A family guide to Las Vegas

Slotzilla

I know we said you could forget about slot machines, but we’re willing to make an exception here. Slotzilla isn’t like the rest – it’s designed to look like a slot machine, but it’s 12 storeys high and has a pair of ziplines attached to the top.

Hook up to the lower zipline and you can whizz above Las Vegas’ second most-famous street – the bustling Freemont Street Experience. More daring customers can have a go at the higher ‘zoomline’, which sends you Superman-style above the neon-lit boulevard. There’s no age limit, but children under 13 need an accompanying adult if they fancy a go.

Hershey’s Chocolate World

Need we say more? OK, if you insist. This one-stop sweetie shop offers more than 800 types of Hershey’s chocolate, and you can even customise your own bar from scratch. It’s based at the famous New York New York hotel, on the Las Vegas strip, so you’ll also see an 800lb version of the iconic Statue of Liberty – made entirely from chocolate, of course.

If you’re still hungry for more, then take a 20-minute cab ride to the Ethel M Chocolate Factory in the south eastern reaches of the city. It’s not quite as eccentric as Willy Wonka’s madcap world of confectionary, but you can still watch the caramels, pecan brittles and signature treats being made by skilled chocolatiers.

Kiss Monster Mini Golf

Minigolf is fun at the best of times, but when it’s glow in the dark and themed around the band Kiss, it’s even better. Huge neon guitars, giant platform shoes, and caricatures of the face-painted rockers bring this indoor arena to life. There’s even a section where you have to putt the ball along an oversized version of Gene Simmons’ outstretched tongue.

Little’uns might not know who the band are, but that doesn’t matter in the slightest here. The bright lights, lively soundtrack and flashy arcade are like Santa’s grotto to excite young ones. And while they’re busy teeing off, there’s a mammoth Kiss gift shop for mum and dad to reminisce in. Don’t pretend you weren’t a fan…

Wet’n’Wild

You might associate Wet’n’Wild with Florida, but it’s actually got a Nevadan namesake right on the edge of Las Vegas. It’s about a 20 minutes’ drive from the strip, but you won’t find anything else like it around.

Family-sized raft rides, a sheer drop slide, and a huge children’s splash park are among the attractions here. There’s also a lazy river and a Vegas take on a tropical beach, which comes with its own wave pool. If thrills and spills are your family’s idea of heaven, the Big Apple Coaster at the New York New York hotel will be right up your street.

At the Mandalay Bay Hotel there’s a huge wave pool where you can surf, plus a sandy artificial beach where you can fling down a towel.

Head across to the Circus Circus hotel, and you’ll find a five-acre indoor theme park called The Adventuredome. In the past, it’s been voted as the best place to take the kids in Vegas – so for family days out, look no further.

Las Vegas Natural History Museum

What it lacks in high-intensity attractions, the Las Vegas Natural History Museum more than makes up for with its interactive exhibits. You’ll see huge dinosaur models in the prehistoric section, including a 35-foot-long Tyrannosaurus Rex which moves its head and roars.

Keep following the museum trail, and you’ll come across gilded Egyptian sarcophagi, helmet-clad Roman gladiators, and animals of the African savannah. There’s more than 25 years’ worth of artefacts built up here, and a gift shop where you’ll more than likely part with a bit of cash.

Las Vegas Ice Centre

This is probably the coldest part of Las Vegas, but don’t let that put you off. It’s more than just a cool box for escaping the heat of the surrounding Mojave Desert, and has proven to be a big hit with casual skaters and hockey fans alike.

Rent a pair of skates, and you can check out which of your clan has the best balance, and who’s most likely to take a tumble. Hockey classes and figure skating sessions are a regular fixture, so make sure you pick a day where the ice is open to everyone.

Circus Circus

As its name suggests, Circus Circus is famous for its top-drawer circus acts. Trapeze artists from Argentina and Peru, Costa Rican and Cuban jugglers, and acrobats from China are all on the action-packed entertainment bill.

It’s the largest permanent circus in the world, and a sure-fire way to tick a bunch of family boxes at once. Whether they like unicyclists or quick-change artists, there’s a little something for everyone here. It’s all free to watch, as well.

Head back to the strip if you like the sound of free shows, as there are a couple which count themselves among the best in Vegas. At The Mirage, you can watch the mighty volcano outside the hotel erupt into a fit of flames, and over at the Bellagio, the choreographed fountain show is one of the city’s most iconic features. Just ask the guys who made Ocean’s 11.

Shark Reef Aquarium

Some hotels in Vegas are home to rollercoasters, while others play host to Venetian, gondola-filled canals. The Mandalay Bay Hotel has its own unique quirk – a 1.3 million-gallon aquarium where you can actually swim with sharks.

There’s a Crystal Maze feel to the layout, with different parts of the aquarium designed like temple, jungle and shipwreck zones. There’s no danger of you being locked in here, though. Instead, you can see golden crocodiles, komodo dragons, white tip reef sharks, black piranhas and Burmese pythons as you explore the huge exhibits.

High Roller

Dwarfing even the London Eye, the High Roller is the world’s biggest observation wheel. Measuring 520-feet in diameter, you’ll get tip-top views of the Las Vegas strip from the bubble-like glass cabins.

There’s a contender for the best views in the city, though, thanks to the Eiffel Tower Experience at the Paris Las Vegas hotel. A lift whizzes you to the top of the mocked-up landmark, where you get 360-degree views of the grid-like streets.

If you’ve not got a head for heights, I’d give both of these a miss.

Thinking Las Vegas might be the right pick for you?

Take a look at some of our Las Vegas holidays.

If you think an urban escape is up your street, check out more of our City Breaks.

Author: Shaun Ringwood