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LAS VEGAS
Continental US Destinations:
WHY WE LOVE IT
- Excess, madness, extreme extravagance—the gambling capital of the world is deliciously, deliriously over-the-top.
- Unbelievable hotels with every amenity. Top spas. Famous chefs vying to open ever more fabulous restaurants. Countless casinos.
- Visit Venice, Paris, New York and Egypt without leaving Nevada.
- Mind-blowing theatrics—from Cirque du Soleil to Monty Python's Spamalot.
- This is the city that really never sleeps, with a celebrity club scene like no other.
- Shop-till-you-drop retail that's as over-the-top as the rest of the town.
WHEN TO GO
Go anytime: There is no off-season. In fact, there are hardly any seasons at all, though the desert heat is most intense from June through September. Las Vegas attracts megaconventions year-round, so the city has one of the country's highest hotel-room occupancy rates. As soon as you decide when you want to come, book your hotel of choice so you won't be disappointed.
WHAT TO PACK
Las Vegas is famed for its virtual environments, and you can wear virtually anything in them. No one cares if you don your Blahniks for breakfast or wear designer jeans for a night on the town. But this is a great place to roll out your hottest, most outrageous duds. Pack a sweater or wrap, even in summer. Las Vegas doesn't stint on anything—air-conditioning included.
And don't forget comfortable shoes. Whether you're walking through shopping malls, strolling between resorts on the Strip or even going back and forth from your hotel's porte cochere to your room past the vast casino, the pedometer will be ticking away. Save your feet for when it counts: club time!
TOURIST INFO
The possibilities for things to see and do in Las Vegas can be mind-boggling. Two top resources for information in advance of your trip are Lasvegas.com and the official Web site of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Association (visitlasvegas.com). If you have a specific question, try the Las Vegas information hotline (702-892-0711).
Once in town, the Las Vegas Visitor Information Center (3150 Paradise Rd.; 702-892-7575) is a good resource. But your hotel concierge stand is likely to be the best—and most convenient—place to go for information.
GETTING MARRIED IN LAS VEGAS
There's a reason so many couples get married in Las Vegas: It's easy. You don't need a blood test, and there's no waiting period. What you do need:
- Proof of age (driver's license, passport or birth certificate).
- Social Security number.
- Parental consent and a court order if you're under 18.
Get your license ($55 in cash) at the Clark County Marriage Bureau (201 Clark Ave.; 702-671-0600; co.clark.nv.us/clerk/marriage_information.htm), open from 8 a.m. to midnight daily.
ALEX
Wynn Las Vegas
3131 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Tel: 702-770-3463
wynnlasvegas.com
Alessandro Stratta, the genius from Renoir, got the name recognition he deserved when he moved to this super-glamorous culinary showcase at the hotel built by his former Mirage boss, Steve Wynn. Here are chandeliers and tasting menus, truffles and foie gras, but it's not frou-frou food. The chef's philosophy is, as he once put it, "Making simple things better," which translates into appetizers like the tasting menu's wild kanapachi tartare with persimmon relish and osetra caviar and entrée of Japanese Wagyu beef with Maui-onion marmalade, pancetta and crispy parmigiana potatoes. So what if "simple" turns out to be a relative term? You'll have a big, fabulous night out, and with this restaurant's Mobil 5-Star and AAA Five Diamond ratings, it'll be high fives all around.
AUREOLE
Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino
3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Tel: 702-632-7401
charliepalmer.com
It's no longer the newest new thing, so you can easily score a reservation at Charlie Palmer's lovable restaurant, still looking swell with its wood paneling and 42-foot Willy Wonka–esque tower of wine. There's so much space here you'll feel alone together. Palmer's all-American food is hearty and yummy. Changing seasonally, the menu includes entrées like caramelized Sonoma quail and roasted monkfish and saffron risotto; slow-braised beef shank and foie gras ravioli and saffron seafood chowder are among the brilliantly executed signature dishes. With desserts like the dark-chocolate phyllo napoleon with passion-fruit sorbet and the fallen bittersweet chocolate sesame soufflé with blood-orange sorbet and sesame brittle, this is definitely the place to save room for dessert, though the choices all look so pretty you'll feel guilty for two reasons when you dig in.
