A Mall Became One of Our Favorite Stops in Irvine
I’m almost embarrassed to admit that a mall was one of my favorite parts my recent mother-daughter trip to Irvine, California. “Mall” doesn’t exactly scream vacation highlight. But Irvine Spectrum Center is more than a mall, and we found ourselves there for shopping, food, and some fun activities.
It became one of the places where my daughter and I did our best talking, whether playing a game together or sharing dumplings, which is its own kind of souvenir from a trip like this. If you’re heading to Irvine soon, I’d be willing to bet you can find some happiness here even if you dread window shopping and dressing rooms.
Of course you can shop!
Irvine Spectrum Center is anchored by Nordstrom and Target, with more than 130 stores in between, so there’s likely a store for everyone. Anthropologie, Urban Outfitters, Brandy Melville, Edikted, and Lululemon are there which are popular with many teens, and were the stops my daughter requested.
For something unique, Rocket Fizz sells novelty sodas and candy alongside a wall of movie posters, and Alex and Ani has jewelry made from recycled metals if you’re looking for a souvenir that isn’t a t-shirt.
We also spotted Gem Studio, which is a jewelry and clothes workshop. You sit down and make your own piece, whether that’s adding patches to clothes, a charm bar, or permanent jewelry (which btw is one my teen daughter’s favorite things she has). I think it’s another great souvenir idea and a way to spend time on an activity not just shopping.
Barnes & Noble is here too, a two-floor store that’s been part of the Irvine Spectrum Center since it opened in the 1990s, Mia and I are both big fans of browsing bookstores even if we end up not buying something. And a side note cool fact is that Barnes & Noble isn’t just holding on, it’s actually growing. After years of everyone assuming bookstores were headed the way of video rental shops, the company opened more than 60 new locations in 2025 and has another 60 planned for 2026, its biggest stretch of growth in over a decade!
You can play if you don’t want to shop!
Hijinx Hotel was the best part of our whole Irvine Spectrum Center visit. It’s not an escape room, even though people call it that. It’s a set of themed mini-game rooms, and your score in each one gets measured against other teams. Your visit includes 4 rooms where you are challenged with various games that test your hand-eye coordination. FYI: more hands in the room (up to 6 players are allowed and I think 4 might be a prime number) means a better shot at the top score, especially when you’re racing other teams and not just the clock.
Holey Moley is right next door and worth pairing with Hijinx as another fun talking time activity. Go in knowing it’s a tighter layout than an outdoor course, the holes are close together and quick to play through, so it moves fast even when it’s busy.
If your group prefers puzzle solving over physical exertion, The Escape Game is a separate company with true escape rooms, and it’s also located in the mall. There’s also a carousel near the anchor stores if you’ve got younger kids along, and Irvine Improv runs headliner comedy shows, if you’re an all adult group visiting the area.
For game play, Dave and Buster’s is nearby which is like a grown up Chuck E Cheese, and Regal Cinemas here runs IMAX, ScreenX, 4DX, and RPX formats along with a VIP wing with recliner seating, so it’s a step up from a standard theater if you want to catch a movie.
The Spectrum SunWheel, which is a giant Ferris wheel at the core of the center, is expected to reopen September 2026 after a major renovation, offering another fun activity beyond shopping.
Be sure to eat and drink!
Din Tai Fung is one of our go-to restaurants as a family, so eating at the Irvine Spectrum location felt like something familiar for us but could be a unique dining experience if you haven’t tried their dim sum yet. We joined the waitlist online ahead of time for the day we wanted to go, and it worked out well, no standing around waiting for a table.
We also stopped at 85C for boba between activities, which fit naturally into a day of bouncing between stores and games, and Hello Kitty Cafe for lemonade, which we visited years ago and had to snap a photo in the same pose as years ago.
Beyond what we sampled, Irvine Spectrum Center has a range for a full sit-down meal options, Fogo de Chao, Yard House, Wood Ranch BBQ, Capital Dim Sum, and Mastro’s are great. For something newer, La La Land opened this year with popular lattes people line up for. If you’re craving something sweet, SomiSomi, Bacio Di Latte, and Honey and Butter cover soft serve, gelato, and macarons.
A mall that’s more than shopping
Irvine Spectrum Center isn’t a one-stop errand, it’s worth treating like its own destination. You can make a spontaneous visit, but you can also book a time slot at places like Hijinx and Gem Studio and make your visit a major part of your Irvine itinerary.
My previous post was about visiting Irvine with teens and Irvine Spectrum Center is one of the highlights for any trip to the area with tweens and teens.
This post was created in partnership with @destinationirvine.
