Las Vegas is a lover’s paradise. What better way to romance your special someone then with a dazzling trip to Las Vegas this Valentines Day, where you can pamper and primp in first class spas and salons, then dine on some of the world’s best cuisine, and relax in some of the best hotel rooms?

It’s time to take a load off and relax and I’ve even done the hard work for you. All that’s left is booking your trip, enjoying the sunshine, and spending quality time with the person you love most. Here are the top five best spa packages for Valentines Day:

*prices and packages can change at any time so double check with the spa!

Spa and Salon at ARIA Las Vegas Valentine’s Signature Couples Massage

Light to deep pressure, this massage is designed specifically for you.  Consult with your massage therapist to create a custom full-body massage, focusing on particular areas to provide stress relief, ease tension, or just “get the knots out.”  From February 9 to 16, this treatment will include special Valentine’s Day gifts: signature sandstone scrubs, two signature lotion bottles and a gift set of chocolates.

Cost: $185 or $270 (per person)

Time Length: 50 or 80 minutes

Spa Bellagio Las Vegas Sweetheart Manicure & Pedicure

Bellagio’s Sweetheart Manicure and Pedicure includes a gentle exfoliation indulging Turbinado Sugar from Hawaii with unrefined Cocoa Butter, & pure spun honey. To sweeten your experience even further, a Cocoa Organic Mask treatment will be applied directly to the skin.  The hands and feet will feel an invigorating boost, leaving instant and dramatic results. Lastly, indulge in a soothing massage with a Chocolate Aroma, the ultimate Moisturizer, used to keep skin smooth and soft. This decadent experience is the ultimate way to enjoy Chocolate, guilt-free and is available for the whole month of February.

Cost: $75 (manicure) or $105 (pedicure)

Time Length: 50 (manicure) or 60 minutes (pedicure)

Grand Spa at MGM Grand Las Vegas Romancing with Stones Massage

A perfect way to enjoy the romance of the season. Combined with your choice of chocolate or rose massage oil, this treatment uses warmed smooth river stones to enhance deep relaxation and physical renewal.  This treatment can also be enjoyed with a special someone.

Cost: $140 or $280 (couples)

Time length: 50 minutes

Bathhouse at THEHotel Mandalay Bay Las Vegas Side by Side Bubalina Chocolat’ Manicure and Pedicure

Rich in Vitamin C, this Bubalina Chocolat’ manicure and pedicure can be enjoyed side-by-side and contains anti-aging benefits, promotes healing and rebuilding of skin.  A sugar scrub infused with rich chocolate gently exfoliates and leaves the skin feeling smooth, with a polished look and feel.

Cost: $60 or $110 (per person)

Time length: 25 or 50 minutes

The Spa at New York New York Las Vegas Cupid’s Getaway Package

Combine all three express treatments below for only $150! This package includes 25-minute treatments for the Valentine’s Massage, Express Love Spell Facial and a choice of a 25-minute manicure or pedicure.

Valentine’s Massage

The irresistible aroma of Love Spell puts an enchanting twist on this classic Swedish massage.

Cost: $60, $105, $155

Time length: 25, 50 or 75 minutes

XOXO Soak and Glow

The invigorating scent of Love Spell fills the air as this treatment relaxes and rejuvenates along with a hydrotherapy soak paired with an express facial.

Cost: $90

Time length: 45 minutes

Be Mine Mani/Pedi

Enjoy the classic elements of a mini manicure and mini pedicure paired with a Love Spell aromatherapy soak, followed by an application of hydrating Love Spell lotion.

Cost: $75

Time length: 50 minutes

I often get asked when is the best time to book a cruise by readers for cheap cruises. The answer varies by the person and their needs but unless you are traveling with a group or have a specific itinerary or date, I always suggest waiting for wave season or booking right when they release an itinerary. Wave Season is a magical time between January and March (hmmm usually when people are receiving tax returns) where cruise lines and travel agents can offer the very best in promotions and prices. Seriously, it’s the time when you can get the best deals particulary on sailings in the next year. We are talking free perks such as onboard credit and upgrades! It’s unlikely you will find a better deal on price any other time of year.

