Shopping in Las Vegas

Most people come to Las Vegas to gamble, drink, and eat. But Sin City is a great destination for another type of vice: retail therapy. In the name of capitalism, Las Vegas has all sorts of places to shop ‘til you drop. Here, in no particular order, are some of my personal favorites.

Malls, malls, and more malls

Three popular shopping spots in Las Vegas are giant malls attached to casinos: Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood, the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace, and The Shops at Crystals, which fronts Aria.

Miracle Mile is by far the largest of the bunch, with about 1.2 miles of shopping (hence the name, y’all) featuring more than 200 stores. Among the notables are French Connection, True Religion Brand Jeans, GUESS, MAC Cosmetics, H&M, and BCBGMAXAZRIA.

The Forum Shops represent the oldest mall in town, existing in one form or another since the 1990s. Today the mall boasts 160 stores total, including an Apple Store, Louis Vuitton, Versace, Giorgio Armani, Valentino, and Gucci. If those options aren’t enough for you, there’s also a replica of Trevi Fountain, an animatronic show that retells the story of the fall of Atlantis, and a giant 50,000-gallon aquarium. The Forum Shops also are home to the world’s only licensed Casa Fuente cigar lounge (which also has a bar in case you want to drink and smoke cigars in the same spot).

If swank is what you’re after, The Shops at Crystals is the place. This mall anchors City Center and is home to flagship stores of Tiffany & Co and Tom Ford, as well as storefronts for other luxury brands such as Miu Miu, Prada, and Christian Dior. The attraction also is known for its architecture—Daniel Libeskind designed the place, which boasts all sorts of obtuse angles—and its public art.

(As an aside, MGM Resorts built Crystals and owned it for a while but sold it to Simon, the mall company, in early 2016.)

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Shops within casinos

Elsewhere in Sin City, a number of individual casinos have standout stores worth exploring.

At The Cosmopolitan, for instance, sneaker lovers flock to CRSVR, which stocks all of the latest kicks, and the only Vegas outpost of AllSaints, the London clothier. The Palazzo Las Vegas is home to the city’s only Barneys New York. And inside the Shoppes at Mandalay Bay, a klatch of small stores in the walkway between Mandalay Bay and Luxor, you’ll find a small storefront for BluMarble, a company that recycles used liquor and wine bottles into cubs, vases, and other usable items.

One of my favorite casino shops is the Rolex store inside Wynn Las Vegas. Not only is this shop the largest Rolex boutique in the U.S., but it also boasts something called “The Rolex Experience,” which gives timepiece aficionados a first-hand look at the history of the brand. The impressive display features a historical wall showcasing significant pieces and notable events in Rolex’s history, including one of the brand’s first watches from 1905 and the original version of the Oyster from 1926 (this was the world’s first waterproof wristwatch).

Of course if you’ve got a sweet tooth, a trip to Sin City isn’t complete without at least a stroll through Hershey’s Chocolate World, a two-story store dedicated to chocolate and merchandise related to chocolate. The store is part of New York-New York, and It’s one of the only places on Earth you can buy a Hershey’s Kiss the size of a washing machine and a fuzzy stuffed Twizzlers pillow at the same time.

Viewfinder Tip: Check mall accounts on Twitter for daily discounts and other coupons before you shop.

Other shopping spots

Finally, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention some of the shopping options elsewhere in the Las Vegas Valley (and environs).

First, south of Mandalay Bay on Las Vegas Boulevard sits the Town Square Las Vegas, a mall with more than 120 different stores, including Guitar Center, Victoria’s Secret, Abercrombie & Fitch, Sephora, and Lucky Brand Jeans, as well as anchors The Container Store, Whole Foods Market, and Saks Fifth Avenue. The mall also features green spaces for kids to play, a few dozen restaurants, and an 18-screen movie theater.

Second, out in the western suburbs adjacent to Red Rock Casino, is Downtown Summerlin, a mall and urban area with 125 shops, such as Ethan Allen, Michael Kors, and Sketchers, to name a few. The facility boasts nearly two dozen restaurants, as well, including the first-ever Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken, and the locally popular MTO Café. This summer the facility also is offering free outdoor yoga three times a week.

Finally, in Primm, about 40 minutes southwest of Las Vegas on I-15, you’ll find Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas, a glorified outlet mall on the side of the road. Stores here include Journeys, Merrell, Old Navy, and more. Considering most shops offer deep discounts, it’s worth the drive.

What are your favorite cities in which to shop and why?