Las Vegas

In some parts of our glorious state, there is snow, sleet, hail and rain. In Las Vegas, there is sun, lots of sun. And because there is a lot of sun, there is a one-of-a-kind extravaganza where guests are encouraged to come in costume and drink from beer tubes, enjoy insane bottle presentations, and party with celebrity hosts.

The Ghostbar Dayclub (GBDC) at the Palms Casino has a strong local following who bring out-of-town guests for a perfect mix of both.  Ghostbar is 55 stories up the Palms providing panoramic views of the iconic Strip. GBDC parties include themed costume events (Pajama Jam, GBDC Rodeo), spontaneous confetti explosions and gorgeous go-go dancers. Or take it one step further and purchase the $20,000 “Put a Ring On It” package that includes a marriage ceremony on the Ghostbar patio, two nights in a Sky Villa, 10 Bottles of Cristal, dinner for 10 in the N9NE Steakhouse private dining room, and have it all topped off with an elaborate marriage announcement on the Palms marquee.

And weather is never a problem because the beauty of Ghostbar is the indoor-outdoor environment that allows guests to dance in the rain or party inside. Ghostbar Dayclub, 1-6 p.m. every Saturday thru March 12. 702-942-6832

A new Starbucks in any other city would just be another Starbucks. But the new Starbucks that opened at the Grand Bazaar Shops in front of Bally’s on the Strip is not your father’s Starbucks. This one features grandstand seating inspired by coffee terraces found in Europe and several U.S. cities. It offers all its traditional coffee drinks, along with Starbucks Reserve, a special collection of rare, exquisite coffees selected from small farms from around the world. Additionally, guests can enjoy coffee brewed on The Clover Brewing System to discover new layers of flavor in each freshly-brewed cup of coffee. There’s more: a cup of Starbucks Cold Brew coffee that has been steeped in a container of cool water for 20 hours. A cup of Joe? Never again. Starbucks at the Grand Bazaar Shops is open 24/7. 702-232-1644

— Diamond Jack Bulavsky

 

Las Vegas — Get Into the Spirit!

There are so many musts-to-do if you are in Las Vegas in December. The obvious are the Bellagio Conservatory to view for free their elaborate and over-the-top Christmas decorations which are on display between December 4th and January 3rd. Just walking through the display will put the spirit of the season in your heart before you add the spirit to your belly at one of their bars.

The Ice Rink at the Cosmopolitan Boulevard Pool is a must, whether you strap on the skates or just observe with a little hot cocoa or toddy rink-side.  You are on the rooftop where the spirit is in the air. They feature “snow,” which is actually soap bubbles that fall between 6pm and 10pm, Wednesdays through Sundays, and it is free to get into the area.  Skating is from 3 p.m. until midnight during the week and noon until midnight on the weekends.

For more holiday fun, The Venetian also has an outside skating rink located in their canal area for their Winter in Venice display. They have a 65-foot Christmas tree as the centerpiece of Doge’s Palace plaza lit with 50,000 programmable LED lights.  Carolers, fashion shows and parades are featured nightly from 6 until 8 p.m. throughout The Venetian and Palazzo hotels.

Since snow in Vegas has become “an event,” check out Winter Parq at the Linq.  Last year for the holidays was the first year they set up tubing on a 30-foot-high snow hill behind the High Roller. It is made of real snow, so you can have a blast tubing in Vegas on the Strip! Not sure of the prices for this year; however, it was $5 per ride and $20 for an all-day pass last year. They also have snow scheduled to fall every half hour in their decorated promenade complex, starting on December 8th.

Downtown Summerlin gets into the spirit for the first time with the Downtown Summerlin Holiday Parade and will open their Rock Ice Rink. You would think you might miss the parade, but your family should be able to hit it one of the nights.  It is a free 20-minute parade in the evenings of December 4th and 5th and every evening from December 11 through 24.

The Santa Cruise is going on again this year at Lake Las Vegas, a beautiful, relaxing community several miles east of the Strip off of Lake Mead Parkway. The current schedule is for 10 a.m. departures on the Saturdays of December 5, 12 and 19, with an additional cruise at 1 p.m. on December 12 and 19.  The cruise lasts 1 hour.  The cost is $18 per adult and $12 for children under age 12.

And don’t forget the rodeo is in town December 3rd through 12th! If you can’t get tickets to the rodeo, it is fun to go to the Cowboy Christmas Show held at the Las Vegas Convention Center on Paradise Road. They have over 400 vendors and 300,000 square feet of floor space dedicated to custom western wear, jewelry, boots, art, and furniture.

— Pauline Cimoch