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Las Vegas Shopping: Malls For the Rest of Us

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Elsewhere on this site, we detail some of the ways that Las Vegas shopping takes retail to an entirely new level, with access to the most exclusive and upscale stores in the world, all within a few miles. These shopping experiences are primarily housed inside some of the biggest and best hotels and casinos on the Vegas Strip, such as Caesar’s Palace, the Bellagio, the Venetian and Wynn Las Vegas.  They are unlike regular shopping centers and give an entirely new meaning to the word luxury, stocking the most sought-after labels across the world. Naturally, these luxuries come with a hefty price tag. Most people may enjoy the window shopping at those upscale malls, but couldn’t dream of doing much shopping at them. So, what about the rest of us, who either need to go to the store – or who enjoy shopping without needing to take out a second mortgage on the house? Is there Las Vegas shopping for us?

Not to worry. Las Vegas has enough standalone malls and shopping centers, in all price ranges, to satisfy even the most inveterate shoppers. There’s no need to put your shopping genes on hold while you’re experiencing Vegas – put on  your shopping jeans and let’s head out for some terrific variety and some great bargains.

The first place to start your Las Vegas shopping experience is at the Fashion Show mall, sitting right in the middle of the Strip near the TI, Wynn Las Vegas, and the Venetian hotel and casinos. This sprawling, airy and comfortable mall, which entertains more than ten million visitors a year, has a Great Hall which features an 80-foot long fashion runway and a long list of shops to fit every budget, more than 200 in all. There are major department stores like Saks, Dillard’s and Macy’s; Nordstroms and Neiman-Marcus also have stores here. There are cool boutiques like Zara, Metropark and True Religion; lots of specialty stores selling everything from kitchen goods to clothing, shoes to art, and a host of moderately-priced and budget food choices. For most people, the Fashion Show mall would be like taking the largest mall in the big city near you, doubling or tripling the size, adding almost every major department store, and then filling it out with tons of other cool boutiques and stores you’d want to at least poke your head into. It’s a fun place to shop.

While on the subject of fun and Las Vegas shopping, we come to Town Square Mall just off the Strip, at the south end near Mandalay Bay.  This shopping center is designed to look like an comfortable older village, and the architecture makes it work perfectly, with designs from cities worldwide. Town Square Mall is really a family-oriented mall, with not only a large number of shops, but also a children’s park, a picnic area and a large movie theatre. There are also features two night clubs. The mix of stores is a nice blend of fashion and luxury, more like an upscale mall at home, with stores like Aldo, Banana Republic, Abercrombie and Fitch, MAC, Bath and Body Works, and Victoria’s Secret. It’s also a great place to shop if you’re staying in a condo, with a Whole Foods Supermarket on site.

For a different type of Las Vegas shopping spree on the Strip, full of fun and games, head to the Showcase Mall, right on the Strip near the MGM Grand, Monte Carlo and New York-New York Hotel and Casinos. This mall has two main tenants: Adidas, which offers footwear, clothing and accessories for every sport you can think of, as well as a museum of sorts, on its two floors – and M &Ms. That’s right, the candy; there’s a huge, three-story M & M’s World that you have to see to believe: toys, games, tons of M & M themed souvenirs, and of course, more chocolate candy than an entire city could eat at one sitting! If you’re thirsty after that, there’s also a World of Coca-Cola museum on site. Gaming enthusiast? GameWorks, with some of the most cutting edge multi-sensory games imaginable (some developed by Steven Spielberg, a climbing wall, virtual bowling – plus vintage video games and pinball machines. Adults-only on the second floor, please – that’s where the bars are. Showcase Mall also has the only first-run movie theater on the Strip, plus a magic shop and a food court.

A must-visit on your Las Vegas shopping expedition should be at least one of the Las Vegas Premium Outlets. There are two Outlets, each with different stores: North which is located near downtown, and South which is south of the Strip. The North Outlet will give you your fix of high fashion at lower prices; the South Outlet will be where you’ll be more likely to find the popular brands you’re looking for. At Las Vegas Premium Outlets North you can shop your way through Michael Kors, Dolce and Gabbana, Armani Exchange, Coach and Swarovski. There is also a Disney Store Outlet which will keep the kids happy, too. This mall has an extensive number of outlets so there is bound to be more than enough for everyone. Heading to Las Vegas Premium Outlets South? Among the outlet stores you’ll find are Aeropoostle, Skechers, Adidas, Nine West and Saks Fifth Avenue, plus Designer Fashion Clearance which carries designer labels at extremely low prices.

