(Image: emyerson / iStockphoto)

Forget the Groundhog and its sham prognostications and let’s look at the real indication of spring’s proximity: the NCAA Tournament, March Madness, The Big Dance.

Now most people recognize March Madness as the quintessential cairn of spring’s presence, and with the brackets so easy to understand and bet on — whom among us has never participated in an office pool? It’s here on the storied brackets that even the most uneducated can use their proprietary picking method that can range from team colors to mascots to prettiness of school name (I kid you not). I temper my judgment on any these approaches based on the fact that on more than one occasion the seemingly random picker has schooled me in a big way. But, for those of you who take this as serious as I do, there is only one thing to do during March Madness: get thee to Las Vegas.

If you’ve never been to a Las Vegas sports book during the NFL regular season, the Super Bowl, the World Series, NHL Finals, World Cup, or any of the truly dramatic sporting events, then I highly encourage you to do so. Watching sports is one thing, but waging a little money on any game adds a dynamic that I can only describe as energizing.

Okay, I’ve convinced you to hit the Nevada desert, so now what? Well, funny you should ask because I’m going to tell you exactly what to do and where to go.

Fly into Vegas Wednesday night the day preceding the Tournament First Round/Second Rounds and go out and see the sites because when the First and Second Rounds start you will have little time to ride the Stratosphere roller coaster. Get your whalebone, slots, and any shows out of the way so you can focus on the avalanche of basketball coming at you.

As I’ve written in my previous Las Vegas post, hotels matter very little to me in terms of luxury and amenities (well, to be fair let’s just say that wherever I travel, I do my best to stay in a Four Seasons) but I proclaim it’s the location that is critical. You’ll be out and about for most of your stay so as long as the hotel has a decent room with a comfortable bed and related basics — that should be all you need. Don’t waste your money on an expensive room; save your bucks for the sports book.

Okay, so we agree to stay somewhere mid-strip, and if you do plan on spending some time at the pool and utilizing restaurants, then I recommend Bellagio, Paris, Venetian, Treasure Island, Wynn, Palazzo, Caesar’s, or the Mirage. Treasure Island and the Mirage offer the best value and if money is no object to you and your deep pockets then Wynn, Palazzo, Bellagio, and the Venetian are for you.

I’m warning you ahead of time, if you’ve never been to a sports book on a college Saturday or a NFL Sunday, then you’ll find it hard to believe when I tell you that once you’ve placed your bets and the games start you’ll find it very difficult to leave the book for any reason (including the bathroom). The drinks start flowing, any single play can make or break you, people are cheering, and time dissipates into a forgotten concept and the next thing you know it’s twelve hours later and you’re trying to decide whether you can dash to a restaurant for dinner before the Sunday night game kicks off. It’s a constant high and you’ll be captivated, emotionally battered, drunk, sober, happy, pissed, rich, poor, and after it all, you’ll want more (kinda like a fat kid and cupcakes.you know he should stop but he won’t).

In short, it’s exciting and fun, and you’ll never look at sports the same again.

Ok. You bought your plane tickets, domiciled in a mid-strip hotel, so the next big question is where to spend the next three or four days. Well, I’m here to help you make that decision. You can spend Wednesday night scouting sports books or you can take my hard-earned advice. I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time in these books and these are my favorites and the reasons why.

#1: Venetian

This may come as a surprise to most people but my favorite place to spend 15 hours a day is the reasonably-sized sports book at the Venetian. It’s not the biggest; it doesn’t have the most action or the biggest TVs, or some of the amenities you think you need (trust me you don’t). We’re here to gamble and watch the games and this is my favorite spot for many reasons (objective and subjective).

The Venetian sports book is on the far end of the casino and the viewing area is in four sections. The left-facing and right-facing wings are for sports patrons, as is the middle-front section. The middle back is for those wagering the ponies, but I suspect you can plant yourself there with little resistance if you wager a little on both. I like the wing seats as they are close to the flat screen, high-definition TVs. From this vantage point, you can actually see five or six games without breaking out a Hubble Telescope to see Terrell Owens drop yet another easy pass. The chairs are comfortable, rounded back, upholstered seats. If you don’t score these limited chairs, then the remaining seats are your standard padded metal frames — but they aren’t too bad either.

