If you're planning to be in Big D during the holiday season, make sure the Dallas Galleria is on your to-do list. This upscale shopping mecca appeals to shoppers of all ages. It was modeled after the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, Italy, and it features four levels of boutiques and department stores under an impressive glass-vaulted ceiling. The stores there include Nordstrom's, Macy's and Saks Fifth Avenue, as well as an American Girl specialty store. Other shops there are Old Navy, Banana Republic, Gucci, among others. The Westin Galleria Hotel is also onsite, so visitors can walk from their hotel to their favorite stores.

Galleria Dallas — Photo courtesy of Galleria Dallas Facebook

If you arrive with an appetite, choose from a wide variety of restaurants -from fast food to fine dining. Some of the onsite restaurants there include Mi Cocina, Grand Lux Cafe, Little Kitana Sushi Bar, Oceanaire and Sonny Bryan's Smokehouse. Kids will love the Galleria, as well. Take the little ones visit Santa Clause and then off to the fun, jungle-themed PlayPlace under the atrium on Level 3, adjacent to Saks Fifth Avenue. Older kids and teens can be dropped off at the Ice Skating Center. Whether you have a particular shopping list in mind or simply want to leisurely window-shop, the Dallas Galleria is the place to be.