Las Vegas outlets: North vs South Premium Outlets

By the ThingsVegas Editorial Team | Last reviewed: November 2, 2026

Short answer: choose Las Vegas North Premium Outlets for the luxury hunt. It is the bigger center, with 180 plus stores and the designer names, in an open-air village by downtown. Choose Las Vegas South Premium Outlets for comfort: 140 plus stores indoors with air conditioning, free parking, and the quickest run back to the airport.

Both centers are run by Simon, both promise savings of up to 65% off retail every day in Simon's own wording, and both sit minutes from the Strip in opposite directions. That is where the similarity ends. One is an outdoor village built for brand hunting. The other is an indoor mall built for easy, climate controlled shopping. Picking wrong costs you half a day of a short trip, so here is the full comparison, checked against Simon's official center pages.

The two outlets side by side

Store counts, hours and tenant names checked against Simon's official center pages on November 2, 2026. Individual store hours can vary.

Which outlet has the better stores?

North, if brands are the point of the trip. Simon bills it as "Vegas' Ultimate Luxury Outlets," and the directory backs that up: Burberry, Dolce & Gabbana and Tory Burch sit alongside Coach, Michael Kors, kate spade new york, Nike, lululemon and Pandora. Simon counts more than 60 market exclusive outlet brands at North, meaning stores you cannot shop at the other center or anywhere else in the market. If a specific designer is on your list, North is almost always where it lives.

South counters with the everyday lineup done well. Its anchor names, per Simon, are Michael Kors, Coach, Under Armour, kate spade new york, the Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Store and Nike, with the rest of the 140 plus stores covering sportswear, shoes, kids and luggage at the practical end of outlet shopping. For a family restock or a suitcase-filling session before the flight home, South's mix is usually the smarter spend. Simon markets it as "Vegas' Favorite Outlet Destination," and for locals from Henderson and the south valley, it is.

Which outlet is better on a hot day?

South, and it is not close. South is what Simon calls "a wonderful climate controlled indoor mall," with a smaller set of stores outside on a promenade. From the June to September stretch, when Las Vegas afternoons sit well past 100 degrees, the whole shop happens in air conditioning, and that decides it for families, older shoppers, and anyone with a baby in a stroller.

North is an open-air village, so you walk outdoors between every store. In the cooler months that is a genuine pleasure, and the village layout is prettier than any mall corridor. In summer, work it like a local: arrive at the 10 AM opening, start with the far courts while it is still bearable, and use The Cheesecake Factory or the food court as a planned cooling break in the middle. Either way, pack for the heat using our Las Vegas packing list and leave suitcase room for what you buy.

Which one is closer to the Strip, downtown and the airport?

It depends where your trip is based. North sits at the north end of the resort corridor, about two miles north of The STRAT at the gateway to downtown and Fremont Street. Staying downtown, or pairing shopping with a Fremont Street night, makes North the natural pick, and it is the easier add-on to a downtown hotel stay. Our Las Vegas hotel guides cover the downtown and Strip properties closest to each center.

South is 2.5 miles south of the Strip on Las Vegas Boulevard, per Simon, with easy access from I-15 and the I-215 beltway. That puts it a short drive from Harry Reid International Airport, which is why it wins the last morning of a trip: check out, shop, return the rental, fly. If you are still deciding how to move around the city all week, our guide to getting around Las Vegas lays out the bus, monorail and rideshare math.

What does parking cost at each outlet?

South is simple: parking is free, in open lots around the center, with EV charging stations by the Warm Springs Road side. North charges a flat $5 per visit for visitors, a Simon policy that has been in place since 2018, and Nevada residents park free by scanning a state ID at the gate. North also runs valet parking near The Cheesecake Factory and the Simon Guest Services center, handy on the packed holiday weekends when the garages fill first. Five dollars will not change your trip, but on a Black Friday or Christmas week visit it is one more reason South feels lower friction for drivers.

How do you get there without a car?

Both centers are on RTC bus routes, and Simon lists the same fare box for the system: the Deuce on the Boulevard runs 24 hours a day, about every 15 to 20 minutes, at $6 for a 2 hour pass or $8 for a 24 hour pass. Local routes run $2 for a single ride, $3 for a 2 hour pass or $5 for a 24 hour pass.