BOUCHON LAS VEGAS
Venezia Tower
The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino
3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Tel: 702-414-6200
bouchonbistro.com
Thomas Keller brought one thing to town that no other Francophile celebrity chef did: breakfast. Why wait for dinner to indulge when you can start your day on the pretty outdoor patio with outrageously rich French toast—brioches layered with custard and apples, sided by maple syrup—or flawlessly prepared corned-beef hash and eggs. And why not forgo the hot javas in favor of espresso martinis? You're in Vegas, baby. If you want to drop all pretense of well-rounded eating and just go straight for the pastry, the Bouchon Bakery, in the Venetian's foyer beside the theater entrance, has your buttery number.
CATHOUSE
Luxor
3900 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Tel: 702-262-4228
cathouselv.com
That Luxor is the latest Strip resort to get a hipness infusion is evident from Kerry Simon's new bordello-themed restaurant, a magnet for A-listers. But this is no fly-by-night for Simon, one of the few chefs to make his name in Las Vegas rather than bring one with him. He takes his haute comfort food to a new level with small French-influenced plates (tuna tartare with tequila caviar, say) as teasers before such substantial main courses as the braised short ribs and the butter-poached Maine lobster. Whether you find the scene sultry or silly, you'll be sure to purr over the food.
CRAVINGS
The Mirage
3400 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Tel: 702-791-7111
mirage.com/dining
It was only a question of time before Las Vegas reinvented the buffet. The Mirage hired restaurant designer Adam Tihany to create a colorful, stylish setting and expanded the concept of to-your-taste omelets and carved-before-your-eyes prime rib to 11 bespoke stations. Salads, for example, are mixed and dressed fresh for you, and Chinese dishes are stir-fried while you watch. In addition, the hotel added pizza, pot stickers, Portuguese sausage, ciopinno, bread pudding and other fun food to the once-predictable mix, while keeping such perennial favorites as the omelets and the raw oyster bar. The downside: The buffet's success can be measured by the long lines that form for it.
DANIEL BOULUD BRASSERIE
Wynn Las Vegas
3131 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Tel: 702-770-3310
wynnlasvegas.com
Grand in a delightful French-country-manor way, this restaurant by New York City star chef Daniel Boulud—aided and abetted by up-and-coming executive chef Wesley Horton—features his fabled Original NY DB burger—nine ounces of ground sirloin stuffed with braised short ribs, foie gras and black truffles (with fries, bien sur). Also on the menu are many of Boulud's terroir-style creations, including the pan-roasted loup de mar with cauliflower, saffron, grapes and pine nuts, and pork chop with pork-belly crust, foie gras, apple sausage, gnocchi, apple and rapini. Located lakeside at the exclusive Wynn, the brasserie has a more relaxing ambience than the average haute-Vegas eatery but without the slightest drop-off in quality.
JOËL ROBUCHON
MGM Grand
3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Tel: 702-891-7925
mgmgrand.com/dining
The French master chef Joël Robuchon, known for his precision and élan, came out of retirement to open his first U.S. restaurant at the MGM Grand. It's Las Vegas' only Michelin three-star restaurant, and here's why: an exciting, beautifully presented 16-course tasting menu that in the past has included such exotic dishes as frog-leg fritters with parsley sauce and fennel-flavored sea-urchin flan. The six-course tasting menu is practically a diet compared with the 16-course option (you can also order à la carte). The dining room, with its ornate coffered ceiling and big Swarovski chandeliers, is at once intimate and opulent, the perfect setting for Robuchon's consistently captivating cuisine. You'd be hard-pressed to find a more romantic place to celebrate your new life together.
MIX IN LAS VEGAS
The Hotel at Mandalay Bay
3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South
702-632-7777
thehotelatmandalaybay.com
You'll feel like you've beamed up to this all-white flying saucer, where glass bubbles fill the soaring ceiling and spectacular views of the Strip far below can be had. The cuisine—pure Alain Ducasse in fun mode—will transport you as well, with dishes like the bison au poivre, the Tuscan pasta with morels and the must-have dessert, rhum baba, straight from Ducasse's million-star Monte Carlo flagship. The tasting menu, with its well-selected wine pairings, is a good bet here. Order it and then just sit back and enjoy the giddy scene.
