LAS VEGAS -- You can't fault them for trying.
A dozen years ago, with the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors
Authority's public relations perspective completely opposite
today's "What-happens-here-stays-here" mind-set, many resort
properties added "family-friendly" attractions for the
not-yet-legal age group.
However, one gets the feeling that these diversions exist only
to keep kids marginally entertained so their parents will stay in
town and at the tables a bit longer.
And if you ever find yourself inside a casino with a stroller,
waiting for someone in your party to exit the rest room, you will
realize quickly how family-unfriendly the Strip is. (Without fail,
security will descend upon you and force you to keep moving, as
children, even unconscious ones strapped into a buggy, cannot
loiter in gaming areas.)
All is not lost, however, for younger visitors. Separated from
its gaming mecca alter ego, Las Vegas -- the city where people
actually live, work, play, and, yes, go to church -- is a western
mining town where families can find plenty of fun and
adventure.
Here is a sampling:
• Red Rock National Conservation Area. Just 17
miles west of the Strip, Red Rock has an incredible array of
activities available along with a 13-mile scenic drive. The Red
Rock Canyon
Interpretive Association offers programs and guided hikes with
concentrations that include studies of petroglyphs, native insects
and arachnids; body-part-specific toning; and simple daytime
enjoyment.
The Web site, www.redrockcanyon.blm.gov/, also contains a
kids' section.
Take Charleston Boulevard west out of town. The scenic drive
opens at 6 a.m.; the visitors center opens at 8 a.m. and closes at
5:30 p.m. (winter, 4:30 p.m.) Admission is $5 per vehicle. Phone:
(702) 515-5350.
• Bonnie Springs, Old Nevada. Just down the
road from Red Rock, with towering brick-red mountains as its
backdrop, Old Nevada is a replica of a late 19th century mining
town.
Lining the gravel street are storefronts selling western
souvenirs like turquoise and silver. There also is a mock shoot-out
and a hanging.
All of that is entertaining enough, but the real attraction for
the kids is the "zoo." From burros (you may have spotted their wild
cousins on the drive out) to wolves to prairie dogs and even a
wallaby, desert-dwelling animals are cared for by a largely
volunteer team.
Deer, goats, pigs, chickens and other creatures roam about
freely for petting. They're a hoot to watch, but be warned that
they will eat any dangling article of clothing, so dress
appropriately.
Bonnie Springs also has riding stables and a restaurant on site.
Open 365 days a year, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Admission: $7 per car
(up to six people) weekdays, $10 per car weekends. Address: 1
Gunfighter Lane, Blue Diamond. Phone (702) 875-4191; Web: www.bonniesprings.com.
• Gilcrease Orchard and Bird Sanctuary.
Gilcrease is a "pick-your-own" farm with watermelon, zucchini and
apricots among its offerings. The produce is less expensive than
its grocery counterparts, and the flavor defies comparison. Biting
into a Gilcrease watermelon is like eating juicy candy. If their
apple cider is available, get that, too.
Gilcrease Orchard is open daily from 8 a.m. until noon, except
during the winter when it's open on Saturdays only.
When you're finished at the orchard, just take Tenaya north to
Racel, turn left, and look for the Silk Purse Ranch sign on the
left side of the road. That's where you'll find the Gilcrease Bird
Sanctuary. Admission is $4 for adults, $1 for children.
The sanctuary is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m.
until 3 p.m. From guineas to rheas, the bird population runs the
gamut, but they also have dwarf horses, rabbits, llamas, lizards
and a petting zoo with goats and sheep. A couple of resident dogs
have run of the place, as well, giving the whole thing the
comfortable feel of a visit with friends.
Drive north from town, up Route 95 to the Durango exit east,
then right on Grand Teton. Phone: (702) 645-6808.
• Mount Charleston. You don't go to Mount
Charleston for pre-packaged fun; this is a place to celebrate the
outdoors. Whether you're aching for a white Christmas, or you need
to escape the 120-degree July heat, a visit to the Spring Mountain
range is a quick drive up Route 95 and offers plenty to do.
If you decide to picnic in the area near the lodge and cabins,
there will be a $5 fee per car to enter. Parking throughout the
area is otherwise free.
Hiking opportunities are abundant, and there is a relatively
cheap ski area at Lee Canyon. Skiing is an option from Thanksgiving
to Easter as long as snowfall cooperates. Lift tickets are $33 a
day for adults, with various discounts available (senior, half-day,
student). Full information on equipment, clothing, snowboard rental
as well as hours of operation and lessons can be found at www.skilasvegas.com.
Mount Charleston Riding Stables offers trail rides boasting
views of pine valleys, snow-capped mountaintops and rustic log
cabins -- sights you'd never expect to see in the Neon Desert.
• Lied Children's Discovery Museum. Lied has
something for all in the age 10-and-under set. Babies get their own
space in the padded crawl area, and pre-schoolers can learn about
mining, transportation of materials and building -- in the huge
Boulder Mountain and Cactus Construction play zones.
