With luck, the trip to Vegas will be smooth and uneventful, and the accommodations will be everything hoped for. The following tips will make the stay that much more enjoyable. Some involve good prior planning. Others, well, involve good judgment on the use of your time once your arrive.

Prior Planning

Prior planning does not destroy spontaneity. In fact, it helps. If you are traveling with a partner who shares the same household budget with you, it will be important to have some agreement about what to do and how much to spend before taking the trip. Perhaps this consensus should be established even before reserving a place in a hotel. Once the fellow travelers have sorted out and agreed on priorities, some part of the budget should go to "un-allocated" for that whimsical splurge. Whimsy is part of it, too; but you don't want to be feeling guilt or resentment at the time it happens.

1. Check the weather before you pack. If you are planning to use the pool, know that in winter the temperatures are not always balmy, and many pools are closed.

2. Golfing? Consider renting clubs. Traveling with golf clubs can be a pain. The better golf courses can provide perfectly serviceable clubs for not too much money. It's always best to check ahead of time, of course. But the convenience may be more than worth the cost. Can't bear to play golf except with certain clubs? A good workman never blames his tools.

3. Need tickets for shows? Call right now. The concierge can get to work for you. Many shows are sold out months in advance. This is the one part of a Las Vegas va-cation that must be executed well before ever showing up in "Sin City."

4. Spending a big evening at a restaurant? Check on availability. Like shows, some of the fancier restaurants also have waiting lists for tables. This can be weeks or even months in advance! For that special evening out, rely on the concierge to steer you to the right table at the right place, and plan ahead!

5. Shopping - Lay down some basic guidelines for budget and items. There is so much shopping in Las Vegas that one could spend all 168 hours of a week-long vacation at the malls. A little prior research from home, perhaps with the Internet, will allow a more efficient use of the time available. The range of wares is also so broad that if the shopping universe can be pre-defined to a smaller array of items, this will also make the shopping outings more rewarding. If the idea is just to go see what is there, many of the malls have wonderful entertainment and great food, so that the outing becomes a pleasurable tourist event in and of itself, regardless of what tro-phies the hunters bring home.

6. Shopping - Don't forget to bring luggage sufficient to pack anything that you buy in Las Vegas - unless you can arrange to have them ship home for you.

7. Gambling - Have a good discussion with your mate and agree on a bankroll and time allocation. When a couple is away from home and kids, and maybe tired from a lot of running around in a strange and exciting place, it is really easy to get into a fight over something. In Las Vegas that something is often how much money should be put on the casino tables or how much time should be spent actual in the casinos playing table games, slot machines or poker. Few couples have the luxury of sharing the same interests when it comes to games of chance. So it is important to be comfortable with each other's wishes before stepping into the casino. If one like sports books and the other enjoys slots, then maybe the bankroll needs to be allo-cated. It is best to presume that this money will be spent within some period of time. If you come out ahead, so much the better. But do not plan to win (unless your track record justifies it). Agree that after X hours (win or lose) or after Y dollars, which-ever happens first, the session is over. A day may have one or several sessions in it, according to the tastes of the gamer, but only with the agreement of the partner. The reason is that the vacation is for two people, and it is easy for one of them to be-come jealous of the casino as a rival for the mate's attentions and affections.

8. Gambling - limber up your technique with some online play. If you think you might want to play blackjack, or baccarat, or even poker, but have never played in a ca-sino, do not wait to go to the casino to learn how to do it. It will be too late and the lessons are costly. Start out with a reputable online gaming site, and play with "play money." If eventually you are confident enough to let them entice you into playing with real money, go ahead. Several recent World Series of Poker champions have demonstrated that online gambling is an excellent prep school for taking a seat at a table in a casino.

9. Read up on other local activities and make a plan. There is so much to do in Las Vegas and environs! Lake Mead and Hoover Dam, Red Rock Canyon, Bonnie Springs, the Fremont Street Experience, Mount Charleston, and Valley of the Fire are just some of the options, to say nothing of museums and the zoo. It may be a good idea to vary the diet of sun, pool, casino, fine dining and shopping with a little sight seeing. If time is limited (and whose time isn't?), a little prior study will make it possible to shoehorn in a side trip to a great location that is not a casino resort.

10. Save time for each other. With all the other things "out there" that call to a vaca-tioner to leave the hotel room and go "do things," it is important to understand the importance of doing nothing. Vacant spots in the schedule can be great for recupera-tion from the rat race, or romance, or reading a book, or just visiting with your co-visitor. People who live by schedules in the real world sometimes have trouble let-ting go of the need to micromanage the time off. That is a mistake.