MON AMI GABI
Paris La Vegas
3655 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Tel: 702-944-4224
monamigabi.com
Pay half what you would at Paris' more elevated—in every way—Eiffel Tower Restaurant and have twice the fun. This is one of the few restaurants that open out onto the Strip, so grab a table on the patio to watch the tourist parade and the Bellagio fountains. Or just savor each other's company—and the steak au poivre, mussels, cheesy onion soup and other bistro classics—in one of two interior rooms. The glassed-in terrace gives you a peekaboo view of the Strip action (and vice versa), while the high-ceiling back room, with its sparkly chandelier, affords the most privacy of all.
N9NE STEAKHOUSE
Palms Casino Resort
4321 W. Flamingo Rd.
Tel: 702-933-9900
n9negroup.com/#/lasvegas/main
Secure a banquette by a mirrored pillar here and you have the best celeb-spotting seat in town. Anyone who's young, hip and happening is liable to show up: sports heroes and villains, pop stars, people famous for being famous (including the leader of that pack, Paris Hilton). Or, for more intimate gazing and grazing, slip into one of the soft suede booths around the champagne-and-caviar bar. The big surprise: The food's good too. The delectable specialties include great dry-aged steaks, Kobe-beef burgers and lobster fettuccine. If you're in the mood for fish, crab and other fruit of the sea, the tower of seafood will surely satisfy.
PICASSO
Bellagio
3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Tel: 702-693-8105
bellagio.com
Master chef Julian Serrano battles $30 million of Picassos and the spectacular dancing fountains out the window…and he wins! The Spaniard's spin on French-Mediterranean cuisine—which has earned him the coveted James Beard Award, along with AAA Five Diamond and Michelin two-star status for his restaurant—is, like Picasso's work itself, sensual and sublime, with savory entrées such as sautéed medallions of fallow deer and honey-and-nut-crusted roast pigeon. Oh yes, and the wine collection, with more than 1,000 bottles from some of Europe's best vintners, has won the Grand Award of Wine Spectator magazine.
BELLAGIO
3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Tel: 702-693-7111
bellagio.com
The 3,933-room megalith that introduced luxury to Las Vegas still impresses, from its 2,000-glass-flower Dale Chihuly lobby installation, world-class art gallery, 10,000-bloom indoor gardens, megaspa, haute-couture mall, "O" theater and top restaurants to the synchronized dancing fountains outdoors. Rooms are serene and understated but no larger than average, so book a suite if you like to spread out. Good news (or bad depending on your interest in gaming): The ka-ching of slots in the vast casino in the lobby reminds you where you are.
FOUR SEASONS HOTEL LAS VEGAS
3960 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Tel: 702-632-5000, 800-332-3442
fourseasons.com/lasvegas
Escape the casino hustle and bustle by tucking yourselves into the hushed, service-heavy, slot-machine-free comforts of the ever-reliable Four Seasons—a slight cheat because, in fact, its rooms are in Mandalay Bay (though the lobby, spa, restaurant and other facilities are in a separate, adjacent building). Still, its 424 rooms are huge and cool, and the award-winning spa is plush and private. Small—in Las Vegas, this is considered a boutique hotel—means personalized service, so let the staff book you that limo ride down the Strip or that helicopter excursion to the Grand Canyon while you play and shop in Mandalay Bay. There's a Charlie Palmer Steak restaurant here, so top-notch dining is steps away.
