[EmmyGrace]

My husband is going to be working in Vegas March 7 through 21. Our son, 5, and I are considering going with him. We've never been to Vegas, but I've always thought of it as an adults-only destination. So, I'm wondering, are there any family-friendly activities for us during the day while my husband is working? I'm also wondering about weekend activities for the three of us. My husband thinks the hotel we'll be staying in is located in NW Vegas, if that helps. Also, as I know nothing about Vegas, is it safe for our son and I to be on our own during the day? I mean no offense to anyone. I'd ask this about any place we'd travel to that I have no experience with.

Many thanks for any help you can give me.

EmmyG

[Nolan05]

One of the things our kids loved at that age was goig to the Rio and watching Show in the Sky and catching beads from the dancers...

[LVPoker1]

Circus Circus has an amusement park like feature. You could go to Red Rock and hike, my 4 year old loves to do that. You could also go to Mt Charleston. If you aren't afraid of heights go to the top of the Stratosphere.

As for safety it is a crazy city but most of the crime outside the worst neighborhoods is non violent and in the outskirt areas it is very low. You will be fine as long as you aren't wandering the areas near the strip or downtown away from the tourist hangouts. If you are out in the suburbs you are will be fine. Henderson, one of the suburbs, is one of the safest cities in the country, Most of the unicorporated NW, W and SW suburbs have similar low crime and what crime does exist is almost all non violent. Just be aware like you would in any other major city.

[Danknee]

My friend's 5 year old son wants to come to Vegas solely to go to Circus Circus, lol. He thinks it is better than Disneyland.

Popovich Comedy theater was a fun show for kids, plus I enjoyed it.

Bonnie Springs is a cool petting zoo.

There are plenty of parks and places you can walk around that are safe... Any neighborhood that you wouldn't want to walk around in during the day doesn't have any attractions you would be walking to anyway.

[Buzz123]

As the number one tourist destination in the world, we have to market ourselves as Sin City to attract adults to come here and spend money. But we have something like 300,000 kids in school here, so it is a very family friendly town no matter what anyone says otherwise. Except if you ask kids they'll say there is nothing to do, just like kids everywhere. What they mean is they aren't allowed in casinos without adult supervision.

There are lots of things to interest you, but the 5 year old won't enjoy the same things. You will need a car though. There is a bird sanctuary, and two small zoos, neither of which is great, but will keep a kid entertained. One of them is out by Red Rock Canyon, at Bonnie Springs Ranch, so it's a good place to go after seeing Red Rock which may not be a big deal to a 5 year old but you'll love it. Bonnie Springs is free, but they charge for the old west village with cowboys that hold shoot-outs. At one time we had both an Old Las Vegas and an Old Nevada, so I still can't remember which one is at Bonnie Springs. BTW: Bonnie Springs had a piano player many years ago who wrote "The Yellow Rose of Texas", or "The Eyes of Texas", (I forget which) and he had never been to Texas.

There is a museum of natural history downtown that is apparently popular with kids, but I'm ashamed to say I've never been there.

On the Strip, the neatest thing for kids might be the Shark Reef aquarium at Mandalay Bay. My seven year old granddaughter has been going there since she was two and still loves it. You'd think any kid that is on a first name basis with all the characters at Disneyland would be too jaded for the Shark Reef, but she's not. Then there are is the Dolphin Habitat and Siegfried and Roy's Secret Garden.

You might take him out to Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs also. It's a great place to have a picnic and stroll around feeding the ducks and geese, and chase the dozens of peacocks, including one or two all white ones. There are four fishing ponds. You'll see turtles and frogs ...well maybe you'll only hear the frogs calling "pull him in, pull him in", because they hide when they hear you coming.

Lots more I'm sure folks will post here.

[Buzz123]

Speaking of Mt. Charleston, you should still be able to take an old fashioned horse drawn sleigh ride in March. You could go sledding or snow tubing too.

[anbridges]

Well, depending on where you stay and if you will have access to a car, will really determine what all you can do as Vegas is much larger than just the strip. Here are a few things we have done, some tourist attractions, some not... links provided where possible.

Springs Preserve - Official Web Site
Bonnie Springs Ranch - Riding Stables, Horseback Tours
Red Rock Canyon Interpretive Association
Childs Play Las Vegas
Paint Your Own Pottery — The Artful Potter
Floyd Lamb State Park
Clark County Museum
Gilcrease Nature Sanctuary
Las Vegas Natural History Museum
Lied Discovery Children's Museum

[kimba01]

Last two times I was on Mt. Charleston, I didn't see the sleigh ride. Is it only weekends, maybe?

What about Springs Preserve?

The Red Rock has a visitor center that a kid should like. Lots of interactive stuff outside behind it. They also have a tarantula, scorpion and some lizards, which I did not see there in Oct. Plus, a couple tortoises, but they might still be hiding out down below. Interesting stuff.

[EmmyGrace]

Many thanks to all of you for the wonderful suggestions! Seems there is much to do for us.

Just one more quick question...what sort of clothing should we bring? Will we need winter coats?

Again, thanks to you all. Hope to be there soon...

[Buzz123]

Originally Posted by EmmyGrace

Many thanks to all of you for the wonderful suggestions! Seems there is much to do for us.

Just one more quick question...what sort of clothing should we bring? Will we need winter coats?

Again, thanks to you all. Hope to be there soon...

If you go up on the mountain you will need winter snow gear. Down here in town you might be in t-shirts one day and light jackets the next. After dark you might need sweaters under your jackets so bring clothes you can layer. It has been up and down more than usual lately. Highs of 70º one day and 50º the next. By March it is usually on a warming trend, but it is spring, and that means wind, and sometimes rain. I'm sure you'll go to Red Rock Canyon. It's not nearly as cold as Mt. Charleston, but it is higher elevation than town, so it will be cooler and probably windier.

Trees are already starting to blossom, so bring your Nasonex. Cold-Eeze is also good to have around. Newbies almost always get Vegas throat, and Cold-Eeze can nip it in the bud if taken in time. If you explain it to your GP maybe he/she will give you prescriptions for Z-paks to use in case anyone gets a throat infection. Might save you some down time.

Where are you coming from? Chances are it will be seem warm to you.