It’s also a time where many people are looking to buy cruises because of the dreary winter weather and the need to get some sun! It’s the most popular time of year to purchase a cruise vacation. I can’t think of a more fabulous way to spend my tax return. The best way to get a good deal is talk to a travel agent specialiizing in cruises or sign up for your favorite cruiseline’s email alerts. Have a cruise coming up? Tell us about it! We are going on a mediterannean cruise in October!

Walking into the Hotel Felix in Chicago I was immediately drawn into an inviting lobby with soft couches, modern decor and a spanning gas fireplace. I was hesitant to check in because I felt like lounging for a while after a long day of travel. After a smooth check in I was up to the room to see how it fared. I’m always excited to see how a non-chain hotel compares to its cookie cutter competition. Unique items started adding up… a spa-like bathroom, modern art, soft linens, a large flatscreen television, and a high rise view definitely set it apart.

In addition to the stylish room, the Hotel Felix also boasts many eco-friendly features that are appreciated. They meet silver LEED certification standards making them the first of their kind in the Chicago area. Things like low flow toilets and shower heads, carpet made of recycled materials and motion activated temperature control systems are a sign that they’re trying to appeal to the eco conscious.

The free high speed internet, which is not always the case at high end  boutique hotels was definitely appreciated. They also had a really nice fitness room and luxurious on-site spa and restaurant. The location, which was close to shopping, a plethora of great food options, tourist attractions and most importantly public transportation, made it a great stay.

The rooms are a little on the smaller side (the decor and features definitely make up for it), which was not a big deal for us since we were out and about so much, but we don’t think this would necessarily be the best hotel for families because of that. Would it make a great place to bring your spouse for a romantic getaway in the city? Absolutely. A great place to meet up with friends from out of town? Definitely.

Overall I was very impressed by my stay at the Felix, its friendly staff and welcoming feel. Make sure to check it out next time you visit the windy city.

You could choose to head over to Las Vegas and ring in the New Year with the endless party on the strip or maybe jet to Rio de Janeiro, which is world famous for their Reveillon festival on the coast. But why not be among the first to celebrate the New Year by heading to Sydney, Australia?

Every year the Sydney harbor is lit up with an extraordinary amount of fireworks. Add in music and lights, and it’s a spectacular sight. The best view is definitely from the water, but you may want to plan early because cruise’s book up fast. This is one of the most popular New Year’s destinations in the entire world and it does not disappoint. Plus, did I mention January 1 is summer there? It would be a dream come true for us to get out of the snow in Utah and bring in the new year in a warm climate.

Regardless of where you choose to spend your New Year’s, just make sure it’s with the people that matter most. You could be in the most spectacular place in the entire world and it won’t mean anything if you aren’t with the people you love.

Right now isn’t exactly golfing season here in Utah but the weather is perfect in Hawaii and it’s a destination that everyone can agree on. There’s plenty to do for those who aren’t into golf and those who are, have a plethora of resorts and courses to choose from. Three reasons why Hawaii attracts golfers (http://www.golfnow.com/) from all around the world? Breathtaking scenery, world championship course designs and signature holes. It’s a golfer’s heaven. There are even over 70 golf courses in Hawaii to choose from.

Oahu is definitely the big winner with over 40 of the state’s pristine courses. Two of these courses are two of the most challenging in the world (don’t worry there are some easier courses too).  But what really is great is that every island offers stunning golf courses so you don’t even have to worry about choosing a specific location. Personally if I was married to someone obsessed with golf this is a location I would be totally fine with saying, “honey you go play 18 holes…I’m just going to lay here on the beach.”

If you are going to be in the Las Vegas area around Thanksgiving and would like to hang up your apron and have someone else do the cooking for you, be forewarned you are not alone! Lines will be long and you will have to wait, but for the most part it may be worth it. Here is a list of popular casinos on and off the strip in Las Vegas. Remember that you won’t just be battling tourists but it’s a popular thing for locals to do as well, ditch the all day cooking and head to casino buffet.

The buffets at the Coast Casinos feature traditional Thanksgiving favorites like roasted turkey with all the trimmings and baked ham, plus all the seafood specialties, soups, salads, fruits and vegetables from the usual buffet offerings.