THE HOTEL AT MANDALAY BAY
3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Tel: 702-632-7777, 877-632-7000
mandalaybay.com
The Hotel is a hotel-within-a-hotel complex: It's Mandalay Bay's luxury arm, with a discrete (and, for Las Vegas, discreet) aesthetic. Connected by a walkway to the main Mandalay Bay building, the Hotel has generously proportioned suites, all at least 725 square feet and designed in stone-and-flesh colors with modern, angular furniture and granite bathrooms. The high-tech appointments include 42-inch plasma TVs. As for the public areas, the Bathhouse spa is sexy, the lobby art (Warhol, Johns…) pricey, and restaurateur Alain Ducasse's resto-club Mix hot, hot, hot. When you're ready to join the hoi polloi, you've got access to the sandy beach, the House of Blues, Mamma Mia!, Rum Jungle, Red Square and other Mandalay Bay playgrounds.
THE PALAZZO RESORT-HOTEL-CASINO
3325 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Tel: 702-607-7777, 866-263-3001
palazzolasvegas.com
The first mega-hotel to open after the debut of Wynn Las Vegas, the Palazzo is more understated than its older sibling, the Venetian—if you can call a $1.9 billion resort that's the tallest on the Strip understated. Think Milan rather than Venice, luxe contemporary style—oversize rooms with marble baths and remote-controlled Roman shades; a three-story waterfall near the shops—rather than reproductions of old landmarks. But that doesn't mean this palace isn't entertaining or that it doesn't go in for excess of any sort: Perks include a restaurant from Mario Batali, rapper Jay-Z's 40/40 club, Jersey Boys on the stage and an even vaster Canyon Ranch SpaClub than the Venetian's.
PALMS CASINO RESORT
4321 W. Flamingo Rd.
Tel: 702-942-7777, 866-942-7777
palms.com
Girls—and boys—just wanna have fun. This celebrity magnet, a mile west of the Strip, is colorful, clean-lined and sexy, from the two-acre pool complex with three bars to two of the hottest clubs in town, Rain and Ghost Bar—not to mention the retro Playboy Club (the world's only!) and a recording studio, should you want to preserve your serenades of each other for posterity. And why not kick off married life in a Playpen Suite with a stripper pole and techno lighting or the Hugh Hefner Sky Villa, with its eight-foot-across round rotating bed and a cantilevered glass Jacuzzi? Showtime!
THE RITZ-CARLTON, LAKE LAS VEGAS
1610 Lake Las Vegas Parkway
Henderson
Tel: 702-567-4700, 800-241-3333
www.ritzcarlton.com/lakelasvegas
Escape the neon frenzy at this Italianate pleasure palace that overlooks a serene lake about 17 miles from the Strip (but don't worry: In keeping with the requisite suspension of the laws of geography and nature in Nevada, the lake is man-made). Mellow out by kayaking, hiking, golfing, mountain biking, playing beach volleyball, taking high tea or relaxing in the spa. Then shuttle over to the after-dark action, knowing your soothing marble-floor room awaits when you're partied out. Or stick around Lake Las Vegas, with its lower-key casino and more-than-fine dining options, including the hotel's award-winning Medici Café and Terrace. The constellations don't have to compete with the city lights here, so stargazing is at a premium.
SKYLOFTS AT MGM GRAND
3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Tel: 702-891-3832, 877-646-5638
skyloftsmgmgrand.com
Here are two floors of sexiness above the not-so-slinky (though massively entertaining) MGM Grand: ultra-contemporary apartments with checkerboard floors, mirrors, monochromatic furnishings, infinity-edge bathtubs and flat-screen TVs. You get limo, butler and concierge service—plus your first personalized Mr. and Mrs. stationery! Rent an inner tube and careen down the Backlot River; dine around the world (Italy with Fiamma, France with Joël Robuchon, Canton and Shanghai with Pearl, to name just a few destinations); then time-travel to Studio 54 or mingle with the sports stars at Tabú. Even if you never venture from the resort, you'll have plenty to write home about on that stationery.
THE VENETIAN RESORT-HOTEL-CASINO
3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Tel: 702-414-1000, 877-883-6423
venetian.com
Another mold-breaker in Las Vegas, the Venetian was the first to prove that luxury and over-the-top themes were not mutually exclusive, that you could combine fun with a sense of style. Indeed, the resort's attention to its rooms—all are huge, with a separate living room area—was a revelation in a town where leaving your quarters is a prime goal. Like the crazy delights of the resort below—the mini San Marco, Grand Canal, gondolas, the Guggenheim Hermitage Museum—said rooms, deluxe as they may be, also scream faux-Euro. But there's nothing faux about the exquisite pampering delivered at the vast Canyon Ranch SpaClub. The Venezia tower suites have subtle styling and better brocades than standard rooms, and guests here have access to more concierge services.