Elementary students will enjoy a lesson in earning a living:
They choose a career, get paid, visit the bank and go grocery
shopping. There is also a rotating exhibit space that features
interactive displays from Muppets to
shoes (which, when presented with Lied creativity, is a
surprisingly involving subject).
On a conical tower is mounted a panoramic camera the kids can
control, and inside the tower is a huge neon sculpture manipulated
by a piano keyboard. There are seasonal creative projects such as
lei making or leaf pressing, and a stage with costumes for little
drama kings and queens.
Open Tuesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. through 5 p.m. Admission
is $6 for adults, $5 for children and seniors. Address: 833 Las
Vegas Blvd. N. Phone: (702) 382-3445; Web: ldcm.org.
• Las Vegas Natural History Museum. It always
has been difficult to pull the kids away from the marine life room
at the front of the museum, even more so now that the live fish
display includes a "Finding Nemo" tank. Other rooms hold
re-creations of fossil digs, audio-animatronic dinosaurs, the
natural desert habitat and an African exhibit.
There is plenty here to keep younger children involved,
including a hands-on archaeological dig. However, teenagers and
lone adults may be underwhelmed by the anemic content.
Open daily 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults, $3
for kids under age 12. Address: 900 Las Vegas Blvd. N. Phone: (702)
384-3466; Web: www.lvnhm.org.
• Ethel M Chocolates Factory Tour. This is a
self-paced tour along a long hallway of plate-glass windows looking
into the factory. Video stations along the way explain what you are
seeing, but it's difficult to pay attention when you're woozy from
the intense chocolate aroma.
After watching the magic, you're invited to a sample in the gift
shop, which also sells ice cream, souvenirs and, of course, candy.
Outside, you'll find a two-and-a-half-acre garden of cactus and
other drought-tolerant desert plants and trees.
Open daily from 8:30 a.m. until 7 p.m. Admission is free. Be
sure to call the factory before you go to make sure they're in
production that day. Address: 2 Cactus Garden Drive, Henderson.
Phone: (888) 627-0990; Web: www.ethelm.com.
• Valley of Fire State Park. Valley of Fire
transports you to an other-worldly desert where bright red sand and
odd rock formations have served as other planets in movies such as
"Star Trek: Generations." There are petroglyphs here,
long-abandoned stone "cabins" and a hide-out for a renegade Native
American in the late 1800s. You can pick up maps at the Visitors
Center, open daily from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
A word to the wise: If the temperature in Las Vegas is nearing
100 degrees, don't go. If you ignore this warning, then take enough
water to drink and to pour on yourself at regular intervals. Cost:
$6 per vehicle. Valley of Fire is an hour's drive north of Las
Vegas via Route 15 (exit 75). Web: http://parks.nv.gov/vf.htm.
• Clark County Heritage Museum. Forget what
you've heard about the cheap buffets downtown. With an admission
fee of $1.50 for adults, $1 for kids and seniors, this is easily
the best bargain you'll find in Las Vegas.
Begin your three-part tour inside the museum, where you can
trace Clark County's history from the Native Americans who lived
there first, all the way through the age of the casinos. The
changing exhibits are a highlight: Previously displayed was a
collection of aprons from different points in history as well as
commentary on the society of the day.
Behind the museum are buildings, tools and equipment from
pioneer days, including a jail, a store and a typical home and
tractor. You also are likely to see long-eared jackrabbits in their
natural desert habitat along the walk.
Children and train aficionados will enjoy the restored train
depot and walk-through caboose, and on the Heritage Street Tour
visitors get to view the interiors of homes from almost every
decade of the 1900s.
The houses were actual Clark County homes, moved to the museum
and decorated in the style of the era. If you visit near Christmas,
you'll have the added treat of seeing the homes decked out for the
holidays.
There are also periodic contests, which add an entertaining
dimension to the historical tour. For instance, you may find
ingredients laid out in each kitchen. The challenge would be to
figure out what is being made, and your reward for success is a
take-home book containing each recipe. Open daily from 9 a.m. until
4:30 p.m. Address: 1830 South Boulder Highway; phone: (702)
455-7955; Web: www.co.clark.nv.us/parks/Clark_County_Museum.htm.
• Tenaya Creek Restaurant and Brewery. Hey,
eating is an activity. And when on vacation with kids, it's
sometimes difficult to pick a nice, nonchain restaurant with any
confidence.
Tenaya Creek is a wonderful place to eat, prices are reasonable
and the wait staff is unfailingly accommodating to children. Also,
one of its home brews is a rich root beer that's so tasty you might
find yourself sneaking sips from your child's straw (just be aware
that refills are not complimentary).
Address: 3101 N. Tenaya Way. Phone: (702) 362-7335; Web: www.tenayacreekbrewery.com.
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