FIVE ATTRACTIONS ON THE STRIP SURE TO WIN OVER KIDS AND ADULTS ALIKE

Being a kid at heart, one of the questions I get asked most from visitors is “What’s there to do on the Las Vegas Strip when you have kids in tow?”

Naturally, my first response is one of my personal favorites: the Adventure dome at Circus Circus (adventuredome.com). The closest thing Las Vegas have to Six Flags, the indoor amusement park is great for thrill seekers of all ages, boasting 25 rides and attractions, including the world’s only indoor double-loop, double-corkscrew roller coaster, Canyon Blaster. There are several rides intended for younger tykes and an 18-hole miniature golf course.

Children will also go wild over Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay (sharkreef.com) and Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at the Mirage (miragehabitat.com). Guests can get close to thousands of feared and unusual animals at Shark Reef Aquarium, including a Komodo dragon, or observe a group of playful bottlenose dolphins and a variety of big cats at Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat. Both attractions have special programs where visitors can safely interact with some of the animals for an additional fee.

Of course, it should come as no surprise that there are plenty of kid-friendly shows in town, too. Comedy-magician Mac King’s long-running afternoon show at Harrah’s (mackingshow.com) is always one of my top family-friendly picks, as is the “Tournament of Kings” dinner show at Excalibur (excalibur.com). Not only do ticket holders get to watch an action-packed production complete with jousting knights and pyrotechnics, they also get to eat with their hands! What kid doesn’t love that?

So even though the Strip may not be the family-friendly destination it once was, visitors will still find plenty of attractions for children to enjoy.

Got a question about Las Vegas? Email hwadowski@aol.com.