WYNN LAS VEGAS
3131 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Tel: 702-770-7100, 888-320-9966
wynnlasvegas.com
Proving he could up the ante on his tasteful Bellagio, Steve Wynn created an even more luxurious and less glitzy retreat on the Strip. Secreted behind a pine-covered mountain are a lake, a golf course, waterfalls, pools, ultimate shopping (Blahnik, Dior, Maserati…), nine restaurants, most with name chefs, a huge spa, two wedding salons and an outdoor wedding court. There are 2,716 luxe rooms, decorated in spice tones and rich textures. And yes, this resort has a casino too, and a mighty impressive one. Wynn didn't succeed as wildly as he did by modesty (thus his resort's name)—or by forgetting what Las Vegas was built on.
ART
The intimate Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art (Bellagio 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 702-693-7871; bellagio.com/amenities) marked the first foray into high culture for the Strip, and it still draws the crowds. The gallery is a superb complement to the vast flower arrays that front it; it's so small that you're in no danger of aesthetic overload from taking in both displays. The Venetian played for even higher stakes with its Guggenheim Hermitage Museum (3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 702-414-2440; www.guggenheimlasvegas.org), drawing on the collections of two of the world's top art institutions for its powerhouse shows. Works by artists from Titian and Renoir to Picasso and Jasper Johns have turned up here.
CHOCOLATE
Forget chocolate as mere taste treat or aphrodisiac: In Las Vegas, it's also entertainment. Goofy as all get-out, the three-story M&M’s World Las Vegas (Showcase Mall, 3785 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 702-736-7611; mms.com) is a blast for its the colorful candy extravaganza—including rare shades like aqua and electric green—and for its 3-D adventure film, starring Ms. Green. Combine the dessert and desert experience at Ethel's Chocolate Factory Store (2 Cactus Garden Dr., Henderson; 800-471-0352; ethelschocolate.com), where you can watch truffles and fruit-filleds being made. You can also tour the cactus garden (well worth a spin-through if the day that you're visiting isn't too hot).
CIRQUE(S) DU SOLEIL
Which Cirque's for you? The famous Canadian troupe of contortionists gives you five to choose from in Las Vegas (a sixth, a collaboration with magician Criss Angel, is coming to Luxor in summer 2008). For details on all shows, call 800-963-9634 or log on to cirquedusoleil.com/lasvegas.
Traditionalists: Mystère (Treasure Island, 3300 Las Vegas Blvd. South) is the original and still plenty impressive. It's a good pick if you want to see what the others have embellished.
Pisceans: Enjoy the life aquatic with "O" (Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South), with its synchronized swimmers, daring divers and wet 'n' wild acrobatics galore.
Risqué Seekers: Zumanity, The Sensual Side of Cirque du Soleil (New York–New York Hotel & Casino, 3790 Las Vegas Blvd. South), the brand's only-for-adults (18 or over) show, lays on sinuous half-naked contortionists—and love seats to nuzzle in while watching them.
Theatrical Types: The pyrotechnics are literal at Kà (MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South), which had a sprawling, $165 million arena built specifically for it.
Beatles Fans: The four lads from Liverpool provide the soundtrack for Love (The Mirage, 3400 Las Vegas Blvd. South), the latest Cirque offering, though the psychedelic effects have come a long way from the 1960s.
FREEBIES
Outdoors: Just ogling the Strip's over-the-top architecture is a trip, but top stops along the way include the colorful dancing waters of the Fountains of Bellagio (3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South), tuneful and amusing—not to mention romantic. Want more fireworks? Reopening in August 2008 is the 54-foot-tall volcano that erupts nightly in front of the Mirage (3400 Las Vegas Blvd. South).
