Las Vegas, NV

5 Top-Rated Kid Spots

• 1. To cut through the Las Vegas clutter, head straight for Circus Circus, consistently rated as the most kid-friendly casino in Las Vegas. The resort's claim-to-kid-fame is Adventuredome, an enclosed five-acre amusement park suitable for all age groups. There are 16 rides and attractions ranging from a wild and wooly roller coaster, to a gentle Ferris wheel, to the Inverter, a turn-you-upside-down-and-shake-you-silly ride. And don't miss the "big top," featuring high-wire acts.

Magician Lance Burton,
copyright Lance Burton

• 2. Master Magician Lance Burton is sure to get a big smile from all but the most jaded of youngsters. Along with his impressive feats of magic and glitzy production numbers, Burton makes a big point of playing to his youngest audience members, bringing many of them to the stage in the early-evening shows.

• 3. Race for Atlantis, a most-enjoyable high-tech ride that combines the latest in simulator technology with an IMAX 3D film, takes kids and adults into a fast-paced chariot race run by the gods. Your little ones must be at least 42 inches tall to go on the ride.

• 4. MGM Grand, the largest hotel in the world with 5,001 rooms, offers two highly rated options for kids: Lion Habitat, with up to five lions in a glassed-in jungle enclosure, and Grand Adventures, a seasonal outdoor theme park with water rides and shows.

Hoover Dam, copyright
Bureau of Reclamation

• 5. Just 30 miles from The Strip, Hoover Dam puts on a great show of its own (kids of all ages seem to love it). There are two tours inside this amazing engineering marvel: a 30-minute elevator ride to the base of the dam and back, and a more-adventurous one-hour "hard-hat" tour that takes wide-eyed participants to see the inner workings of the dam and its electrical generators.