SURPRISING LAS VEGAS

May 21 - 25, 2006
Sponsored by TDF




This 5 day 4 night jaunt to Las Vegas includes: roundtrip non-stop airfare on Continental Airlines, daily breakfast, 1 lunch, 2 dinners, 2 fabulous shows, 4 museum visits, a panoramic tour of the city and a Jubilee backstage tour.    
 
Trip price: $1,549.00 (double occupany), details below.



Las Vegas!  The Sun!  The Stars!  The glitter!  The showgirls!  The gaming tables!  Join us on our first jaunt to fabulous Las Vegas to spend four nights at Bally’s Las Vegas Resort Hotel in the hub of the action on the glamorous Strip, while we escort you through the wonders of this unbelievable city.  We see the surprising cultural side of Las Vegas as we tour the world-class Wynn Collection, which includes works by Matisse and Van Gogh, and the Guggenheim-Hermitage Museum which displays art on loan from both of these major museums.  We see two shows that epitomize this city’s legendary entertainment: outstanding comic-impressionist Danny Gans in his acclaimed show at the Mirage and the lavish fifty-million dollar glittering extravaganza Jubilee, a quintessential Las Vegas experience featuring showgirls galore.  And we visit a number of special Las Vegas attractions including the Liberace Museum and we take an hour-long backstage tour led by a Las Vegas showgirl!  We enjoy a glamorous dinner high upon Las Vegas’ very own Eiffel Tower, where we have a bird’s eye view of the city below, and more.  Prepare to be amazed.  Single rooms are limited and will go quickly.  






1.  Sunday, May 21     Welcome to Las Vegas
Our Continental Airlines non-stop flight departs from Newark Liberty at 9:20am.  We arrive at the Las Vegas airport at 11:50am where our guide and private motorcoach await us.  En route we are greeted by a famous Las Vegas icon, Vegas Vic, a 50-foot-tall neon cowboy and his neon sidekick, Vegas Vicki.  Our trip begins with lunch followed by an introductory panoramic tour of Las Vegas, led by a local preserationist who shows us the “Old Las Vegas.”  
Las Vegas is America's only major city founded in the 20th century, and as such, it possesses a singular attitude, an unusual ambience that can best be described as post-historical. Yesterday's Las Vegas gives way to tomorrow's so quickly that history is constantly being made by everyone from big-time players like Steve Wynn to small-time snowbirds winning megabucks, all cashing in on their share of the American dream.  
In the afternoon we check into Bally’s Las Vegas Resort Hotel which has a prime location on the mid-Strip.  A neon-lit tunnel ushers us from the heart of the Strip into the lobby.  The recently renovated rooms are spacious and comfortable and the palm-fringed pool, spa and casino are perfect for resort fun.  The 44-acre property is located across from Bellagio and next to Paris Las Vegas, and is convenient to many shopping and dining options.  Many major attractions are within walking distance and there’s a Las Vegas monorail stop nearby that gives you quick access to downtown and both the north and south Strips.    
Tonight we have a welcome dinner atop the Eiffel Tower.  Built exactly to half-scale, the Las Vegas replica of the iconic Parisian landmark rises above it all.  The restaurant is located on the 11th floor, providing an incomparable view of the Strip and the fountain display at Bellagio.  After dinner those travelers with energy still have time for independent discovery of many of the other world renowned genuine facsimiles to be found in this glittering wonderland where hyperbole is understatement.  (Lunch) (Dinner)  



2.  Monday, May 22     Museums and Jubilee
This morning we visit two of the city’s most acclaimed art collections.  The Guggenheim-Hermitage Museum showcases special exhibitions as well as art on loan from three outstanding permanent collections, namely the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Russia and the Kunsthistorisches in Vienna.    
The Wynn Collection is not as large but is world class and includes works by Matisse, Van Gogh, and Modigliani, as well as Picasso's Le Reve.  The art at the Wynn Collection equals that at the Guggenheim-Hermitage in quality if not quantity.  
In the late afternoon a Las Vegas showgirl is our personal escort on our backstage tour at Jubilee.  This hour-long tour offers us a first-hand behind the scenes view of this $50 million stage show, revealing the mechanics of the stage, costumes, and dressing rooms.    
No visit to Las Vegas is complete without seeing a spectacular Las Vegas revue and tonight we have tickets for Jubilee, a quintessential Las Vegas experience.  Jubilee has been a Las Vegas hit for over 20 years and it is frequently named best of it’s kind by knowledgeable locals.  Perhaps it’s the eye-catching, toe-tapping musical numbers staged on million-dollar sets.  Possibly it’s the costumes designed by Bob Mackie, shining brighter than any multi-color sign on The Strip.  Maybe it’s the dancers, voted year-after-year as the “Best Showgirls” by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.  Or maybe it is all of these things — and more — that keep guests returning to this acclaimed show.  With numbers ranging from the sinking of the Titanic (the mind doth boggle) to a musical big finish that is a head-shaking must-see, experience for yourself the show that critics hail as the “Best of Las Vegas.”  (Breakfast)  



