Shopping in Las Vegas: The Grand Canal Shoppes at Venetian

In the widely varied world of shopping on the Vegas Strip, there are many destinations, each with their own offerings, but perhaps only one captures the imagination as a must-see location: the Venetian’s Grand Canal Shoppes. You’ve heard the fantasy, and I have to tell you, it’s quite true. They really did build a replica Venetian canal inside a shopping mall (on the second floor!), and yes, you can even take a ride on it with a singing gondolier (actually, you can even get married on it, but that’s another story).

There’s also a replica St. Mark’s Square (alas, no pidgeons) with an impressive array of street performers: operatic singers in renaissance garb, “living statues,” artists painting your portrait in anything from cartoon style to sculpted clay, and… oh, did I forget to mention the shopping? Shame on me, because all atmosphere aside, the Grand Canal Shoppes and the adjoining Shoppes at the Palazzo are a great option for fashion shopping, and a few other uncommon things too.

You want names? Banana Republic, BCBG, Bebe are all here (that’s just the Bs!), Marshall Rousso, Herve Leger, Ann Taylor, Dooney & Bourke, Ca d’Oro for jewelry, and a lot of other places you might not know as well, but will be intrigued by all the same.Outside in front, there’s also a massive Sephora.

Men will find a particularly strong array of fashion from understated Kenneth Cole to overstated Lior, can find an outpost of The Art of Shaving, Harley Davidson. Kids will enjoy the big shop simply entitled It’s Sugar (guess what they sell?). And everyone should take a stroll through the amazing Peter Lik galleries to view his uncommonly breathtaking art photography. I mean, it’s free to look.

By the way, if you’re likely to get hungry (who isn’t?), this is one of the better shopping malls for you: there’s a very solid food court here with a Johnny Rockets as well as good salads, deli food, Coffee Bean and Haagen Dazs. I also like the Italian bakery café next to Zefferino. And yes, if you want something more serious to eat, I hope you’re in the mood for Italian (try to decide between Mario Batali and Wolfgang Puck), but if not, Canonita’s Mexican fare has always been a good call here too, and of course TAO Asian Bistro is a great way to end the afternoon and start the evening. But that’s another story LINK.