This Las Vegas shopping rundown wouldn’t be complete without a mention of the largest mall in Nevada, the Boulevard Mall, which is a fairly standard shopping center in  Paradise, just outside of Las Vegas; and the Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas, which is a terrific collection of outlet stores as varied as Burberry and Coach on one hand, and Williams-Sonoma, Nautica and Nine West on the other. Unfortunately, The Fashion Outlets are way out of town, almost to the California state line; there are, however, shuttles that run from the MGM Grand and Planet Hollywood.

For most people, it would take a terrific run at the tables or a big hit on the slots, in order to afford a shopping spree at some of the glamorous high-end malls in Las Vegas. These more approachable and affordable Las Vegas shopping malls, however, let you leave Vegas with some terrific bargains, no matter what your budget.

Category: Las Vegas Shopping  Tags: Fashion Show Mall, Las Vegas concerts, Las Vegas department stores  Leave a Comment

Las Vegas Day Trips – There’s More to See than the Strip

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Las Vegas may be best known as an adult paradise, with enough gambling, shopping, dining and entertainment to keep you on the Strip (or downtown) for the entire length of your stay. But there are so many other incredible sights within a day of Vegas, that you’d really be selling yourself short if you stayed in your hotel for your entire visit without taking one of the many available Las Vegas day trips.

Taking a day trip from Las Vegas is easy; there are packages to fit every budget and agenda, and you can book them all at your hotel’s concierge desk, or at any one of the many activities desks you’ll see all over the Strip. Be sure to compare prices, because there are many attractive sightseeing deals available from package tour providers. You can even score deeply discounted or free Las Vegas day trips, if you have the time and patience to take a free tour of Las Vegas condo properties; just walk around the Strip for a little while, and you’ll be approached with more offers than you can imagine.

Some of the best day trips you can take from Las Vegas:

The Grand Canyon

One of the most popular Las Vegas day trips is a visit to nature’s miracle and one of the seven wonders of the world, the Grand Canyon. The following are some of the things you need to know about this breathtaking spot:

  • The distance between Vegas and the Canyon may only be 180 miles by air, but it’s 280 miles if you’re planning on driving yourself, so it will take you around six hours each way to the North Rim – meaning that an overnight visit will be a more enjoyable visit. If you’re really planning on making it a day trip, air is the way to go unless you’ll be satisfied with spending just a few hours at the Canyon.
  • Bus tours are available, of course, but they last around 14 or 15 hours, with nearly 12 of those hours spent ON the bus. There are also train and boat tours (with some ground transportation included); those can be quite enjoyable, but again, you won’t be spending a ton of time on the actual Canyon tour itself.
  • Helicopter or airplane tours are the most satisfying way to get to and from the Canyon for a day trip; as you’d expect, though, they’re also the most expensive. The airplane tours usually just fly you over the Canyon; the copters, howver, often offer a landing right at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. By the way, the helicopters take you to the west rim, rather than the “more popular” south rim that you may have visited on your own in the past. The benefit is that the Grand Canyon Skywalk is located at the west rim; you stroll on a glass floor built 70 feet over the rim, 4,000 feet above the floor – and look through the floor straight down into the Canyon. It’s a breathtaking sight.
  • Costs can run from $150 to $200 for bus or car trips, to $500 or more for Las Vegas day trips to the Grand Canyon by air from Las Vegas. But how can you even place a value on seeing one of the natural wonders of the world?

The Hoover Dam

One of the much easier Las Vegas day trips you can take is a visit to the “Government Power Project,” better known as the Hoover Dam, on the Colorado River between Nevada and Arizona (with the man-made Lake Mead on its northern side). It’s only about 35 miles away from Vegas, and the drive takes less than an hour. It’s not “exciting” in the way that Vegas sights are exciting, but it’s one of the most amazing construction projects ever completed. Even if you’re not interested in the comprehensive and educational tours that are available, you’ll still be impressed with a brief day trip from Vegas to see this marvel.

  • Walking back and forth across the dam and the bridge is free, and you’ll get to appreciate the scope and breadth of this wondrous project. However, you’ll have to pay to park, and have to pay to enter the Visitor’s Center where you can learn all about the Dam and its history. Each of those fees is less than ten bucks.
  • There are several great tours available; the powerplant tour includes presentations at the Visitor’s Center, and then a trip into the Dam itself where you get to see how this marvel of engineering actually works. You can book this tour in advance and it’s about 10 bucks as well. The Hoover Dam tour is longer (you walk for almost a mile) and more comprehensive, allowing you to visit the inner reaches of the Dam; this tour is first-come, first-serve and costs three times as much, but it’s incredibly interesting.
  • There are literally dozens of tour packages available for you to visit the Hoover Dam on a day trip from Las Vegas – no worries about transportation or directions. Just check with your hotel’s concierge or activities desk.

