LAS VEGAS-BRIAN HEAD -- Take some of the world's most interesting and exciting cities such as Paris, London, New York, Rome, Monte Carlo and Venice and roll them into one and then take some of the world's most beautiful scenery and snow skiing mountains and roll them into one and what have you got:
A combination hard to beat at $169.
That's what you get in a fantastic package offered through the Brian Head, Utah, Resort.
This package deal lets visitors spend two days/nights in Las Vegas and two days/nights in Brian Head, with an unlimited two days of snow skiing at Brian Head.
And the package starts at $169 per person.
Normally, one could expect to spend three times as much or more on such a package.
Two days/nights in Vegas at moderate to upscale hotels would normally run well more than the $169 starting rate (rates are per person and vary upward to a top $399 depending on weekend stays and/or choice of hotels).
Las Vegas is undoubtedly deserving of the title of The Entertainment Capital of the World. Not only does it have dozens of major casinos/hotels but there is much more by way of headliner shows, spectacular free street entertainment (everything from pirate battles, fireworks and water extravaganzas to major stock car racing and hundreds of first class shopping and restaurant venues).
Vegas is truly a city that never sleeps, 24/7/365.
The obvious attraction is the gambling at the plethora of glitz and glow casinos, but one could spend two months in the city and never catch up on the entertainment venues.
Some of the things visitors should make sure to see while in Vegas include the 1,149-foot tall Stratosphere Hotel/Casino (you can even have lunch or dinner or ride a roller coaster on top), the colorful canals and beautiful artwork of the Venetian Hotel, the French atmosphere of the Paris Hotel (complete with its own two-thirds size Eiffel Tower) and New York, New York, a hotel which comes with its own realistic recreated New York City streets/shops, Many other hotels have very entertaining and interesting themes, too, such as Bellagio's Roman statuary and large lake, Luxor's Egyptian themes (including a recreated King Tut's Tomb) and MGM's interior lion habitat (where you are actually separated by about two inches of glass from a dining lion).
Tens of thousands of visitors from all over the world stroll up and down the Las Vegas Strip (Las Vegas Boulevard) every day, doing everything from having their pictures made with Elvis Presley look-alikes to dining at a sidewalk cafe.
Vegas has been America's fastest growing city for more than 10 years in a row and continues to expand. The huge new Wynn's Hotel and Casino, with 1,716 rooms, is set to open in April or May, further adding to the city's approximate 150,000 hotel rooms.
Just three hours up the road at Brian Head, Utah, is some of the world's best snow skiing.
Brian Head is at the forefront of family skiing, with more than 80 per cent of its trails of the beginning (green) and intermediate (blue) variety -- with a handful of expert (black diamond) hills thrown in for the more skilled.
Brian Head grooms every one of its green and blue runs every day, guaranteeing smooth cruiser runs featuring wide, sweeping (and uncrowded) trails (rarely do you ever have to wait more than a minute or two to get on a lift at Brian Head . . . and most of the time you can ski right on with no lines).
Brian Head operates with two mountain ski areas, the green runs and tube park at Navajo, just a short walk from the outstanding Cedar Breaks Lodge (which recently underwent a $4.6 million upgrade and now offers very comfortable family-style efficiency rooms in an attractive setting) and the intermediate and
advanced runs at Giant Steps, a five-minute ride from the Cedar
Breaks Lodge.
A free town shuttle service provides continuous service to the ski areas from Cedar Breaks and other hotels in the area.
Brian Head is at the top of Utah's mountain ranges, starting at the 9,600-foot level and going up to more than 11,000 feet. The resort typically gets more than 400 inches of snow a year and operates with a ski base of more than 100 inches.
And, Brian Head is only about 30 miles from Cedar City, a locality which has achieved world renown for its annual Shakespeare Festival and regional fame for its annual Utah Games (a mini-Olympics featuring dozens of sporting events). The Shakespeare Festival has been lauded by many organizations and has even won a Tony Award. The 2005 season runs from June 23 through October 29, with performances at various locales throughout Cedar City (for information or tickets call 800-752-9849 or visit the web site www.bard.org (or send an e-mail to [email protected]. Package plans (including lodging) are available.
The drive from Vegas to Brian Head can be a treat unto itself. Interstate 15 takes you right by Zion National Park and within minutes you can be in the midst of some the most beautiful mountain scenery in the world (Kolob Canyon is a must-see and is less than 10 minutes off the interstate). Bryce Canyon National Park is less than an hour away.
For information on the Las Vegas-Brian Head package plans call 800-388-3669 or visit the Internet web site www.nhrb.com. For information on the Brian Head Resort call 435-677-2035 or visit the web site www.brianhead.com. For information of scenic Southern Utah call 800-354-4848 or visit the web site www.ScenicSouthernUtah.com.

This story was published on 07 Feb 2005.