Skyjump will join the resorts other rides which includes the Big Shot, Insanity and the X-Scream.  Officials announced that  their newest  thrill ride will open sometime in April.

Those brave enough to take on the Skyjump will experience a 855-foot freefall at speeds of up to 40 mph. Riders will be strapped into a custom jumpsuit, given a quick lesson and sent off the side of the Stratosphere.

For safety purposes officials have told us that there will be guide wires to keep people in place when jumping.

1. Hooters- Room Rates $20 and up
   With so many rooms on the strip room rates are dropping faster than ever. One of the best deals we have found is at Hooters right off the strip. Rooms are starting at only $20.
2. $109 Package deals at Aria
   With the launch of City Center, Aria is trying to draw in the crowds. The package deal includes a $50 food & beverage credit and $25 in free play.
3. Dollar Days at the Sahara
   Dollar Days at the Sahara Hotel & Casino are probably one of the best deals that you will find on the strip. They are offering dollar deals on beer, shots, hot dogs, and blackjack. Head towards the back of the casino by the  NASCAR Café.
4. Casino Royale – $1beers & Margaritas
   There not the best drinks in the world but for $1 on the strip…. who can complain?
5. $6.95 Steak Dinner – Ellis Island
   4178 Koval Ln • Las Vegas, NV 89109-4568 — At 6.95 for a steak dinner Ellis Island is one of the best meal deals in town. The Dinner includes a  10-ounce filet-cut sirloin, salad, garlic green beans, choice of potato, and a beer.
6. Texas Station – Room Rates $14.99
   Pretty far off the strip, but if your willing to drive $14.99 is the lowest room rate in town.
7. Spyonvegas.com Open Bars
   A new venue every night featuring free drinks. Check our events calendar weekly for the latest locations.

Winter Lights Festival
Location: Las Vegas Springs Preserve, 333 S. Valley View Blvd.; 822-7700.
Time: 5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 11-13 and 18-24
Cost:  $8 adults, $4 children ages 5 to 12 and free for those four and under.
Members half off regular priced admission.
More info: 702-822-7700
Half-million eco-friendly LED lights create colorful and breathtaking displays of nature.

9th annual Gift of Lights
Location: Sunset Park, 2601 E. Sunset Road, Henderson
Time: 5 to 10 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and holidays and from 5 to 9 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays through Jan. 3
Cost: $13 per vehicle Mondays thru Thursdays and $15 Fridays through Sundays
The Gift of Lights show is a Vegas tradition that is great for your entire family. Celebrate Christmas by seeing over 400 animated and sparkling scenes displays in a the convenience of your vehicle. Enjoy millions of lights, plus holiday arches and tunnels. A Las Vegas tradition that you your kids and your family can’t miss.

16th annual Holiday Cactus Garden
Location: Ethel M Chocolate Factory and Cactus Gardens, 2 Cactus Garden Drive, Henderson
Time: Sundown to 10 p.m. through Jan. 1. Closed Christmas Day.
Cost: Free
More info: 800-680-0150
The three-acre botanical cactus garden that’s decorated with almost 500,000 thousand lights.

Magical Forest
Location: Opportunity Village, 6300 W. Oakey Blvd
Time: Hours are 5:30-9 p.m. Sun. – Thurs. and 5:30-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat. Nov. 21 through Jan. 02.
Cost: General admission $9.50 for adults, $7.50 for kids 3-11.
An adult passport is $16 and a children’s passport is $14 with access to unlimited rides.
More info: 702-225-9627
The Magical Forest is an annual holiday tradition that creates a holiday winter wonderland right here in the desert. Stroll through decorated trees and displays & have your  photos with Santa while enjoying nightly entertainment.

Mystic Falls Indoor Park
Location: Sam’s Town
Time: daily at 6, 8 and 10 p.m. through Jan 2.
More info: 702-456-7777
Mystic Falls Park will feature a winter wonderland show with a 30-foot Christmas tree, over 50 lit trees, three polar bear scenes, holiday music and snow at 6, 8 and 10 p.m. daily Thursday through Jan. 2.

Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
Location: Bellagio
Time: Dec. 06-Jan. 2, 2010
Cost: Free
More info: 702-693-7111
Bellagio’s Conservatory and Botanical Gardens’ Shimmering Wonderland is another Las Vegas tradition that your kids will love. Displays include  flying reindeer made from pecans, a polar bear family adorned with white carnations, eight reindeer pulling a present-filled,  sleigh into a snowy sky, a 42-foot Shasta Fir Christmas Tree decked out with thousands of lights and encircled by gigantic holiday ornaments and  a 7-foot-tall  rocking horse and  rail display.

Holiday decor at The Palazzo
Time: Dec. 9 through New Year
The Palazzo has brought in a 16-foot-tall polar bear mother and a 6-foot-tall polar bear baby for the holiday season. The bears are made entirely of white poinsettia named “Polar Bear.”   The gardens will be filled with a variety of poinsettias and 25-foot silver tip pine trees; vines, over-sized pine cones, holiday berries and twinkling holiday lights.

Holiday Events Town Square
More info: townsquarelasvegas.com
Snow in the Square featuring snowflakes and holiday music will be featured through Dec. 23 in the park at Town Square, 6605 Las Vegas Blvd. South.

Hours: 7 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 7 and 8 p.m. Fridays through Sundays.
Photos with Santa Claus
Hours: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sundays.

