By Isabel Prontes
Las Vegas, Nevada (also known as Sin City), is known for being a city that is catered toward the interests of adults, with its abundant gambling, casinos, luxury hotels and nightlife. However, in recent years, Las Vegas has become a lot more kid-friendly. If you are planning on taking children to Las Vegas during their summer vacation from school, there are plenty of exciting things for them to see and do.
Floyd Lamb Park
Floyd Lamb Park is open between May and August and is a welcome sanctuary of greenery in a city full of skyscrapers. With a picturesque pond and many pleasant cottonwood trees, Floyd Lamb Park is a great place to take kids during their summer vacation. The area is great for recreation, with its four ponds, barbecue and picnic sites, hiking paths, and horseshoe and volleyball facilities. Kids will be able to learn a lot from the Tule Springs Ranch in the park, which is a paleontological site that was once roamed by massive prehistoric mammals. There are fossils of extinct camels, bison, horses, giant sloths and mammals.
9200 Tule Springs Road
Las Vegas, NV
Tel: (702) 229-6297
Las Vegas Natural History Museum
The Las Vegas Natural History Museum consists of over 100 exhibits related to topics within the humanities, arts and sciences. This is one of the biggest children's museums in the United States. Some notable exhibits at this museum include a dinosaur display and an exhibition on the diverse animal and plant life from the southern Nevada region. Kids will particularly adore the live shark room and the wildlife center.
900 Las Vegas Blvd N
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Tel: (702) 384-3466
Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat
The Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat is located in the Mirage Hotel. Kids will be mesmerized by this attraction. They will get to see creatures including panthers, leopards, tigers and dolphins. In existence since 1990, this garden and habitat was the brainchild of Vegas legends, magicians Siegfried and Roy. Children will love the dolphin habitat and watching the dolphins swimming, catching fish and tail walking. The Secret Garden is an exquisite area in which to watch tigers and leopards live and play.
3400 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Tel: (702) 791-7188
The Roller Coaster at New York, New York
The roller coaster at New York, New York is located at the Tropicana Avenue and Las Vegas Boulevard intersection, right in the heart of the city. The roller coaster is surrounded by a charming replica of the Big Apple, with copies of the Statue of Liberty and various other world-famous Manhattan buildings. This thrilling roller coaster offers aerial views of the city, thrilling drops, intense corkscrews and loops, and a serious adrenaline rush for both children and adults.
3790 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 740-6969
Adventuredome
Adventuredome is located at the legendary Las Vegas hotel Circus Circus. Adventuredome is situated inside of a vast glass dome and is full of exciting and thrilling attractions and rides that will satisfy the daredevil in everyone. Some of the amusement park's most notable rides includes Sling Shot, Canyon Blaster, Rim Runner, the Inverter, Chaos and Disk 'O. Kids will have a blast at this adventurous indoor theme park.
2880 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Tel: (702) 794-3939
About the Author:
Isabel Prontes is a freelance writer and traveler residing in Manhattan, NY. She has traveled to five continents and counting. Her work has appeared on a number of websites, such as Travels, eHow.com and "Happy Living Magazine." Prontes has a professional background in public relations; she received a bachelor's degree in communication studies from Pace University.
