Gizmodo put this awesome little photo set together, and I'd be lying if I didn't think it was totally and completely mezmorizing. Which is why I'm reposting it, obviously.
Professional Travel Guide and Apple Vacations offer you the best all-inclusive vacations in Mexico.
You don't really need words to explain why this is insane if you've been to Las Vegas in, oh, the last 30 years or so. And if not, what are you waiting for? Plan that trip.
Las Vegas is one of the most complete tourist destinations in the world. There is truly something here for everyone who'd ever want to visit Sin City. Now they even have something for those who don't: another city.
No, Las Vegas didn't buy Reno and have it moved closer... although I wouldn't put it past them. The folks at MGM are in the process of building a self-contained miniature city called, "CityCenter."
The massive development will feature several hotels, condominium-style residences, restaurants, shops, a casino... everything you would normally find in a luxurious resort city... in a desert... in Nevada. Although some of the buildings won't be completed until mid-December (and several after that), two properties have already started taking reservations.
The Vdara Hotel and the Aria Resort & Casino, two properties in the CityCenter development on the Las Vegas Strip, are accepting reservations.
The Vdara will be the first of CityCenter's properties to open, followed by the Mandarin Oriental hotel and the Crystals retail and entertainment district in early December. The Aria is due to open Dec. 16.
The Vdara's rates range from $159 to $2,000 per night. The 1,495-suite, non-gaming hotel will be connected to the Bellagio and adjacent to the Aria.
Though people generally think of RVing as being reserved for Griswald-esque family vacations, there's one brand that, quite simply, has always been cool. The Airstream dates all the way back to the 1930s when Hawley Bowlus (chief designer for Charles Lindbergh's "The Spirit of St. Louis") came up with the original design, which was then perfected, renamed and mass-produced by Wally Byam in the form we know today.
Under a new promotion with Kampgrounds of America, hipsters and nostalgia
buffs can stay in a new, 27-foot Airstream — the aluminum-sheathed,
aircraft-inspired travel trailer that's been a king of the American road since
the 1930s and a favorite of such Hollywood stars as Matthew McConaughey.
Ten of Airstream's Flying Cloud models, which sleep up to four and retail
for an average $53,000, are available at KOA's Circus Circus campground. Five more at KOA's location in Sugarloaf Key, Fla. (near Key West) rent for $170-$220 a night, and the program will be expanded to Bar Harbor, Maine, in May.
Food in Las Vegas is, as long as you like to gamble, generally pretty cheap and easy to come by. If you're not willing to roll the dice (pun intended) and go for the comps, though, you can always hit up whatever is the currently best "$4.99 boo-fay" in town.
But now there's a somewhat classy new alternate for the frugal foodie in Sin City: Mickey D's.
Both of the new 8,600-square foot restaurant’s state-of-the-art kitchens were operating at full strength Tuesday night, churning out Big Macs and crispy chicken sandwiches by the dozen. Order after order of the chain’s famous French fries were dished out, too, all deep-fried and seasoned to crispy, greasy, salty perfection.
Yet audiences previewing the new Viva McDonald’s on Las Vegas Boulevard were also given food supplied from an off-site caterer — and drinks from a bar that served red and white wine, bottled beer and a martini created especially for the event.
See? Me using "classy" and "McDonald's" in the same sentence doesn't sound so crazy after all, does it? Granted, Ronald won't be spilling dirty martinis over patrons every night; this monstrosity to American excess still isn't officially licensed to sling liquor.
We love celebrities almost as much as we love travel deals. Just imagine our joy when found a combination of the two:
Although 2008 has been an increasingly tough economic year for hoteliers everywhere, the folks at the Mirage are still shelling out big bucks. The Las Vegas resort reportedly spent $25 million on a brand new fake volcano. The feature was unveiled Monday evening before a crowd of fake volcanologists.
