Not everyone has the courage to jump out of a perfectly good plane thousands of miles above the hard ground, strapped onto a clearly insane (hey, he jumps out of planes for a living!) instructor and a may-or-may-not-open, dear-god-I-hope-it-opens parachute.

If defying death isn’t your thing but you still want to get an adrenaline rush and see what it would be like to free fall at 120 miles per hour, indoor skydiving might be for you. In addition to not offering the risk of death, indoor skydiving is less than half the cost of the real thing and can be done by almost anyone over 40 pounds, including children.

Before the first “flight” you’ll get a lesson on safety, the proper body position for maximum float time, and some hand signals to use to communicate with staff while in the tunnel. Then it’s time to get suited up in a parachute suit, safety goggles, and a helmet. You’ll be led into the wind tunnel where a giant fan creates enough wind force to lift you up in the air, and then you are flying!

Staying in position is tougher than it looks. Beginners will struggle just to stay horizontal and reasonably still, while more advanced fliers can do flips and somersaults just as if they were free-falling from a plane. The wind will force your face into a perm-a-grin, flap your cheeks, and make your eyes water. And as with a real jump, the adrenaline will be pumping like crazy.

The ride only lasts about three minutes and goes by quickly. All too soon the wind dies down and you fall back to earth. But the thrill and elation last a little longer. The experience is so exhilarating it may make even the most fearful wannabe skydiver reconsider an actual jump.

The Grand Canyon, a national landmark and natural wonder carved by the movement of the Colorado River over the course of about 6 million years, is nearly 3 hours from Las Vegas by car, over mostly non-descript desert roads. For a quicker, more luxurious arrival, you can book a private helicopter flight that will get you there in under an hour and provide awe-inspiring views along the way.

Feel like royalty, or at least high-rollers, as your private limousine picks you up at your hotel and ferries you to the helipad at McCarran Airport. There you’ll be met by your pilot and prepped for a breathtaking flight over the desert. You’ll pass over the shimmering blue expanse of Lake Mead and get a close look at the engineering feat that is the Hoover Dam.

You’ll approach the Grand Canyon, marveling at its size ( 277 miles and ranging in width from 4 to 18 miles) and magnificent beauty, sweeping low for up-close views of the intricate patterns in the vast expanse of red rock. Then you’ll descend over a half mile below the Canyon’s West Rim.

After landing and exploring the Canyon’s depths for a while, you’ll be treated to a gourmet picnic with champagne. You’d be hard pressed to find a more romantic place than surrounded by the overpowering immense beauty of this natural wonder, dwarfed by the sheer cliff walls rising 3,200 feet above.

The trip back is just as exhilarating – the Canyon looks like an entirely new place as the shadows cast by the setting sun alter the colors of the landscape. Before coming in for a landing the helicopter will pass over the Strip. You’ll get a chance to see the bright lights of Vegas from the air, recognizing the familiar landmarks of the Paris’ Eiffel Tower, the bright light of the Luxor and the dancing fountains of the Bellagio. You can practically feel the excitement from up high – the serene wilderness of the Grand Canyon will seem like a world away.

“How did four blue-collar kids become one of the greatest successes in pop music history?” That’s the story told in the smash hit juke-box style musical, Jersey Boys. Based on the lives of Frank Valli and the Four Seasons, the story chronicles their rise from being blue-collar kids to musical superstars. The Palazzo Resort Hotel and Casino offers nightly shows of this Tony Award-winning play.

The story plays off the “Four Seasons” – designating each season of the year as a time in the lives of the group. Each “season’s” tale is told from a different perspective; each member of the group tells his story. Spring finds the Four Seasons as small boys with big dreams growing up in housing projects and singing on street corners in New Jersey. Summer sees the success of the band as their first major hit, “Sherry”, is released in 1962 and 40 more chart-topping hits follow in the coming years. As Autumn arrives the decade comes to a close and the group’s popularity begins to decline. With Winter comes the aftermath of their fame and the promise of a new Spring. The story of the group’s meteoric rise to stardom, and the emotional baggage that came with it, is told with a mix of comedy and tragedy, and a heavy dose of nostalgia.

The generation who grew up as Four Seasons’ fans will love reminiscing to the songs of their youth and the younger audience will be captivated learning the story of the band their parents loved. Be warned: while children may enjoy the music of the show, the language reflects the working-class New Jersey upbringing of the Four Seasons and expletives are used. The sets are pretty bare bones – the focus here is on the story, told through scenes and the music of the Four Seasons. Classic songs you know and love like “Sherry”, “Walk Like a Man”, “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”, and “Big Girls Don’t Cry” will have you dancing and singing along in your seat.