Indoors: At the Lion Habitat at MGM Grand (3799 Las Vegas Blvd. South), the MGM lions—remember the iconic roaring cat from countless films' opening credits?—appear at a rock facade with a large waterfall. The lions often sit on a glass walkway you can stand directly under. Eerie. Along the same resort's Studio Walk, the interactive CBS Television City lets you preview TV pilots and give them the green light or the kazoo.
KITSCH (AND THEN SOME)
Liberace Museum
1775 E. Tropicana Ave.
Tel: 702-798-5595
liberace.org
It's worth a trip off the Strip to see the pianos, jewelry and costumes of the showy showman who first defined Las Vegas excess and outrageousness. Highlights include Liberace's favorite concert grand piano, completely encrusted in mirrored squares; his trademark candelabra ring, its flames composed of diamonds; and his full-length black mink cape, the height of elegance amid the satiny and befeathered costume flock—if you ignore the fact that the cape is lined with rhinestones. The only disappointment is the gift shop, which doesn't offer reproductions of any bling, just bumper stickers, several pieces of Liberace-themed jewelry and a few tote bags.
THRILL RIDES
Get your hearts pumping: Ride the insane roller coaster, with its "negative g's" segment (New York–New York Hotel & Casino, 3790 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 702-740-6969; nynyhotelcasino.com); the knuckle-whitening "double-loop, double-corkscrew roller coaster" Canyon Blaster at the indoor Adventuredome (Circus Circus, 2880 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 702-794-3939; adventuredome.com); or the vertigo-inducing X Scream (Stratosphere Casino Hotel & Tower, 2000 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 702-380-7777; stratospherehotel.com), where you'll dangle precipitously over one of the world's tallest towers.
FASHION SHOW LAS VEGAS
3200 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Tel: 702-784-7000
thefashionshow.com
Its sheer size (nearly two million square feet), the presence of top-name anchors like Saks, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus and Bloomingdale's Home and the more than 200 boutiques and chains, from Abercrombie & Fitch to Z Gallerie, make this mall a retail magnet. Other lures: the 80-foot retractable runway for weekend fashion shows and (in front of the main entrance) "the Cloud," a multimedia platform that broadcasts special events inside the mall to oglers on the Strip. Should you be driving your own car—perhaps one purchased at the Forum, Palazzo or Wynn shopping arcades (see below)—you can have it washed and detailed while you shop.
THE FORUM SHOPS AT CAESARS
3500 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Tel: 702-893-4800
www.forumshops.com
The mall that introduced over-the-top theme shopping to Vegas in the early 1990s—think Roman statues, a trompe l'oeil sky that morphs from day into night and a huge FAO Schwarz store fronted by a Trojan horse—just keeps getting better. Expansions over the years have brought the total of brand-name boutiques up to 160, added yet more celebrity-chef stops and have seen the installation of a grand spiral escalator. You won't find a price and style range like this anywhere else, from Banana Republic and Niketown to Kate Spade, Lalique and Baccarat.
THE GRAND CANAL SHOPPES AT THE VENETIAN
3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Tel: 702-414-1000
venetian.com
Only confirmed cynics could resist being at least a little charmed by this ersatz mini Venice, with its reproductions of the Grand Canal (replete with gondolas) and St. Mark's Square (pigeon-free). It's not just the setting that appeals but also the array of shops, mixing brand favorites like BCBG Max Azria and Burberry with such Italian-oriented outlets as Ripa de Monti (Venetian glass), Il Prato (Venetian masks and dolls) and Dolcé Due (designer eyewear). When you need refueling, grab a seat at Enoteca San Marco, a casual Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich production complete with great pizzas, antipasti and pastas. Beware the wine tastings, however; they tend to loosen the purse strings.
LAS VEGAS PREMIUM OUTLETS
875 S. Grand Central Parkway
Tel: 702-474-7500
premiumoutlets.com/lasvegas
Not to be confused with the less upscale Las Vegas Outlet Center on the Strip, this slightly off-the-beaten-path complex in an outdoor village setting boasts names like Armani Exchange, Calvin Klein, Coach, Dolce & Gabbana, Kenneth Cole, Swarovski and Lacoste—a total of 120. Stores that rarely make the outlet circuit like Banana Republic and Crabtree & Evelyn have turned up here. Bring water if you come in warm season: You'll be doing a lot of walking outdoors between shops.
