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     Santa Claus is coming to town -- but he's ditching the sleigh in favor of his running shoes! Join an estimated 10,000 people in red suits and help break a Guinness World Record for the largest Santa gathering by participating in The Las Vegas Great Santa Run on Dec. 3!

     Proceeds from the event benefit Opportunity Village, a not-for-profit organization that serves people in the Las Vegas community with intellectual disabilities. So whether you enter the 5K race, the 1-mile Kris Kringle Jingle walk, or just dress up as St. Nick to join the festivities, you'll be helping a worthy "Claus."

     There will also be entertainment, vendors and even parachuting Santas, so come be a part of the excitement on the Las Vegas Strip! The race begins at 10 a.m. at the front entrance to Town Square Las Vegas.

More info about the race, courtesy of our YouTube channel:

 

 

 

     With amazing holiday menus all over town, great places to watch football on the holiday and glorious shopping options to kick off the season, Las Vegas is the perfect place to spend your Thanksgiving weekend!

     It all starts with an amazing meal. The signature restaurants at Wynn Las Vegas are all offering traditional Thanksgiving feasts but with innovative touches. Check out the four-course prix fixe holiday menu at Bartolotta or for late feasters, the special late night menu at Stratta from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

     Canal Street at The Orleans is offering a special four-course dinner beginning at 1 p.m. featuring traditional and surf and turf options and First Food & Bar at The Palazzo is offering its Thanksgiving Extravaganza beginning at 11 a.m.

     All three Hash House a Go Go locations -- inside Imperial Palace on the Strip, the Plaza Hotel downtown and the M Resort south of the Strip -- are featuring holiday specials, also beginning at 11 a.m. No matter where you are in Vegas this Thanksgiving, you're sure to find a terrific meal!

     There's also plenty of exciting pro football action on Thanksgiving and you can catch every big play at the Las Vegas Hotel & Casino, where the theater is converted to Football Central, or the split-level MGM Grand sportsbook complete with its own VIP booths.

     Then, it's on to Black Friday, and some holiday bargains. With so many shopping options in Las Vegas, you're sure to find something for everyone on your list this holiday season.

     Start at Town Square Las Vegas with its 150 shops and specialty stores, or head downtown to Las Vegas Premium Outlets North. Great deals are in store everywhere you look!

     Stuff yourself with great food, sports and shopping this Thanksgiving weekend in Vegas!

 

       Everybody knows about the excitement up and down the Las Vegas Strip, but did you know that there's plenty to see at the south end of famous Las Vegas Boulevard.

     If you like shopping, you'll find great deals at more than 140 stores at Las Vegas Premium Outlets South. Or stroll through Town Square Las Vegas, an outdoor shopping, dining and entertainment center with a pedestrian-friendly street and walkways, an 18-screen movie theater and more than a dozen signature restaurants.

     Grab your clubs and play a round at Bali Hai Golf Course. You'll be taken to a tropical island paradise and will see why Bali Hai has been recognized as one of the "Top 40 Resort Courses in America" by GolfWeek. Navigate through seven acres of water hazards and 4,000 trees. Or put in a quick nine at the Calloway Golf Center, with a spectacular view of departing planes!

     There are some great hotels south of the Strip as well, including South Point and the M Resort. And if you really want to head south this winter, Primm Valley Resort is a great place to go for more shopping, dining and excitement.

     Enjoy some southern Strip hospitality the next time you're in Vegas!

     If you're a fan of the show "90210," you've got a chance to see two of its stars this weekend hosting Vegas nightclub events!

     All weekend long, you can check out ink like you've never seen before at The Biggest Tattoo Show on Earth, presented by Mario Barth, through Oct. 2 at The Mirage. It's a weekend event complete with live tattooing, more than 50 seminars and workshops, tattoo contests, piercing and body modification, celebrity guests, prizes, after parties and more!