• The French Market Buffet at The Orleans

• The St. Tropez Buffet at the Suncoast

• The Ports O’ Call Buffet at the Gold Coast

• The Firelight Buffet at Sam’s Town

• The Paradise Buffet at the Fremont Hotel & Casino

• The Garden Court Buffet at Main Street Station

The Station Casinos Feast and Festival Buffets will offer a variety of dining options.

• Buffet at Palace Station

• Buffet at Texas Station

• Buffet at Fiesta Rancho

• Buffet at Fiesta Henderson

• Buffet at Boulder Station

• Buffet at Sunset Station

• Buffet at Santa Fe Station

• Buffet at Aliante Station

The following Station Casino locations will offer the “Gourmet” menu, featuring all your Thanksgiving favorites, plus seafood and sushi.

• Buffet at Green Valley Ranch

• Buffet at Red Rock Resort

Palms: The Bistro Buffet will offer special menu items which include pumpkin soup, caramel apple salad, pumpkin bulgar salad, smashed cheddar potatoes, Granny Smith apple stuffing, maple roasted yams plus nontraditional items like eggplant parmesan, tortellini with braised short rib ragu, sea bass filet Oscar-style, opaka olive tapenade and Tio’s meatloaf with ancho chili sauce.

The Mirage: The Cravings Buffet will offer a traditional Thanksgiving meal from 3 to 10 p.m.

Bellagio: In addition to the standard buffet offerings, the Bellagio Buffet will feature Alaskan king and snow crab legs, made to order salads, sushi, steak, beef wellington, cooked seafood and traditional Thanksgiving items.

Wynn: The buffet at Wynn offers brunch from 8 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Dinner service runs from 1 to 10 p.m. The VIP package includes two rounds of sangria, mimosas or champagne, VIP line access and a 10 percent discount on the next regular priced buffet with proof of purchase of the VIP package.

Paris: Chef Robert Derwinski offers traditional specialties at the Le Village Buffet served from 3:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Planet Hollywood: Chef Eduardo Ruiz offers traditional specialties at The Spice Market Buffet, lunch served from 11 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. dinner served from 3:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Aria: In addition to the standard buffet offerings, the Aria Buffet will feature traditional Thanksgiving items. Alaskan king crab legs, a variety of sushi, pasta made to order, carved turkey and roasted salmon, ham, prime rib and an Indian menu.

M Resort: The Studio B Buffet will offer an all-day special holiday buffet with beer and wine included from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The menu includes roasted turkey breast, Yukon gold mashed potatoes, oysters on the half shell, roasted lamb loin, Lyonnaise potatoes, cream corn, grilled New York steaks au poivre and mahi mahi with pineapple salsa.

The Rio: The Carnival World Buffet offers a special menu featuring sweet potato and chili soup, a carving station with maple honey glazed ham, roasted turkey breast, roasted prime rib of Black Canyon beef and Cajun spice-rubbed pork loin. For dessert, enjoy bananas foster, pumpkin pie, pecan pie and pumpkin cheesecake.

Loews at Lake Las Vegas: From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., enjoy brunch stations including antipasta, smoked salmon, a seafood bar, Marrakesh salad station, soups, kid’s carving station, a traditional Thanksgiving carving station with cider-brined turkey with truffled giblet gravy, Brazilian grilling station, 20-plus dessert options including a funnel cake station, plus sashimi, nigiri and sushi rolls. Reservations are recommended; 567-6000.

There are many different types of travel insurance out there. You can pretty much get a policy for anything. Here are some of the most popular types:

Travel medical insurance: Your domestic health insurance probably doesn’t cover you outside of the country of residence. So if you are planning on traveling abroad and are concerned about the possibility of needing medical attention, you should check your policy.

Medical Evacuation insurance: Most often provides medical coverage, air evacuation services, including medical transportation to the nearest adequate medical facility and then home if warranted. This is a good one to consider since the transportation can often be thousands of dollars alone.

Trip cancellation or interruption insurance: the best kind to have if you are planning on going on a cruise or taking a trip abroad. This will cover you in the case of hurricanes or inclement weather, if you miss a flight or miss your cruise.

