Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Keeping the Kiddies Amused . . .
. . . is sometimes not all that easy in Sin City, where so much of the “sin-
ning” takes place in public that your children may have to deal with more
supervision than they're used to at home. To keep the peace, try one of
the following kid-friendly gems for a morning, or the day, or for as long as
it takes to keep the little dears from whining they want to go home.
First choice, especially if your brood is under 7 years old, is the
Lied
Discovery Children's Museum
555
9
(833 N. Las Vegas Blvd.;
%
702/
382-3445; Tues-Fri 9am-4pm, Sat 10am-5pm, Sun noon-5pm;
$
8 adults,
$
7 children, but ask about AAA and other discounts; AE, DISC, MC, V),
which does what all smart kids museums do—it puts the little ones to
work. If your kids are anything like mine, they'll love pretending they're
toiling away in a grocery store, a bank, or flying a plane. Imaginative
exhibits let the children try on all of these different “career paths” in the
course of several hours. Exhibits change regularly, but among the 50 or so
options there'll likely be something on American history, and another
interactive area explaining various scientific concepts. Also be sure to
check what art projects are going on in the first floor activities room. We
spent parts of 3 days here on my family's last trip into town, and the kids
always ended up making friends, trying something new, and wearing them-
selves out so thoroughly they sat quietly through the restaurant dinners
that followed. It doesn't get better than that. Highly recommended.
More ambitious parents should head for the hills, really the canyons and
valleys that surround Vegas. A day spent hiking in
Red Rock Canyon
555
(p. 292)
or the
Valley of Fire
555
(p. 294)
will be the highlight of your
trip. Teens will enjoy learning about the engineering marvel that is
Hoover
Dam
555
(p. 286).
Circus Circus' Adventuredome
555
(p. 135)
and
Midway
are the
salvation of those who must stick to the Strip itself. Nearly nonstop (and
darn good) circus performances, scary enough thrill-rides, and an over-
abundance of video and carnival games will please children of all ages.
We're still living with the stuffed animals my daughters won here, and, for
them, these furry trophies conjure up some of the happiest memories of
the time they spent in this very adult town.
Other top stops for kids:
u
Shark Reef
55
(p. 129)
u
Gameworks
5
(p. 136)
u
Las Vegas Mini Grand Prix
5
(p. 137)
u
King Tut Exhibit and Luxor Arcade
55
(p. 128)
u
Madame Tussaud's
55
(p. 128)
u
Natural History Museum
5
(p. 143)
