You can take a break from spending money at the casinos and instead find almost any kind of store to suit your budget -- from bargains to high-end retail or specialty shops. The key is to know where to look.



Some of the best retailers are situated along The Strip. In addition to some extensive (and recently revamped) shopping malls, many hotels have comprehensive, and sometimes highly themed, shopping arcades. Downtown Las Vegas offers its own share of specialty shops, high-end retail, and antique stores to satisfy your shopping frenzy http://las-vegas.ixs.net.

The following would give you the general idea about where to go for a fun filled and quality shopping extravaganza.

LAS VEGAS SHOPPING MALLS

Boulevard Mall

The Boulevard is the second largest mall in Las Vegas. There's a wide variety of shops offering all sorts of items -- moderately priced shoes and clothing for the entire family, books and gifts, jewelry, and also discount home furnishings. There are also more than a dozen fast-food eateries. In short, you can find just about anything you need here. The mall is open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 9pm and Sunday from 11am to 6pm.

Fashion Show Las Vegas

The Fashion Show mall boasts seven anchor stores and 250 specialty stores and restaurants. Department stores include: Macy's, Dillard's, Saks Fifth Avenue, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales and Neiman Marcus.

Galleria at Sunset

Galleria is the most aesthetically pleasing Southwestern-themed shopping center. Anchored by Dillard's, JCPenney, Mervyn's California, and Robinsons-May, the Galleria's 140 emporia include branches of Gap/Gap Kids/Baby Gap, The Limited Too, Ann Taylor, bebe, Cach?, Victoria's Secret, The Body Shop and more. Additionally, you'll find electronics, eyewear, gifts, books, home furnishings, jewelry, and luggage and eateries as well.

Meadows Mall

It's another immense mall with more than 144 shops, services, and eateries, anchored by four department stores: Macy's, Dillard's, Sears, and JC Penney. In addition, there are more than a dozen shoe stores, a full array of apparel for the entire family (including maternity wear), an extensive food court, and shops purveying toys, books, music, luggage, gifts, jewelry, home furnishings, accessories, and so on.

LAS VEGAS HOTEL & RESORT SHOPPING ARCADES

The following hotels have the most extensive arcades.

Caesar's Palace

Caesars has an impressive arcade of shops including The Forum Shops- a multistoried affair. Store variety includes Louis Vuitton, Christian Dior, Christian Lacroix, Armani Exchange, bebe, Gucci, Ann Taylor, Gianni Versace, Harry Winston jewelers, Brooks Brothers, Juicy Couture, Kiehl's cosmetics, MAC, etc. The majority of the Caesars Palace shops are open Sunday to Thursday from 10am to 11pm, Friday and Saturday from 10am to midnight.

Circus Circus

There are about dozen shops offering a wide selection of gifts and sundries, logo items, toys and games, jewelry, liquor, resort apparel for the entire family, homemade fudge/candy/soft ice cream, and, clown dolls and puppets. Adjacent to the Adventuredome, there's a shopping arcade with the usual souvenir stores and such themed as a European village.

MGM Grand

The hotel's Star Lane Shops include more than a dozen mostly pedestrian emporia lining the corridors en route from the monorail entrance. Studio Walk is another shopping area adjacent to the main casino, featuring some upscale boutiques and several restaurants.

The Venetian

After you've shopped Ancient Rome at Caesars, come to The Grand Canal Shoppe, a re-created Italian village, complete with a painted, cloud-studded blue sky overhead, and a canal right down the center on which gondoliers float and sing. The Venetian's Palazzo hotel addition, due to open in late 2007, will eventually adjoin the Shoppes at the far end of St. Mark's Square. The shops include the usual high- and medium-end brand names: Jimmy Choo, Mikimoto, Movado, Davidoff, Kenneth Cole, Ann Taylor, Bebe, Banana Republic, and more, plus Venetian glass and paper shops.

Desert Passage at the Aladdin Resort Casino

Desert Passage is the world-class Las Vegas retail Centre designed to immerse shoppers in exotic marketplaces and restaurant complex. The mall offers more than 130 retailers.

Bellagio

Here it's definitely quality over quantity with names like Armani, Prada, Chanel, Tiffany, Herm's, Fred Leighton, Gucci, Dior, and Yves Saint Laurent. You will also discover affordable, good-taste items in every store here, from Tiffany's Dollar 30 silver key chains to Dollar 100 Prada business-card holders.

Paris Las Vegas at the Rue de la Paix

Enjoy a taste of Paris. It features upscale French retail shopping. Le Boulevard features a wide array of authentic French boutiques, such as Le Cave, where you can sample premier French wines and private labels; Les Enfant offers children's toys and games; Lunettes designer eyewear; Le Paradise, fine jewelry and crystal; and La Boutique.

Wynn Las Vegas

The Esplanade is a Euro-style shopping street lined with pricey places with famous names like Chanel, Cartier, Dior, Judith Leiber, Jean Paul Gaultier, Manolo Blahnik, Oscar de la Renta, La Flirt, Chocolat (excellent pastries and gourmet chocolates), and Jo Malone.

Masquerade Village ? Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino

The Tuscan-themed streets at the Rio are a combination of food, entertainment, shopping and gaming tied together by the on-going carnival atmosphere. It offers everything from artwork, fresh-cut flowers, jewelry, sports memorabilia, resort wear, children's clothing and toys, souvenirs, cosmetics and sundries.

The Tower Shops at Stratosphere Casino Hotel and Tower

The internationally themed (though in a high-school production kind of way) second-floor Tower Shops promenade, houses more than 40 stores. Some shops are in "Paris," along the Rue Lafayette and Avenue de l'Op'ra, while others occupy Hong Kong and New York City streetscapes.

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