On my most recent trip to Las Vegas, I found myself saying to my husband more than once, “Oh, the kids would have liked this!” That’s because we happened to take in a handful of family-friendly attractions while we were there — without our children! I’m not a big proponent of vacationing with kids in Las Vegas; do you really want to explain the why people are handing out “XXX Girls!” cards on the street? But if you’re road-tripping through Sin City with kids in 
tow, or if you’re attending a Vegas convention and want to bring the whole family along, here are some of the top activities and attractions in Las Vegas for school-age children:
Cirque du Soleil: If you have a child age eight and up who is involved in theatre, dance or gymnastics, I’d bite the bullet and spend the big bucks ($100 or more) to take him or her to a Cirque du Soleil performance. While I sat mesmerized during The Beatles LOVE (at the Mirage), I couldn’t help but think of my nine-year-old daughter, who would have absolutely appreciated all of the special effects, the music and especially the excellent hip-hop dancing and incredible acrobatics. Just make sure you book tickets for the earlier evening shows (around 7 or 7:30 p.m.) ; and avoid the R-rated, sexy Zumanity. (Mystere and O are other shows I can personally recommend. The music and sound effects can be loud; best to leave kids with sensitive ears at home.)
Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay: Compare the Shark Reef exhibit to, say, the New England Aquarium, and you’ll be disappointed. But, consider that this attraction is just one section of the (albeit massive) Mandalay Bay resort property, and it’s rather impressive. About 2,000 creatures in 1.6 million gallons of seawater make their home here, including piranahs, jellyfish, rays, sea turtles, Komodo Dragons, and, naturally, sharks. I like the audio tour (see photo) that’s included with admission; at each exhibit, touch a button to learn more about the animal — no reading required. Another plus: the aquarium emphasizes conservation of earth’s natural resources; signs (reading required) teach about environmental education. Admission is $16.95 for adults; ages 5 to 12, $10.95.
BODIES…The Exhibition at the Luxor: This human anatomy exhibit is fascinating. See real firsthand the inner workings of human bodies that have been polymer preserved — with exhibits detailing the respiratory, circulatory and muscular systems. Cool stuff! I saw several tween-age children here, and none were pointing and giggling at the, er, private parts on display. An option audio tour offers fascinating educational information in vocabulary that’s toned down and appropriate for kids (hubby and I actually liked listening to the kids’ less-technical version better). Choose whether or not you want to walk through the preserved fetuses; this section is totally optional (but, to me, one of the most interesting exhibits). Also see a set of smokers’ lungs; if that won’t encourage you to quit, I don’t know what will. Adult admission is $31; children ages 4 to 12 is $23. (Though, I likely wouldn’t recommend to kids under age seven.)
Titanic, The Artifact Exhibition at the Luxor: My seven-year-old son became fascinated by the ill-fated ship after reading Tonight on the Titanic from the Magic Tree House series of books. He was thoroughly bummed he missed out on this exhibit of actual items retrieved from the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. Staterooms and hallways are re-created at this Luxor attraction, and we entered a room kept at frigid temperatures so that we could touch a giant “iceberg.” We read of actual passengers’ stories on the Titanic — sad tales of families who were planning on making new lives in America, but never made it, and we looked at hundreds of artifacts, such as dishware, passengers’ clothing and luggage, and one 15-ton piece of the ship’s starboard hull. I think this is an excellent way for kids to learn about a tragic event in world history — seeing these artifacts up close is much more interactive than reading of the disaster in history books. Admission is $27 for adults; $20 for children.
