Question of the Day - 24 December 2007

Sorry to hear you drew a blank on the show idea, but we put our heads together and came up with some suggestions.

• Bellagio offers a couple of free options. Anywhere in the vicinity of the fountain show (begins at 3 pm daily, weather permitting) is a popular choice. (See QoD 10/7/06, when we helped track down the specific song that had been playing for a guy who'd proposed -- successfully -- to his girlfriend there.) The Conservatory is also a possibility and has a very cute Christmas display this year with animated penguins. It's open 24/7 so you can go early/late and try to avoid the crowds and get some privacy. Both of these options provide a romantic backdrop for a photo opportunity capturing the moment.
• Or how about a gondola ride? There are several options if that sounds good. A private two-passenger gondola at the Venetian is $50 for the outdoor ride or $60 for the inside version, if the weather is inclement. A company called Gondola Adventures also offers rides on Lake Las Vegas, with a basic one-hour package (includes a singing gondolier, chocolates, and a bottle of champagne) starting at $135, with longer rides and gourmet dining options going up to $395. Call 877/4-GONDOLA for more details. Advance reservations recommended.
• A new option is a downtown horse-drawn carriage ride, which just started up this holiday season. Prices start at $30 per couple for 15 minutes (probably not long enough for you to pluck up the courage and pop the question), $50 for 30 minutes, or $90 per couple for the 55 minute ride. Call 702/596-6715 or visit www.lasvegascarriage.com for more information.

• We've covered romantic restaurants in previous QoDs (see 2/3/07, 7/29/07 etc.) and we're sure that many of our suggestions would be happy to provide a decorated cake posing the question in frosting, for example, if you gave them sufficient notice. Stratosphere's Top of the World is an obvious choice; Hugo's Cellar and André's (downtown) are favorites for any kind of special occasion; and the Eiffel Tower at Paris is a natural.
• For a really brave and classically Vegas approach, how about popping the question in lights up on a hotel marquee? Since we know you'll be staying at the Rio, we tried the Gold Coast and Palms, which are both nearby and have marquees, but we drew a blank (no from Palms, no reply from Gold Coast). South Point was very excited by the idea, however, and had you been staying there, we're pretty sure they would have made it happen for you (as long as you didn't mind some local news crews showing up). There's certainly no harm in trying, so if you're staying at a hotel with a marquee and have an important message you'd like to convey to someone, you might get lucky, especially if it's a quiet time of the year. Some places may charge a fee for this service.

Those are just a few of our suggestions, which we hope are überly romantic enough to fit the bill. But you may not even need to go to all that trouble -- perhaps the right opportunity will just present itself when you least expect it. Let us know where you choose and whether or not she accepts. Good luck!