Skydiving in Las Vegas

It’s not one of the conventional sort of the Las Vegas day trips we’ve been discussing. But it’s well worth considering: a skydiving outing just outside of Vegas. The views of the desert and the Strip are so different, and so beautiful, that you’ll be grateful you were open-minded enough to give this once-in-a-lifetime experience a try.

  • There are a number of companies providing Las Vegas skydiving outings, so the specifics of your day trip may differ somewhat, but these are general examples of what you can expect from a Las Vegas sky diving outing.
  • You can book at any of the activities desks around Vegas, either at your hotel or along the Strip. On the day of your dive, you’ll be picked up from the Strip, either from your hotel, or a nearby rendezvous point. You’ll be returned to the same spot. Figure on being gone anywhere from 2 ½-5 hours. (Of course, you can also drive yourself.)
  • After arriving at the airport, you’ll meet your instructor, who will fully brief you on what to expect and what to do during your jump; you’ll get to practice jumping with your equipment before even seeing your plane.
  • The jump itself will be a “tandem” jump, with your instructor tethered to you and making sure that you’re safe; he or she is the one who will pull the rip cord to release your parachute, after a period of freefall.
  • As you slowly descend you’ll be able to see the entire city of Las Vegas including the Strip, the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, the Colorado River, Red Rock Canyon, and three surrounding states. The landing will be soft, softer than jumping from a chair.
  • You only need to be in decent shape and over 18 in order to jump.

It may not be for everyone – but while you may eventually forget seeing a show or a concert, you’ll never forget your Vegas skydive experience.

A Joyride in the Desert

Another type of the Las Vegas day trips most people would probably not associate with Vegas – is exploring the areas around the city in an all-terrain vehicle. A number of companies have built entire ATV day trips to various spots in the Vegas area. The most popular:

  • Eldorado Canyon, home to abandoned, hidden gold mines; you can explore the mountain trails, the natural springs and more, as you speed across the landscape in your dune buggy or ATV.
  • Valley of Fire State Park, with stunning views of the southwestern desert.
  • Other trips available include an ATV ride all the way to the California state line, and extreme ATV adventures for the experienced off-roader.
  • All trips can be booked from your hotel’s activities desk; round-trip transfer is included for all trips, and prices usually run between $150 and $300 per person.

Death Valley

Another of the exciting day trips you can take is a visit to Death Valley, located close to the city. This full-day tour through the Mojave Desert lets you experience some of the starkest yet most beautiful scenery in the Western United States. Among the spots you visit are Ubehebe Crater, site of a volcanic eruption that was so violent, it destroyed the volcano; Badwater, the lowest spot in the entire Western Hemisphere, at 282 feel below sea level; and the Rhyolite Ghost Town. You’ll feel like you’re a million miles away from the lights of Las Vegas – and you’ll never forget the strangely beautiful desert sights. It’s just one more of our exceptional Las Vegas day trips.

Category: Las Vegas Day Trips  Tags: Grand Canyon trips, Hoover Dam, Las Vegas family fun, Las Vegas signtseeing  Leave a Comment

Las Vegas Nightclubs – The Hottest Clubs Anywhere

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One of the greatest attractions in Sin City – as you would expect – are the Las Vegas nightclubs. They’re like no other nightclubs anywhere in the world. Some Vegas clubs are multimillion dollar complexes, defining luxury and first-class treatment. One such nightclub is the Marquee “nightclub and day club” (there are two pools and outdoor gaming at the “day club”) on the 17th floor of the Cosmopolitan, which is a record $60 million complex which focuses on music, with different genres in different rooms. The main room focuses on house and trance music, while the smaller Boom Box room specializes in hip hop. The décor and ambience, combined with spectacular DJs and dance floor areas, could make this the hottest spot in Vegas.

If Marquee is the top dog among Las Vegas nightclubs, its sister clubs Lavo and Tao aren’t far behind. Tao at the Venetian has been around for a while now but unlike most clubs, its popularity – the huge lineup of celebrities partying inside, and the lines of regular people waiting to get in – never seem to wane.  It’s truly one of the spots that’s so hot because you “have” to be there – it’s so big that it’s not really a comfortable place to hang out, talk or dance – but that doesn’t even matter. As for the decor, Buddhas are everywhere (both live and overstuffed heads) to accent the Far Eastern look; you can party in the completely jammed main room where rock mashups are central to the party atmosphere, find a little room to breathe in one of the smaller rooms, or head outside to Tao Beach.

