The late, great comedian Milton Berle once said, “Laughter is a vacation”. That should be a hint on planning a fun vacation, and do it with a laughter theme. For instance, check out the many stand-up comedy shows in New York, Los Angeles and especially Las Vegas.

Within a few blocks of each other,  any night on the Vegas Strip you can find a dozen or more comedy shows. Some name comics are permanent fixtures there, including George Wallace at the Flamingo, Rita Rudner at Harrahs, and Penn and Teller at Rio. Other comedy stars, including Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld, Howie Mandel and Robin Williams are frequent visiting performers at the major hotels.

When booking a cruise, check out those with comedy programs, including ones with all-comedy themes. In addition to music and professional comedians, some include what’s called open-mike night. They give passengers opportunities to do stand-up comedy routines, and win prizes for best performances.

Check out Broadway-style shows in New York, London, Chicago, Los Angeles and other cities where revivals of vintage comedy shows are presented. Such classics as “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum”, “The Odd Couple”, “The Producers” and others are always playing somewhere. For instance, in the late summer and autumn of 2009, a concert version of “Guys and Dolls” is featured at the Hollywood Bowl.

Make your next vacation a fun one by booking it where comedy is king, and you can wear the royal crown as king or queen. For information about Hollywood Bowl schedules, go to www.hollywoodbowl.com