After work: new entertainment options in Las Vegas

Night lights: Fremont Street in Las Vegas will be packed with revelers on New Year’s Eve.

By Mark Chesnut

For many people, the days between Christmas and New Year’s Eve can be especially slow at work; indeed, some offices and businesses close entirely. So say goodbye to that pile of work and make the most of the season with family and friends.

It may be peak travel season, but the window between Christmas and New Year’s Day can yield good travel deals. Be sure to check the Deals, Promotions + Activities and Packages + Hotels sections on Orbitz for special discounts on flights, hotels, rental cars and cruises. Book as early as possible (although keep your eyes open for last-minute deals on Orbitz too), and when possible, be flexible with your travel dates — adding an extra vacation day can result in greater availability of flights and better rates.

Staying warm
Taking a Caribbean vacation or a Mexico vacation during the holidays is a logical way to escape the cooler temperatures while soaking in the sun on pristine beaches. The ME  Cancun provides a festive, adults-only ambiance to ring in the New Year. Or bring the family along and add some great golf experiences at the Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa, a Wyndham Grand Resort in Puerto Rico.

Keeping cool
Destinations further north have their own special allure during the holiday week, whether it’s celebrating 2012 at the Ultimate New Year’s Eve Party at the Marriott Marquis in New York City or schussing the slopes while staying at The Sebastian hotel in Vail. In Chicago, you can celebrate the New Year during a lively, decidedly posh bash at the The Palmer House Hilton.

Light up the nights
Las Vegas hotels are an especially exciting place to spend the holiday week, with a wide variety of nightly entertainment options for every age group and interest, including shows such as the Battle of the Dance at the Flamingo Las Vegas and David Copperfield at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. On New Year’s Eve, live musical acts will take to multiple stages at the Fremont Street Experience downtown.

Related resources

• Beach vacations
• Las Vegas vacations
• New York hotels

Mark Chesnut is a travel writer, editor and publisher of LatinFlyer.com, which focuses on travel to Latin America. He’s going to celebrate New Year’s Eve in Savannah.

Tagged: Family time, Hotels, Las Vegas