In a place that has been nicknamed “Sin City” it may be hard to imagine that there is much for the kids to do while you stay and play. However, Las Vegas has been working on changing its image to something a little more family friendly, and there are many things that you can do as a family that everyone will enjoy. Here’s a look at eight of the top choices.

What kid does not dream of being a knight or a princess? Going to see the Tournament of Kings at Excalibur is an exciting show for the whole family. The dinner show combines the fun of eating everything with your fingers (so prepare to be messy!) with jousting battles, the magic of Merlin, dancing maidens, and spectacular special effects.

For the adventurer, you can experience g forces by riding the Big Shot at the Stratosphere Tower at the stratosphere hotel. It is the tallest freestanding observation tower in the United States, as well as the tallest building west of the Mississippi. Your kids are sure to enjoy the observation decks as well as the ride up – the double decker elevators travel the distance in about 30 seconds.

For the taste of a theme park in Las Vegas, you can visit the AdventureDome inside of Circus Circus. This is the largest indoor theme park, and features a double loop, double corkscrew roller coaster. For the younger children, or those who prefer a little less excitement, there are many other calmer rides, including the traditional carousel.

For the arcade lovers, there is GameWorks on the Strip next to the MGM Grand Hotel. It features over 250 arcade games and the tallest free standing rock climbing structure in the world. You can also see the Coca Cola store with a 10 story tall Coke bottle, and an M&M factory offering three stories of exclusively colored M&Ms.

Next door at the MGM Grand you can see the Lion Habitat. This is a 5,000 square foot showcase of simulated jungle that allows visitors to view the lions as the play and go about their day. Lions are left on exhibit no longer than six hours at a time before being returned to their permanent home on an 8.5 acre ranch outside of the city. No whips and chains here either – handlers use only voice and hand signals to direct the lion’s movement from place to place.

The Mirage offers wildlife of a totally different type – dolphins. The Dolphin Habitat is home to a family of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, and is designed to provide a healthy and nurturing environment for them while educating the public on the role of marine life in the ecosystem. Besides tours for the public there are also education programs for students from preschool to university age. Definitely something you would not imagine seeing in the middle of the desert!

If seeing the dolphins or just the plain old Las Vegas heat has encouraged you to get wet as well, you can take the kids to Wet n’Wild. The water park has more than a dozen ways to help you beat the heat, ranging from water slides to relaxing water rides. The two million gallons of water are kept clean and cool through the help of a state of the art filtering system, so it is definitely a good way to take a break from the desert heat of the Strip.

Lastly, for those who are looking for some speed, a must see is the NASCAR Café at the Sahara. The Café features a roller coaster known as “SPEED – The Ride” which uses linear induction motors to quickly reach its top speed of 70 mph. The ride begins inside of the Café, and then blasts passengers along the Las Vegas Strip.

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