Las Vegas Shopping

The existence of Las Vegas as we know it rests upon one thing, and that's how to most efficiently separate people from their money. Many Las Vegas shopping malls and stores are an integral part of this scheme, and are there to take a shot at what the casinos missed. The good news is that if you exercise self control you will be a benefactor of all that Las Vegas can consequently offer.

The onset of the extravagant mega resorts and casinos also boosted the quality of Las Vegas shopping into levels found in Beverly Hills and New York City. But unless you're looking for Las Vegas and gambling memorabilia, don't expect to find things in Vegas you can't find elsewhere for a lower price, as Las Vegas is not a top spot for bargain hunters. But, on the other hand, Las Vegas offers a diverse array of shopping opportunities that includes tacky gift shops and factory outlet malls, as well as top fashion boutiques and fancy antique shops.

All large hotels offer some shopping opportunities, some have a few scattered stores, while others contains fancy retail promenades. Most hotel stores are priced high because of the convenience they offer to hotel guests (shops located in strategic places can always get away with charging premiums), but they can be fun to browse, and who knows, perhaps you'll find something unique that suits your fancy. These are some of the fanciest and best decorated hotel shopping areas:

• Grand Shoppes at the Venetian (3355 Las Vegas Blvd. S.)
• Forum Shops at Caesars Palace (3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S.)
• Desert Passage at the Aladdin (3667 Las Vegas Blvd. S.)
• Via Bellagio at the Bellagio (3600 Las Vegas Blvd. S.)

Although it's not a major shopping area, the Luxor Hotel (3900 Las Vegas Blvd. S.) has some interesting stores worth visiting. The Luxor is Egypt themed and therefore, in my opinion, offers some of the best gifts and trinkets in Las Vegas, which at least look fancy even though they're still plastic.

The most prominent mall on the Las Vegas Strip is the Fashion Show Mall (3200 Las Vegas Blvd. S.). This is an upscale mall with mostly clothing stores, and also includes a large food court.

The Boulevard Mall (3528 S. Maryland Pkwy.) is the largest Las Vegas shopping mall. This mall has a large variety of stores and restaurants, and is located about 2 miles east of the Strip.

Factory outlets are places where second grade, i.e. flawed, retail merchandise is sold at significantly discounted prices. Usually these flaws are very minor, and therefore the merchandise is well worth the bargain price. So if you want some relief from those fancy overpriced stores on the Las Vegas Strip you can go to Las Vegas Outlet Center (7400 Las Vegas Blvd. S.), which is located 2.5 miles south of the Mandalay Bay hotel, the first hotel on the southern edge of the Strip.