Each year for spring break, thousands of college students will either make the 20-hour drive to Florida or to South Padre Island or even fly to Mexico, hoping to catch a great tan, cruise the strip and possibly hit up a few nightclubs.

But, let's face it-how much more can one really do? In fact, from what I remember about my Florida excursions is that instead of enjoying the hot sun, I spent my time either inside because of a possible hurricane stint or in the few days there was sun, I was shivering on the beach because it was only 60 degrees.

This spring break, I embarked on a new vacation spot-one that many spring break locales cannot live up to-that offers fun no matter the weather. I went to Las Vegas and had more fun than I've ever had on spring break. I had everything and anything I wanted at the tip of my fingers: Food, gambling, sun, pools, tours, scenery and much more kept me going non-stop, and it wasn't nearly as expensive as it sounds.

Being a college student, I had to do research prior to my trip in order to find out if it was going to fit in my budget, and needless to say, I found all the deals before hopping on the ATA flight to my ultimate vacation in the desert.

First and foremost, I live to eat, so when I discovered that there were more than 75 restaurants at $15 or less, I was ecstatic. Plus, if a large group of us wanted to eat and we couldn't decide on a place, we had our choice of 34 buffets for $15 or less per person. And for a little more fun, we traveled to a couple different themed restaurants. For the diehard NASCAR fans, passing up a trip to the NASCAR Café would be torture. It's a two-level restaurant offering authentic merchandise and giant television screens playing, you guessed it, nothing but NASCAR racing. The food is appropriately named Dipstick Fried Cheese, Winston Cup Wings, Talladega Tenders and Supercharged Chili. And to drink? Try cocktails such as Battery Acid, Brickyard Lemonade and the Caution Flag Margarita.

Not into NASCAR? Try Harley Davidson Café. Another of the themed restaurants, this one was especially exciting. Above us, 28-feet high, a 15,000-pound Harley Davidson replica bursts through the café, and inside, there are 15 custom motorcycles. Cocktails include the Sturgis, the Hill Climber, or the Kickstart. Some of the main-course choices include Choppers Cobb Salad and The Harley Hog Sandwich, and for dessert, Hunka Hunka Chocolate Cake, named after Elvis, of course.

Next stop, shopping. I must admit that, at first, I was disappointed. Yes, there is plenty of shopping available right on the strip. However, it is very expensive and includes stores such as Armani, Bebe, Banana Republic, and, well, you get the idea. Being a college student, I was looking for something a little cheaper. And I found it. Belz Factory Outlet World is located about 1-2 miles south of the Luxor and is technically off the strip, but it is worth the $2 bus ride there. They offer nearly 300 stores with favorites such as Calvin Klein, Nike, Levi, Famous Footwear, Tommy Hilfiger, XOXO, Charlotte Russe, Wet Seal, Skechers, Nautica, Fila, Rockport, Fossil and many more and at cheaper prices than you would find at regular retail stores.

So, after a good meal and a full day of shopping, we were ready to experience the nightlife. The most excruciating part of the trip was deciding where to go, with so many places to choose from. Between the nightclubs, regular bars, shows and casinos, it was hard to decide. I swear it seemed like the casinos were made for college students. I had my choice of dollar, quarter, nickel and even penny slots! And for the tables, some places offered as low as a $3 minimum bet. We found MGM Grand and O'Shea's to be our favorite places to gamble. Even if we weren't gambling enough to receive our free drinks, we found bars in the casinos where we could enjoy margaritas, pina coladas and daiquiris for only $1! Even Carbondale's drink specials are not that good.

But we still had to decide what nightclub to attend. The clubs' cover prices worked well for locals since almost always the locals were either free or next to nothing to enter. This meant some clubs were pricey for out-of-towners. But we found some that fit into our budget. Most people we ran into recommended Studio 54, inside MGM Grand, but it was $20 to get in and so we passed. But close by, in the Palms, was the Ghostbar, holding 325, featuring bachelor-pad furnishings and silver sofas, and with a view of 180 degrees through the glass walls, this bar only pushed us back $10. And for MTV Real World fans, this was one of the bars the Las Vegas cast often hung out in.

I noticed that many of the clubs featured techno, progressive and house music. But one place played anything from Kid Rock, Metallica and Aerosmith to Mary J. Blige. Coyote Ugly, inside the New York-New York, with a $10 cover, is much like a Southern style saloon with a New York twist. It's covered in flea market treasures and dark worn wood. And yes, ladies can join the bartenders on the bar, singing and dancing. But, men are not allowed on the bar. And like the Coyote Ugly in New York, this one also offers the "Bra Wall of Fame" where women can leave behind their undergarments and men can leave their neckties.

Also available on the strip are an assortment of variety shows. In the Stratosphere, a person can see either Viva Las Vegas or American Superstars, and both are rather inexpensive since package deals are offered: show, buffet, a drink and a trip to the top. American Superstars is a way to see favorite celebrities through impersonations. It's a fast-paced show with Spice Girls, Madonna, Michael Jackson and other impersonators.

A good laugh will make a good trip, so we settled on the Comedy Stop. For $17 a person, I received a fantastic show with three impressive comedians, with two drinks included in the cover price.

For a bit more money, "O" and "Mystère," sponsored by Cirque du Soleil, were recommended to us. "O" uses 1.5 million gallons of water and features 74 performers from around the world.

"Mystère," making its debut in 1993, blends intrigue, athleticism and entertainment. Call it performance art without boundaries, featuring a cast of champion caliber acrobats, gymnasts, dancers, singers, musicians and clowns from 15 countries. But the tickets start around $90 a person - a little pricey for us.

Even if none of the above entices you, simply taking a walk on the strip, day or night, brings about great attractions. At the Belagio, a musical fountain show appears every 15 minutes. At the Mirage, a volcano erupts, and at Treasure Island, on the hour, a pirate invasion takes place and the audience can watch a shipwreck. Plus, there are small diners on the strip to grab a quick bite to eat or shops for souvenirs, and it's fun to just go in and out of the countless hotels, becoming mesmerized by each one's structure and décor.