Viva Las Vegas!!!

We just returned from the Vacation.com 11th Annual Conference held in Las Vegas. Believe it or not, it wasn't as hot in Vegas as it has been in Nashville. The temperature hovered around 90 or so while we were there, but there was little, if any, humidity. Although we were there for 5-nights, we were very busy with the Conference. Charlie and I spoke at two sessions on Tuesday afternoon. I had an advisory board meeting, and we both had sub-committee meetings and other meetings to attend. But we did get some time to attend some great sessions from Globus, Travel Bound, Central Holidays, Travel Impressions and one Nolan Burris did on social media.

This city - a desert-situated spectacle of neon and non-stop activity - is one of the most unique tourist draws in the country. It's almost impossible to count the number of casino-hotels that line the "Strip" and "Downtown" areas. Vegas is a mecca for gamblers. Ironically, we didn't even put a quarter into a slot machine the whole time we were there.

We stayed at Caesar's Palace, probably our favorite hotel in Las Vegas. This mammoth hotel houses the Colosseum, where Bette Midler and Cher perform. The Forum Shoppes at Caesar's are something else. From Gucci to Versace to FAO Schwartz, there's something for everyone in these magnificent stores.

Our room was in the Palace Tower. Although this is not the newest addition to Caesar's, it is the most convenient if you are attending a Conference, like we were. We could literally ride the elevator down to the meeting rooms and trade show area within our tower. The pool area is easily accessible from the Palace Tower (and we saw many of the guys at our Conference staring out the windows in the hallway onto the topless pool), as are the Forum Shops and restaurants. We have stayed in the new Augustus Tower, and loved our room there. But, for convenience, we'll take the Palace Tower any day.

There are so many incredible restaurants in the Forum Shops and we indulged in Wolfgang Puck's Chinois as well as his Spago's Restaurants. Of course, buffets abound in Vegas, but the inexpensive buffets of the past have given way to more gourmet buffets today.

Dramatic hotels are a trademark of Las Vegas, and several mega-hotels are attractions unto themselves: The Mirage (where you can see the amazing Cirque de Soleil Beatles Love), Treasure Island, the MGM Grand, The Luxor, The Bellagio, and The Venetian, just to name a few.

You can even take a side trip to Hoover Dam or the Grand Canyon, and there's even winter snow skiing close-by.

We worked very hard last week during the Conference, but were fortunate to be in a wonderful hotel with every amenity we could possibly want. If you're interested in a trip to Las Vegas, this is the year to travel there. Hotel rates are at their lowest, and we have some great packages available through Funjet Vacations.

Viva Las Vegas!!! We'll be back again next year. And, by the way, the Elvises (or is it Elvi for the plural?) are alive and well and living in Las Vegas (all 2000 of them)!!!