Be aware, and this goes for all sports books, you must arrive early and stake out your seats and, please, don’t send one guy down five hours ahead of time to save seven seats. It won’t work and it’s highly irritating to everyone in the place. After ten minutes people will just start sitting in your saved seats and there’s nothing you can do about it. A lot of people are in and out. So even if you oversleep or realize that after several wasted hours that the woman you think is Celine Dion is really just a man dressed like the Canadian uber vocalist and that you aren’t really her next back-up singer, all is not lost because seats will become available, but sitting as a group is probably out of the question.

The Venetian is small, intimate, and the TVs are accessible, plentiful, and the action fairly good. The drinks situation isn’t what it used to be but if you’re nice and promise to lose more than you win you’ll have no problem getting extra coupons when you’re at the window. I don’t know who thought this was a good idea but just about every book I’ve been to now requires you to provide a coupon for drinks while in the sports book. Some just make you pay. You’re supposed to get roughly one ticket per hundred you wager, but I was given two or three for even smaller four or five $10 parlays. I’m guessing you can thank the students at UNLV for this change. I was there one weekend a few years ago and watched college students put down a few $10 bets and drink for hours. After they were all liquored up they left to go party. They probably drank $100 worth of Corona each and then bailed.

In terms of lodging, the Venetian has nice rooms and if you have a group of four you can get a two queen bed suite for around $300/night on weekends. And that’s in a 720 sq/ft room (“suite” as they call it). The suites have two flat screen TVs so if you do decide to leave the sports book you can watch a couple of games in the comfort of your room. The Venetian has a great variety of restaurants, clubs, cafes, and other attractions that should cover your every need. The attached sister property, Palazzo, is a little more expensive but very nice. It does have a sports book but it’s in a modern NYC club-like room that has several levels and certain patrons are placed in nice VIP sections. This whole arrangement makes watching a lot of different games difficult. The Palazzo has limited places outside and, if it’s a nice day, it wouldn’t be too bad to partake, but this is, in my opinion, not a place for the hardcore bettor. If you need to smoke a “look-at-me” cigar and drink small batch bourbon so that everyone can appreciate your good taste then by all means make your way over to the Palazzo. However, for me it’s too modern and it seems too much like you’re sitting in your weird neighbor’s home basement football emporium. Plus — and this is the real deal breaker — it’s a good hike across an untold length of fine imported marble to get to the Venetian sports books. In fact, the Palazzo sports wagering area may technically be closer to the Wynn sports book. On the upside, you’re very close to gelato here (I think you get my drift).

#2: Bellagio

Most people choose Caesar’s as their top pick or at least their number two. Not me. It’s too big, the TVs washed out, too many people, and, in general, not how I like to spend my time. If you like those obstacles, then participate in the mayhem, and you’ll be rewarded with a lot of cheering and good camaraderie and a direct line of sight (a little squinting may be involved) to see the Pussycat Dolls dancers who strut their stuff between gaming tables a couple of hundred yards away.

My number two is an easy choice: Bellagio. The hotel embodies a sense of class that brings in a higher level of clientele and the people watching here is fabulous. By contrast, walk over to Harrah’s and you’ll immediately know/sense/feel what I mean. The sports book is larger than the Venetian but its layout doesn’t put you as close to the TVs as I like. The seats are excellent and if you have to spend 15 hours somewhere this is not a bad place to do it. The sports book offers decent choices and the big board is legible and comprehensive. The amenities cost you a little more but it always seems worth it at the Bellagio. It has great restaurants and, as I reviewed in the last Las Vegas post, the Bellagio Buffet is excellent. Get there early as the dinner line can get crazy long.