11. Study the map - get a sense of where things are and how far away they are. It's really good to have an approximate idea of where things are in relation to each other. Las Vegas is geographically spread out, but it is not very complicated to get around. By knowing where things are the plan can avoid a lot of unnecessary retrac-ing of footsteps. And, speaking of footsteps, properties on the Strip seem to look closer to each other than they really are. When guide books say the hotel is just "steps from the famous Las Vegas Strip" they usually mean a mile or so. "A block and a half off the Strip" can be a 20 minute walk! Just because both casinos are on "Las Vegas Boulevard South" does not mean by any stretch that they are within an easy stroll of each other. In the summer particularly, those sunny strolls can be quite draining.

12. Pack comfortable shoes. The walking aspect of Las Vegas requires good shoes with support. But there is also a lot of standing around in Las Vegas, at least potentially. Much of this can be at the casino, where some slots are more accessible from a standing position. Chairs and stools are provided, but a lot of gamers find it hard to sit and gamble at the same time. Add the shopping dimension to this, and then tour-ing and sightseeing, and it can readily be seen that the average turista walks as far in one day in Las Vegas as the Marine recruit in basic training.

13. Budget for local transportation. Because it may be too far or too hot or too tiring to walk some of the distances between places in Las Vegas, local transportation is a must. It is not a luxury. For speed and efficiency, taxis and limos are the best choice, but also the most expensive. A second alternative is a car rental. But be mindful that there is the parking issue, and the driver may not exactly know where she or he is going. Public transportation is often convenient and available, but it may not always conform to the plan or timeline. Taking the monorail at least once is an important rite of passage. In addition to all of this, Las Vegas bustles. All the time. So consider budgeting enough money and time to get from place to place. It is a hidden cost of a Las Vegas vacation that may make the difference between frustra-tion or happiness about how things went.

14. Electronics? Consider leaving the laptop, pda and cell phone at home. If at all pos-sible, do not plan to work on anything while in Las Vegas. It will probably not be your best work, and it will make Las Vegas less enjoyable. Some people are so wedded to pda's that separation anxiety might spoil a trip. Try weaning. It is so much better than clinging to electronic alter egos. Virtually all hotels have com-puters available where one can check emails once or twice a day. The people at work should just be told that you are unavailable. Period. There is one exception to this tip: if you are a couple and plan to do separate activities for some of your Las Vegas time, keeping in touch by cell phone is an easy way to avoid missed encoun-ters. Be mindful that cell phones do not have good reception in many casinos, so leaving text messages may be more practical.

15. Plan the wardrobe for comfort and style. Las Vegas no longer hosts the tuxedo-wearing crowd or the bejeweled and evening gowned blonds of the old Hollywood movies. Nevertheless, most nightclubs and many of the ultra lounges and finer res-taurants do enforce a "dress code." Mainly it is to prevent cutoffs, flip-flops and hoodies from appearing on the premises. Even so, it is perfectly acceptable, and fun, to dress up a little for a swank evening on the town. It may also upgrade the service and hospitality received. One or two such outfits should do the trick. Otherwise, the day dress code is 100% for comfort, especially when shopping, touring museums or visiting outdoor attractions. Those concerned with style and "coolness" may want to invest in some up-to-date swimwear and spawear as well.

16. Take a watch, a camera and sun block. Casinos have no clocks and no windows. So you will never know what time it is unless you have a watch. And you will need to know what time it is in order to comply with the time budget for gambling and to make appointments with your partner or some other scheduled event on time. The camera and sun block are obvious additions to the list, but among the most often forgotten items. Sun block, at least, can be purchased upon arrival.

Once You Arrive

A relaxing vacation should not be too tightly choreographed, nor should one half of a cou-ple be compelled to do all the same things that the other half wants to do. If she wants to go to the spa, he might prefer relaxing by the pool. Couples often split their schedules if one wants to visit casinos more and the other wants to take in local sights or maybe go to the speedway or a shopping mall. These tips should help extract the most pleasure from the va-cation.

1. Plan to spend time together at the pool or sundeck at the beginning and/or end of the day. This is really more important in the summer, when midday sun can be scorch-ing hot. The pool is usually at its best from mid-afternoon until almost sunset.

2. Talk to the concierge right away about any plans that involve scheduling appoint-ments, buying tickets or making reservations. Check your other ideas for local ac-tivities with the concierge to be sure your information - and assumptions - are cor-rect, especially about how much time it takes to get there.

3. Leave lots of time in between activities. One of the corollaries of Murphy's Law is that "Everything always takes longer than you think." This applies not only to the transportation to and from, but also the time taken at any given activity. By not packing the schedule too tightly, the schedule can serve the vacationers, not the other way around.

