diann

I know this is a long ways off, but after this horrible Holiday with family I am seeking alternatives for next year with my husband. I am exloring Las Vegas. I heard it was a very inexpensive time to visit? Are most of the shows shut down? Are there any plus's or minus's to a visit there at that time? We have never been. Thanks.

MrTraveler

You would think that the rooms would be pretty cheap during that time since it's Christmas, but we went this year and last year and it was just like any other weekend! It was also outrageously crowded! It seemed more crowded than normal weekends. Long lines for all the popular restaurants and buffets (there was a 2 1/2 hour wait at the Wynn buffet and this was in the middle of the day at 2:00 PM!!). And of course, the buffets all jack up their prices for the weekend. The traffic in and around the Strip was horrible! And needless to say, the drive home was horrible as well! Downtown was about the only place that wasn't crowded.

Pretty much all the shows were going on as usual.

We still had a good time, but just don't expect it to be as quiet or deserted as you might think.

utahtea

Mr. Traveler,

It probably didn't help that Christmas fell on a 3 day weekend for most people.

We were driving towards Las Vegas on the Thanksgiving Weekend and it was bumper to bumper traffic all the way from Las Vegas to Los Angeles on the Sunday after Thanksgiving...so glad we were driving in the opposite direction!!!

Utahtea

MrTraveler

Definitely! I think if Christmas didn't land on a weekend (like this year and last year), then it might not be as bad.

Keith

Still a three day weekend next year.

Keith

diann

Thank you all for your replies. I have family in S.D perhaps the week prior to Christmas then leave LV on the 24th. I know I said Christmas specifically but I am somewhat flexible with some family in S.D. I am also considering a cruise from S.d to the Mexican Rivera.

utahtea

The Saturday after Thanksgiving there was a WALL of traffic going towards Los Angeles. The Mojave area is a big draw for dune buggies and the like. On that Saturday there was toy trailer after toy trailer on the road heading west. You are more than likely going to find traffic on all the roads in the area going back to the cities! You might want to leave Vegas on the 23rd and head to San Deigo.

Utahtea

MelissaHI

I have to agree....just went to Vegas for Xmas this past weekend and the traffic on the strip was unreasonably horrible on the 25th. We parked at the Wynn in the morning and when we tried to leave at 3 p.m., it took us 1.5 hours to get out of the LOT! We later valet parked at the Bellagio, and when we left it was a 15-30 minute wait for the car and people were paying off the valets to get their cars sooner (which only added to the mess & the wait).

I did not find Vegas meals or shows to be more or less expensive than any other time of the year, but you do need to be mindful that you need to plan early to go. Getting a last minute package WILL be expensive. And, based on repeat experience, some of the hotels (like the MGM) will book popular Chinese celebs for Christmas/Chrismas Eve concerts. I can make this comment because I am Chinese: Chinese people love to gamble. Chinese people love buffets. Combine that with popular Chinese celebrities in concert, and you have a huge influx of Chinese people (everyone east of the Hunan) descending upon Las Vegas for Christmas. This can make for longer buffet lines and fewer spaces at the gambling tables.

On the flip side, however, the Christmas display and fountain show at the Bellagio was absolutely marvelous. In fact, all of the resort displays were so beautiful! The sales on Dec 26 everywhere are really great, too--but prepare to get an early start. The Fashion Show Mall opens at 6 a.m. on the 26th! We shopped till we dropped on the 25th and 26th; and on the 27th, my friends could not wake up till 3 PM because they were shopped out.

If you had a horrible holiday with your family and are looking to escape and celebrate on your own, Vegas is a terrific choice, IMHO. Since the city never closes, Christmas can either pass as any other day, or as the most celebratory Christmas ever--but YOU control that as you wish.

Hmm. I think I just talked myself into celebrating Christmas again in Vegas 2006!

nez

My husband and I spend every other Christmas in Las Vegas and we love it! The weather is nice, usualy cold and dry and we just let our cares slip away and not think about anything. It keeps us from getting in that holiday rut with the families; and we love having our Bloody Marys on Christmas morning at the Peppermill Restaurant!

diann

Good for you. A bloody mary would work just fine for me. Anyplace would be fine, crowded or not. I think I would just have to pre-plan it all out. Thanks for enlightening me, I may have had a different thought on this place around the holidays. I see now I was off beat somewhat.

MrTraveler

Melissa - totally agree with you about the Chinese people in Vegas. I think a majority of the people we saw in Vegas this year were Chinese. Also, most Chinese don't celebrate Christmas....at least not in the "traditional" sense like others....so they decide to go to Vegas.