#3: Mirage

The Mirage occupies my number three spot. My last Vegas trip was based here and, although most of my time was spent at the Venetian sports book, I found this a pleasant home away from home. The sports book is large like Bellagio’s but it isn’t as updated or sophisticated as the Venetian or the Bellagio. However, it does the basics well and, although the TV’s aren’t as plentiful or as clear as the others, it does have a great location and the proximity to the Carnegie Deli or BLT’s burger outpost makes it even better. At Carnegie, go with the Pastrami on rye (shocker) and the burgers at BLT are worth it (and so is the Buffalo Chicken sandwich).

#4: Wynn

I wanted to love the Wynn sports book, and expected way more than what it is. Located on the left as you walk through the Wynn casino, resides the sports book, which is much smaller than you would guess. As you enter for the first time, it’s hard to tell if you accidentally entered the deli that abuts it or if this is where you’re supposed to be. To your right are a plethora of cubicles for the track bettors and then after you make your way forward you finally get to the sports book seating. They are nice-looking seats with rounded backs and faux leather that’s aesthetically pleasing but much too hard for my liking. It’s always very difficult to find a seat and, when you do, you may need to step over six or seven people to get situated. The drink service was surprisingly slow and not really that impressive once delivered (stick with beer). The TVs are nice and plentiful but if you get stuck with the less-than-desirable seats, you may be so close that you have to crane your neck at a very uncomfortable angle to see any action. However, it does have nice ambiance and, even though getting to the wagering window involves working your way through the crowd, it’s fairly expeditious and the gaming solid. The deli is extremely close so you can order food and not miss a lot of the game.

#5: MGM

It’s not mid-strip, but the MGM sports book is solid as well. The seats are comfortable and TVs are everywhere (although a little far and most awkwardly placed over the wagering counter). It’s framed by elevated VIP areas for those that like to look down on the little people. MGM has all the bells and whistles and there are plenty of restaurants, bars, and sports action to sate most players. Again, I prefer mid-strip so I can move in and out of sports books if I desire, but the MGM is an excellent choice if you plan on staying in one place for the duration.

Order something quick from the adjacent restaurants or delis or take a break and hit one of the great buffets. The Wynn Buffet is best followed by Bellagio and Paris.

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(Photo: Douglas Cole / Flickr)

This post presents my full three-night/four-day Las Vegas trip itinerary. As explained in Part 1 and Part 2 of this post series, the purpose of providing you my thoroughly-researched and fully-tested agenda is threefold:

(1) Save you time. Whether you follow my agenda to the letter or tailor here-and-there to meet your preferences, this information will save you considerable planning time. With the help of my assistant, I spent nearly 15 hours researching logistics, costs, rankings, texture, timing, and ambience to arrive at my weekend plans. If you can spare 15 hours, then by all means take the time to plan your own Sin agenda. Otherwise, save yourself some valuable time and use mine.

(2) Save you money. As I explained in Part 1, going to Vegas without a plan could end up costing you. Las Vegas loves the non-planner who waltzes in and loses the majority of his or her money in the first and last thirty minutes of a visit. Vegas profit numbers have a lot of zeroes made off the occasional, recreational gambler. Don’t become another statistic. Plan, plan, plan. Then go have fun. Is there anything worse then returning home and discovering there was something you wished you’d done?

(3) Maximize your experience. Without a plan, the shiny lights, loud dinging noises, $.99 buffets, plush lounges, and other distractions will do just that. After 72 hours of wandering like a 10-year old in Toys “R” Us, you’ve missed Vegas (or most of it).

Here are few notes that you should keep in mind about my agenda:

