaurants from which to choose. Most shops tend to be high end, so it seems most everyone is at one of several Starbucks's on site, or Jamba Juice, Trophy Cupcakes, or something of the like. Either that, or find the crowds at the Apple or Microsoft stores located across the parking lot from each other, vying for your attention.

This shopping center has everything. great outdoor experience, great food and clothing 100% recommend going here.

This mall/hangout shopping experience is great! The entire layout is well done and they just added a Lucid Sales center near Starbucks and LuLu Lemon. Lots of chairs to sit in and just hang out while staring at your phone to avoid actual human interaction.

This is a pretty cool little shopping village in a busy little portion of Seattle. You can find all kinds of goods to your liking as well as a great spot to people watch. Some of the artwork they have on display here as well is pretty amazing - love the sculptures and enjoy the creativity shared. Pretty inspiring.

they like to say they are "local." Yet, almost every little Indy was forced out to make way for corporate giants like PotteryBarn. And fix your North Side escalators and elevator that lead to your Northern parking garage. For months, this mall has posted signs that their escalators are shut down for maintenance. They also have one elevator out of service. This i forces shoppers to either wait and wait for an elevator, or walk up a couple of flights of stairs .... not an easy task for mothers with strollers or elderly, or people carrying a lot of packages. One month later...not fixed!

A lot of good things in one place with free parking!!!! It's an outdoor shopping village. I used to come here a lot during my UW days! #BusinesSchool ftw! It look so different now. So much expansion, remodeling and just pure growth. Look nothing like what it did 5 years ago. Insane!! Now, it's under constructions ( more expansions), busier, livelier! And they purposely only bring in higher end food as oppose to the "mall food". They have din tai fung, Ba bar, bamboo! All in an open/outdoor village. Many shops. Room and board, Apple new location, Aritzia, a smaller Tesla show room ( Baci likes it), 2 Starbucks, 1 being where all the students goto! Where I used to go! Amazon books and Mud bay are Baci's favorite. Rachel's ginger beer. Well lit up. And the best of all! Oh so puppy friendly. We go just so my puppy can go shopping at mud bay and go around and meet human. He also loves going to trophy cupcakes even though he can't eat anything. Must be the smell. Parking is a hot mess now even though they have a ton of free parking and new garages. It's just very busy now compared to before. A lot of moms, kids hang out here as well as UWers and grownups! Waiting to see all the new food places to come. And more parking.

Do not park in the garage. Currently waiting close to two hours to still try and leave. No support from the office the help direct traffic out. Just a terrible experience.

This great village shopping area came to my rescue- I left my coat at home and I needed a warm sweater or coat. We did some shopping and the staff at each store were so nice. Got a sweater at Athleta and bought some items at other unique stores. We ended our day with an amazing dinner experience at din tai fung restaurant.

Great selection of stores & restaurants. New buildings, modern amenities, really slick looking. Despite all that, I avoid going here as parking is an absolute nightmare and it's very crowded. Too bad!

This would've been a 5-Star review if parking wasn't such a challenge. I have been here at all times of the day and week and it is pretty much always a zoo when it comes to parking. If you can get past that then you'll be set to shop in a wonderland of flora and fauna that is safe, accessible, and extensive in the shops and food options available to you. In the fall and winter months there is a welcome stand by Ravenna Gardens (amazing nursery of plants and small gifts) where you can get a cup of hot chocolate or apple cider as you stroll about the shopping center. It is an outdoor mall so come prepared in colder months with jackets, hats, gloves, and scarves. Or pop into any number of stores that sell those and purchase some upon arrival! For those in need of the Starbucks brand, there are 4 Starbucks in the complex, including a reserve location, as well as an Evolution Fresh and Teavana (closing in March). If you need a new phone there is a Microsoft store, Apple store, and Verizon all within 200 yards of one another. Sprint is represented at the front of the complex between QFC and Safeway. Clothing? GAP, H&M, AE, Tommy Bahama, BR, J Crew, Madewell, and many more have you covered. There's a children's corner in one section as well so that the whole family has options. No wonder this place has no parking available! It's the best place to go if you have to do some shopping! Hint: park in one of the 3 garages and hike it out. More parking is currently under construction - TBD when that will be complete.

The shops and grounds are beautiful. But the bathrooms are absolutely neglected. Handicap doors that don't work, sewage smells, leaks under sinks, closing before the surrounding stores, and there have NEVER been sanitary products in their "free" machines. It's a disgrace to such a lovely shopping center.

Needed to do some cologne shopping and didn't necessarily want an indoor shopping mall with screaming kids and what not. Found this place and although very nice, it is a very confusing layout and difficult to locate stores. Parking is "so so" as well, and there is valet available but very congested. Higher end stores are located here as well, and lots of eateries.

The U Village is a great ittle upscale shopping mall that has a ittle bit of everything that one would need. There are a ton of clothing/home decor places and a ton of restaurants that gives your group more than enough choices.There's even the QFC, one of the best QFCs in terms of selection, right in your face waiting to be explored.

Buyer beware! When you purchase/ receive a u village "gift" card, there is a monthly maintenance fee of $2.50 that will reduce the balance. I've never heard of such a thing! I most certainly would not purchase as a gift for anyone. Not worth it!

