Of all the places to ring in the New Year,
Las Vegas is the party capital. There’s a reason
those spending New Year’s Eve in Las Vegas book
their rooms months ahead of time. It’s probably
not a bad idea to start saving for next year right now,
if you are planning on making the trip. The streets are
alive with crowds of revelers, eagerly anticipating nightfall
– the sheer magnitude of the hordes of tourists
is quite a sight to see. Late afternoon brings with it
the closing of the strip
to traffic. For the rest of the evening, those on foot
will rule the hallowed ground of Las Vegas.
It’s a distinct change from a week earlier. While
Christmas in Vegas
is full of lights and cheer, it’s one of the emptiest
you will ever find Sin City. As the week between the two
holidays progresses, it’s intriguing to watch the
tourists and locals alike take back to the streets in
great numbers as the minutes are cut down until the end
of the year. In sharp contrast to the week before, New
Years Eve in Las Vegas is the busiest time for the city.
Though some may prefer to start out the night with one
of the many Las Vegas New Years shows – the city’s
perennial favorites do not take the night off. Celine
Dion sings at Caesar’s
Palace, David Copperfield makes things disappear at
the MGM Grand, The Blue
Man Group pounds on drums in the Venetian
and the acrobats in Cirque Du Soleil fly all over the
Mirage’s Love Theater.
You’d be lucky to score a ticket on any night of
the week, but every one of the Las Vegas New Years shows
promises a little something extra for the end of the year
extravaganza.
Not everything is indoors, however. The conclusion of
the year is capped off with an enormous fireworks display,
certainly one of the most popular additions to the night’s
festivities. At midnight, the Bellagio’s
famed water fountains also help to send out the old year
in style.
But the real reason millions of people flock to the
city for New Year’s is the wealth of parties that
night. Sure, one of the Las Vegas New Years shows is nice
and all, but it’s the fervent nightlife
and jam-packed clubs that
bring most people to Sin City. Every nightclub celebrates
in slightly different ways, each one trying to outdo the
other. No matter which hotel you choose to stay at, there
will be some kind of celebration taking place downstairs,
in either the swanky bars bathed in neon, but mostly in
the dim, sweaty clubs that make the city’s nightlife
world-renowned. Every year, there’s a new hot place
to be seen at: Rain at the Palms is one of the most exclusive
parties to attend, while PURE
in Caesar’s Palace and the Venetian’s TAO
are among the many clubs that obtain some kind of notable
host to oversee the festivities. Top DJs come from all
over to appear on the city’s biggest night, so you
can rest assured there will be plenty of entertainment
to cover the triple digit covers you’ll likely have
to pay to enter on a New Years Eve in Las Vegas.
As the year winds down, hotel prices go up (along with everything else), so you want to book as far ahead as you can. There are plenty of package deals that can land you in Vegas for the parties, but you will have a hard time doing so for cheap, unless you plan to sleep it off while hiding in a dim corner of a parking garage. So plan accordingly and you won't get left out of one of the best New Year's parties around.