4. Plan lots of open time. Be flexible. In the same vein, new ideas will inevitably arise. By having unplanned time in the schedule, it will be possible to make last minute shifts in the plan. It is hard to relax under a schedule that is too rigid.

5. Drink lots of water. Las Vegas is in the middle of the Mohave Desert. It is dry, even when it is not hot. You may notice slight metabolic changes at first, as your body becomes accustomed to the extra dryness, particularly if there is any physical exer-tion. Just because coffee and soft drinks have water in them, they are not the same thing as water. Drink several tall glasses per day to avoid getting dehydration on your vacation.

6. Don't overdo the glitz. Be sure to get enough rest and "quiet time" away from vehi-cle traffic and the din of the casinos. Just as it is easy to neglect the body's need for water, so also is it possible to forget to get some rest, particularly with all the ex-citement of the casino and resort lifestyle. Professional gamblers will not willingly risk their own money if they are not rested. There is no reason to think a vacationer should follow a different precept.

7. At the casino, quit at a pre-determined time. Keep the sessions reasonably short to avoid fatigue. If the daily bankroll evaporates early, quit for the day. If it outlasts your time budget, quit anyway, and consider it a "win." Casinos try to keep you there forever, or at least until the money runs out. They inveigle you with free drinks. They deny you any idea of the time. You are a more profitable patron for them if you are drunk and tired. It is a good idea not to let that happen. Virtually all discussions of "problem gambling" address the issue of not knowing when it's over. Stick to a budget for the day, and if it should pass 100% to the casino, quit. Do not try to "win it back" with money destined for other purposes. If the session ends and the bankroll is still in positive territory, consider yourself lucky. Quit. Another day will come, and meanwhile there are so many other wonderful things to see and do in Las Vegas.!

8. Early in the stay, make a short list of little gifts and souvenirs to buy for family and friends. Then, make one outing specifically to cross all those items off the list. Do it early, so the pressure will be off for the rest of the vacation.

9. Early in the trip visit a number of different resorts and casinos. You may then de-cide to revisit one or two for gaming or dining on a later day. It is also a good idea to see some of the casino attractions (like the Mirage volcano or the Luxor pyramid) early in the trip so you will know what all the fuss is about and can feel more like a veteran visitor.

10. Take notes, write a blog or keep a journal. Time will go by so quickly, the trip will seem to end too soon. If you ever plan to go back, it may be impossible to remem-ber the name of that restaurant on Kovall or the place where you won $150 in black-jack. Write it down. Many people illustrate the narrative with photos from the cam-era.

Adding Romance to Your Las Vegas Hotel Stay

When a couple takes off for a week in Vegas, parking kids with the grandparents, it is usu-ally in the spirit of a "second honeymoon." This can be dangerous, as it can be exhausting to vacation in Vegas unless conscious decisions are made to conserve time and energy, fo-cusing on what (and on who) is the most important. Here are some suggestions for spicing up the "second honeymoon," many derived, with thanks, from Budget Travel magazine.

1. Flowers. Before leaving on vacation, call the hotel concierge and see if you can ar-range for some roses and champagne in the room. Or just the roses. You can buy the champagne once you arrive. Don't forget flutes. Once in the room, scatter some rose petals on the bed.

2. Lights. Find out in advance what the lighting is like in the bedroom of the accom-modation. If necessary, bring a plug-in light dimmer or a sheer scarf to shade any bright hotel room lights.

3. Music. Most hotel rooms have stereos or radios that also play mp3 players, but it's worth checking on. Put some romantic tones on the iPod.

4. Aroma. Spray a little light perfume on the light bulb, so that the scent of the per-fume will infuse the room. Choose the aroma carefully to avoid making the place smell like air freshener or scented toilet paper.

5. Buy a Robe (or two). The two of you may be lounging around a lot throughout the week, and having your own new robes will add to the special nature of the trip.

6. Open the Champagne. Go easy. The point, evidently, is not to get drunk on cham-pagne.

7. Plan Bath Oils or Bubble Bath. This is a good idea if there is a two-person tub in the room. Bubble bath should not be used with jetted tubs for obvious reasons.

8. Bring Massage Oil. This is really what is meant by "quality attention."

9. Sleep In. Plan not to stir until some really late hour, especially if the nights have been long, as inevitably they are in Las Vegas. It is OK not to rouse until noon.

10. Breakfast in Bed. Most hotel rooms are now equipped with coffee makers. By buy-ing some baked goods, fruit and other items, you may be able to host your own breakfast without having to stir up room service. But if room service is the best so-lution, use it. This is a second honeymoon, after all.