     If you love the Vegas pool scene, kick your weekend off by the Palms Pool as Three 6 Mafia spins for their Ditch Fridays event. Then head over to Town Square Las Vegas for the Craft Beer Tasting, featuring complimentary samplings of different brews every hour from 6-10 p.m.

     Then, it's on to some nightlife! Choose from The Vegas Seven Fall Fashion issue release party at The Bank inside Bellagio, Dirty South Starphazing at Marquee at the Cosmopolitan! Aoki's House with Sidney Samson at Surrender inside Encore at Wynn Las Vegas, Mike Ponson performing live at Pure at Caesars Palace, DJ Jazzy Jeff at Rain inside the Palms, Samantha Ronson at Planet Hollywood's Gallery Nightclub and Nicky Romero at Aria's Haze!!

     On Saturday, two vixens from "90210" will host events -- Annalynne McCord is at Pure and Jessica Lowndes is at Gallery. If you're a fan of "True Blood," join Brit Morgan as she celebrates her birthday at Chateau Nightclub at Paris Las Vegas. DJ/Playmate Alie Layus is spinning at Playboy Club in the Palms, Fare Soldi is at Savile Row at Luxor, Glenn Morrison and EC Twins are at Marquee and Lange is at Rain. Get the day started with the Shannon Twins at Bare Pool at The Mirage.

     Close out the weekend with Jason Lema and Lisa Pittman at Marquee Dayclub and MGM Grand's Wet Republic closes its season with Steve Angello.

      Stars, great music and more. It's another stellar weekend in Vegas!

 

     You'll find something for everyone on your list this holiday season in Las Vegas! The city has evolved into a true shopping mecca with lavish couture, outlet malls, specialty stores, souvenir shops, trendy boutiques and more. With our exclusive Shopping Passport, you'll be rewarded with gifts and discounts just for showing up to shop!

The Fashion Show mall has nearly 2 million square feet of holiday shopping heaven, including Neiman Marcus, Dillard's, Macy's, Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom. Town Square, south of the Las Vegas Strip, a 1.5 million-square-foot open-air shopping, dining and entertainment center includes such shops as H&M, Abercrombie & Fitch, Juicy Couture, Lucky Brand Jeans, bebe, and more.

Stop in and see Christian, Harry, Roberto, and Gianni (as in Dior, Winston, Cavalli and Versaci) at the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace or stroll the Wynn Las Vegas Esplanade to shop at Chanel or Dior. Crystals offers 500,000 square feet of sophisticated retail and dining including Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Tom Ford, and more!

For even greater values, head over to the Las Vegas Premium Outlets downtown, which hosts A|X Armani Exchange, Ann Taylor, Banana Republic, Calvin Klein, Coach, Dolce & Gabbana, Elie Tahari, Kenneth Cole, Polo Ralph Lauren, and many more. Great buys are in store, no matter where you shop in Vegas!

Hundreds of stores. Thousands of great deals. Find something for everyone on your list this holiday season in Vegas!

Warm or cold, you'll find a tasty variety of tapas - yummy Spanish-style appetizers - at restaurants all over Las Vegas.
Fleur by Hubert Keller at Mandalay Bay specializes in tapas and other small dishes with ingredients and tastes from around the globe. You can also enjoy tapas and more than 50 other shareable dishes at Johnny Smalls inside the Hard Rock Hotel, where service comes when you want it.  There is no order of service - eat what you want, when you want.  Dessert first please! Or head over to ARIA Resort & Casino at CityCenter and grab some authentic tapas at Julian Serrano. The renowned chef is a native of Madrid and dishes out great tapas by stretching the normal boundaries of small plates with traditional and innovative interpretations.
     For a cozy setting, try La Cave at Wynn Las Vegas - an intimate retreat for indulging in savory small plates, an enormous wine collection, and handcrafted beers. At Jaleo inside The Cosmopolitan, Chef Jose Andres brings the flavors of one of the country's first successful tapas restaurants to Las Vegas.
     You can also find delectable tapas choices at Michael Mina's SEABLUE in the MGM Grand, Blue Martini at Town Square Las Vegas, or local's favorite, Firefly on Paradise, just behind The Venetian Resort & Wynn Las Vegas. So bring your appetite to Vegas and enjoy some delicious tapas!