• As I explained in Part 1, this schedule is directed at the Hybrid type of Las Vegas visitor (such as couples going to Vegas for a long weekend). Others can use the schedule as a planning tool and, in fact, I challenge anyone to experience my deluxe Vegas agenda and tell me that didn’t have a good time.
• As also noted in Part 1, this trip agenda is pretty much age neutral and that’s always a nice feature of Vegas: any person age 21 and up can enjoy a plethora of opportunities to do as thou wilt. I’m not saying that there aren’t spots that trend towards certain older and younger demographics, but those unwritten rules reflect vague boundaries that are self-enforcing as opposed to written law.
• As mentioned in Part 2, my significant other and I stayed at the Venetian. The agenda works equally as well for any mid-strip hotel: Paris, Bellagio (still the place to be and be seen), Palazzo, Mirage, Treasure Island, Wynn, Caesars, or any other big name establishment adjacent to these. While the Venetian’s hotel room prices run higher than the average, it’s worth the extra money based on location, room, size, and hotel amenities. Other hotels work, too. On the high-end, I’d pick Wynn. On the less expensive end (but very nice) is the Mirage. All of the hotels that I mentioned are extremely nice and will serve you well.
• My flight departed from the East Coast, so factor in your own flight times into the agenda.
• If you follow the agenda in its deluxe form to the letter, you and your travel mate will need a combined budget of around $3,565 ($1,782.50 p/p). (A detailed cost breakdown is provided below, following the agenda.) This amount of money should cover EVERYTHING: flight, hotel room, shows, meals, drinks, gambling, and ground transportation. Of course, your costs may vary slightly depending upon city of departure, time of year (I went in May), and other factors.

Now that I covered the benefits of coming up with a plan, and variables you should take into consideration in planning your trip, let me unveil my whole schedule, followed by some quick comments on why I chose what I did, how it worked out, and how much it cost.

Las Vegas 2008 — Three-Night/Four-Day Itinerary

Las Vegas Trip in Brief:

DAY ONE: So you’ve arrived on a Friday afternoon. Once you retrieve your luggage, head directly to the taxi line out front. The line will be long but it moves very quickly.

En route to your hotel, the Venetian, take a moment to ask your cab driver which hotel entrances are you most likely to find cabs that are quickly accessible. Most people stand out front in a huge line, but there are several other locations where cabs are dropping off people and looking for a Smartlife Traveler who walked 100 yards to save 45 minutes.

After the taxi drops you off, check-in to the hotel and then immediately head back down to survey the facilities. Take a good look around so you will avoid missing something that you accidentally discover at the end of your stay that you wish you’d known about.

After settling-in, head over early to Bellagio, pull the slots, and order champagne (which comes with plump strawberries) or gin and tonic. Remember to tip. At the Bellagio Buffet, you will not be disappointed. Plenty of everything and the place can get crowded but never too crazy. The desserts are definitely worth trying so watch your pace. The décor could use a little more pizzazz but you’ll be so busy eating that you probably won’t notice. Come early as the line can get very long (VERY LONG).

Now go enjoy Cirque du Soleil’s “O”. This show is mindboggling from an engineering perspective (not to mention the act). Seats are somewhat irrelevant as the theater isn’t that large and, although we sat in the front section and paid top dollar, I couldn’t see a bad seat in the place.

A few more cocktails afterwards then off to THEhotel (Mandalay Bay) for some clubbing. Mix Lounge at THEhotel is never too crowded and certainly not the chaos of PURE or TAO. However, what you do get at Mix is a great club with a view of the Strip that’s worth the ride.

Ok, back home and sleep for a few hours.

DAY TWO: Ok, ok, I know we’re going back up the Strip to the Mandalay complex but the Four Season’s and breakfast at the Verandah is a welcome escape and worth it. The Four Season brand has mastered the reserved sophistication. No matter who you are, you feel comfortable and welcome at their establishments. Their food is excellent and you can choose from their buffet or a la carte (try the pancakes but be warned: they’ll ruin all other pancakes for life). Float around the complex or head back to base camp.

Back at the Venetian either go swimming in the pleasant but not over-the-top pool or gamble or do something (anything) to work up an appetite because we’re heading to the Paris Hotel at 3:00 PM for another outstanding brunch.

Le Village Buffet is an “open air” dining experience (it is all indoors but you’ll see what I mean when you get there). Great selections from seafood to prime rib to comfort foods. And, of course, French foods are scattered throughout the seemingly endless stations. Again, just like the hotel, make sure you look around first before you start stacking your plate.

After bidding au revoir to Le Village Buffet, we head back home again (or walk around a bit and people watch). Not too much time because we have the 7:00 PM LE RÊVE show over at the Wynn. LE RÊVE is Wynn’s version of Cirque and is very well done.