Parking is crazy but what a gorgeous place to shop! Huge Victoria Secret, American Eagle, every store you can think of! After you're finished shopping you can grab something to eat, Sushi place was okay, next time I'm going to try the Veggie place! It looked interesting!

The shops/stores in u-village are nice but the u-village garage built on 25th Ave NE is just ugly, making u-village industrial feel, quite unwelcoming. Why would they design a garage, a grey giant box holding vehicles right in the front face of a mall that is supposed to have nice shop!!?

Awesome store. This place Is so clean and the staff is helpful and friendly. Came with a 6 year old girl and 9 year old boy.

Love this place, however parking is chaotic during the holiday season! Otherwise enjoy a leisure stroll through the village. Happy holidays everyone.

So happy this place is open during the lockdown. They have about 10 restaurants with takeout food open. There are about 25 tables spread out throughout the complex for you to dine. Closest thing to going out for dinner right now.

Parking and traffic is a disaster coming and leaving University Village. I think this is my first and last time coming here. Although I liked the type of stores that are at this outdoor mall such as Amazon Books, Starbucks, Apple, Kiehl's etc. it wasn't worth braving the horrible traffic. Also, the parking structure was awful. So there's only one entrance and exit for the parking structure which is a really bad design. I believe there were other areas to park, so I highly recommend not parking in the structure.

Love this Fashion Island feeling outdoor mall in Seattle super close to UW. It's a great place to walk around (weather permitting), shop and dine. Not a bad place to people watch either. :)

So, I feel like it wouldn't be fair of me to rate University Village any less than 4 stars. Even though I don't love my experiences here, it's a beautiful, outdoor mall packed with quality shops, restaurants, and it's up-keep is on point. It's a high-quality mall. BUT--for me personally, the drive or even ride over to this mall is enough to keep me away. And even though I feel that way, it's not right to rate the mall based on the toxic mix of poor city planning, high-population, and ignorant drivers that combines to make a traffic nightmare of epic proportions. Simply put, just getting to U. Village is maddening. On top of that, because it's such a nice, outdoor mall, it draws the "lets hang out here for no reason" crowds which I cannot deal with. I hate to be a crab, but man... when I go to a mall, it doesn't matter how nice it is, I want in and out, fast. I'm there with a purpose. But that's not the case with most who shop at U. Village. There are a ton of families, and even dogs, walking about. Which is cute, but it makes shopping harder. This translates to a lot of people not paying much attention to those around them. It means having to say "excuse me" a lot just to simply walk down the sidewalk or get inside a store. This isn't the mall for you if you're like me and want your shopping experience to be time efficient. Parking can be pretty annoying here, but it's not always bad. I almost always just skip the hunt for a spot and just park in the QFC lot. There's as always been space there, even on the busiest days I've visited. Otherwise, there aren't many options here for nice mens attire. Most mens clothing stores here are sporty or outdoorsy, or Tommy Bahama. The only store I could find that had dressier mens clothes and some mens shoes was H&M. So definitely not a mall to come to for mens suits, shoes, or fashion.

I like this mall in the summer time. It's an outdoor mall and so there are downside when it rains or when it's super cold. they do have umbrella rental for free here. It's self serve. Take an umbrella and return it in the bin after you are done. This place has always been quite busy. As well, there are a few good restaurants here like Joey's, Din Tei Fung etc They used to have more discounts here. But the deals are so so now Parking is ok. They do have a 6 floor garage and outside parking.

The family really enjoyed our time at the University Village! My sister, a Fox Island resident, thought this would be a good spot us to hangout after lunch in downtown Seattle. The rest of us were visiting from California and were looking for something to do this afternoon. The U Village is a huge outdoor regional shopping center and a short jogging distance from the University of Washington and very close (just north) to downtown Seattle. It is a diverse collection of national and local retailers, restaurants, eateries and boutique stores. The unique open-air design of the mall is awesome and beautifully landscaped! There are a dazzling array of flowers in hanging baskets and small to medium sized floral arrangements and trees planted in large pottery and clustered along railings throughout the mall, some of the larger trees that are planted to the ground are decorated with fluorescent lights; there's tables, chairs and benches for outdoor lounging, water fountains and a little play area with small statues of animals for children. There are even bright, yellow umbrellas conveniently located throughout the mall to use on location when it rains! Being from California, the U Village reminds me a little of the Grove in Los Angeles, but must bigger! The Grove, is also an outdoor mall with a variety of popular national chain stores - expensive to moderately priced, in addition to boutiques that carry unique, specialized items. U Village, however, has about 100 merchants, more than twice as many as the Grove! The mall is more spread out and the abundance of outdoor seating, flowers, trees and water fountains seem to also give this mall an edge in creating a more serene, much less hurried atmosphere which I liked. Finding parking close to the mall can be difficult! This was about the only thing we did not like here. Had we been more patient, we probably would have noticed the big parking garage and parked there. With two elderly parents, however, it would have been more convenient to have built it much closer to the mall. The U Village is a great place to enjoy a unique shopping experience and there is guaranteed to be something here that will entertain the entire family! Despite the minor parking inconvenience, I'm certain the family would all love to comeback because there was not enough time to visit all the many stores and boutiques!