Las Vegas, the “City of Lights”
As we make our way farther west, our ninth stop on Martin’s All-American Road Trip is the “City of Lights,” Las Vegas, Nevada. With over 41 million visitors each year, Las Vegas knows how to entertain its guests and visitors. Even though it has earned the title of “Sin City,” due to its nightclubs, casinos, and things of that nature, Las Vegas actually has a lot to offer for the whole family! In this blog post, we want to spotlight activities in which the whole family can get involved!
Family-Friendly Activities
If thrill is on your family’s radar, then there are many opportunities to get the adrenaline pumping! First on the list is Adventuredome, a large climate-controlled indoor amusement park. Adventuredome is located at the Circus Circus Hotel and Casino and offers water rides, roller coasters, arcades, and a theme park atmosphere.
Another attraction for the thrill-seeker in the family is the Stratosphere Tower, the tallest freestanding observation tower in the United States. On top of the 1,149-foot tower, you can see panoramic views of the Las Vegas Strip and the Las Vegas Valley, or you can try out a couple of rooftop thrill rides, like the “Big Shot” or the “High Roller.”
If exploring nature and sea life is more your thing, the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay takes a typical aquarium experience to the next level. The undersea experience features one of North America’s largest displays of sharks and other sea predators and houses over 1,200 different species of sharks, tropical and freshwater fish, reptiles, marine invertebrates, and rays. There’s also Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat that gets you an up close and personal encounter with white tigers, lions, leopards, and dolphins.
If you would rather find ways to let your children learn about the past, there are several museums that offer unique opportunities and experiences. First off, there is the Titanic Artifact Exhibit located at the Luxor. This exhibit houses many actual artifacts from the doomed voyage, including the largest piece of ship wreckage acquired in the world! There is also the Las Vegas Natural History Museum, just 5 miles off the Vegas Strip, which includes lifelike replicas of wooly mammoths, dinosaurs, and many other kinds of extinct animals from throughout history.
Free Attractions!
There are also several attractions that are FREE to enjoy or participate in. Behind the world-famous Caesar’s Palace in the shopping mall center is a spectacular fountain that, on every hour of every day, puts on a show. Entitled “The Fall of Atlantis,” the fountain, along with animatronic figures, tells the myth of the legendary city of Atlantis with water and fire. Of course, it’s hard to mention “fountain” in Las Vegas without also including the Bellagio Fountain Water Show. The fountain is accompanied by music and features lights and dancing water that can shoot up as high as 460 feet! The shows at the fountain run all day and night until midnight, so there is plenty of time to catch one of its shows. The Mirage also attracts passersby with its signature Volcano show. Right in its front yard, the volcano comes complete with fire, (fake) lava, smoke, and sound effects. Finally, the Wynn Resort has a free show entitled “The Lake of Dreams,” which is a nightly display of music, water, lights, puppetry, and other special effects.
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Pictured above: The Bellagio Fountain Water Show (left) and the Bellagio Resort (right)
In addition to the fountain shows, you can also see the world’s largest permanent circus at Circus Circus. Located at Carnival Midway, the show takes place daily, starting at 11am, and features clowns, flying trapezes, jugglers, and contortionists.
A couple of other ideas for your time in Las Vegas include: CSI: The Experience at the MGM Grand, The Botanical Gardens at the Bellagio, Bodies…The Exhibition at the Luxor, Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum, Tournament of Kings Dinner Show, Venetian’s Gran Canal Shoppes, and the famous Hoover Dam.
Food
Even though Las Vegas may not have a specific food that it is well-known for, the city takes pride in its large supply of celebrity chefs and buffet-style restaurants. Of course, you could also visit our friends at Shake Shack, located at the New York-New York Hotel & Casino, and enjoy a burger served on a Martin’s Famous Potato Roll!
Featured Recipes
Next time you are hosting guests, try replicating a Las Vegas buffet, but in “appetizer style” so there’s plenty of variety for everyone! An appetizer idea that is pretty simple to make is a crostini. Check out some of these crostini options and be sure to use Martin’s Potato Bread and Rolls to make them the best they can be!
Fruit, Goat Cheese, & Pecan Crostinis
Sources:
http://www.vegas.com/attractions/attractions-for-kids/
http://www.buzzfeed.com/mikespohr/awesome-things-to-do-with-your-kids-in-las-vegas#.lwWN4LgW51
http://www.minitime.com/trip-tips/20-Free-Attractions-in-Vegas-for-the-Whole-Family–article
http://www.lasvegas.com/planning-tools/vegas-basics/fun-facts/
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