Las Vegas is the wedding capital of the world – it’s quick and easy to get married in Vegas and it follows with the spontaneous “anything goes” philosophy of the town. Around 150,000 people get hitched here each year at chapels scattered throughout the city. Couples have their choice of traditional, kitschy, themed, Elvis-officiated, and even drive-through weddings.

If you’re not ready to tie the knot yourself you can always be a spectator at someone else’s nuptials. Rather than try to crash a wedding, book tickets for one of the nightly performances of the classic interactive dinner theatre show, Tony N’ Tina’s Wedding, at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino.

Tony N’ Tina’s Wedding is one of the longest running theatrical comedies in the US. The premise is simple – Tony and Tina are getting married and trying to keep their over-the top Italian-American families in check, and you are an invited guest at the wedding!

The show pioneered the art of interactive theatre; you don’t just watch the show, you are in it. The audience, er…wedding guests are seated at round tables, just like at a wedding. You watch the lovebirds walk down the aisle and say their vows and then the reception begins. A full dinner is served buffet style, drinks are available at a cash bar, and the wedding singer will get you out on the dance floor. Some of the other guests are played by actors who interact with the crowd and improvise crazy situations. And as the evening unfolds and you dine and dance the night away, you’ll watch hilarity ensue when these two outrageous families merge.

Slot machines are like video games that require no skill. Insert money, pull lever, and wait with bated breath to see if the fickle and mysterious lady luck will smile on you and let you hit the jackpot – or at least win enough to play again. And luck is not on your side; the casinos were designed to suck you in and take your money and they very rarely give it back.

So forget the slots and head to the Pinball Hall of Fame instead. Run by the Las Vegas Pinball Collectors Club, it is a museum of antique pinball machines, but unlike at most museums, visitors here are encouraged to get hands on with the displays. If you are going to throw your money away in 25 cent increments, you should at last have fun doing it! And not only is the Pinball Hall of Fame a fun trip down memory lane, but it’s also a little boost for your karma (which may not be so good after a few days of partying in Vegas): as a registered 501 (c) 3 non-profit, the Hall of Fame donates all proceeds after expenses to the Salvation Army.

For pinball aficionados this unmarked building next to the Tropicana Cinema is a must-see. The Hall of Fame boasts over 4500 square feet of games, mostly from the 1950’s – 1980’s. Admission is free and older games are only 25 cents to play, while a few newer ones from the 1990’s are 50 cents. There are also classic arcade games like Ms. Pacman, Tetris, Donkey Kong and Paperboy. All the games are non-violent and family friendly and have been lovingly restored to original playing condition.

Among the treasure trove of historic games, the Hall of Fame also contains one of the only two Pinball Circus machines left in the world. This is the only machine of the nearly 200 pinball games at the Hall that costs $1 to play, and for most it is worth the extra cost. The game has three vertical playing fields with seven flippers, which makes this antique very unique among its kind and even more fun to play.

For kids of all ages, the Pinball Hall of Fame offers a chance to trade in the bells and whistles of the slots for that of the arcade. It is a welcome respite of good old-fashioned fun in Sin City.

The fun doesn’t end when the show does. Afterwards guests are invited to mingle with the Chippendales in the aptly-named Flirt Lounge. Those who weren’t luckily enough to take part in the on-stage shenanigans can get up close and personal (no, not that personal!) with their favorite dancers.

According to CNN the famous Las Vegas "Entertainer of the Year" Danny Gans, died today at 52. The cause of death has not yet been revealed. Gans’ outrageously successful Vegas career began in 1996, when he landed a three-month gig at the Stratosphere Hotel.

In the intervening years, the Broadway vet had shows at the Mirage Hotel and the Encore Theater at Steve Wynn’s Wynn Las Vegas Hotel. He has sold more tickets on the Strip than the Rat Pack or Elvis Presley, and was voted Las Vegas "Entertainer of the Year" for 11 consecutive years. He leaves behind his wife of 25 years and three children.

Rest in Peace Danny.  Condolences to his family.

]]> http://BeyondTheGamble.com/danny-gans-dies/feed/ 0 http://BeyondTheGamble.com/ticket-finder-adjustment/ http://BeyondTheGamble.com/ticket-finder-adjustment/#comments Sun, 05 Apr 2009 20:15:55 +0000 VegasFan http://BeyondTheGamble.com/?p=224 There have been some adjustments to our Ticket Finder .  If you’re new to our site it is one of the best ways of finding the best prices on Las Vegas Shows .  There is one other issue we are ironing out.  Our TicketNetwork Event Times aren’t coming through.  We are working to fix this issue and will notify all of you once this issue is ironed out.