After the show, we’re back over to the Bellagio. Enjoy a drink at the Petrossian Bar as the pianist melodically transports you. Watch people, win and lose at the tables, or tap the innumerable slots buttons that surround you. If you have alligator arms, skip the bar and play the slots for free cocktails.

Dinner is at the Prime Steakhouse. Ask for a seat in the front window. We’re dining late here so the front row request shouldn’t be an issue. While enjoying great, but expensive steak, you’ll have a front-row seat for another show: the famous Bellagio Fountains. Well worth it.

Ok, tonight we jump into the fray and head over to Caesars for a few hours of clubbing in their mega club PURE. Getting in can take some time for guys. Hot chicks, on the other hand, usually get in without much effort. A purchased VIP Pass expedites things but I’m not sure it’s worth it. Be patient and watch the “I’ve got a clipboard and therefore I am important” bouncers do what it is they do.

After PURE, back to bed or maybe a late-night run at roulette. Bet black. Ok, go to sleep. We have a big day tomorrow…I mean today.

DAY THREE: Up at 9:30 AM, make your way to Canyon Ranch Spa for a massage. After the rub-down, luxuriate in the pool, sauna, steam bath, and other facilities that are included in your treatment.

1:30 PM you hit the Sterling Brunch at Bally’s. Bally’s doesn’t look like much and neither do the three restaurants you’ll be buffeting in, but once you’re seated and you realize that you have access to unlimited lobster, King Crab, filet mignon, twice-baked potatoes (hidden around the string beans pan), and Champagne (Perrier-Jouët), you won’t leave. I asked the waiter if anyone had stayed as long as we did (I won’t say how long). He said “no” so we quickly drank up and got out. Believe me when I tell you that a little Perrier-Jouët is sublime; a lot of Perrier-Jouët can be downright dangerous. Excellent value at $75/person. Gamble, drink some more (I drank some more and that was really NOT a good idea), but don’t drink and gamble at the same time.

We have another show tonight; it’s lighter than the others but good fun nonetheless. Head across the way to Treasure Island and enjoy Mystère. While not as complex as “O” or LE RÊVE, it’s a manageable act and fun throughout. Seats here are good across the board and I had some excellent popcorn that mysteriously disappeared by show’s end.

Ok, I know that we’ve eaten a lot today (and that popcorn was really unnecessary), but back at the Venetian, Bouchon awaits us and you’ll like it. Food is excellent and its upscale bistro atmosphere will further cheer you up. The bread will bring you to your senses. After that, it’ll all fall into place as you peruse a multitude of good choices (hangar steak with frites for me).

Ok, back to the fun of getting into a club. This time we stay at home and penetrate TAO for some dancing, people watching, and expensive drinks. TAO is a test of patience, but if you stay focused, you’ll get in and have fun.

DAY FOUR: We’re up semi-early for a little rest and relaxation by the pool. After the obligatory sunburn, we shower, change, and pack. After packing, check your luggage at the bell desk and head over to my favorite buffet at the Wynn. If you’re leaving from the Wynn to the airport, take your luggage with you and check it in with the Wynn bellhop. For a couple of bucks, they’ll stash your stuff for a couple of hours.

The Wynn Buffet is on par with the Bellagio in terms of food, and a little ahead of Le Village (but not by much). The real difference is the dining area. It’s light, fun, and thoroughly enjoyable. After this final gorging, we retrieve our luggage and head to the airport via taxi. We aren’t in a hurry.

Approximate Breakdown of Costs:

Summary

My travel mate and I saw a lot of Las Vegas, ate enough to embarrass ourselves, won or lost at games of chance, and experienced some of Vegas’ best. In the end, it was a highly memorable trip thanks to a carefully-planned, easy-to-follow, step-by-step agenda. I highly recommend that you use it as a planning tool for your couples trip. You won’t be disappointed in the results. Now go book your Vegas trip for two, and when you return, let me know how much fun you had.