Lavo at the Palazzo is much smaller, with a beautiful Moroccan boathouse theme which is breathtaking; flowing water, intricate tilework and leather walls and ornate chandeliers, with black and orange predominating. Many clubgoers start their night at the restaurant downstairs from the club (one secret to getting in quicker!) and the elegance of the surroundings give the partying a somewhat decadent flair, particularly if you order a bottle of Dom, which is brought to your table by Superman, “flying” to your table in the arms of several bouncers as the Superman theme song plays. It all adds up to funky, cool style with a house and hip hop beat – the atmosphere that puts Lavo among the cream of Las Vegas nightclubs.

Another Las Vegas nightclub you won’t want to miss is The Bank, at the Bellagio. It’s definitely a high-end club with a disco/techno feel, with lots of drink rails and space to stand throughout the multi-level club, as you watch the action on the dance floor. If you decide to join the throngs on the floor, celebrity DJs often are running the show and the excitement level is always high. This is a Cristal kind of place, with an entire level dedicated to booths and tables for VIPs; you don’t need to go for bottle service to feel like a celebrity in this atmosphere.

Another Vegas favorite that has stood the test of time is Rain, at the Palms. As would befit the young, hip hotel and casino, the crowd here is young and hip – the biggest DJs spin here, the hottest women populate the massive dance floor, the lighting and pyrotechnics are spectacular, and the vibe is first rate. Lots of VIPs are also on display here, with some of the booths right out on the dance floor in addition to sprinkled throughout the club.

Rounding out the list of the Las Vegas nightclubs that most people would put on a top ten list: XS at the Encore, Vanity at the Hard Rock, Haze at Aria, Tryst at the Wynn and Moon at the Palms. But as with any hot club scene (and none could be hotter than the Vegas club scene) – don’t blink, or you’ll miss the opening of the “hottest new club to come along.” The scene is incredibly competitive, and that makes for an even better experience for Vegas clubgoers.

One other note: many Las Vegas nightclubs now feature pricey but valuable “front of the line” passes that you can buy during the day, letting you bypass the hours-long wait to get in. They can cost $60-$100 and up for women, even more for guys; but if your time in Vegas is limited and you want to maximize your party time, they’re worth looking into.

Category: Las Vegas Nightclubs  Tags: Las Vegas clubs, Vegas dance clubs, Vegas nightspots  Leave a Comment

Las Vegas Golf Courses: Our Top Ten

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If you are a golfer, you’re probably always on the lookout for vacation spots that are sunny all year round. In Vegas you are usually able to play all the golf you want without having to worry about bad weather. Here are our choices for top ten Las Vegas golf courses.

Arroyo Golf Course at Red Rock

The Arroyo Golf Course at Red Rock is nearly 7,000 yards, located between stunning views of the city and the amazing landscapes of the Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas’ best known natural landmark. Arroyo was designed by Arnold Palmer and is a mix of breathtaking natural green beauty, innovative design, strategic bunkers, alluring water hazards, and desert terrains. Well-manicured greens and well-defined hazards mean this course plays challenging but quite fair. And it gives day golfers a chance to play one of the great Las Vegas golf courses with a country club feel.

Aliante Golf Club

The Aliante Golf Course, designed by Gary Panks, is par 72 and more than 7,000 yards. It plays long and is as tricky as any course in Vegas. It’s quite challenging to even play the course at first, as it is highlighted by scattered bunkers and trees in random areas. The course is built around an indigenous desert area; a groomed arroyo often runs along or through the fairways or in front of the greens. Purple locust trees, pears trees, pines and shrubs surround much of the course as well, giving it an beautiful and exotic look while adding to the overall difficulty of play.

Badlands Golf Club

The Badlands Golf Club, a collection of three nine-hole courses, was actually designed by Johnny Miller, and he received a little bit of help from the talented Chi Chi Rodriguez. The Bandlands is in the Red Rock Canyon, with some of Nevada’s most stunning desert scenery including arroyos, canyons and washes throughout the courses. The Badlands is also home to one of the academies of the great golf instructor, David Leadbetter.

