I instantly became the most popular attraction on the Las Vegas Strip.

I passed by a group of people speaking Spanish in the street while they were handing out cards advertising "escorts." Each card featured a different young woman. My card was from April. She was running a $35 special.

In Spanish, I asked the man who handed me a card how long he had to stand out there. He said 10 hours a day, seven days a week. When I told him he had difficult work, he misunderstood what I was saying.

He yelled out "trabajo" to his friends, thinking that I was offering work. His colleagues gathered around me smiling and speaking too rapidly in Spanish for me to understand. Finally I told them that I was just visiting from San Francisco. They then understood that I didn't have any work for them. But they all smiled back just the same and one of them told me in Spanish that San Francisco is a very nice city.

You may not be interested in taking advantage of April's $35 escort special, but if you can get to Las Vegas now, everything is on sale and you will be welcomed by very gracious and grateful people who will appreciate you bringing trabajo back.

But don't wait too long. Conventions are Las Vegas's lifeblood and the conventioneers are slowly returning. As the business travel comes back and more tourists return, expect prices to creep back up again. But for now, the bargains are phenomenal. You can find a three-star hotel on the Las Vegas Strip for less than $30 for weekday stays. And you can get luxury for budget prices at some of the city's most upscale resorts.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority hopes that LGBTs will be among the first to return en masse to America's city of lights. Just this spring, it launched a gay travel Web site (www.visitlasvegas.com/gaytravel).

More of the city's most upscale resorts are also actively courting the LGBT community. Encore at Wynn is the latest hotel to target the gay market. The ultra luxury hotel has also launched an LGBT Web site: http://www.encorelasvegas.com/pride/.

The MGM-Mirage has a dozen different hotel properties. The stunning Mandalay Bay, Luxor, Mirage, and Bellagio hotel-casinos have long been popular with gay visitors. Mandalay Bay was voted as the best casino in a 2009 Gay.com readers' poll. As Nevada's largest employer, MGM-Mirage welcomes same-sex commitment ceremonies and has long provided domestic partner benefits to its 54,700 employees. The Mirage Hotel-Casino features a huge sculpture of the city's most famous gay couple, Siegfried and Roy,  near its main entrance on the Las Vegas Strip.

The other hotel-casino giant, Harrah's, also actively promotes itself in the LGBT market. One of Harrah's hotels, Paris Las Vegas (http://www.harrahs.com/paris-glbt), offers several packages for the LGBT market and actively advertises those deals. Paris Las Vegas is just a short walk to Krave, the only gay club on the Strip. Like MGM-Mirage, Harrah's offers domestic partner benefits to its employees.

Gay stay

If you prefer to stay in a mainstream resort, the aforementioned properties are a good start. But there are a couple of exclusively gay resorts, the Blue Moon Resort and Lucky You Bed and Breakfast.

For gay men, the 45-unit Blue Moon Resort (www.bluemoonlv.com) is a great choice. It is two blocks from the Strip. It is next to the I-15 freeway, which makes it very easy to bypass the Strip when traffic is heavy. If you do stay at the Blue Moon, it is also a good idea to rent a car, especially if you plan to go out to the gay clubs. Rates at the Blue Moon, like all of Las Vegas' resorts, vary depending on demand. Be sure to check the resort's Web site for specials and special events. The resort welcomes locals on day passes, so it is a great place to socialize with the natives. Amenities include a swimming pool, steam room, XXX video room, waterfall, and hot tub. The waterfall cascades over the grotto where the hot tub is and into the pool. They also serve a free continental breakfast until 11 a.m., so you can sleep late and still grab a meal. Plans are in the works to open a bar on the property called blueBar, which could open some time in 2010.

If you prefer a more intimate gay setting, Lucky You Bed and Breakfast is another great gay choice. It is run by Liberace's former chef, Ole Borresen. The four-room property includes a clothing-optional pool and hot tub. Borresen will cook a made-to-order meal for you each morning. Most of the guests are gay men, but Borresen says he does get some lesbian visitors. Rates have remained steady at $59 for years, helping the property to retain a loyal clientele. The B&B is in a home in an upscale residential area of Las Vegas, near the north end of

Just about everything is bigger than life in Las Vegas, including the statue of former performers Siegfried and Roy, who had a long-running show at the Mirage until Roy Horn was severely injured by a tiger during a 2003 performance. Photo: Ed Walsh

the Strip, by the Stratosphere Tower. The B&B does not have a Web site, but for reservations or information call (702) 384-1129 or e-mail haven00069@aol.com.