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If you have any questions — any at all — about the agenda or what to do in Vegas, leave me a comment. I’ll respond. The Las Vegas Travel Desk (that’s me) is here for your convenience. If you followed my agenda in any way shape or form, let me know how it went! I’ll use your feedback as input into planning next year’s couples trip.

Please Digg this post if you liked it.

Destination: Sin. (photo: Philip / Picasa)

Planning for Vegas seems simple to the uninitiated. However, you can become quickly overwhelmed when you begin to consider the multitude of hotels, restaurants, shows, pools, spas, golf courses, roller coasters, bars, nightclubs, casinos, buffets, shopping locations, people-watching venues, old Vegas sites, new Vegas sites, and so forth.

I spent several weeks researching logistics, costs, rankings, texture, timing, and ambience to arrive at my weekend plans for two. My methodology included cross-referencing a multitude of sources including the Internet, word of mouth, and travel guides to reach a detailed three-night/four-day weekend agenda, beginning Friday afternoon and ending Monday afternoon.

When to Visit Vegas

The time of year you visit Vegas depends on what you’re going to be doing outdoors. November through February can be downright cool if not cold (believe it or not). Check out weather.com and take a look at the average temperatures for the numbers that match your needs. If you despise unbearable heat, then I’d recommend skipping the summer months.

Once you arrive in Vegas, however, you quickly learn that if you absolutely had to (such as if you were a Vampire), you could go for many days (if not years) without ever encountering actual daylight. That’s because Vegas is a massive interconnected system of physically adjoined structures with various conveyances that can get you to and fro without ever exposing you to the rugged desert sun.

Booking Your Flight

At two months out, I’d begin searching for your airfare. Start with Kayak.com and play with various dates. Vegas is a weekend haven so prices for everything will be higher on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (Sunday night through Thursday are considered off times). That’s the premium price you pay for partaking in the weekend action. You could visit on the weekdays and have fun, but trust me, go on a weekend and participate in the debauchery. (If you want a quiet get-away, wish to utilize Vegas facilities to the fullest, enjoy the sites without a multitude of others, and save some money, then you should definitely book a Sunday-Thursday trip.)

To find the best weekend airfare, I’d also run Orbitz, Travelocity, and other engines like Travel Zoo in addition to Kayak.com. Don’t forget to check Southwest.com directly so you don’t miss out on their considerable discounts. Unfortunately, Southwest doesn’t share flight information with search aggregators. Like Orbitz and several others, Southwest.com also provides package deals so it’s often the overall price winner when you factor in flight and room.

A multitude of airlines use McCarran Airport (Las Vegas/LAS) so finding something that works for you shouldn’t be a problem.

Picking a Hotel

Most people who go to Vegas for the first time pick a hotel based on price and features alone. As a result, they either end up downtown, mid-strip, or north strip without ever thinking about logistics. While each location has its pluses and minuses, I highly recommend a hotel mid-strip. This location includes hotels such as Paris, Bellagio, Venetian, Palazzo, Mirage, Treasure Island, Wynn, Caesars, or any other big name establishment adjacent to these. Mid-strip is where most of the activities occur and staying in this area will save you a lot of time and money. For my trip, my girlfriend and I stayed at the Venetian. While the Venetian’s hotel room prices run higher than the average, it’s worth the extra money based on location, room, size, and hotel amenities. Other hotels work, too. On the high-end, I’d pick Wynn. On the low-end (but very nice) is the Mirage. All of the hotels that I mentioned are very nice and will serve you well regardless of which one you select.

Booking Your Flight and Hotel via Southwest Airlines

I booked my Vegas flights and hotel through the Southwest website. The website seems dated but it’s straightforward, simple, and quite good. (The Southwest website is the USA Today of airline booking sites.) I received the paperwork in just a few days.

Here’s one thing you should know about booking via the Southwest website, though: if you book a Southwest vacation package, you’re mailed a paper ticket that you must produce at the airport Southwest ticket counter (not the gate) for a boarding pass. And, as anyone who flies Southwest knows, 24 hours prior to your flight you can go online and print off the much-coveted boarding pass and receive a high letter and the corresponding number that allows you to board ahead of those who waited to get their boarding passes (or did not know this).