The show includes an animated clown, a live ringmaster, sideshow acts, dancers, pyrotechnics, bassits Rudy Sarzo from Whitesnake, singer-guitarist John Corabi from Mötley Crüe, drummer Fred Coury from Cinderella and guitarist Bruce Kulick from Kiss.

MIKE WEATHERFORD has a great article on them in the reviewjournal.com . Once I get tickets I’ll post them here. It’s looking like it’s going to be a great fun time.

If any of you see the show let us know what you think. Comment below!

Conservatory walkway area during Spring of 2008

way of botanical beauty and watery wonders. But in this land of man-made magnificence anything is possible. The Bellagio Hotel and Casino has created two of the most beautiful free attractions on the Strip and brought a bit of lush natural splendor to Las Vegas with its famous fountains and verdant conservatory.

Guests and visitors to the Hotel will be enchanted by the whimsical designs of the conservatory’s botanical gardens. The designs are the work of 140 expert horticulturists who artfully cultivate and position a myriad of brilliantly-colored flowers, plants and trees from around the world into unique arrangements depicting the current season. The display, which is open 24-hours a day, year round, is changed out periodically to reflect spring, summer, fall, the Holidays, and Chinese New Year, and incorporates water features and seasonal decorations that meander on a path over bridges and past tranquil ponds.

Outside the Hotel’s walls the serenity of the gardens gives way to an exuberant aquatic explosion from the Bellagio’s fountains. Set on the 8-acre man-made lake that lies in front of the Hotel, the fountains “perform” every 15-30 minutes depending on the time of day and weather conditions. Over 1200 nozzles and 4500 lights are timed and set to music, creating an intricately choreographed light and water show. Bursts of water shoot up to 250 feet into the air, arcs wave back and forth, and spurts shoot across the across the length of the lake in time to Broadway, classical, and Opera songs. The music echoes across the Strip as the fountains dance. Beautiful at any time of day, it is particularly romantic after dark when the lights cast a pale rosy glow on the crowd and the Bellagio is brightly illuminated against the night sky.

In a city built on the artificial, in the middle of a dusty dessert, The Bellagio Conservatory and Fountains offer a welcome oasis of (albeit man-made) natural wonder.

Cher’s latest song and dance extravaganza will feature nothing less than state-of-the-art special effects, elaborate choreography, incredible costumes and a support crew of more than a dozen dancers.  Not only that, four aerialists will take to the stage in this complex visual spectacle.

If you’ve ever seen Cher, you know her shows are intense and her energy and enthusiasm are unstoppable. Even at 61, Cher insists this is her most creative show ever.  It’s hard to doubt a Diva that never fails to perform beyond your wildest expectations.

What’s in store for the audience at The Colosseum this year?  In addition to all the singing and dancing, Cher promises to keep you mesmerized with a different stage set for every song.  This is an unimaginable feat, even for Las Vegas, and this is one concert you won’t want to miss.  Leave it to Cher to aspire to achieve what’s never been done before at The Colosseum.

The Colosseum is an elegant, intimate venue that seats just over 4,000.  There’s not a bad seat in the house, but when you’re ready to score the hottest Cher tickets log onto StubHub.com.

StubHub is a safe, secure ticketing marketplace that offers outstanding selection and customer service.  See Cher at The Colosseum on the date of your choice and select the exact tickets you want online. If you’d like to do some price comparisons, a great second option is RazorGator.com.  Both StubHub and RazorGator have plenty of Cher tickets available right now, but don’t risk missing out by waiting too long to get yours.

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Unless you let your kids play craps, blackjack, or bet on their video games, then you probably have avoided Las Vegas as one of your family hotspots for vacation. But just because Vegas doesn’t have an honored mouse running around with all of his little friends in the kingdom doesn’t mean you should ignore what the beautiful desert city has to offer families like yours or mine. Sure, when you think of the City of Sin and their “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” motto, you aren’t thinking of children’s activities. But one of the greatest places families can go in the sandy, lit up strip of Nevada is the Lied Discovery Children’s Museum.

With over 22,000 square feet of exhibits, your kids will get to enjoy a hands-on experience as they learn about art, science, humanities and early childhood. There are currently 100 permanent exhibits kids can interact and learn while having fun at the same time. And to keep things more interesting, and families coming back year after year, of course, is by offering a rolling schedule of temporary featured exhibits, such as Clifford and Grossology: The (Impolite) Science of the Human Body to get the kids’ imaginations moving. You know how kids love to learn about yucky stuff. And the best part is they can touch everything in the museum, which will keep them more interested than if they were in a more formal learning environment that represents a cold funeral home. In addition to the wide array of exhibits for the little ones to get their hand son, there are also several educational programs to keep the learning process going.