Play gay

The two newest gay clubs in town are the Fun Hog Ranch and Skittles.

Skittles (www.myspace.com/460973537) is a lesbian club that opened in the spring. It had been at the Aruba Hotel but it moved to Kj's Bar and Grill. It features dancing to music videos and is open 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Friday nights only. It is a little off the beaten path, on 1645 N. Lamb Road, northeast of downtown Las Vegas.

Fun Hog Ranch (http://www.funhogranchlv.com) opened in 2007 on East Twain Avenue, a mile east of the Strip. The rustic bar is known for its cheap, strong drinks and friendly crowd. They encourage fetish wear and leather but everyone who pays their bar tab is welcome.

There are no gay neighborhoods in Las Vegas but the biggest concentrations of gay businesses are in the so-called Fruit Loop (http://www.lasvegasfruitloop.com links to gay business in the area). It is along Paradise Road, near the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, about a five-minute drive east of the Strip. On one side of Paradise Road is Gipsy and its sister nightclubs, 8 1/2 Ultra Lounge and Piranah Nightclub. Gipsy is open Wednesday-Sundays and features cabaret show specials. 8 1/2 and Piranah are connected but play different music. Piranah features an upstairs VIP lounge that boasts that it often attracts celebrities.

Across the street from 8 1/2, Piranha, and Gipsy, you will find the laid-back Buffalo. The bar maintains a friendly neighborhood feel. It has pool and slot machines. The bar is particularly popular with bears and the Levi/leather crowd but you will find everyone in the place. They don't charge a cover there and the drinks are cheap 24 hours a day.

Freezone is in a strip mall across the street from Buffalo. As its name implies, there is no cover charge. It's gay and lesbian mixed but Tuesday night is ladies night, and Thursday nights are male-focused "Boyz" nights with go-go boys. The gay bookstore, Get Booked, is next to Buffalo.

The Commercial Center strip mall located on the 900 block of E. Sahara Avenue includes a couple of gay bars: the Spotlight Lounge with slots, pool, and appetizers nightly and the country western Badlands Saloon. Both are open 24 hours and if you can't get enough gambling in the casinos, they have slot machines. The Spotlight has a very popular Latin night on Thursdays. Badlands features a liquor bust on Fridays and a beer bust on Saturday and Sunday nights. The Commercial Center is also home to Las Vegas' LGBT center (www.thecenterlv.com) and the city's two bathhouses, Hawk's Gym (www.hawksgymlv.com) and Entourage Vegas (formerly the Apollo Spa), (www.entouragevegas.com).

Flex, at 4371 W. Charleston Avenue, is open 24 hours a day with slots, dancing, and pool.

Krave (www.kravelasvegas.com), the only gay nightclub on the Strip, is located next to the gay-friendly Planet Hollywood. It includes a separate "Candy Bar" lesbian section on Saturday nights.

Besides Krave, a number of mainstream venues have gone gay, albeit for one night a week. "Closet Sundays" continues at The Beatles Revolution Lounge inside the Mirage each Sunday night starting at 10 p.m. The gay party, "Elevated," is held every Tuesday night at the House of Blues Foundation Room at Mandalay Bay, 480 feet above Las Vegas Boulevard. Rhumbar at the Mirage hosts Captiv8 (www.captiv8lv.com) Wednesday nights, targeted toward the city's LGBT trendsetters with designers and representatives of the city's finest boutiques showing off their latest designs. Every Tuesday one of Vegas' premier social networks, SinCityQSocials (www.sincityqsocials.com), hosts a networking social at various locations around Las Vegas.

The country western themed Charlie's at 5012 South Arville Street (www.charlieslasvegas.com) has a popular beer bust on Sundays and men who are shirtless drink free on Wednesdays between 9 p.m. and midnight.

The Las Vegas Eagle at 3430 East Tropicana Avenue is best known for its underwear parties on Wednesday and Friday nights. You will get free drinks if you check your clothes. It is 4.5 miles east of the Strip, so not so many tourists go there. But all the locals do. It has a universal appeal drawing guys of all ages, shapes, and colors together. It is not to be missed if you want to mix it up with the locals.

