Super Bowl Travel to Las Vegas Means Big Spends + 'Excessive Celebration'

If you're headed to Las Vegas for Super Bowl LVII, the first the iconic destination has hosted the biggest game in professional sports, then you're not really looking for bargains. You're ready to invest big. And you're ready to party big.

Let's talk partying big, first. Las Vegas has launched a global campaign -- Excessive Celebration Encouraged -- that leans big into this simple fact: when one of the biggest event in pro sports meets the ultimate destination for over-the-top revelry, only excessive celebration will do. To promote it, they've released a music video -- check it out here -- featuring NFL all-pro wide receiver Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson and Grammy-nominated artist Tobe Nwigwe. Celebrators around the world can join Las Vegas in encouraging excessive celebration at Super Bowl LVIII by signing a special change.org petition.

If you head to Las Vegas to catch the battle between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs. you won't be alone. Las Vegas is already the biggest destination in the world for Super Bowl, with crowds historically topping 300,000. The fact the game's in-town this year is expected to see that incoming crowd surge by 50% to 450,000! Many will be taking in the action live at Allegient Stadium, the state-of-the-art facility that opened in 2020 and houses more than 65,000 fans. The rest will be descending on parties, activations and events spread throughout the city across several days.

Ticket prices continue to fluctuate, through they're being gobble up via third-party sites from $6000 a pop, with a pair of seats at the 50-yard line going for more than $100,000 and those fancy suites commanding, in some cases, in excess of $2 million!

Tobe Nwigwe and Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson 

Despite the fact that airlines like United have added flights into Las Vegas form the Bay Area and Kansas City, flight prices are soaring. And although the city boasts more than 150,000 hotel rooms, the price to stay is ballooning, too.

Most football revelers, though, will avoid the sticker shock to watch the gam in person by taking advantage of a ton of activities that the city is hosting over the five-day period culminating with the big game on February 11th. The Super Bowl Experience at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center -- think of it as an interactive theme park of football-inspired experiences, complete with chances to mingle with NFL icons -- happens February 7-10, with tickets at $50 a day. There are plenty of watch parties at resorts like MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, Resorts World and The LINQ. And among the cool activations throughout the city: the Giant Chocolate Egg created by the pastry team at The Aria -- at 10 feet by 5-1/2 feet, and made with 1000 pounds of milk and dark chocolate and 50 pounds of fondant, it took 230 to complete! There's also the Frito-Lay immersive experience at the New York-New York, a foodie experience from Pepsi at the Delano and celeb appearances by stars like former quarterback star Doug Flutie at the MGM Sportsbook at Mandala Bay.

The Aria pastry team's Chocolate Football

For music fans, several big names are taking to the stage during Super Bowl weekend, including Chrstina Aguilera at the Voltaire Theater inside the Venetian, Kelly Clarkson at Planet Hollywood and Bruno Mars at Park MGM's Dolby Live Theater.

Click here for a thorough roundup of activities and events around Super Bowl LVIII from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau.

If you're heading to Las Vegas for the big game, here are a few reality check tips from me!

• Especially for those of you flying out of the Bay Area, shop for one-way fares from multiple airports and multiple airlines -- it could be cheaper than committing to one roundtrip flight
• Stay longer -- flight and hotel prices will drop big time over the days following Super Bowl Sunday, so consider flying back home, say, Wednesday
• If you're driving in and/or out, prepare for congestion on the highways leading to Las Vegas, especially on I-15 -- pack snacks, have your kids' devices charged and make sure your tank (or battery) is full
•  Consider alternate ways to get around -- with rideshare and cabs in high demand, and with plenty of dependable congestion, ride the Monorail, which features several stops and is clean and accessible, and the trams, like the one at the Aria and the one that whisks you between the Excalibur, the Luxor and Mandalay Bay
• Book your restaurant reservations and entertainment tickets in advance ASAP to ensure access 

For most of us, of course, the best seat in the house will be at home, in front of our favorite TV! Either way, enjoy Super Bowl LVIII!

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How to Make the Most of National Plan for Vacation Day

Did you take all your paid time off last year? If you're like most Americans, you didn't! Data from the U.S. Travel Association over the last few years show that only 25%v of us tap all of our PTO before year's end. The rest of us leave an average of 4-1/2 vacation days on the docket and, depending on which state you call home, they don't always roll over into the new year.

National Plan for Vacation Day launched in 2017, and it falls on January 30 -- the last #travelTuesday of the month -- in 2024. The idea is simple: carve out time that day to map out your vacations for the year. Even if things change down the road, earmarking getaways while tapping all of your PTO puts trips on your horizon and adventures to look forward to! 

Here are five quick tips to maximize your vacation planning on this year's National Plan for Vacation Day!

• Take time off around holiday weekends: Working with time off that's already on the calendar will give you several 4- or 5-day vacations that only cost you one or 2 days off. For example, think about taking Feb. 16 and 20 off, the Friday and Tuesday around President's Day weekend; that Monday Feb. 19 is a national holiday, and tapping two of your paid days off suddenly gives you a five-day getaway!
• Traveling during a holiday? Book now! Use National Plan for Vacation Day to lock down vacation time now around popular holiday weeks or weekends, since popular spots will sell-out early and overall costs won't come down. Want to take the kids away for spring break? Book now! Want to visit your favorite beach during 4th of July weekend? Book now! You know you want to get away over Thanksgiving? Book now!
• Go off-season: I think we'll see a big push this year to visit your favorite destinations, but without the crowds. There's a sustainability argument here: going off-season helps manage the impact on the places we visit. What's more, fewer people and lower prices are always a plus. Book travel to popular summer spots in the spring or fall, instead, and winter havens during the summer.
• Watch the fine print: Whenever you see a really hot travel deal -- and we're likely to see various travel brands doling out promos on National Plan for Vacation Day -- make sure you read the fine print. Even the totally legit bargains are likely to come with strict change or cancelation policies.
• Use your miles: I'm one of those travelers who loves to see their airline mileage account grow. Bottom line, though, is that your miles are only as valuable as where they'll take you. Use National Plan for Vacation Day to tap your miles to book your next few flights!

On Discovery Princess Sep. 2023 -- our first Alaska cruise!

One last note: look for some of the best bargains coming from the cruise industry. No less than eight new high-profile ships are slated to hit the water in 2024, including Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, which set sail on Caribbean itineraries this past weekend, the Sun Princess, which launches next month, and the Disney Treasure, which will be introduced in December. More cabins, more deals for you and me!

Safe travels!

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