Las Vegas might be dubbed Sin City, but there’s more to Nevada’s most popular city than quickie wedding chapels and the casinos’ table games. These family-friendly attractions will delight children and adults alike.
1. Fishy Fun at Silverton Aquarium
Image via Flickr by Suzi Duke
More than 4,000 fish call the aquarium in the Silverton Casino Hotel home. It’s simply mesmerizing to watch the colorful marine creatures swim around the massive tanks — you'll see parrotfish, emperor angelfish, leopard sharks, and stingrays.
If you have daughters, make sure you visit on the afternoons or evenings from Thursday to Sunday. Every half hour, “mermaids” swim amongst the fishes, blowing bubbles and interacting with awestruck onlookers. Daily fish feedings at 1:30 and 4:30 p.m. also make for fascinating viewing.
And best of all, unlike so many Las Vegas attractions, admission to the aquarium is free!
2. See a Show
Las Vegas’ casinos might steal the headlines, but Gogobot user Matthew Crompton says that his favorite thing about this Nevada hotspot is its shows. He noted that there are “something like a dozen permanent Cirque du Soleil spectaculars running at different casinos,” which will amaze crowds of all ages.
The city also regularly stages kid-friendly performances from ventriloquists, G-rated comedians, magicians, and the world-famous Blue Man Group.
3. Have Fun at the Adventuredome Theme Park
There are rollercoasters and thrill rides galore at the Adventuredome Theme Park at Circus Circus. These adrenalin-inducing rides are the most popular, but the park aims to cater for all tastes with tamer rides like the Frog Hopper and Miner Mike. The cool pink dome that covers the entire 5-acre park means a little wet weather won’t spoil your fun. No wonder Nevada Magazine and Las Vegas Weekly both named Adventuredome Theme Park the best place to take kids. All-day ride passes cost less than $30.00, so they’re an affordable option for serious thrill-seekers.
4. Ride the Big Apple Coaster
If you haven’t had your fill of roller coasters yet, make sure you visit Las Vegas’ most famous, the Big Apple Coaster. It might be in the heart of the Strip, but this fun ride at New York-New York takes inspiration from the streets of the Big Apple. You'll ride in a replica of a New York City yellow cab and pass giant models of the Statue of Liberty and other NYC icons, although you might miss some of them as you whizz past at up to 67 mph.
The Big Apple Coaster’s towering drops and loop-the-loops aren’t for the faint-hearted, but big kids will have a ball on this hair-raising ride.
5. Kids Love Learning at Discovery Children’s Museum
Your kids won’t even realize they’re learning as they play with the hands-on exhibitions at the Discovery Children’s Museum. They'll learn about electricity, machines, and flight as they interact with the experiments on The Summit, and about whirlpools and turbines as they splash about in Water World. Age is no barrier either, with Toddler Town cleverly designed to appeal to tiny tots.
With a host of fun attractions, Las Vegas makes a great spot for a family vacation.
Friends Read Free