Tuesday

Some family fun things to do in Las Vegas

Moving to Las Vegas with a family-oriented mind was difficult, because when most people think of Las Vegas they think of casinos, gambling, the "strip"- adult entertainment. I was quite surprised to find so many fun things to do. Aside from the strip, there are lots of parks with play structures, swings and water features. There is a zoo but I would never go there again- if you have been to any other zoo, this is a joke. There are chickens running everywhere and the animal pens appear to be to small for the animals housed in them- it's a sad and gross place. There is also the Red Rock Canyon or the Boulder City train. On the strip, there is the M&M factory where you can take a tour and buy any color of M&M you can imagine. There is also Circus Circus- an indoor circus with free circus acts performing throughout the day and games and rides that are appropriate for about 3 and up. There is also the dolphin habitat at the Mirage that is more than just dolphins- there are also numerous big cats. Another great place is the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay where there are lots of sea life creatures. The Excalibur also has a great dinner show with knights and horses. For older kids there are rides and arcades at the Stratosphere and the New York, New York. If you are staying with family and would like a night out, some of the casinos, including The Palms, The Orleans and most of the station casinos (you can check their webpages) offer hourly childcare for children 6 weeks and up. These are great places with separate rooms for kids under 2, with more focused care. The "bigger" kids can play in the free roam area where there is a huge jungle gym, karaoke, art, basketball, and several other activities. These centers can fill up- especially the younger rooms- so call ahead for reservations. There are lots of other things to do with families here in Vegas, but hope this information is helpful and provides a good starting point.

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