LE BOULEVARD
Paris Las Vegas
3655 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Tel: 877-603-4386
parislasvegas.com
This faux-French shopping district is charming, with its cobblestone streets, winding alleyways and quaint shops. The boutiques, featuring facades of Parisian districts, rarely stray from the Gallic-chic theme. Among the highlights: Le Cave (French wines and cheeses), Les Eléments (collectibles and gift items, including Limoges boxes), La Vogue (jewelry and accessories like Hermès scarves) and Lenôtre (croissants and outrageously tasty pastries, none likely to make it beyond the hotel exit).
MANDALAY PLACE
3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Tel: 702-632-7777
mandalaybay.com/thingstodo/mpshopping.aspx
You'll be hard-pressed to walk the 100,000-square-foot sky bridge between Mandalay Bay and Luxor without stopping at one—or even 10—of the 40-odd retailers, ranging from Urban Outfitters to Frederick's of Hollywood. In between are stores like the Art of Shaving, a "barber spa" that also carries women's hair-removal products; the country’s first Nike Golf Store and Lush Puppy, where Juicy, Donald J Pliner and other haute-canine couturiers can assuage your guilt over leaving Fido behind
THE SHOPPES AT THE PALAZZO
The Palazzo Resort-Hotel-Casino
3325 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Tel: 702-607-7777
palazzolasvegas.com
The latest retail extravaganza to hit the Strip goes to several places Nevada hasn't gone before: to boutiques by Michael Kors, Christian Louboutin, Catherine Malandrino, Jimmy Choo, Montblanc, Ferragamo and Diane von Furstenberg—and to a huge Barneys New York. Joining them soon will be Fendi, among others, for an eventual total of more than 60 shops (uh, shoppes). Although the Palazzo has largely left the Italian theming to its sister property, the Venetian—there's not a gondola in sight here—its nods toward things Italian will include the debut of the Strip's first Lamborghini dealership.
THREE LAS VEGAS ORIGINALS>
When you're tired of all the hoo-hah, get back to Las Vegas' tacky roots at Bonanza Gifts (2440 Las Vegas Blvd. South; 702-385-7359; worldslargestgiftshop.com), the self-proclaimed "World's Largest Gift Shop." This is the place to find squirting slot machines, fuzzy car dice, snow globes with a Strip backdrop, Rat Pack T-shirts, Elvis clocks, neon signs and much, much more. Up for a bit of role playing? Serge's Showgirl Wigs (953 E. Sahara Ave., Suite A2; 702-732-1015) takes care of the hair part of the equation, while Strings Dancewear (4970 S. Arville St.; 702-873-7820) gets you the rest of the skimpy, slithery outfit.
VIA BELLAGIO
The Bellagio
3600 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Tel: 702-693-7111
bellagio.com
Yes, you've got your Tiffany, Chanel, Prada, Hermès, Armani and other ultraluxe stores that you'd expect from the Bellagio. And à la its New York City location, the Fred Leighton store at Via Bellagio often lends its expensive baubles to visiting performers, so the jewels will be ogled and commented upon in the media. But this upscale retail row generally takes itself way too seriously, and many of the same shops can be found in venues that are far more fun. That said, if you're feeling overstimulated and don't like to be distracted by a lot of folderol when you're dropping the big bucks, this makes a fine refuge.
THE WYNN ESPLANADE
3131 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Tel: 702-770-7000
wynnlasvegas.com
What this shopping arcade lacks in size—less than 30 stores are represented—it more than makes up for in brand power. One of the first Oscar de la Renta fashion boutiques in the country turned up here, as did the first Penske-Wynn Ferrari Maserati dealership inside a resort. Installing that car showroom was a brilliant idea; after ogling the price tags of the autos, the Manolo Blahniks might seem like a bargain. Vertu, with its array of handcrafted cell phones, offers another alternative for the tech-, style- and status-obsessed: It's the only one of the brand that exists in the United States.
