My favorite buffet... Rio and Paris have very good buffets but The Buffet at Wynn Las Vegas is amazing. It's expensive, although not much more than Rio or Paris. If you want something cheaper but still terrific, get off The Strip to Santa Fe Station's Feast Buffet or Red Rock Resort's Feast Buffet.

_______________________

Swansboro, N.C.: I'm traveling to Las Vegas for the first time from Sept. 27 to Oct. 4, 2008, with my 73-year-old mother (who has visited there already). What are the absolutely MUST-SEE attractions/unusual hotels in and near Las Vegas?

Rick Garman: The Strip is where you'll want to spend the bulk of your time, of course. For a trip of that duration, I usually recommend focusing each day on a specific area and really exploring. So your first day could be spent around the South Strip where you can see hotels like New York-New York, Luxor, and MGM Grand. The second day could be on the Center Strip for hotels like Bellagio, Caesars, and Mirage. The third day could be the North Strip for Wynn Las Vegas, the Fashion Show Mall, and Stratosphere, among others. Another day for Downtown and another to get away from The Strip to the locals areas or the recreation centers of Lake Las Vegas, Red Rock Canyon, or Lake Mead. By devoting extra time to each area you can really explore and find the things that will appeal to you in terms of attractions, restaurants, shops, and stores.

_______________________

Las Vegas, Nev.: Where is the best place to find discounted rates for shows on the strip? How about for locals? —Erika

Rick Garman: Hi, Erika. There are several same-day, half-price ticket outlets in town including Tix4Tonight and Tickets2Nite (there are several locations on and near The Strip and Downtown). You won't get the A-List shows like Cirque or Bette Midler there but you can often find good deals on the smaller shows. Also be sure to check the Las Vegas Review Journal's Neon section where you'll often find discount coupons for some of the smaller shows or the local free magazines like LVM and What's On.

_______________________

Miami, Fla.: I'm planning to go to Vegas 9/14-18. What are chances air rates will fall following the summer and with the economy being what it is?

Rick Garman: Unlike many other destinations, summer is the relatively slow time for Vegas and prices on everything start to pick up in September, so while there's no way I can predict what will happen with air rates, my guess is that you won't be seeing a great deal of variation for travel during that time period. But again, that's just a guess.

_______________________

San Francisco, Calif.: Hi! I just received an offer from the Imperial Palace and wonder if the deal is as good as it sounds. By staying with them for a minimum of 2 nights, I will receive a citywide food credit and upon check-out, a credit voucher for air fare towards my next trip to Vegas, provided I stay at one of the Harrah's resorts. The amount of the two credits varies with the length of stay. In your opinion, is this a good deal?