     Sometimes, it's good to be a part of the party. In Vegas, that's easy. Several sites feature piano bars where you can sing along and have a great time.

     New York-New York is home to The Bar at Times Square, where dueling pianists perform nightly. You can also double your pleasure with the Dueling Piano Twins playing nightly in the new Piano Bar at Harrah's Las Vegas.

     For more sing-along fun, head downtown to the Fremont East District and Don't Tell Mama Piano Bar or check out the late-night dueling pianos at Napolean's inside Paris Las Vegas.

     South of the Strip, you can also catch dueling pianos nightly at Pete's at Town Square.

There's a reason it's difficult to find clocks in our resorts. It's because in Vegas, no matter what time it is -- it's Happy Hour! Since it's Friday, and 5 o'clock somewhere, let's talk Happy Hour with some great places to down a cocktail in Vegas.

Blue Martini at Town Square Las Vegas has drink specials from 4-8 p.m. every Friday and is a great place to kickstart your weekend of fun. 

More great Vegas atmosphere is available at First Food & Bar inside The Palazzo, where you'll find the perfect food and beverage 'round the clock.

PBR Rock Bar & Grill and Cabo Wabo, both at Planet Hollywood, are great Happy Hour spots with awesome people-watching overlooking the Strip.

Downtown, there are plenty of places to enjoy a drink and some scenery. Check out the Happy Hour deals at Hennessey's Tavern on Fremont Street.  At the opposite end of the Strip, another place to enjoy a beverage with some unique surroundings is the Hostile Grape at M Resort, where you can choose from 160 wines in a contemporary "cellar."

Happy Hour in Vegas! Almost redundant, isn't it?

Note: This is the third in a series of blogs leading up to the Miss USA 2011 competition on June 19 at Planet Hollywood. In this entry, we're highlighting contestants from states surrounding the Great Lakes and nearby, and we'll also slide down South a little, too.

 The contestants for Miss USA are used to answering questions, so we threw some Vegas-related Qs their way. Here are some selected answers:

MISS MINNESOTA USA: BRITTANY LEE THELEMANN

Q: Where do you love to shop in Vegas?
A: I love to shop at Caesars Palace. It is so beautiful and cool down there.

Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Las Vegas?
A: I've had an amazing steak dinner at the Charlie Palmer steak house (at Four Seasons).

Q: What's the best advice you can give to a first-timer in Las Vegas?
A: Try it all! Make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to travel up and down the Las Vegas Strip. There is so much to see and do!

MISS IOWA USA: REBECCA GOLDSMITH

Q: What are you most excited about seeing and doing in Las Vegas?
A: I 'm really, really looking forward to taking a dip in the hottest pools Las Vegas has to offer!

Q: If you had to pick five things to pack in your suitcase for a trip to Vegas, what would they be?
A: A swimsuit, a little black dress, a sequin purse, heels and slippers for the day after!

Q: What's the one thing in Las Vegas you can't miss?
A: I just have to see a drive-thru wedding!

MISS ILLINOIS USA: ANGELA SPARROW

Q: What might you wear in Vegas that you wouldn't wear back home?
A: I can't wait to wear all of my short beaded cocktail dresses.

Q: Who would be your dream date for a night out in Vegas?
A: My dream date for a night out in Vegas would be Holly Madison.

Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Las Vegas?
A: My favorite restaurant so far has been Switch (at Encore at Wynn Las Vegas) because of the atmosphere.

MISS WISCONSIN USA: SHALETTA PORTERFIELD

Q: Who's your favorite Vegas icon?
A: My favorite Vegas icon is Elvis Presley because he "shakes" things up!

