How to Celebrate the New Year's Eve in Las Vegas

Many people automatically think about New York City when they contemplate a place to celebrate New Year's Eve. Times Square may be the most well-known December 31 destination, but that doesn't mean it's the best. Plenty of people actually prefer spending the day, evening and morning hours in Las Vegas. This is because of the numerous activities and parties full of large crowds of people. Regardless of what it is you're looking for, you can have one of the most memorable evenings of your life while spending New Year's Eve in Las Vegas.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Money and lots of it

1. Book your flight and hotel room(s) way ahead of time. Flights to Las Vegas around New Year's Eve fill up in a hurry and get more expensive as the day gets closer. Hotels fill up even faster because practically every hotel in the area holds its own special event on New Year's Eve. Truth be told, planning your trip a year ahead of time isn't necessarily a bad idea.

2. Find out about events at the hotel you're staying at, especially if you want to be in a more relaxed environment on New Year's Eve. Not everybody wants to go out on the Vegas Strip on New Year's Eve. Las Vegas offers plenty more than that. You'll find that your hotel is throwing its own bash to ring in the New Year. Ask about this when making your reservation and obtain any information. Some hotels actually offer a discount to the party (such as a lesser entry charge) for customers staying at the hotel.

3. Determine what type of show or party you want to attend on New Year's Eve before making any plans. Las Vegas offers everything from concerts to magic shows to every kind of night club you could imagine, especially on New Year's Eve. Once you know what type of experience you want to have, you can make a better decision on where to go.

4. Stay indoors at one of the many casinos in the area. A few of the casinos hold private parties, but you should still be able to enter the casino for gaming as you could any night. This is a nice idea since you can watch the clock strike midnight on the numerous TV sets, and most casinos in the area offer a free glass of champagne for the midnight toast. Be prepared to pay more to enter the casino on New Year's Eve, though, depending on where you go and when you arrive.

5. Experience the party on Fremont Street. Four blocks are gated off for the celebration, and there is plenty of live music available throughout the night. Because of the ability to easily see the two performing stages, the amount of food and beverage vendors and the overall atmosphere, Fremont Street has actually eclipsed Times Square in many people's eyes as the “place to be” on New Year's Eve.

6. Park yourself outside on the Vegas Strip if you want to watch live fireworks at midnight. Many people like to find higher places, such as a hotel room, to watch the fireworks, but there's actually no better place to watch the approximately 10-minute show than out on the Strip with crowds of people.

Tips & Warnings

• Get to where you're going early. Most people familiar with New Year's Eve in Las Vegas will tell you that if haven't arrived at your destination by 8 p.m., you will have problems.
• Be prepared to spend plenty of money. If you're not willing to spend more than $1,000 on the trip, New Year's Eve in Las Vegas probably isn't for you (unless you hit it big at a casino).