• To South: ride the Deuce southbound down Las Vegas Boulevard; it drops off and picks up at the north end of the center near Columbia Sportswear and Nike. Routes 117 and 217 also serve the center. From the airport, Simon's directions run Route 109 to the South Strip Transfer Terminal, then Route 117 south to the outlets.
• To North: ride the Deuce northbound or the CX Centennial Express to the Bonneville Transit Center downtown, then connect to Route 401, which serves the outlets and Symphony Park. The CX also runs from Harry Reid International Airport and the Tropicana and Las Vegas Boulevard corner. RTC drops off and picks up at the north end of the center near American Eagle and the Disney Outlet.

Where will you eat?

North has the better lunch. The Cheesecake Factory is a full service sit-down restaurant inside the center, and it is the only real table-service meal at either outlet. Shake Shack and Chipotle cover the quick end, and there is a food court for the rest. A sit-down lunch is also the smart heat strategy at an open-air center.

South spreads eating across two food courts, one on each side of the center, so you are never far from a break. Per Simon, the Entry B court includes Dairy Queen and Wetzel's Pretzels, and the Entry D court includes Sbarro, Stir Fry 88 and Kui Korean Grill, with cafes and snack counters in between. For a family working through 140 stores with kids in tow, that layout quietly outperforms one big restaurant.

Which outlet fits your trip?

• Luxury hunting: North. The designer depth and the 60 plus market exclusive brands are there, not at South.
• A hot day, or any summer afternoon: South. Indoor and air conditioned from the first store to the last.
• Families with kids: South. Two food courts, stroller friendly indoor walking, free parking steps from the doors.
• A short trip based on the Strip: either works; pick by your hotel. North pairs with downtown and Fremont Street, South pairs with the south Strip and Town Square.
• The last morning before a flight: South. It is the closest serious shopping to the airport, and Simon lists rental lockers by Entry C if the bags need a home while you shop.
• Holiday gift runs: North for the name a gift recipient will recognize, South for volume under a budget. Pair this page with our Christmas in Las Vegas guide for the season's dates, and our gift desk's Christmas gifts for Las Vegas lovers and gifts for someone going to Las Vegas if you would rather shop from the hotel room.

Black Friday 2026 hours

Black Friday falls on Friday, November 27, 2026. As of this review, Simon has not published Black Friday 2026 hours for either Las Vegas center, and we will not guess at them: outlet holiday hours are announced closer to the day, and both centers have run extended hours in past years. This page will be updated as soon as Simon posts the 2026 schedule. Until then, plan around regular hours, Monday to Saturday 10 AM to 8 PM and Sunday 10 AM to 7 PM, and use our Black Friday in Las Vegas 2026 guide for the rest of the day's openings, doorbusters and crowd strategy.

Last reviewed: November 2, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Las Vegas outlet is better, North or South?

North is better for brands and scale: 180 plus stores and the city's luxury outlet lineup, including Burberry, Tory Burch and Dolce & Gabbana, in an open-air village by downtown. South is better for comfort and logistics: 140 plus stores indoors with air conditioning, free parking, and the shortest run to the airport.

Which outlet is closer to the Las Vegas Strip?

Both are a short drive. North sits at the gateway to downtown and Fremont Street, about two miles north of The STRAT. South is 2.5 miles south of the Strip on Las Vegas Boulevard, per Simon, and closer to Harry Reid International Airport.

Is parking free at the Las Vegas Premium Outlets?

At South, yes, parking is free. At North, visitors pay a flat $5, and Nevada residents park free by scanning a state ID at the gate. North also offers valet parking near The Cheesecake Factory.

How do I get to the Las Vegas outlets by bus?

For South, ride the Deuce down Las Vegas Boulevard; it runs 24 hours a day and stops at the center, and RTC routes 117 and 217 also serve it. For North, ride the Deuce or the CX Centennial Express to the Bonneville Transit Center downtown and connect to Route 401, or ride the CX direct from the airport side of the Strip.

Which outlet is better on a hot day?

South, and it is not close. South is a climate controlled indoor mall, so the whole shop happens in air conditioning. North is an open-air village; in summer, go at the 10 AM opening and treat the shaded courts and indoor stops like The Cheesecake Factory as your cooling breaks.

What are the Black Friday 2026 hours at the Las Vegas outlets?

Simon has not published Black Friday 2026 hours for either Las Vegas center yet. Extended holiday hours are announced closer to Friday, November 27, 2026, and this page will be updated when they land. Regular hours at both centers are Monday to Saturday 10 AM to 8 PM and Sunday 10 AM to 7 PM.