Last week I took a four-day, five-night jaunt to Las Vegas. My best friend from college joined me for the girls’ getaway. The last time I had visited Vegas, I was about 10 or 11, and it was one of many stops along a cross-country family road trip. Needless to say, I had yet to experience true “Las Vegas.”

After an uneventful flight, we landed, grabbed our bags and a shuttle and headed over to the Wyndham Grand Desert. McCarran International Airport is literally a hop, skip and a jump from the city center — a convenient feature. We were not staying on the Strip, but we were only a few blocks away. Once we settled into our room, we walked up to the Strip to grab some lunch and wander about. That night we took in our first Vegas show, Australia’s male revue, The Thunder from Down Under. The corny Excalibur show was good for a few laughs.

Having checked the weather, we knew our only day of sun would be Thursday, so we decided to take the morning and relax by the pool. We followed up a morning of sun with lunch and a manicure, then we headed over to the Fremont Street Experience. Fremont Street, the “original” Las Vegas strip, has been reinvented as a sort of street fair experience. The world’s largest TV screen, canopied over the several city blocks of the Experience, plays shows every hour on the hour. Spray paint artists and street musicians, as well as other entertainers, line the streets; and casinos, eateries and more abound. We followed up Fremont Street with dinner on the modern-day Strip.

Friday, we began the day with a visit to the Las Vegas sign and then went in search of bingo. No casinos on the Strip offer the game because, as we were instructed, having a bingo room simply takes up too much room. We decided to play bingo at Palace Station casino. Sadly, we lost — both times. For dinner, we headed over to the Venetian, where we enjoyed Italian at Canaletto. After dinner, we took in La Reve, the Wynn’s Cirque du Soleil show. We chose this show based on the glowing recommendations we received from everyone we asked. Even concierges and staff who were not fans of the Cirque series highly recommended La Reve. It did not disappoint, and I would highly recommend it for any of you in the Vegas area. Our Las Vegas night on the town was capped off by cocktails and dancing at Blush, the Wynn’s boutique nightclub.

Saturday was our last full day in Las Vegas. We started off with a delicious brunch buffet at Paris. Despite the long entrance line, the overwhelming selection of food was well worth the wait. We enjoyed afternoon massages at Mandara Spa at the Paris and then spent the rest of the afternoon and evening exploring the Strip. We wandered around all the major casinos, including Caesar’s Palace; caught the Bellagio’s fountain show; grabbed dinner at Bally’s; checked out the Mirage; admired the lion habitat at the MGM Grand; and played some slots at Planet Hollywood. We wandered a lot and got a good taste of the famed Las Vegas strip.

Thankfully, we were scheduled to fly home Sunday, so we avoided the flight cancellations caused by the big snowstorm that hit the East Coast last weekend. We arrived home on time and ready for the work week — and another snowstorm. There is so much to see and do in Las Vegas; it’s overwhelming, but I think we sampled a bit of what the city is known for — we gambled (a little bit), ate at a buffet, enjoyed shows, relaxed in a spa, explored and much more. Viva Las Vegas!

– Kimberly Krol, eFlyer editor, circulation and public relations executive

About four weeks ago, I took a very short trip to Bermuda to play golf at the newly renovated Port Royal Golf Course.  At the last minute, I decided to take my 15-year-old daughter so she could enjoy a quick little trip before heading back to school this fall.

We flew from Philadelphia to Bermuda on US Airways. During the flight I was pleasantly reminded it is just a two-hour trip.  In a short time we arrived, were through customs and out to the front of the airport to meet our waiting ride. We were whisked off to the Cambridge Beaches Resort and Spa on the other side of the island.  The drive was beautiful, and during our trip we rented scooters for a few hours to scoot to the end of the island and do a little shopping.

While I played golf at the Port Royal course,  which will be featured in a future GTee, my daughter took the day to have a facial and manicure at the Cambridge Spa.

The course is in great shape. The renovations were completed to prepare the course for the Bermuda Grand Slam, which takes place this fall and had traditionally been played at the Mid Ocean Course — another great Bermuda venue.

Bermuda has a lot to offer and is so close — well worth a short vacation or a long weekend getaway!

–Fran Gallagher, publisher and CEO

It’s that time of year again — Global Traveler staffers are preparing to descend upon San Diego for the annual National Business Travel Association convention. Fran Gallagher, publisher, is en-route to Southern California as I type. I depart early (7:43 a.m.) tomorrow morning; and Dick Evans, Alex Young and Courtney Centeno join us on Sunday morning. The NBTA convention is a jam-packed four days of networking, exhibiting, making new contacts and partying. We are also looking forward to our stay at the brand new Hotel Indigo San Diego.

This year’s convention officially kicks off on Sunday night with a welcome address by Pilot Chesley Sullenberger of US Airways. The heroic pilot is sure to be a draw. The address is followed by the welcome reception at a nearby Hilton. Monday morning begins the press conferences, convention and meetings familiar to NBTA. Other speakers include Olympic medalist Dara Torres, comedian Jay Leno and former President Bill Clinton.

On Tuesday night, GT will celebrate the convention with clients and friends at our annual NBTA cocktail reception. This year’s venue cannot be beat. The W San Diego’s rooftop beach venue is truly unique, complete with sand and palm trees. San Diego is known for its perfect weather ,and we plan on celebrating among the star-filled sky while a Caribbean steel drum band plays in the background. Look for a complete recap of the event in an upcoming issue of GT.