On Southwest, you board according to letter (A, B, or C) and an attached number indicates where in the queue you stand for boarding. If you get an A, you can pretty much sit wherever you want. B, is iffy. C, enjoy the middle row and possibly no place for your overhead carry-on.

The issue here is that with the Southwest Vacation Package ticket, I couldn’t go online 24-hours ahead and print the boarding pass. So I unless I chose to drive the 60 miles roundtrip to the airport the day before my trip, I was forced to get the boarding pass upon my arrival at the airport and all but ensure that I’d get a “C” boarding pass. Needless to say, I did, and my girlfriend, a Southwest first-timer, was slightly disappointed when we were forced to sit ten rows apart on the first leg of our flight.

Other Booking Tips

I did most of the bookings on my own (air, hotel, shows, and a few restaurants via OpenTable). I did cheat a little by employing my American Express Platinum Card Concierge service. By using AMEX Platinum, you’ll end up paying a little more, as they include a few amenities with your hotel (which are quite nice) for a few extra bucks. In fact, AMEX Platinum would make booking your trip so simple that if you read them my entire agenda and provided the times, they’d book everything for you — you wouldn’t need to worry about one single detail. They’re knowledgeable and efficient, and once they’re done doing all your work, they email you the itinerary with all the corresponding confirmations. Being a cheapskate and a micromanager, I booked a couple of shows and any restaurants not on OpenTable myself. Since I booked the air and hotel via Southwest.com, I didn’t get the AMEX Platinum upgrades, but I did save a couple of hundred bucks.

If you plan to go to any Cirque du Soleil shows, order your tickets via their easy-to-use website or go through the host hotel’s link; the tickets will be available for pick-up at ANY Cirque box office. No need to stand in a long line the evening of; merely waltz up to any Cirque ticket box office at Bellagio, MGM, Mirage, Treasure Island, etc. during the day and presto, you’ll have your tickets.

Buffets are a free-for-all so you can’t typically reserve a table ahead of time. Unless you have a high-roller comp card, you’ll have to wait in line, but not for very long if you take my stern advice and avoid the peak dining hours (6:00-7:30ish). Roll-in at 5:45 PM and head to the front of the line.

I only had one logistical glitch during my trip. When I checked-in to a restaurant at a previously reserved time, they claimed to have no record of my reservation. It was a non-issue as they seated us in 10 minutes anyway. Make sure you keep ALL of your confirmation numbers, the name of the person you spoke with, and any other details that might help in the event your reservation is lost.

Regardless of how you book all your fun, it’s relatively easy due to the fact that Vegas knows what it’s doing. Vegas makes it quick and fast so you can get to the casino and lose, lose, lose (or win, then lose).

Summary

Pick the time of year that works for you temperature wise, book early for a low airfare, pick a hotel located mid-strip, purchase show tickets and make restaurant reservations ahead of time, keep record of all your confirmation information, arrive on a Friday afternoon, and depart mid-to-late Monday. Getting in on a Friday afternoon allows at least a couple of hours to get geared-up. The time on Monday gives you the freedom to enjoy the things you missed during your Friday, Saturday, and Sunday drunken fiesta.

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Post updates:
- August 12, 2008 at 8:15 PM ET: Southwest NOW allows you to check in online and reserve your boarding position 24 hours in advance of your departure when you book a vacation package. Click here to see the announcement details.

Las Vegas: where you'll be going. (photo: Trevor Lowder / Flickr)

If you want to spend a long, luxuriant weekend in Las Vegas with your significant other, but lack the time to plan a memorable trip, today’s your lucky day: I’ve done it for you. In preparation for my couple’s trip to Vegas in late May, my assistant and I spent nearly 15 hours planning the details. My better half and I followed the agenda to the letter — and it did not disappoint.