3.  Tuesday, May 23     Free Day and Danny Gans Show
Today is free so you may visit a plethora of Las Vegas attractions spanning both space and time yet somehow easily accessible, including a gondola ride in Venice, Arthurian England, the Sphinx or King Tut’s tomb in ancient Egypt, Paris, New York City, Lion Habitat, Shark Reef, the Titanic memorabilia or Elvisarama, to list but a few of the many destinations available in Las Vegas.  There’s even an erupting volcano.  The nearby monorail gives us quick access to both the north and south Strips and to downtown Las Vegas as well.  There is no lack of things to keep you busy, and there are numerous casinos in the vicinity for those so inclined, but should you prefer an organized tour, local tour operators offer excursions to the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead and the Grand Canyon.  Once you register for the trip, we provide contact information to book an optional excursion.    
Tonight, following dinner on your own, we have tickets for the Danny Gans Show at the Mirage.  Danny Gans has been named the "Las Vegas Entertainer of the Year" for seven years in a row and his show is still the hottest ticket in town.  He's being called the “finest singer/comedian/impressionist/ actor in the business today.”    Entertainment critics and his peers alike and audiences of all ages applaud his award winning show.  
Following the Danny Gans Show, we travel downtown to take a night-time walking tour including  the outdoor Neon Museum and the “Fremont Street Experience,” the epicenter of Las Vegas, where an hourly multi-media laser light show dazzles and amazes visitors from around the world with over two million glittering lights all within a five block area.  The mission of the Neon Museum is to collect, preserve and exhibit the legendary old neon signs that once dominated and illuminated the city’s nights, giving us an up-close view of the Las Vegas of yesteryear. (Breakfast)  



4.  Wednesday, May 24     Las Vegas Must Do's
This morning we tour the Liberace Museum, an attraction that Newsweek called “a Las Vegas must do.”  The Strip may sparkle and the neon may shine, but nowhere in Las Vegas will you find a more dazzling spectacle than at the renowned Liberace Museum.  Here, we see the magnificent, world-famous collections of pianos, cars, costumes and jewelry that established Liberace as the legendary and beloved "Mr. Showmanship."  It’s the kitschiest place in town, and in Las Vegas that’s quite an accomplishment.  In addition to Lee's collection of pianos (one of them was played by Chopin; another, a concert grand, was owned by George Gershwin), you can see his Czar Nicholas uniform and a blue-velvet cape styled after the coronation robes of King George V.  Be sure to check out the gift shop -- where else can you find Liberace soap, ashtrays, and other novelties?  
In the afternoon we visit the Bellagio Fountains and the current exhibit at the Bellagio Collection.  Our last evening in Las Vegas is free.  Everyone has their favorite entertainments and again there is no lack of outstanding or outrageous diversion.  Should you wish, there is time to treat yourself to the Cirque du Soleil’s spectacular and widely acclaimed “O”at the Bellagio (tickets should be ordered well in advance) or to attend any of the many other stellar attractions available in Las Vegas this evening. We’ll provide registrants with information on booking shows.  (Breakfast and Dinner)  



5.  Thursday, May 25     Depart Las Vegas
You have some free time before our coach takes us to the Las Vegas airport.  Our non-stop Continental flight departs Las Vegas at 1:55pm and arrives at Newark Liberty at 7:25pm.  (Breakfast, Lunch-in flight)





This engaging experience includes:

  • Roundtrip non-stop airfare on Continental Airlines
  • 4 nights accommodations at Bally’s Las Vegas Resort Hotel
  • Daily breakfast, 1 lunch, and 2 dinners
  • Welcome dinner at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant
  • Jubilee at Bally’s Las Vegas
  • Danny Gans Show at The Mirage
  • Welcome panoramic tour
  • Night time tour of Fremont Experience
  • Jubilee backstage tour
  • Museum visits to Wynn Collection, Guggenheim-Hermitage Museum, Liberace Museum, and Neon Museum
PROGRAM PRICES  
Per person (double occupancy) from New York: $1,549.00  
Single Supplement: $275.00  
Air Taxes: $65.00