The oldest bar in Las Vegas is Snick's Place (www.snicksplace.com). It's been going strong for over three decades. It's also the only gay bar in downtown Las Vegas. It's located at 1402 S. 3rd Street, off Las Vegas Boulevard. It features two happy hours 12 hours apart, 2 to 4  p.m. and 2 to 4 a.m.

City center

Despite the recession, Las Vegas is getting ready to open its crown jewel on December 1. The City Center will debut on the Las Vegas Strip on 67 acres between the Bellagio and Monte Carlo resorts. It is a joint venture of the MGM-Mirage and the Infinity World Development Corporation. The project includes Aria, a 61-story 4,004-room casino resort; four luxury, non-casino hotels; and one strictly residential building. The center will be environmentally friendly and will include a monorail. If you can't shell out the big bucks that it will cost to stay in one of the center's luxury hotels, the project will include a $40 million public fine arts program. City Center's signature buildings will be the appropriately named Veer Towers condominium complex which will consist of two 37-story towers. The towers will slant five degrees in opposite directions.

Shows

After taking the summer off, Cher returned to her show at Caesar's Palace in November. The diva has been threatening to retire for years, so this may be your last chance to see her perform.

Bette Midler is also going strong in Las Vegas. She alternates with Cher at Caesar's.

The newest show in town has been around for years. The Lion King debuted at the Mandalay Theater in place of the long-running Mamma Mia. It opened in May and is drawing good reviews and big crowds.

Jubilee at Bally's Casino is one of the few traditional chorus girl shows left in the city. It features an over-the-top topless musical review, followed by a variety act, repeated a few times over.

Las Vegas is infected with a severe case of Cirque du Soleil-itus. If you find that acrobatic performance art entertaining, you will find plenty of shows from which to choose. The Le Reve show at the Wynn, while not officially a Cirque show, is Cirque in the water; Love at the Mirage is Cirque set to Beatles music; and Zumanity at New York New York is an "adult" Cirque show with a dash of some gay and lesbian themes. But most shows now, including Jubilee and Cher, throw in a cirque-esque acrobatic show.

The long-running La Cage show at the Riviera Hotel is no more. But that show's star, Frank Marino, now is one of the stars in Tony and Tina's Wedding, a show at the gay friendly Planet Hollywood, which, by the way, has an LGBT package.

The Titanic and the Bodies exhibits are must-sees. Both were installed in the Luxor Hotel Casino last year and draw a big crowd of tourists and locals alike.

Restaurants

If you want to splurge at a buffet, try the one at the Wynn. It is top-notch like the Wynn itself.

Nearby Morel French Steakhouse and Bistro at the Palazzo Hotel Casino features fine dining but is moderately priced. The Bistro's patio overlooking Las Vegas Boulevard is a great place to stop for lunch as long as it's not too hot. 

Nine Fine Irishmen in the New York New York Casino has patio seating right on Las Vegas Boulevard and is a perfect place to people-watch and eat some great food at a good price.

If you are in the mood to splurge, check out Restaurant Guy Savoy, a fine dining French restaurant in Caesar's.

The buffet at the Sahara Hotel-Casino is a great budget choice. The Sahara offers a huge variety of food at its dinner buffet for $12.99 but it is only $8.99 with a Club Sahara Card, which is free.

Spas

Despite the recession, spas continue to do a good business in Las Vegas. One of the newest spas is part of the Encore Spa at the Wynn Encore Resort. The spa is huge, featuring several whirlpool baths under a cathedral-like skylight.

Mandalay Bay's The Bathhouse is famous for its Scents of You massage that lets clients pick their favorite scent.

The Canyon Ranch SpaClub at the Venetian and Palazzo Hotel-Casinos is offering weekday specials.

Getting there

Thanks to lower fuel prices and competition from Virgin America airlines, fares to Las Vegas are lower than they have been in years. You can find a roundtrip flight between the Bay Area and Las Vegas for less than $125, including taxes and fees. Southwest flies nonstop to Las Vegas from all three Bay Area airports. If you check bags, you will probably save money if you fly Southwest. The airline lets you check two bags each way for free. Most airlines will charge you at least $15 for the first checked back and $20 or more for the second.