With kids between about six and twelve, this is a great choice; it was nearly empty, but the rides all ran constantly. Our twelve-year-old ran the roller coaster 24 times in a row, and they both had so much fun it's all they wanted to do the rest of the time we were there.
Also on this end is the Stratosphere. Circus Circus didn't cost too much, but the Stratosphere will charge you to go to the roof, and then for each of the three rides that are up there. These rides are definitely for the thrill-seeker, not younger kids; all involve the natural human terror of the 1,000 or so feet you are already up in the air. My recommendation, if you ride these: wear Depends. There's also a beautiful revolving restaurant here with amazing views of Las Vegas Strip at night, but it too is expensive, and you must have reservations if you want to get in.
For the thorough geek, the Star Trek Experience is at one of the two Hiltons on this end as well – the one that's a little off the strip. And you can grab a bite to eat at the restaurant inside the nickel-slots casino on the corner of Sahara and the Strip, where they sell 99-cent hot dogs and other super-cheap snacks, counter service style (kids allowed). It's the best lunch deal on the Strip.
There are several other rides along the Strip, the two most outstanding ones being the roller coaster at New York New York (way down the road) and the Sahara's Speed roller coaster. But there are plenty of other things you can see and do down the road, both for free and for admission fees.
Start with the outdoor shows. The TI (Treasure Island) Sirens show pits pirates against beautiful wenches in a surprisingly long show that takes place in full-size boats floated in their moat. The shows are spaced well apart, so make sure you get there a little early. The volcano show in front of the Mirage, best seen at night, puts you in the jungle; the flames on the water-fountain-cum-volcano are hot enough to sear your skin from a good distance, so be ready for that.
Also at the Mirage: the awesome Siberian tiger habitat and a couple of other jungle-themed exhibits. The Siberians are incredibly beautiful and will pose for you if you keep an eye on them. Walk through all the free areas; in one place, a glass habitat for lions allows you to walk UNDER their (transparent plexiglass) feeding and sleeping areas; there's nothing quite like looking up at a flat lion, seeing its tongue drooping out as it snoozes just a couple of feet above you.
On the other side of the street, you can take a gondola ride at the Venetian, where much of Venice has been recreated without the smell. Nearby, a small strip mall boasts an excellent video gaming place (perfect for the preteen-teen break), the M&M store (four stories of all-M&M pleasure and merchandise) and the Coca-Cola store (a little disappointing, but nice).
Oh, did I mention the shopping? In nearly every casino, you'll find closely-themed shopping malls, all with small restaurants. Most are upscale, but there are some very unique specialty shops that you can't find anywhere else.
Again, good walking shoes: a walk from Treasure Island to the Luxor and back along the other side of the street takes you through incredible landscaping, unique architecture, and almost museum-quality reproductions, in some cases. For instance, the New York New York casino has the look of the entire city in a microcosm -- we felt like we were there, even though we'd just visited the city itself a month earlier.
If you're ready to spend some cash, you can find every imaginable Las Vegas show playing somewhere on the Las Vegas Strip as well. Start with the famous Blue Man Group, and go on to the five different Cirque du Soleil shows that are playing. Jubilee at Bally's has nearly-nude dancers in Bob Mackie costumes – adults only. For the kids, one of the David Copperfield magic shows is sure to impress. And you can find anything in-between. We didn't go to any shows because we ran out of time – too many other things to do! -- but we had seen the David Copperfield show before, and it is not to be missed. For shows, be sure to plan ahead; most of the bigger shows will sell out before you get to town, so you need to purchase tickets in advance.
What is really surprising: almost everything we did in Las Vegas was free or very cheap. No gambling, no high-priced shows, not even any medium priced shows. Over five days, all spent on the Las Vegas Strip, we were never, ever bored, kids and all. Las Vegas may once have been a gambling town. Today, it's an entertainment town, and not to be missed.
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