Another important feature is the price it costs to get in. With all the fun and interactive education you and your children will get, you would think it should cost more than the $7-8 admission fee, right? And at a time when vacation budgets are being cut, it is important to get the most bang for your buck. So next time you are near the town of secrecy, feel comfortable knowing that there are places like this you can take the kids to for some pure, clean fun. And who knows, you might just end up having a great time with them!

If you ever go on vacation with the family, I am more than positive you have never considered Las Vegas. I mean, “Sin City” a place to bring the kids? All that gambling, liquor, and adult entertainment would be enough to prevent Vegas from entering the arena of vacation planning, right? Well, you may not know this, but there are plenty of things to do with the kids in the land of “evil”. And the funny part is that some of them are located right in the heart of the strip.

All kids love pets. At least, all of mine do, and since I have five then majority rules, I suppose. And nothing is funnier than when pets take on a human persona and run with it. So for some good family entertainment that doesn’t involve scantily clad cocktail waitresses and clouds of cigarette smoke, then you have to take the kiddies to Gregory Popovich’s Comedy Pet Theatre . Playing at the V Theater in the Planet Hollywood casino, this show is perfect for all ages. Cats, bird, mice, birds and more join their talents with humans to create the craziest circus you have ever seen before in your life. All of the animals are rescued from shelters across the country and have been trained to tale part in this amazing show.

Watch as the animals entertain the audience and fill the theatre with laughter as their little vignettes are simple yet hilarious. I mean, a cat pushing a dog in a stroller? How can anybody not find that absolutely amusing? Pets acting as humans are always fun to watch. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. Give your kids something they will be talking about forever, and even you the parent will be talking about it for years to come. But if you are planning on catching this show, buy your tickets early and make reservations. The word is out and it is one of the hardest shows to get into.

You won’t even know you are in a casino environment while sitting in the show, letting your family enjoy the other side of Sintown. And this is just one of the many family attractions that Vegas has to offer. So what are you waiting for? With shows like this, you will now have a reason to bring the family to the desert city that never sleeps.

According to the Las Vegas Lounge Mandalay Bay will be featuring ‘Dive-In Movies’ by the pool Friday nights. Total cost? Free .

Situated on 11 amazing acres, world famous Mandalay Bay Beach, the penultimate in aquatic relaxation offers a wave pool, lazy river, three swimming pools, jogging track, 2,700 tons of real sand and was voted Las Vegas’ premier pool experience by TripAdvisor.com in 2006. If that weren’t enough, Mandalay Beach and Moorea offer 100 rentable cabanas, day beds, bungalows, villas that include personalized service, raft/tube rentals and now Dive in Movies.

Ladies this is your chance to meet some guys! Below are some sexy but classy bikinis from Babyphat. Show some high class sophistication and get pick your outfit today.

According to Online Casino Advisory , in 1990 42 percent of Las Vegas revenue came from non-gambling sources, hotel room rates and restaurants. in 2007, that number increased to 59 percent.

However, I disagree with the articles premise that Vegas should return to its roots and focus on gambling as its primary source of income. Not that I have anything against gambling. But, you’ll have to admit gambling oftentimes comes with a negative connotation. It’s a different world today than the world that built Vegas. Gambling is a losing proposition statistically speaking. Plus, it is my honest belief that more and more people don’t want to lose money gambling. Those that do like gambling for the sake of gambling are content with nearby Indian Casinos to save on gas! A bad economy along with high gas prices, a declining Real Estate market, of course Vegas gambling will be affected!

Also, Market Watch reports a drop of 4% in gambling revenue while non-gaming revenue stayed flat on a quarter-over-quarter basis.

If a product is selling off the shelves making 42%-59% of your revenue and remains flat while your other revenue sources decline then doesn’t common sense dictate, to get more of that product?

Just do a Google search and you’ll see a slew of articles and websites that help travelers find things to do in Vegas that don’t involve gambling. Gambling should no longer be primary reason to visit Vegas.

The Las Vegas Lounge just put out "Vegas Show News: The Latest on What’s Closing and When". It’s a sad day when a favorite show is closing. Michelle Snows Star Trek Experience article hits close to my own heart.

You know what they say, when one door closes another one opens. Who knows what the future brings? Perhaps some great new shows come out of this!

This camp is for kids with a passion for the arts.

The camp is a week long, with different entertainers from various shows in Las Vegas as guest presenters.

Check it out, but don’t forget to get your tickets here at BeyondTheGamble.com!

You can also catch Leno’s live stand-up show on the following scheduled dates (show times at 10pm unless otherwise noted):

* July 11 & 12 (at 9pm)
* July 25 & 26
* August 8 & 9
* September 19, 20, 26 & 27
* October 10, 11, 17 & 18
* November 21 & 22
* December 12 & 13

Make sure to find them here at BeyondTheGamble.com!