If you love dance music, Las Vegas may be the place you’ll want to be this Memorial Day Weekend. That’s because The Love Festival will be happening at the Palms Casino Resort again.

The Love Festival Takes Over The Palms Casino Resort

This three-day party runs May 27 through May 29, 2011, and features almost non-stop clubbing from 10am to 4am each day.

Start with the Daytime Pool Party that runs from 10am to 8pm and features DJs like Morgan Page, Chromeo, Junior Sanchez, Craze and more.

After you’ve baked all day, hit Rain Nightclub for the nightly action from 10pm to 4am.

Friday DJs include Green Velvet and Felix da Housecat. Saturday is the weekly Paul Oakenfold shindig. Sunday closes out with Paul Van Dyk on the turntables.

Tickets are available on a per party basis or via an all-weekend pass.

Friday, the Ditch Friday Daytime Pool Party is $28, admission to Rain at night is $34, or you can get a one-day combo pass that includes the pool party, Rain, and the Palms three other nightclubs (Moon, Ghostbar, Playboy Club) for $110. You can also upgrade to a VIP combo pass that includes all of the above, plus a hosted bar (free alcohol from 10pm to 1am) and a special VIP area for $227.

Saturday, the pool party is also $28, but admission to Rain is $45. The combo passes remain the same – $110 for all the clubs and $227 for VIP.

Sunday, the pool party is $25, admission to Rain is $50, all-access combo pass is $125, and the VIP combo is $255.

However, if planning to go for all three days and nights, the weekend pass is really your best bet. For $475, you get every single pool party, every event at Rain, admission to the other three Palms clubs, and the VIP hosted bar at night.

All tickets and passes are available to purchase online (some ticket fees and taxes may apply).

Of course, if you’re going to party all weekend at the Palms, you’ll want to be staying there, too. Special room rates for Love Festival ticket holders start at $229 for Friday and Saturday, and $179 for Sunday.

If you can’t make Vegas for Memorial Day, this year, the organizers are expanding to put on The Love Festival in Hawaii (July 23, 2011) and Los Angeles (August 20, 2011). Exact locations and ticket prices for these scaled down one-day fests haven’t been specified, yet.

[Photo courtesy The Love Festival/Go Ventures, Inc.]

I’m kind of partial to any bar that includes a pool and/or a beach and/or an umbrella in my drink as a requirement. Recently, AOL came out with a list of 10 of the Best Beach Bars around the world, and not only did it catch my eye, it had me checking my passport expiry and my bank account. Not only are these beach bars perfect during a sunny day, but sticking around for a late-night swim with an umbrella drink is my idea of a perfect vacation.

Freddy's Ceviche & Tequila Bar, Maroma Mayan Riviera

Ceviche. Tequila. Ocean breezes. Need I say more? Sitting on the Mayan peninsula, overlooking the Gulf of Mexico as the sun sets behind you over the historic landscape of Mexico is done with casual class at the Maroma Mayan Riviera Resort’s Freddy’s Tequila and Ceviche Bar. Settle in at dinner time and stay until it’s time to turn in for a romantic evening or head out to enjoy the local nightlife. Freddy’s offers regional fare in their own sushi and sashimi with Mexico’s own tequila.

Beach Tree Bar, Four Seasons, Hawai'i

All you have to say is “Fours Seasons” and “Hawai’i” and I’ve started planning my week of tropical heaven. Though recently devastated by the Japanese tsunami, The Beach Tree Bar on the big island in Hawai’i will reopen at the end of April to guests wanting to settle in for the nightly sunsets over the Pacific. Full dinner is available, or sit outside for an evening of tropical, umbrella-topped drinks. Even if you’re not staying at the Four Seasons, make a reservation to sit outside for one of the best views of the Hawai’i's Pacific.

Water Taxi Beach, Governor's Island, New York

Summertime is meant for palm trees, adult drinks, sand between your toes, and views of the Manhattan skyline. Some would say, “What? Are you confused?” But you can get all of these at Water Taxi Beach on Governor’s Island in New York. Evening and nighttime events take place regularly during the summer months, and with the palm trees and beach as a backdrop to the New York skyline, Manhattanites don’t have to go far to enjoy a tropical oasis.

photo credits: Maroma Hotel, Four Seasons, antlered

Ah yes. The classic Mai Tai.

Lovely beachside views at RumFire

Just about every beachside hotel in Honolulu has a beachside bar. The recipe is fairly standard:

Take one indoor/outdoor space and attach it to a Honolulu hotel.

Add delightful tropical drinks and a mix of appetizers blending the familiar comforts of the mainland with island-themed flavors sprinkled liberally throughout the plates.

Drop in a dollop of tranquil tunes from a live musician or two with stringed instruments. Stir well and garnish with a fresh pineapple wedge.

Addition of a pool is optional but recommended for a stunning visual.

The RumFire at the Sheraton Waikiki follows this recipie to the letter complete with the optional pool access. In spite of the standard format, it does offer a more updated and lively approach to the standard Honolulu fare. For example, you can order the island classic — the mai tai and be quite satisfied with the delightful mix of pineapple and rum. Or, you can try one of their signature concoctions, the baja sun — a cocktail featuring jalepeno-infused tequila — or, my favorite, the dragonfire cooler — a frozen mixture that starts with the heat and finishes with the sweet.

After a few of these, you’d be advised to put a little something into your stomach. You won’t be disappointed by their awesome asian-sauced edamame or the delightful seared kalua pulled pork quesadilla that pairs so well with their drinks. If you plan your stop right, you don’t miss Spam Tuesdays. Order the Spam fried rice and you won’t be disappointed.

The Lilikoi Daiquiri at The House without a Key

From the street, the Halekulani Hotel is a somewhat austere and imposing luxury hotel on Oahu’s Waikiki Beach. Don’t let that scare you off. Work your way through the marvelously sophisticated and elegant lobby, you’ll find the amazing House without a Key.

Rarely do you come across a bar with such literary history. In a925, author Earl Derr Biggers named his first novel, featuring the famous semi-fictional detective Charlie Chan, after a small beachside bar built under a giant kiawe tree. In 1983, the bar was rebuilt as a tribute to the legendary Chan.

Needless to say, if Charlie Chan (or Chang Apana – the person who Chan’s character was based upon) were around, he would be quite proud of the homage. While indoor seating is available, the bulk and best of the seating is outside. If you’re just looking for drinks to start your evening, there’s no better place to gather than around a small table in comfortable chairs. Sit back and relax over cocktails that fulfill your idyllic dreams of a Hawai’ian vacation. We delighted in the Tequila Pineapple Mojito, but my favorite drink on the island by far had to be the Lilikoi Daiquiri with rum, passion fruit and lime. It as almost too pretty to drink.

Fortunately, I got over that. And then I ordered another.

Watch the hula on a beautiful sunset backdrop

If you’re planning a stop at The House without a Key, make sure you get there by about 5:30 p.m. during prime tourist season. That way, you’re likely to get a spot near the stage to see the night’s band and dance performance. Each night a different group performs, so you can come back for a different flavor day after day. Two of the dancers are former holders of the Miss Hawaii title share their graceful moves on stage and sweetly smile for your photos between performances.

If you’re looking for an inexpensive dive bar, this is about as far away from that as you can get. The decor is elegant. The staff was attentive, knowledgable and friendly. Many guests had children at their tables mezmerized by the music and dancing.

As you sit and sip and watch the amazing sunset, you’ll realize that everything you heard about Hawaii is all true and you’ve found it here.

Images by Nancy Syzdek.