Showing posts with label Las Vegas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Las Vegas. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 13, 2011

New Years Holidays in Las Vegas

Spend New Years by the
Ballagio Fountains
(photo by morguefile.com)
Why not spend New Years in Las Vegas this year? Many Baby Boomers and other retirees are looking for something fun, exciting or different to do this New Years Eve.  Now that you no longer have young children to worry about, you can make plans that are more elaborate than you could during your child rearing years.  If you are thinking about taking a trip to Las Vegas this winter, you need to start making your plans right away.

December and January are popular times to go to Las Vegas.  Hotels are available in a a wide variety of price ranges, from expensive 5 Star hotels like the Ballagio, Paris or the Venetian down to much cheaper motels, including Motel 6.  In between, there are a nice selection of moderately priced hotels, as well, including the Golden Nugget on Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas, or the Luxor and Stratosphere on the strip.  If you plan to go to Las Vegas in the winter, make your hotel reservations as soon as possible.

Unless you want to eat in a specific restaurant, you can be more casual about dinner reservations.  There are so many restaurants and buffets, it is usually possible to find one with an opening.  However, exceptional restaurants such as the one in the Eiffel Tower at the Paris Hotel, or the one at the top of the Stratosphere may require advance reservations.  The late night clubs may be more difficult to enter on New Years Eve than at other times of the year.  You may wish to talk to the concierge at your hotel for their recommendations.  They may be able locate one for you, and arrange to get you admitted. 

If you are planning to see a show, your concierge can also help you arrange tickets.  However, if you aren't picky, you may be able to get half price tickets at a kiosk owned by Tix4Tonight.  They sell the tickets that are left over for that night's shows.  Availability varies from day to day, but it is a fun way to save money on a Las Vegas show.

Check the weather forecasts carefully before you decide what clothing to bring on your trip.  My husband and I have taken frequent trips to Las Vegas during the winter, especially since we have been in our 50's and 60's, and the weather seems to be different on every trip.  We once planned a golf vacation, only to arrive to 6 inches of snow, with the valet parking attendants building a snowman in front of the hotel!  You can be almost certain that it will be quite cold in the desert after dark.  During the day, however, it could be sunny and mild, rainy and chilly, or downright freezing.

Las Vegas is a ideal place for Baby Boomers to enjoy time away from their normal routines.  New Years in Las Vegas is an especially exciting time to be in the city.

If you are a Baby Boomer interested in staying up to date with other travel locations as well as general information affecting your retirement plans, you may want to bookmark or follow this blog at http://baby-boomer-retirement.blogspot.com/