The lure of Las Vegas travel"LAS VEGAS TRAVEL"
Can't find what you need? Try a Google Web Search in the box below!
10/24/2004 Las Vegas long ago put aside the image of the gambling mecca that flourished under the mob when Nevada legalized casinos in 1931. Since then, it has evolved from seedy gambling town to glitzy showgirl glam-a-rama to family vacation Las Vegas destination spot, and now has returned to the nicely naughty image with a campaign coyly promising whatever happens here stays here. The home of the $5.99 buffet now is famous for celebrity chefs who have opened outposts of their more famous siblings -- including Thomas Keller of French Laundry fame who recently opened Bouchon at the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino for Las Vegas travel. And the entertainment has had a significant upgrade: Celine Dion and Cirque du Soleil have replaced classic camp acts such as Liberace. But it is still the sin in Sin City that most tourists come for on Las Vegas travel. From the strip clubs to the casinos, vice is doing its usual brisk business. Events Some critics complained when "Claude Monet: Masterworks from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston" opened at the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art in January, saying a for-profit gallery should not charge tourists to see paintings on loan from a public institution when on Las Vegas travel. But that hasn't deterred the 250,000 gallery-goers who have paid as much as $15 each to see the 16 original Monet paintings on view. The gallery is open 9 a.m.-9 p.m. daily, and the show runs through Jan. 9. Tickets are available at (702) 693-7871 or www.bgfa.biz. When Celine Dion is out of town, what better replacement than Elton John? He will take the stage at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace, Dion's usual haunt, until Oct. 31. All those hits do not come cheap, though. Tickets are $100 to $250; (888) 435-8665, www.caesars.com. Good event when on Las Vegas travel. Losing at poker isn't the only way to get the money shaken out of your pockets. This month, 45 of the world's best bull riders will compete for a $1 million prize in the 2004 Professional Bull Riders World Finals, being held Thursday-Oct. 31 at Thomas and Mack Center at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 Maryland Pkwy. Tickets cost $40 to $162; call (866) 727-7469. Good event when on Las Vegas travel. Las Vegas is a fast town; if you don't believe it, head to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, 7000 Las Vegas Blvd., on Nov. 5 and 6 as the World of Outlaws, the nation's top sprint-car series, takes to the dirt oval. Tickets start at $26.25; (800) 644-4444. Good event when on Las Vegas travel. Who didn't love Debbie Reynolds in "Singin' in the Rain?" See her sing and dance -- in drier conditions -- from Nov. 25 to 28 at the Orleans Hotel and Casino at 4500 W. Tropicana Ave. Tickets: $34.95 to $44.95; (800) 675-3267, www.orleanscasino.com. Sightseeing
Can't find what you need? Try a Google Web Search in the box below!
Bypass M&M's World on the Strip and head southeast to the nearby town of Henderson for a tour of the Ethel M factory. Chocolate enthusiasts can watch the candymaking process up close from behind large glass windows. After the self-guided tour, guests can sample the product and take a walk through the nearby cactus garden, with more than 350 species. The factory is at the intersection of Sunset Way and Mountain Vista. Call (702) 458-8864. Good for Las Vegas travel. There is something almost eerily exciting about "O," the popular Cirque du Soleil show at the Bellagio. Perhaps it is the stage, which alternately serves as a floor and a diving pool. Or the white-wigged performers in red coats riding carousel horses in the air. Whatever it is, tickets, $99 to $150, sell out as much as three months ahead. There are two shows nightly from Wednesday to Sunday. For tickets, call (888) 488-7111. Recommended on Las Vegas travel. On Nov. 26, Cirque du Soleil will begin previews of a new production, "K," at the MGM Grand, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd., (800) 929-1111. Tickets for the preview performances, which will run Friday through Tuesday through Feb. 2, are $99 to $150; call (800) 929-1111 or go to www.mgmgrand.com. If you are looking to party all night, Rain Las Vegas at Palms Casino Resort, 4321 W. Flamingo Road, is the place. The club, which vibrates to hip-hop and dance-club music, holds as many as 1,800 guests in 25,000 square feet. There is a $20 cover charge on weekends, when the wait can top three hours. Big spenders can rent one of six skyboxes for $1,000 to watch the dance action. Call (702) 940-7246. For a nightcap, head to the roof to Ghostbar, which has one of the best views of the Las Vegas skyline. It opens nightly at 8. Good to see on Las Vegas travel. After too many dizzying hours at the craps table, even the most avid gambler may crave the outdoors. Less than 20 miles west of the city on Route 159 is Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, (702) 515-5350, www.redrockcanyon.blm.gov, a serene landscape of desert valleys and rugged sandstone cliffs. Rock climbers and hikers abound, particularly in spring when wildflowers blossom. Go early when the morning sun highlights the red rocks. Lodging On weekdays, even the most expensive resort can be priced like a budget hotel. When picking a place to stay, ask about promotions. Check it out on Las Vegas travel. The Palms, (866) 725-6773, fax (702) 942-7001, www.palms.com, is a mile off the Strip at 4321 W. Flamingo Road. It is a place where celebrities such as Britney Spears stay but where mere mortals can have a good time, too. Down comforters are enveloped in 300-count Egyptian cotton duvet covers, the mattresses are comfortably plush, and the televisions play the latest hits from artists you might see in the lobby. The 425 rooms range from $69 to $499.
Can't find what you need? Try a Google Web Search in the box below!
Don't expect much in the way of frills at Bally's, 3645 Las Vegas Blvd., (888) 742-9248, www.ballyslasvegas.com. The 2,814 rooms have very little personality, but make up for it in location: across the street from the Bellagio and adjoining Paris Las Vegas. Prices at Bally's, depending on availability, are $69 to $169 for a standard room. Good choice on Las Vegas travel. Budget: At the Travelodge, 3735 Las Vegas Blvd., (702) 736-3443, or at www.travelodge.com, the 126 rooms are spare, offering little more than a bed and nightstand, although rates include Continental breakfast. Reserve online for a 10 percent discount. Rates start at $39 weekdays, and go up on weekends. Luxury: You can't beat the Bellagio, 3600 Las Vegas Blvd., (888) 987-6667, www.bellagiolasvegas.com, for sheer luxury, from the big, deep bathtubs to the window sheers that open electronically so guests don't have to roll out of bed to watch the sunrise. But the real reason to stay in one of the 3,005 rooms is the service. Big spenders can request their own butler. The standard rooms are pricey: $159 to $799. At the Venetian Resort Hotel Casino, 3355 Las Vegas Blvd., (877) 857-1861, www.venetian.com, every room is a suite with a bed, couch and two plush chairs and marble sinks in the bathroom. The furniture is Italian. The hotel has 4,049 suites, and a standard costs $169 to $899..... Compare airline tickets for Las Vegas travel here /cheap airfares home |