Q: If you had only one night in Vegas, which nightclub would you choose?
A: I would go to Pure nightclub at Caesars Palace.

Q: If you could live at any Las Vegas resort, which one would you choose?
A: If I could live in any resort, I would choose the Venetian.

MISS MICHIGAN USA: CHANNING PIERCE

Q: What is the first thing you want to do when you get off the plane in Vegas?
A: Take a lot of pictures!

Q: What are your must-see shows in Vegas?
A: The Beatles' "LOVE" (at The Mirage) and Celine Dion (at Caesars Palace).

Q: If you could live at any Las Vegas resort, which one would you choose?
A: All the resorts offer such amazing amenities and experiences! I guess I would have to choose Planet Hollywood!

MISS OHIO USA: ASHLEY NICOLE CALDWELL

Q: What are you most excited about seeing and doing in Las Vegas?
A: The city lights and competing for Miss USA!

Q: If you had to pick five things to pack in your suitcase for a trip to Vegas, what would they be?
A: Camera, extra-strength Tylenol, a dress to impress, cool shades, swimsuit.

Q: If you had only night in Vegas, which nightclub would you choose?
A: I have been told to check out the clubs at the Palms.

MISS KENTUCKY USA: KIA BEN-ET HAMPTON

Q: Where do you love to shop in Vegas?
A: My favorite place to shop is definitely Town Square Las Vegas and also the Fashion Show Mall.

Q: What is the first thing you want to do when you get off the plane in Vegas?
A: The first thing I want to do is sightsee! I went to Vegas once for five days and it wasn't enough time. I want to re-do everything I did the first time plus more.

Q: Who would be your dream date for a night out in Vegas?
A: My dream date would definitely be with Elton John! I know he is in Las Vegas a lot and he is an icon of mine.

MISS TENNESSEE USA: ASHLEY ELIZABETH DURHAM

Q: Where do you love to shop in Vegas?
A: The Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian. I enjoy the beautiful Venice street scene design with a canal that runs through the center of the shopping area!

Q: What might you wear in Vegas that you wouldn't wear back home?
A: Anything I may think is a little "too much" anywhere else is probably perfect for Vegas! The more sequins or feathers, the better!

Q: If you could live at any Las Vegas resort, which one would you choose?
A: Wynn Las Vegas. It is considered one of the finest hotels in the world!

All Miss USA contestants surveyed are over 21 years of age.
Images courtesy of Miss Universe Organization.

Summer bargains are everywhere you look, and Las Vegas has no shortage of spots to get your shop on.  When it comes to shopping, Las Vegas has become one of the premium, world-class shopping destinations in the U.S.

Designers such as Harry Winston, Manolo Blahnik, Juicy Couture, Jimmy Choo and Dolce & Gabbana now populate the Strip at Fashion Show, The Forum Shops at Caesars, Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian and Via Bellagio.

In addition to high-end shopping, Las Vegas offers several outlet shopping centers featuring designer names for bargain prices, such as Las Vegas Premium Outlets - North (downtown) and Las Vegas Premium Outlets - South (near Mandalay Bay), and the Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas in Primm.

Unique shopping experiences abound in Vegas. Town Square Las Vegas is an outdoor shopping, dining and entertainment venue located on the south end of Las Vegas Boulevard with more than 150 retail stores, 12 restaurants, a park and a movie theater.  And recently opened, Tivoli Village offers outdoor dining and shopping for guests staying near Red Rock Resort, Suncoast, and the JW Marriott Resort.

Crystals at CityCenter is a 500,000-square-foot retail and dining district that features unique-to-the-market retailers like Tom Ford, Mikimoto, Assouline, Kiton and Paul Smith. For a more casual retail experience, cross over to Planet Hollywood's Miracle Mile Shops for dozens of stores, restaurants, and live entertainment at the popular V Theater.

So whether it's high-end luxury or affordable trends, you'll find something for everyone in Las Vegas.  Book your trip now and begin your summer shopping spree!