Legacy Golf Club

The Legacy Golf Club at Green Valley in Henderson, plays a yardage of 7,233 yards, and is known for having one of the longest tees in the area. The course, which was designed by Arthur Hills and opened in 1989, is quite challenging; it has a slope rating of 136 and has been chosen as not just one of the great Las Vegas golf courses, but  the top course in Nevada by several publications. There are water hazards on almost every hole, and the famous “Devil’s Triangle” of three tough holes on the back nine, will make or break your round with grass and sand bunkers everywhere. The natural beauty of this course, and the tough play, make this an experience any golfer will relish.

The Wolf Course

The beautiful 72 par Wolf Course is located in the Paiute Resort, and at a yardage of 7,604, it’s a long and beautiful course any golfer would find exciting. In fact, many content this is the most challenging course in the Southwest. The Wolf Course was just recently opened by designer Pete Dye. This course has amazing views; its 360 degree mountain vistas and gorgeous fairways might distract you momentarily. But that would be tragic; some of the most difficult holes in the area require your full attention, particularly the famous par-3 15th with an island green and bunkers all around – the pond claims some 20,000 golf balls in a year. Crank up your game for this gem on our list of Las Vegas Golf Courses.

Wynn Golf Course

The Wynn Golf Course, the only one on the Las Vegas strip, is a design masterpiece. It was built on celebrated PGA ground by Tom Fazio on the site of the former Desert Inn course, but with elements and heights no one believed possible on the Strip. The par-70 course plays at 7,042. The Wynn course is a little of everything, with a huge dash of elegance; there are five gorgeous par-3′s, and three par-5′s including the 18th at a tough 448 yards surrounded by water and a fantastic waterfall. Steve Wynn’s name is attached to this course, and the attention to detail and the spectacular setting do him proud.

Falls Golf Club

The 72-par Falls Golf Club is located in Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, and it’s a unique course in a beautiful area. The 7,250 yard course was was designed by Tom Weiskopf; it starts with subtle elevation changes on the front nine, and soaring changes on the back nine, leading to some breathtaking views (of the mountains, the lake and the Strip) and difficult and exciting golf.  It’s almost impossible to single out one hole as the highlight of the course, as Weiskopf seemingly outdid himself on most of them; the par-5, 553-yard 12th may be the best of the best, however, with an uphill tee shot and a mostly-blind second shot leading to a great green which nearly falls off a cliff. This is an often-overlooked gem when it comes to Las Vegas golf courses.

Cascata

The stunning 72-par Cascata (Italian for “waterfall,” in honor of the 418-foot high waterfall that dominates the vistas) Golf Course, designed by Rees Jones, is actually in Boulder City, half an hour from the Strip. Many believe it’s one of the finest courses in the world. has a yardage of 7,137 yards. The stunning course is an example of outstanding golf architecture; the holes are isolated, so that you feel like you’re the only party on the only hole in the area. The 14th may be the most beautiful hole in all of Vegas, and the incredible 18th challenges you to hit over a mountain, and avoid the stream on your left and the pond on your right, to hit the green 559-yards away. It’s a thrilling hole on a fabulous course.

Black Mountain Country Club

Black Mountain has 27 holes laid out in three different and very challenging 9-hole Las Vegas golf courses. two of them dating back to the 50s and 60s. The Founders 9 and the Horizon 9 are highlighted by tree-lined fairways and gorgeous greens, giving the golfer a feeling of travelling back in time as well as a terrific choice between courses with very different feels – as the newest addition is a true desert course, the Desert 9, where accuracy is valued more than anywhere else on the courses. All are filled with bunkers and hazards; the greens are a bit tricky because their speeds vary so greatly. Perhaps the greatest attraction at Black Mountain is what’s become known as their own version of “Amen Corner,” the first three holes of the Founders 9 and three of the most challenging holes in the Vegas area.

Vegas National Golf Course

The 71-par National Vegas course opened in 1961, and plays at a yardage of 6,815. It is perhaps the most traditional course in Las Vegas (and it really is in Vegas, right in the middle of the city); it is filled with thousands of trees, putting ball position at a premium. The meandering fairways are flanked by water hazards and bunkers – both a challenge and a scenic joy. The feel as you play Vegas National is of a simpler time, when designers didn’t go out of their way to make a course “special” – they just used good elements to create a fun and challenging layout. That doesn’t mean this course is easy – far from it; the PGA and LPGA has had some memorable tournaments here, and the pros love the feel and the test of this course.

Ten very different Las Vegas golf courses – ten very different golfing experiences – and ten Vegas golf outings worth taking when you visit.

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