In this three-part post series, I’m going to share some tips and advice that you (the designated Vegas planner) should take into consideration in planning out your trip to Vegas, presuming it’ll be with your girlfriend/boyfriend, wife/husband, or really, really, really good friend. Then, in Part 3, I’ll provide you with my tested and Sin certified agenda, so in the end all you and your partner need to do to get the most out of Vegas is to follow my step-by-step itinerary.

Vegas: Why You Should Go

Personally, I don’t like Las Vegas, I love it. Whether you drive, fly, walk, or crawl there, the experience begins the moment the endless Nevada wasteland abruptly stops and you spot the very first Vegas building. Las Vegas is literally built in the middle of nowhere and its raison d’être is based on the very simple (and true) principle that people prefer a hidden oasis for their gambling, drinking, and indulgence. Las Vegas engendered that spirit, perfected it, and turned it into a legend. Today, Vegas remains the capital of gambling, and even if you don’t care to pull the one-armed bandit, you’ll find plenty to do in this mecca of epicureanism, hedonism, and sybaritism.

Moderation is Key

With the construction of several new high-end hotels including all the gilded accoutrements you’d expect of vintage Vegas, there’s now more to do and see than ever. As much as there’s to do, I adhere to a very strict rule: never stay in Vegas for more than three nights (and never more than once or twice a year). Why? Ernest Hemingway once explained that he never continued to write through his day’s allotment of creativity. Hemingway was extremely disciplined and recognized that before he reached a point of aesthetic exhaustion, he forced himself to stop so that the following day he would have something to build on. Likewise, Vegas is a place that should be exploited, pushed, pinched, blurred, wrestled, slapped, admired but never fully explored, never truly known…always leave a little something.

Planning for Vegas

Las Vegas represents a place of intense mystery and calculated hope so an occasional two or three night venture will be just enough to see her, appreciate her, but never really tire of her. When you do go to Vegas, however, you must be prepared. Being ready to invade the neon playground means having a plan that will allow you to maximize your time. This is not to say that spontaneity doesn’t have its place in Vegas (it does and absolutely should). I just believe a solid house frame should be constructed and then you can decide if you want curtains or shades.

Vegas loves the non-planners who waltz in and lose the majority of their money in the first and last thirty minutes of a visit. Vegas profit numbers have a lot of zeroes and that’s made on you, the occasional, recreational gambler. Point is: you must have a plan or the shiny lights, loud dinging noises, $.99 buffets, plush lounges, and other distractions will do just that. After 72 hours of wandering like a 10-year old in Toys “R” Us, you’ve missed Vegas (or most of it). It can happen, trust me, I’ve done it.

In Vegas, You Can be Anyone

To optimize your leisure time and maximize the Vegas experience, you need to define what category of visitor you’ll be: (A) Bachelor/Bachelorette Weekend; (B) Tourist; (C) Hardcore Gamble; or (D) Hybrid.

(A) Not an issue: Room + Whalebone Drinks + Nightclubs = FUN
(B) Easy: Loose-fitting Clothes + $1.00 Buffets + Slot Machines + Tourist Traps = WHAT YOU THINK IS FUN
(C) Simple: Sunglasses + Wad of Cash + Liquid Diet + Never See Daylight = BROKE or FLUSH
(D) Complicated: Fancy Clothes + Gambling + Clubs + Good Food + Nice Room + Shows = ULTRA FUN

(A), (B), and (C) are easy because you just show up and go. Really. Planning for you will add a little, but even if you did zero planning, you would have just as much fun. However, for you in the (D) category, I know you have high expectations and want to enjoy Vegas Maximus. This is where my trip agenda comes in handy, which is meant for the Hybrids. Anyone can use the schedule as a planning tool, as it includes some information for everyone, but it’s really meant for the Hybrid couple going to Vegas for a long weekend. The trip agenda is age neutral and that’s always a nice feature of Vegas: any person age 21 and up can enjoy any of its offerings. Sure, there are spots that trend towards certain older and younger demographics, but those unwritten rules are more like vague boundaries that are self-enforcing as opposed to law.

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So which Las Vegas visitor category are you: (A), (B), (C), or (D)?