When most people think of taking a vacation in Las Vegas, Nevada, they think about non-stop gambling, shopping, partying, and endless buffets–sans kids. However, contrary to popular belief, Las Vegas is a treasure trove of fun activities for families. From catching one of the endless number of shows happening right on the strip to exploring wildlife, and some of the world’s most famous natural wonders located outside of Sin City, there are plenty of activities for the whole family.
Vegas.com writer, Ashley Oñoz-Wright, provided the following tips for family fun activities, both on and off the Vegas strip:
Catch a Show
Jeff Civillico, currently performing at the Flamingo through the summer months, has been voted a top Vegas show. His juggling, uni-cycling, and ladder-balancing will have the whole family ‘oohing and ahhing.’ Can’t get enough of the belly laughs? Head to the Mac King Comedy Magic Show, featuring one of the longest running magicians in Las Vegas who will have you laughing until your side ache.
The Blue Man Group is a wild combination of music, theatrics and art delivered in a high-energy performance that’ll have your kids talking about it for years.
Speaking of costumes, the Tournament of Kings has been a Las Vegas staple for decades and it’s pretty easy to see why. Your family will be transported to a medieval celebration that features horse jousting, dancing, singing and a feast fit for a king.
Explore an exhibit
Madame Tussauds has more than 100 wax figures that look exactly like your favorite stars; many of them even come in and sit for the artists. This means that while your kids are gazing up at their favorite Avengers or sports hero, you can get a closer look at J. Lo’s caboose. There’s a cool multi-sensory theater at the end of the exhibit your whole family will love.
Bodies…The Exhibition is like an anatomy class on steroids and hallucinogens. If your kids enjoyed dissecting owl pellets in school, they’ll be floored by the 13 whole-body specimens. That’s right folks, people actually donated their bodies to science so those of us who are still breathing can see what we all look like without skin. Here’s a good time for a life lesson. The exhibit also has a healthy lung and a smoker’s lung on display, so you can show your kids exactly what happens to their bodies when they experiment with cigarettes.
Exercise the whole family’s critical thinking skills when you step into the world of crime scene investigators. If you’ve ever binge-watched any of the CSI shows, here’s your chance to see if you’ve got what it takes to solve the case.
CSI: The Experience You’ll choose a life-size crime scene to investigate and get to work in the lab, take a look at photos, fingerprints and more. After you’ve pieced together your evidence and theories, the truth will be revealed in a re-enactment of what really happened.
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Find some wildlife.
Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat
The Mirage is home to white tigers, lions and leopards, the Secret Garden is a lush, tropical environment with some of the rarest cats on the planet. The Dolphin Habitat has an underwater viewing area and a few different hands-on experiences you can book like Painting with the Dolphins, and Trainer for a Day.
The Shark Reef in Mandalay Bay joins only 10% of aquariums nationwide that are accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association; it’s also the only one in the state. Needless to say, they’re kind of a big deal. There are more than 1,200 species of marine life to see, including sharks, a 300-pound sea turtle, exotic fresh and saltwater fish. In addition to the super neat shark tunnel, guests can also check out exhibits with crocodiles, piranhas, and even pet some stingrays. Here are some family-friendly activities to do off The Strip:
Trek the great outdoors.
Some of the country’s greatest natural wonders are located right outside of Vegas. In just a quick car ride, you can hike, camp, ski and kayak (yes, in the desert). If your family is the type that likes to get outside and soak up a little Mother Nature, there are plenty of ways to do it without going all the way to the Grand Canyon or Death Valley.
If crawling across plateaus and squeezing through ancient passages in the Valley of Fire sounds like something the whole family would enjoy, Love Hikes is just the tour for you. Your kids will think you’re Indiana Jones re-incarnated when they explore the rich copper rock, sandstone formations, and Indian petroglyphs dating back 3,000 years.
For the John Wayne lover in all of us, there are great Wild West Horseback Adventures that let you channel your inner cowboy and show your kids what it was like to be out in the Wild Wild West–riding along the same dusty trails that were once ridden by the most infamous outlaws of the American West.
For the more adventurous family, a quick half-hour hike is all it takes to get to the Flightlinez Bootleg Canyon launch pad near Boulder City. From the top of Red Mountain, you’ll get harnessed in and coast down four separate runs on zip lines perched high above the mountainous desert terrain.
Get Aquatic
With more than 25 slides and attractions on 33.5 acres, the Wet ‘N’ Wild water-themed amusement park, delivers a fun and easy way to beat the heat. There’s something for everyone, from massive slides to a lazy river and kid-friendly aquatic zones. And it’s only 25 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip.
The Black Canyon River Adventure takes you to explore waterfalls and hot springs down the mighty Colorado. For 12 miles, you’ll glide along the river, passing through canyon walls that rise 2,000 feet above you, and see wildlife like desert big horn sheep, osprey and great blue heron.
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