Thursday, December 21, 2006

Las Vegas Vacation-Tips, Tricks and Cautions

A Cheap Las Vegas Vacation is good, we agree! BUT, did you know virtually all Las Vegas Hotels have 2- 3 levels of room quality (or options)? Now, we mean even many of the five star, "big ones" many of these are just plain substandard rooms, maybe with a nice view of the air conditioning system! (This actually happened to me personally, and was it Loud!)

Things like older bed mattresses, no safes, old decorating, long walks to the casino, restraunts, shows, or even a taxi. Did you know there are monorail trains running right behind some of the rooms? How about a roller coaster right outside your window? And lots more. Just remember "cheapest" is just that. Ask at the front desk at check-in exactly where your room is, look at it before signing in if possible.

Why book your Hotel first? Las Vegas is booked up an average of 94% year round, so plan ahead (at least 30+ days is recommended) to get the exact days you want, where you want, room quality you want. Plus, usually it's less expensive to book well in advance. Did you know that Sunday through Thursday is less expensive? When you get your selected Las Vegas Hotel booked, then you can book a flight to fit the days in and out to fit YOUR schedule.

Once you get your Las Vegas Hotel booked first. Then you can book the Las Vegas Shows that you want, when you want. Be sure to check to see if your particular show choice isn't "dark" on your selected days. Holidays are a good example of dark days.

Then book your Las Vegas Tour. (If you have never experienced the thrill of a Helicopter Ride at night over "Glitter Gulch and Downtown", or a daytime trip over the Boulder Dam and Grand Canyon this is something you will never forget!) It isn't as expensive as you might think! Check our tours links for prices and times.

Las Vegas Gambling Tips:
Gambling is the lifeblood of Las Vegas. You didn't really think those billion dollar hotels were built by "winners" did you? Set a daily budget for gambling and stick to it! You do have a good chance at winning. Hundreds if not thousands of "Hand Pay Jackpots" are paid every day. Be careful though, those chips, tokens and ticket-in/ticket-out seem too much like "play money" they are not they are your real money! Stick to your budget! Did I say that already?

Get a "players card" everywhere you go and use it, or if you are a "table player" ask the pit boss to "rank" or "rate" you. They will track your play and comp you accordingly with all kinds of free stuff. Such as meals, rooms, clothing, limos, gift shop points and even cash. These really help put the odds in your favor.

Las Vegas Security:
Ladies, bring or buy a small purse with a neck strap or waste pouch, or fanny pack, something that is comfortable enough to keep on your person all the time. Never ever set your purse on the floor or next to a machine, or on a stool next to you. This is a magnet for thieves! Keep that strap around your neck.

Most thieves work in pairs, one to distract you, the other to snag your purse. Just a couple types of distractions they use are: one will drop a coin or dollar bill or two near you on the floor and ask you "is that your cash on the floor?" while the other grabs your stuff, or overly talkative "players" will sit down next to you and jabber to get your attention, while their partner grabs your stuff, or hits the payout button and walks away with your ticket. Believe me. This does happen. They are very slick and fast, so just be aware.

The Security at all Hotels and Casinos is excellent. With all those thousands of cameras (Eyes in the sky) every inch of the casino is being taped continuously. (Did you know that Nevada law requires casinos to have this level of security?) It is for your protection as well as the Hotel/Casino.

Follow these Las Vegas Travel Tips and they will make your Las Vegas Vacation a lifetime memory.

http://www.lasvegas-discount.com Copyright 2002-2007 DEN Publishing Co. Las Vegas-Discount.com, all rights reserved

About the Author
Author, Dennis Lauritsen is a Las Vegas expert/resident and the owner of Las Vegas $Discount$. Home of deep discounts on Las Vegas Hotels, Shows, Tours, Bachelor Parties, and World Discount Travel. Affordable vacations ARE still available! Website:
http://www.lasvegas-discount.com

Saturday, December 09, 2006

Crystal Mountain Ski Vacations

If you are in or near Washington State, you should definitely check out Crystal Mountain. With an elevation of 7004 feet and a vertical drop of 3102 feet, Crystal Mountain actually sits below Mount Rainier, which has a top elevation of 14,408 feet. Between the months of November and April, several feet of fresh powder falls on Crystal Mountain, due to the cold Cascade storms common to the area.

This is rough terrain, and there is little offered to beginners as far as the ease of the trails go. But lessons are available, as well as rentals for ski's and other equipment. At Crystal Mountain, there are more than 2300 acres and fifty trails, making this the largest ski area in the state of Washington. There are ten lifts available: 2 high speed six passenger lifts, 2 high speed quads, 2 triple chairs, 3 double chairs, and 1 children's surface lift.

The season runs from the middle of November to the middle of April, when the most snow fall is experienced. There are several places to choose for lodging, meals, and nightly entertainment, but the biggest attraction is the skiing, of course.

The Crystal Mountain Express Buss service runs on weekends from the middle of December to the middle of March. You will be picked up from your lodge and dropped off at the base plaza - where you can begin a full day of fun on the slopes. After a day of skiing, you should definitely head over to East Peak Massage & Fitness to take advantage of the hot tub, sauna, showers, and even the game room. Massages are also available, with a reservation.

If your kids aren't quite ready for the black diamond trails - but you are - you can register them in the Kid's Club. The Kid's Club is open from 8am to 4pm each day for children aged four to eleven years old. The kid's aged 4 - 11 will be supervised while they ski on a 'kid appropriate' slope, and snowboarding is also available for children aged 7 - 11 years old. Your child will have fun, while being supervised and taught.

The cost of the care includes a four hour lesson, a lift ticket, lunch, and supervision. Rental equipment is available for the kids for an additional fee.

Everyone has fun at Crystal Mountain. It is a great place for a family vacation, but again, the slopes are more for intermediate skiers and expert skiers - although beginners will have fun as well. Just use good sense, and avoid trails that you don't feel like your ready for.

About the Author
Published by Daves-InfoRama, Blog 4 Dollars and Learn About Skiing

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