The most important night in the most important destination: Las Vegas, NV has a lot to offer in NYE from fireworks to its breathtaking nightlife.
Parties in NYE
Most casinos in Vegas offer at least one New Year’s Eve party. New York, New York, for example, hosts a Bridge Bash at their replica Brooklyn Bridge. The price for this party is $135, but it includes an open bar, and the chance to pick out a great place on the bridge to watch the fireworks. The Hard Rock Café will rock all night long with live DJs, a champagne toast, hosted appetizers and bar, and all starting at just $39, making it one of the better NYE values in the city.
If you want to keep is simple, local radio station The Oasis hosts an Old School NYE party at the Las Vegas Hotel, with dancing, party favors, and a champagne toast starting at just under $50.
For the rowdy, the Cabo Wabo cantina and Coyote Ugly both offer open bar specials, starting at $100 and $75, which run until midnight, and include party favors.
If you’re looking for something a bit more upmarket, CollectiveZOO is putting on a “Great Gatsby” themed black-tie affair at the Henderson Executive Airport. Prices start at $49, running up to $600 for VIP tables for six with bottle service and complimentary champagne. One room will feature the UNLV Jazz Quartet playing the music of the Roaring Twenties, and another room features some of the area’s hottest DJs.
If you want to experience the press of celebrators in a really big way, The Fremont Street Experience is home to a NYE bash that rivals Times Square, and you can grab whatever you want to eat or drink along the way.
New Year’s Eve Shows
Las Vegas has built a substantial reputation on the glamor, scale, and pure spectacle of the city’s stage shows, and New Year’s Eve is no exception, in fact it’s when they pull out all the stops. There are lots of shows available all over Vegas at any time of the year, but they make special events of New Year’s Eve performances from folks like Celine Dion, David Copperfield, MC Hammer, and of course the world-famous Cirque de Soliel troupes in residence. As a special treat this year, The Black Keys are playing the 30th and 31st at The Hard Rock Café.
New Year’s Eve Tips
Book early. Lots of people want to hang out in Vegas on New Year’s Eve, so especially if you want the best rates, get on it, stat!
Especially later in the evening, hotels may only let guests or party ticketholders in, so don’t expect to be able to wander into the MGM Grand at 11 p.m. if they aren’t expecting you.
Traffic will suck, and people will be everywhere. The monorail is your best bet for getting around the strip without getting bogged down. The strip will basically be closed for the night, so don’t expect taxis or buses to be much help. You can always walk, but everyone else will be, too.
Don’t plan to club hop. Even if you don’t like where you wound up, the odds of you leaving, finding another party, and getting in, are pretty slim. If you’re just checking out bars and restaurants, there’s a little less pressure, but with literally hundreds of thousands of people partying, changing your plans at the last minute isn’t going to be practical.
Carry cash, but carry it safe. Even if you pre-book a VIP package, you’ll still need spending money for tips and incidentals, and no one wants to wait for you to run a card on the busiest night of the year. However, you’ll be pressed in with lots of people all night, so make sure to put your cash in a place where you can get at it, but pickpockets can’t.
“by Huseyin Polat“