Rick Garman: That does sound like a good deal although I'm not sure what a "citywide food credit" means. I mean, you're not going to get comps at McDonald's so I'd explore that a little further. Also, it's worth noting that Imperial Palace, while a fine, clean, and comfortable hotel, is not the nicest on The Strip—rooms are small, often dark, and fairly utilitarian. As long as you're not walking in expecting Bellagio quality you'll be fine.

_______________________

Toronto, Canada: We—meaning my wife and 19-year-old daughter—would like to do Las Vegas for 4-5 days at Christmas 2008. Do you have any suggestions regarding hotel packages, what to do, where to go, etc.? Thanks in advance. —Everett

Rick Garman: Hi, Everett. The 2 weeks leading up to Christmas are usually the slowest period in Las Vegas all year long so you can usually get very good deals without having to look very far. If it were me, I'd wait until the fall and then check prices at a variety of hotels often to look for the best deals.

However, be aware that the days right after Christmas leading up to New Year's Eve are among the busiest all year long, so expect high room rates if this is when you are planning on going. There is very little way around it unfortunately.

One trick I recommend to everyone when booking rooms is to find a hotel and a price that suits you and make the reservations, provided they have a no-penalty cancellation policy (most Las Vegas hotels don't). Then, every other week or so, check around on prices including at the hotel you've already booked. If you find something better you can always cancel your existing reservation and rebook at the new place and all it'll cost you is a little bit of time. If rates go up, then you'll already have your existing reservation in place without having to worry about it.

Just don't tell the hotels that I said that.

_______________________

Northville, Mich.: I will be spending the week of 9-6-08 in Vegas with my daughter (age 25) and want to pack in as much as possible. Neither of us have been there before so it's all new. Where should we start, besides the obvious? We also want to do a day trip by helicopter to the Canyon—any recommendations? Help me make the trip a total blast for the both of us.

Rick Garman: Besides the obvious of The Strip, which is where you'll want to spend the bulk of your time, I highly recommend renting a car so you can get away from the heavily tourist areas and explore the city. You can go Downtown to the classic Glitter Gulch area of Fremont Street; visit some of the city's best attractions like The Springs Preserve, the Atomic Testing Museum, or the Liberace Museum; check out the less expensive restaurants and gambling options at the "local" casinos like Boulder Station, Green Valley Ranch, and more; do some serious shopping at places like the Las Vegas Premium Outlets; or go exploring the recreation opportunities at Red Rock Canyon, Lake Las Vegas, or Lake Mead.

As far as helicopter to the Grand Canyon, check out Gray Line Tours or Papillon tours, the latter of which has some options that you can't find anywhere else.

_______________________