Personally, I’m excited for the whole convention, from start to finish. It is never boring at NBTA, that’s for sure! I’m especially excited for my Wednesday afternoon spa treatments at the W San Diego AWAY Spa. I can’t think of a better way to unwind after all the goings-on at the convention. Something tells me I will have a very relaxing red-eye flight home Wednesday night. Check out my ‘Spa Report’ on the urban oasis coming soon.

Last year’s convention was in Los Angeles, where we all experienced an earthquake! I hope we have an earthshaking good time this year, without the actual earth shaking . . .

Stay tuned for convention and travel updates all week!

–Kimberly Krol, eFlyer editor, circulation and public relations executive

I have returned from a great trip to San Francisco with my GT colleague, Chris Salem.   On my way to San Francisco, my 5:20 p.m. flight was delayed by 45 minutes from JFK.  Since I had arrived to the airport early, I had even more time to kill.  Luckily, JFK is an airport where I don’t mind spending an extra hour or two. This just goes to show the importance of retail, entertainment and restaurants in airports!

Usually when I have a delayed flight, I will read or eat.  Eating my time away, however, often leaves me cranky with my decision, especially since airports don’t offer the healthiest options.  This time, I decided to try something that I will now do more often when I am faced with a flight delay — XpresSpa!

OK, so my ideal spa situation doesn’t include the hustle and bustle of an international airport, but depending on how much you want to pay and how much time you have, XpresSpa offers a range of options from mani/pedis to facials and bikini waxes.  Manicures, pedicures and back massages are done in the front of the spa, where the sound of the airport is a bit annoying.  But facials, bikini waxes and full massages are available in the back of the spa in a more intimate and relaxing setting.

For the price of a meal, I was able to receive a manicure and pedicure in an hour while enjoying the relaxation of a massage chair.  I was pleased with the service and would definitely do this again.  As a business traveler,  you often have to land and hit the ground running for a day full of meetings.  This is why I love the idea of spas and hair salons in airports.  If more women take over the business scene, airports will be like just another day out with the girls!

In San Francisco, Chris and I had a pleasant stay at the Hyatt Fisherman’s Wharf, where we were able to meet the GM, Dania Duke.   Keep an eye out for our complete reviews of our stay in eFlyer!

–Courtney Centeno, account executive

The weather in Connecticut has been far from summery the past month — cold, windy, much too rainy (my tomatoes aren’t happy). With no end in sight and little chance of getting any gardening done, I decided to make a trip to the city last week.

When I say “the city,” I’m not talking about the big city of New York, though it’s certainly close enough for a day trip. I’m talking about New Haven.

For those who live in South Central Connecticut, this is our “big city.” Its population is not measured in the millions — about 130,000 people call New Haven home — but it has the diversity of a much larger city, with universities, ethnic neighborhoods, an arts district, theater, museums, business centers, science parks, music clubs and incredible restaurants. Most people know New Haven as the home of Yale University . The Ivy League school certainly is responsible for much the city has to offer, but there is plenty more. Most of the city’s charm derives from its rich history, its diverse neighborhoods and its people. And pulling it all together is the historic New Haven Green.

My main goal of the day was to indulge in a spa treatment at the Amadeus Center, not far from the Audubon Arts District. I needed some warming up in this cold weather, so I chose the detox steam shower and a hot stone massage. It worked wonders for my body and my attitude — and when I emerged from the spa, the sun was actually shining!

I took a stroll through the neighborhood, admiring the quaint front gardens of the old houses I passed. I grabbed a cup of tea at a local café and headed to the Green. There was plenty to do — each June New Haven hosts the International Festival of Arts and Ideas, which offers everything from music to theater to art displays and discussions  — but after my spa experience, I just wanted to enjoy the unexpected sunshine and do some people-watching.

I didn’t realize I’d end up watching the dead.

I had picked up some pamphlets about New Haven and browsed through them as I drank my tea. One about the New Haven Green caught my attention.

The Green is a lovely two-block parcel in the heart of the city, the central square of the original nine-square Puritan settlement plan. It’s surrounded by four busy streets that are lined with shops, government buildings and Yale dormitories. Three churches line up along Temple Street, which bisects the two squares. It’s a peaceful place, sometimes a busy place, with free concerts, art displays or children’s activities (and even war protests during the Vietnam era).

The Green was the first common burial site in the city, which was established in 1638. After severe yellow fever epidemics in 1794 the Green, which held as many as 5,000 burials, was simply too crowded to continue as the chief burial ground. In 1796 a group of citizens planned a new cemetery at the edge of town, which is now known as the Grove Street Cemetery, one of the first formal cemeteries built in America. Many of the stone markers were moved from the Green to the cemetery, but the remains of the dead were not moved and, well, they remain below the soil of the Green.

I thought about this as I sat above that soil.

Our American history doesn’t date back as far as, say, that of Athens or Cairo or Beijing. It’s not even as old as London. But, still, it was amazing to think of more than 300 years of history buried beneath my feet.

In fact, the history of New Haven with its many themes, troubles and accomplishments can be traced in the Grove Street Cemetery. Among the internationally renowned people buried there are Eli Whitney and Noah Webster. American heroes include Roger Sherman, who signed the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution; African-American Civil War veterans; and Roger Sherman Baldwin, who argued the case for the Amistad slaves imprisoned in New Haven. There are local industrialists, clergy, military figures, lawyers, physicians and Yale presidents and professors.

And so, as we approach the 4th of July, our greatest national holiday, I think a lot about our short but impressive history. My thoughts turn to all the people who came before us, people who had visions for their city, for their country and for their own lives —  all the people who make up the true spirit of a place.

–Jan Hecht, associate editor