Baggage insurance: how often do people go on a trip and lose their luggage? It’s a pretty common occurrence and has probably happened to you a few times. Some insurance policies will cover lost or delayed baggage up to $1,000. It’s always important to not check expensive items if possible. Also, check your home insurance policy first before purchasing this insurance as it may be covered.

Car Rental Travel insurance: This is your basic full coverage insurance when renting a car. You usually get this when you pick your car up from the rental company. I have mixed feelings about this as it can add up pretty quickly to your total of the rental. Check your auto policy to see if they cover rentals and sometimes credit cards offer car rental insurance.

Flight Accident travel insurance: Flight Accident Insurance will protect your life in case of an Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) on an airplane, this is a form of life insurance usually.

If you don’t travel often then you may consider just getting single trip insurance, but if you travel often with less than 30 days per trip you probably want to consider multi trip travel insurance. There are also group travel insurance policies available for those traveling in groups. You can usually purchase travel insurance from your travel agent, insurance agencies or from travel insurance companies.

Besides the nightclubs that all have their own Halloween parties, Las Vegas is a great place for families to come and celebrate the spooky holiday. Many of the hotels and hot spots on the strip offer their own attractions that you can feel comfortable bringing your family to no matter the age (some attractions are not suitable for children under the age of 12 so keep that in mind when planning your trip!). There really is something for everyone.

Here is a list of some of the fun events and attractions going on in Las Vegas this Halloween:

Haunted Reef at Mandalay Bay

For a fun, friendly, and exciting aquatic adventure, consider looking into the “Haunted Reef” at the Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay. Instead of soothing ocean sounds you will find rattling chains, creaky doors and scary music. This event will be going on all day of Saturday October 29. Ticket prices for adults are $18 and $12 for children. This event during Halloween in Vegas will include a spooky tour of the shark reef, as well as other exciting events still to be announced.

13th Floor Experience at Circus Circus

Interested in a spooky, scary haunted tour? Consider the “13th Floor Experience” at Circus Circus. The guided tour through the 13th floor will last about 13 minutes, and will lead you through 13 frightening rooms. General admission tickets are $13 and the event will be held October 1-31, a month-long celebration of Halloween in Vegas.

Fright Dome at Circus Circus

Beginning Saturday, Oct. 1 Fright Dome takes over The Adventuredome at Circus Circus and this year will partner with Compass Films International to theme two of its five haunted houses after the legendary horror film “Halloween.” Dark and fog-filled, Fright Dome creates a chilling atmosphere with roaming characters, high-powered strobes, multicolored lasers and five acres of fright made up of all new extreme scare zones, rides, attractions and live shows. Not recommended for children under 12. The attraction is open Oct. 1 – 2; 7 – 9; 13 – 16; 20 – 23; 26 – 31 from 7 p.m. – midnight. Tickets are $36.95 (includes five haunted houses, macabre magician shows, extreme scare zones, rides and attractions).

Madame Tussauds Las Vegas “After Dark”

Madame Tussauds hosts “After Dark,” an interactive and haunted experience that will take over the wax museum Oct. 21 – 23 and 28 – 31 from 9 p.m. to midnight. Visitors who dare attend will be delighted to see, hear and feel the mysteries and supernatural activity surrounding Madame Tussauds Las Vegas. General admission to After Dark is $20.

Oktober Fright Fest Fremont Street Experience

Fremont Street Experience is hosting the third annual Oktober Fright Fest Oct. 3 – 31, the ultimate festival that combines Oktoberfest and Halloween for a month-long street party. The festivities kick off Monday, Oct. 3 and end on Halloween, Monday, Oct. 31.  Fremont Street Experience will once again transform itself into the ultimate adult playground with Viva Vision light and sound shows themed to “Time Warp” and “Monster Mash,” outdoor bars featuring beer and drink specials, the Second Annual Fall Beer Festival at Golden Nugget and three free Halloween-themed stage shows.

There are lots of great activities for everyone in the family to enjoy for Halloween in Las Vegas! Whether it be a spooky haunted house, or a crazy costume contest at a nightclub, Las Vegas is versatile enough to meet the needs of your itinerary!

