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Las Vegas With The Kids

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Las Vegas may be known as an adult playground, but it still has plenty of things for families to do. Sight-seeing opportunities extend beyond the Strip and include outdoor and historical locations, but you could easily spend your entire vacation sampling the Strip’s assortment of family-appropriate attractions like rollercoasters and animal exhibits. Many parents feel that sight-seeing on the Las Vegas Strip is generally best done during the day, when you’ll encounter fewer of those adult elements that may make you want to cover your little one’s eyes. Watch out for pamphlet hawkers at all times of the day—they’re passing out adults-only ads. Later in the evening, as the general level of sobriety on the Strip decreases, you’ll want to head back to your hotel, or perhaps to a show. Magicians, knights, and blue men perform nightly in shows that will please the whole family. If you're itching to do some gambling, just remember that children are not allowed on casino floors, so check with the hotel for recommendations on childcare. –Thank you to Paul Little for his photograph of the Excalibur.—

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Author: Terrisa Meeks

Day 1 - Las Vegas

The Las Vegas Strip’s most family-oriented hotels are the Excalibur and the Circus-Circus, both of which are full of entertainment and restaurants suitable for kids. Both have arcades and midways full of carnival-like games—not to mention the giant castle and circus tent themes. If you’re traveling in the warmer months and want to spend time at the pool, the Mandalay Bay’s lazy river and sandy beach may make you want to skip sight-seeing altogether, and adults will appreciate the hotel’s more grown-up ambiance. A monorail links the Mandalay Bay, Luxor, and Excalibur hotels, which makes moving around those three properties easy. Children of all ages will like the Mandalay Bay’s Shark Reef Aquarium with its array of fish and animals and its hidden city/sunken ship theme. Older kids may find more to enjoy at the Adventuredome at Circus-Circus, which is an indoor amusement park. To finish off the evening, try a great steak at Circus-Circus’ Steakhouse or a more casual meal at Mandalay Bay’s Burger Bar.

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Circus Circus Hotel & Casino

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Location:

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2880 Las Vegas Blvd. S
Between Circus Circus and Convention Center Drs
Las Vegas, NV 89109

Phone:

877/434-9175

Excalibur

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Location:

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3850 Las Vegas Blvd. S
At Tropicana Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89109

Phone:

800/937-7777

Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino

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Location:

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3950 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino
Las Vegas, NV 89119

Phone:

+1 702 632 7777 / +1 877 632 7800 (Toll free)

Shark Reef

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Location:

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3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S
Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino
Las Vegas, NV 89119

Phone:

+1 702 632 4555 / +1 702 632 7777

The Adventuredome

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Location:

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2880 Las Vegas Blvd. S
Behind Circus Circus
Las Vegas, NV 89109

Phone:

702/794-3939

Steakhouse at Circus Circus

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Location:

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2880 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Circus Circus Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas, NV 89109

Phone:

702 794 3767

Day 2 - Las Vegas

Start off the day with some animal watching at the MGM’s Lion Habitat or the Mirage’s Dolphin Habitat/Secret Garden. When you’re ready for lunch, try the Rainforest Café at the MGM or the California Pizza Kitchen at the Mirage. The Rainforest Café’s tropical theme, aquarium, and waterfalls are popular with families, and the CPK serves everyone’s favorite food—pizza—but with trendy toppings. A ride to the top of the Stratosphere will give you a view from the tallest building west of the Mississippi, and older kids will beg to ride the scream-inducing rides at the top. For a night of family-friendly Vegas entertainment, everyone will enjoy magician Lance Burton at the Monte Carlo.

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MGM Grand Lion Habitat

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Location:

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3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S
In MGM Grand
Las Vegas, NV 89119

Phone:

702/891-7777

Rainforest Cafe

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Location:

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3799 Las Vegas Boulevard South
MGM Grand
Las Vegas, NV 89109

Phone:

+1 702 891 8580

Secret Garden & Dolphin Habitat

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Location:

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3400 Las Vegas Blvd. S
In The Mirage
Las Vegas, NV 89109

Phone:

702/791-7111

California Pizza Kitchen

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Location:

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3400 South Las Vegas Boulevard
Mirage Hotel
Las Vegas, NV 89109

Phone:

+1 702 791 7111

Stratosphere Tower

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Location:

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2000 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Stratosphere Hotel
Las Vegas, NV 89104

Phone:

+1 702 380 7777 / +1 800 998 6937

Stratosphere Thrill Rides

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Location:

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2000 Las Vegas Blvd. S
Atop Stratosphere Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV 89109

Phone:

702/380-7777

Lance Burton: Master Magician

Location:

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3770 Las Vegas Blvd. S
In the Monte Carlo Resort & Casino
Las Vegas, NV 89109

Phone:

877/386-8224

Day 3 - Las Vegas

Take a day off from the Strip and head out of Las Vegas to either Hoover Dam or Red Rock Canyon. If you’d like to share a dose of history and an architectural wonder with your kids, visit Hoover Dam. Rising over 700 feet from the bottom of Black Canyon, this dam was built during the Great Depression and its sturdy construction ensures it will be standing for centuries to come. To take the kids for a day of hiking, drive to Red Rock Canyon. A one-way, 13-mile scenic road stops at numerous trails and scenic overlooks. Before you begin your drive, be sure to stop at the visitor center and learn about the Mojave Desert. Be careful with smaller children on trails that involve rock scrambling, and remember that this is the desert, home to the rattlesnake, scorpion, and cactus, so watch where you’re sticking your hands and feet. Bring plenty of water and remember the sunscreen. You’ll probably work up an appetite after hiking, and you can stop at the Red Rock Resort’s Salt Lick for barbecue on the way back to the Strip. Give everyone plenty of time to rest up before catching another show in the evening. The Tournament of Kings has jousting and sword fighting—and you get to eat with your fingers. The Blue Man Group is funky, funny, and, well, blue. At the Venetian, where the Blue Man performs, you’ll want to take some time to wander through the Grand Canal Shops, and the Taqueria Canonita will give you a place to eat while you watch the gondolas.

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Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

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Location:

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State Route 159 from Charleston Boulevard
(17 miles west of the Las Vegas Strip)
Las Vegas, NV 89124

Phone:

+1 702 363 1921 (Information)

Salt Lick

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Location:

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10972 W. Charleston
In Red Rock Resort
Las Vegas, NV 89144

Phone:

702/797-7535

Taqueria Canonita

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Location:

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3311 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Venetian Hotel
Las Vegas, NV 89109

Phone:

7024143773

Tournament of Kings

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Location:

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3850 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Excalibur Hotel
Las Vegas, NV 89109

Phone:

702 597 7600

Blue Man Group at the Venetian Las Vegas

Location:

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3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89109

Phone:

(702) 414-9000

Day 4 - Las Vegas

On your last day in Las Vegas, a visit to the Springs Preserve offers an educational experience, but in a fun, hands-on setting that comes complete with play areas. Kids and adults who are intrigued by that famously “unsinkable” ship, the Titanic, will want to see the Titanic Exhibit at the Luxor. For rollercoaster lovers, the New York-New York’s rollercoaster will spin you around a miniature Big Apple, and the Sahara’s Speed lives up to its name. For your last Las Vegas meal, enjoy the food while you watch the pool scene from a table at Mandalay Bay’s Border Grill,.

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