What the Forum Shops are
The Forum Shops opened in 1992 as a 250,000-square-foot experiment: would people shop in a fake Roman street with a painted sky that fades from dawn to dusk every hour? They would, in enormous numbers, and two expansions later the mall is roughly 675,000 square feet with about 160 stores and some of the highest sales per square foot of any mall in the United States. It sits on the north side of Caesars Palace with its own grand entrance on the Strip, a three-storey atrium with a spiral escalator, and a maze of marble streets that end in fountains and animatronic statues. It is, in the best Las Vegas sense, completely over the top, and it remains the mall most visitors walk through whether they intend to buy anything or not.
The stores: from Apple to Louis Vuitton
The tenant mix runs wider than any other Strip mall. At the top are Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Fendi, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana, Balenciaga, Tiffany & Co., Cartier and Christian Louboutin. In the middle are the aspirational names that make up most of the floor space: Tory Burch, Michael Kors, Kate Spade, Coach, Ted Baker, AllSaints, Hugo Boss. At street level there is a large Apple Store (useful when a charger dies), a Nike, a Lululemon, Sephora and a Victoria's Secret, plus a cluster of sunglasses, watch and shoe shops. Because it is a mall rather than a hotel arcade, the mid-range names outnumber the luxury ones, which is why the Forum Shops feel busier and more democratic than Crystals or Wynn Plaza. Tenants change; check the mall directory before travelling for a specific brand.
Eating inside the Forum Shops
The Forum Shops has the strongest restaurant lineup of any Las Vegas mall, and locals use it as a dining destination in its own right. Joe's Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab is the anchor and one of the best-value quality steak and seafood meals on the Strip; Carmine's does family-style Italian in portions that feed four; Sushi Roku has a terrace above the Strip; The Cheesecake Factory and Trevi (by the fountain at the mall's heart) handle the crowds; Water Grill brings serious seafood. Quick options include a food hall-style spread near the Strip entrance and a Planet Hollywood-era cluster of casual chains. Reservations matter at Joe's from about 6 pm; walk-ins are fine at lunch. Prices are Strip prices: as of 2026 expect $25 to $45 mains at the sit-down places. See the steakhouse guide for how Joe's compares.
The free shows and the things to look at
The Fall of Atlantis show at the far (east) end of the mall is the Forum Shops' great free attraction: an animatronic Roman family argues about the succession, the fire and water go off, and the whole thing collapses on the hour. It runs roughly every hour from late morning to evening as of 2026 and takes about ten minutes; children love it, adults enjoy it once. Beside it is a 50,000-gallon saltwater aquarium with scheduled feedings. The painted sky ceiling cycles through a full day roughly every hour, the spiral escalator at the Strip entrance is a good photo, and the Festival Fountain near Trevi has its own smaller statue show. Together with Bellagio's fountains across the road, this makes a fine free hour on the Strip.
Hours, getting there and parking
Hours follow the Strip mall pattern: roughly 10 am to 11 pm Sunday to Thursday and until midnight Friday and Saturday as of 2026, with restaurants later; check the mall's site before a late visit. The mall has its own street entrance at the Strip, just north of Caesars Palace's main drive, and internal entrances from the casino floor, so you can walk in without setting foot on the casino if you prefer. The monorail's Flamingo/Caesars Palace station is on the far side of the Strip, about a ten-minute walk using the pedestrian bridge at Flamingo Road. Rideshare pickup is at Caesars' designated zone, a considerable walk from the mall. Parking is in the Caesars Palace garages; Caesars charges non-guests for self-parking on the Strip as of 2026, with the first period sometimes free and rates changing, so read the sign at entry or check our Strip parking guide.
Who the Forum Shops suit, and who should skip them
The Forum Shops are for people who like a spectacle with their shopping: the theming, the crowds, the restaurants and the sense of being at the centre of the Strip. They suit first-time visitors, anyone staying at a Caesars Rewards resort, families who need a free show and air-conditioning, and shoppers who want mid-range and luxury under one roof. They do not suit anyone in a hurry or anyone who dislikes crowds: on a Saturday afternoon the main street is a slow shuffle and the restaurants have queues. Serious luxury buyers who want a quiet appointment will find Crystals and Wynn Plaza calmer, and bargain-hunters should go to the outlets instead.
Tips from people who go every week
- Enter from the Strip, not the casino, if you are new: the layout makes sense from the Strip entrance and gets confusing from the casino side.
- Arrive before 11 am for empty streets, easy luxury walk-ins and no restaurant waits.
- Time the Atlantis show from the schedule posted beside the fountain and use the aquarium as the waiting room.
- Restrooms are scarce and far apart; there is a set near the Atlantis end and one near the Strip entrance.
- The mall has its own directory app and printed map at the concierge desk; the Roman streets loop and it is easy to miss an entire wing.
- Sales tax of roughly 8.375% is added to every price you see; budget for it, especially on luxury.