The Holiday Nights & Lights community concert series featuring local choirs and music groups from Las Vegas area schools and community organizations will be at 6 p.m. Wednesdays through Dec. 23.

An estimated  $30 million in revenue is expected to flow into the community at a time when we desperately need tourism dollars.

What to Expect:

• Over 35 live bands
• Cheerleaders
• A group of running Elvis impersonators
• A Run Through Wedding.
• And other themed events

The marathon starts on Las Vegas Blvd, north of Russell Rd., near Mandalay Bay and finishes in the Mandalay Bay parking lot.
Marathon & Half Marathon Start: 6:15 a.m.

Las Vegas Blvd. from Sunset Road to Sahara Ave. will be closed from 3 a.m. to noon.

Join Santa and Mrs. Claus on a 7-mile train ride through the desert along the revitalized historic Boulder Branch Line. The train runs on the original tracks that were used to bring supplies to the Hoover Dam construction site in 1931.

Your Kids will get to meet with  Santa and Mrs. Claus on the 45-minute ride. The train departs hourly from 10 AM to and 3 PM on December 5th & 6th. Tickets can be ordered at the  Ticket Office on Saturdays and Sundays starting October 1.

Santa Train Ride Dates:    12-05-09 – 12-06-09
Event Time:    10 AM to and 3 PM (45 min rides)
Location:    Nevada State Railroad Museum
600 Yucca Street
Boulder City, NV 89005
phone: 702-486-5006
Cost:    $2 per ticket

Gift of Lights” at Sunset Park is a drive-through holiday light show that runs from November 13th  through January 3rd. Millions of holiday lights are on display as you drive through festive arches and tunnels with more than 400 animated and sparkling displays. The Gift of Lights show is a  Vegas tradition that is great for your entire family.

Cost: $15 per vehicle Fridays-Sunday and $13 per vehicle throughout the rest of the week.
Discounts: Get $2 off if you bring a bag of gently used items for the Goodwill of Southern Nevada.
Location: Sunset Park, 2601 E Sunset Road, Las Vegas

Here are some of the best deals that we have found on and off the strip this month.

Dollar Days at the Sahara

Dollar Days at the Sahara Hotel & Casino are probably one of the best deals that you will find on the strip. They are offering dollar deals on beer, shots, hot dogs, and blackjack. Head towards the back of the casino by the  NASCAR Café.

$6.95 Steak Dinner – Ellis Island
4178 Koval Ln
Las Vegas, NV 89109-4568
(702) 733-8901

At 6.95 for a steak dinner Ellis Island is one of the best meal deals in town. The Dinner includes a  10-ounce filet-cut sirloin, salad, garlic green beans, choice of potato, and a beer.

Spyonvegas.com Open Bars

A new venue every night featuring free drinks. Check our events calendar for the latest locations.

$3.99 Steak & Eggs at Arizona Charlie’s Decatur

Arizona Charlie’s Decatur has a great steak & eggs breakfast special for only $3.99 for those who have a players card. The deal is available  24/7

Luxor All Day Buffet Pass

Eat whenever & as many times as your stomach can handle. The Luxor has  introduced an all-you-can-eat daily buffet passes for only $29.99 (adults) &  $14.99 (kids)

Here are a few fun facts about Las Vegas

Living is Las Vegas

• Number of Las Vegas city residents 603,093
• Number of Clark County residents 1,836,333
• The median income for a household is $53,000
• Clark County has the fifth most populous school district in the country
• 1.5 million people have moved to Clark County since 1980
• 1.5 million people have moved to Clark County since 1980

Tourism – Gaming, Casinos & Hotels

• Gambling became legal in 1931
• Number of licensed gambling establishments in Las Vegas 1701
• % of visitors from Southern California 25
• % of tourists who end up gambling during their stay 87
• Hours per day average visitor spends gambling 3.9
• For the 12-month period in 2006, the Strip casinos had a gaming win of $6.7 billion
• $39,713,982.25 is the highest slot jackpot ever hit.
• Annual state gaming revenue,  $9.8 Billion dollars
• Visitors average gambling budget per trip, in dollars 559
• Number of hotel rooms 140,529 and growing
• Average cost of a hotel room – $119.19
• Number of visitors in 2008 – 37,481,552

Conventions

• Number of Convention Visitors – 5,899,725
• Average yearly revenuw from conventions – 8.5 Billion Dollars

Las Vegas Weather

• Las Vegas has an average of 300 sunshine days a year
• Las Vegas Hottest day was on July 19, 2005 when it reached 117 Degrees F
• Coldest day was on  Jan. 13, 1963  at  8° F

Las Vegas Weddings

• Las Vegas is the Number 1 City in the world to get married with over 114,000 weddings a year.
• Average number of Vegas weddings per day 312
• Nevada marriage license fees $55

Other Interesting Facts & Statistics

• Las Vegas is sometimes referred to as Hawaii’s Ninth Island with over 80,000 former residents of Hawaii living in the city.
• Las Vegas has one of the highest suicide rates of the U.S
• Las Vegas has one of the highest divorce rates of the U.S
• During 2008, 44,074,707 flew into Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport
• Miles of neon tubing on the Strip and Downtown 15,000
• Number of Churches – More than 500 churches and synagogues

The newly improved volcano has enhanced sound, lighting, more fire, and a number of other special effects. The show is synchronized to a custom soundtrack co-written by former Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart. The Renovations cost somewhere around $25 million dollars to complete, and is being called the “crown jewel” of the Mirage.

• Check out our list of other free things to do in Las Vegas