For the most part I am going to refer you to my blog post I wrote all about finding the best deals. You can go here to read it. Otherwise another great tip is to watch when one airline does a big sale i.e. Southwest it forces the competition to go down in price. For example we were in the process of booking Reid a ticket to Minneapolis (where he is now) a couple of months back and although we were looking into booking early it was still $400 roundtrip from SLC on both Southwest and Delta. So we decided to wait, since we felt it was a bit steep. Low and behold a week later Southwest announces a sale on fares and it drives the whole market down and we were able to secure the same ticket on Delta for $200 roundtrip.

Unfortunately, you just never know when there is going to be a sale. But I can tell you they most frequently occur for Fall travel before Thanksgiving and Winter to early Spring aside from Christmas travel and spring break travel. The best thing you can do is sign up for alerts from the airlines themselves and subscribe to airfare watchdog.

A couple of year’s ago I wrote an article about travel agents and what they do. Many people, including myself have the misconception that a travel agent is an out of date profession since we can all book travel easily and freely through a plethora of different options available to us via the Internet.

However, as I was just in the process of booking a cruise that is set to sail more than a year away, I was determined to get the best price and decided to do my research. I looked on many different cruise boards on where and when to book to get the best deal and many of them were saying contact your local travel agent. What?!? I thought for sure it was a desperate ploy from disguised agents trying to get business but as I looked into it more I realized it’s true! Travel agents really can offer you the best deals on cruises.

At first it is tempting to book directly through the cruise line’s website as they often have flashy deals such as cabin upgrades and on-board credit. But this would be like paying sticker price for a car! You need the middleman in this situation to bargain for you and get the best deals possible. Travel agents can get you all those flashy extras and more times than not a better rate on top of it.  Sometimes they can throw in free travel insurance and can make sure you get a decent cabin. A lot of time’s a balcony can come with an obstructed view, something you may not know of and blindly book on the cruise line’s website only to be disappointed at departure.

Another question you may have, why would I book early? I like to wait till the price drops or book last minute. If you do not have flexible travel dates or have your heart set on a specific ship and itinerary or sail date book far in advance! Sometimes if it’s a popular cruise you may never see the price drop, or it could sell out. Another great perk to going through a travel agent is that if the price drops between booking and when final payment is due, your travel agent can negotiate the new rate for you. It is up to you to keep an eye on the price though and let them know if it changes (some will do it automatically it just really depends on the agent and your relationship).

But how do you find a decent travel agent? This is the million dollar question right? I really don’t have any great answers for you on that. Many people happen-chance meet one that they trust and have been going to for years. It’s great when that happens because you build a relationship and your travel agent understands your preferences and travel habits. But if you are new in the game like we were, and are looking for the best deal it may be worth it to try CruiseCompete. We were skeptical but again the boards on the cruise sites said it was the best, and since we really were in the market for a cruise and there is no-risk and no cost we decided to give it a try.

The way CruiseCompete works is you submit a request for a quote on a specific cruise you are trying to book and let them know what cabin type you prefer. Then the website sends the query out to hundreds of travel agents across the country who try to compete for your bid. They don’t know what the others have submitted, and they don’t contact you directly. All the quotes are listed on the website. Then you are free to choose which quote sounds the best to you either based on price or extras they are able to throw in. Then you contact the agent directly using a specific quote number provided on the bid.

We were impressed when we used it. We went with the lowest bid and actually booked through that agent. The agent was awesome and even got the cruise line to let us use our voucher that had expired so we didn’t need a down payment. She also got us a two-category cabin upgrade. Before we went ahead and pulled the trigger we did talk to the cruise line and did do our research to make sure they couldn’t offer us any other discounts or upgrades. We wanted to be sure this was the best way. We did end up paying about $300 less with the agent vs. the cruise line and getting a better cabin.

So my advice if you are planning on booking a cruise in the near future would be to do your research and make sure you have looked into all your options. Who knew that we would save money and get a better balcony from booking with a travel agent?

*DottingTheMap is not affiliated with CruiseCompete and did not receive any sort of compensation or perks from doing this review.