The redesign is the work of WET, creator of the fountain attraction at the Bellagio. WET's new fire-shooting spectacle at the Mirage is accompanied by a soundtrack composed by Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart and famed IndianThe new volcano is just one of example of how tourists and Las Vegas can both win at the same time. As the Strip continuously makes efforts to revitalize itself, fans of Sin City are perpetually greeted with new resorts and attractions. A constant focus on reinvention has made Las Vegas one of the most dynamic tourist destinations in the world. While some cities may lose their charm, and natural attractions wear away and are torn down, you can be sure there's always something new in Las Vegas.
percussionist Zakir Hussain.
While the drums beat, fireballs shoot more than 12 feet into the air, "lava" flows down the mountain's fissures and "eruption ignites the surrounding lagoon," said the Mirage.
Hart calls the result a "true union of the senses that will rattle your bones, just like a
real volcano."
Looking for a quick getaway after the stuffing is finished? Delta has some interesting deals, as long as you read the fine print and have a couple of vacation days left in the work bank.
Delta has a Super Off-Peak promo on its Web site, which lets you get some special deals on flights to select cities. The Super Off-Peak days run Nov. 27 and 28, then Dec. 3, 13-17 and Christmas Eve and Day. Phew.
I know, I know: What kind of deals are we talking about here? Well, LaGuardia to Orlando for $89 each way. How about jet-setting from JFK to Vegas for $259 roundtrip between Dec. 13 and Dec. 17?
My peeps in the ATL have some of the best deals (being a hub has its advantages), with one-ways to places like Chicago, Philly, NYC and every other East Coast and Midwest locale under $144.
As always, the fine print gets you, since the airline has these Super Off Peaks for the dates stated. Plus, you have to buy the tickets by this Saturday (Nov. 29). But if you're trying to get away from the cold Northeast or just need to use those remaining vacation days, there are some good deals to be had.
We all know that in the history of people you can call "The Greatest," Frank Sinatra is second to none. Except maybe Muhammad Ali, but he had the advantage of actually calling himself "the greatest." Frank Sinatra helped create a style that characterized a generation. His equally cavalier and classy attitude blended the rebeliousness of James Dean with the debonair of Cary Grant. And my god could he sing.In a recent interview, Wynn revealed the Sinatra family has loaned him their father's lone Academy Award, for best actor in a supporting role in 1953's "From Here to Eternity," and his Grammy Awards.Now some may call me cynical. Wynn, after all, was close to the Sinatra family and this may be what they want. All I'm saying is, if they're going to use Blue Eyes' near-holy name to boost a restaurant, it better be the best damn Italian restaurant in Nevada. It better be filled with beautiful, well-dressed people. And it better have a wine list longer than Moby Dick. After all, Frank himself once said, "I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day."
The priceless memorabilia will be prominently featured in the Italian restaurant which will be named Sinatra. The family has so fiercely guarded the name that Wynn, a family friend, is the only person who was granted permission to use it. Among Wynn's biggest coups was wooing Sinatra to the revitalized Golden Nugget as an exclusive headliner in the 1980s.
Morning to all those out there. Still recovering from PubCon out in Las Vegas last week, more from flying 'cross country than from all-night parties (thanks, Zappos.com and Microsoft). Anywho, as the resident FareFinder here at Travelin' Light, just wanted to give a shout and say that we'll be trying to help you find some diamonds in the rough.
My travel to Sin City wasn't all conference and schmoozing. Did some updates to our luxury hotel reviews for the Tower Suites at Wynn Las Vegas and the new Trump International Hotel & Tower. Those updates will be on Professional Travel Guide soon. Meanwhile, I stayed at Treasure Island with most of the conference guests. We here like to take what our CEO says to heart, so I went through the hotel directly and saved a good chunk -- about 100 large. Not too shabby.
Anywho, we'll keep you posted daily on deals the travel sector is offering out there. You know what to do. And if not, Brinson gave you a good explanation below. Until next time.
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