Is Las Vegas a family destination, or not? This Dad says families can get lucky here and have a vacation that beats all odds.

Surely in 1947, Bugsy Siegel couldn’t have envisioned roller coasters and walk-through aquariums a short stroll from his dens of gambling.  Yet today, "the Strip" is rife with themed casinos and diversions such as a perpetually erupting volcano and a refuge for white tigers.  Back in the mid-90's, there was a crush of coverage about Vegas becoming a family resort.  Not long afterwards, we were all reading just the opposite: Vegas was never meant to be a kids’ retreat.

The plain fact is that on any given day one will see plenty of families with rugrats in tow, strolling the Strip.  Then again, there are plenty of venues where rattling robots are supplanted by female flesh.  A bit of a dichotomy, isn’t it?

And doesn't the nature of these types of attractions draw a family crowd? Gina Cunningham, editor at the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau news bureau, responded, “Las Vegas is an adult city.  The whole family destination idea was created by the media.  As far as the Shark Reef or the roller coasters and venues like that, most are inside or on the property of casinos.”   Cunningham answered that many casinos “are trying to bring out the kid in people.  Maybe we can say the city is soliciting the young at heart.”

I took my 7 and 9-year-old daughters to Las Vegas, and we spent most of our time on the Strip.  They eschewed body-shaking roller coasters and the motion manic “Ride to Atlantis” at Caesar’s Palace and still found plenty to keep them busy.  Reluctant family destination that it is, Las Vegas has much for the young at heart and in body.  Following is a Lucky 7 attractions and activities guide on or near the Strip which kept two kids smiling for three days.

1. Circus Circus

2880 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, Nevada  89109
800/634-3450

This veteran resort may not have the cachet of say, the Bellagio, but with its 123-foot-tall clown marquee, live circus acts and cacophonous arcades, it’s still the best place on the Strip to stay with youngsters.

Since it opened in 1968, this Vegas stalwart has been offering free circus acts on its Midway Stage.  In 1993, Circus Circus also became home to the Adventuredome, a five-acre indoor theme park with and attractions including a boat trip with its own waterfall, and a double-loop, double corkscrew roller coaster.  Despite such high tech wonders, our kids best liked watching acrobats jump rope while in the form of human pyramids, and playing carnival games on the midway mezzanine, a superb place to remove spare change from your pockets and wrinkled bills from your wallets.

2. Madame Tussauds

3377 Las Vegas Boulevard South, Suite 2001
Las Vegas, Nevada  89109
702/862-7800

Over 100 wax figures are protected from the desert heat inside of Madame Tussauds, adjacent to the Venetian Hotel.  More than just an opportunity to take pictures with wax celebrities, Madame Tussauds has never discouraged guests from touching the figures, but now they encourage a new sort of interaction. 

Since it is in Vegas, this Madame Tussauds wouldn’t be complete without the King.  Elvis is always on stage, putting on a show for just a half dozen seats and guests can choose to join him on stage or stay in the audience. Also, kids can compete with Shaq on the court or join the Blue Man Group, trying out their PVC instruments and experiencing a live Blue Man performance firsthand.  The newest scene is more of an historical event, representing the moon landing with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin.  Madame Tussauds constantly updates their museum of celebrities; the most recent additions are Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow and Orlando Bloom as Will Turner from the film "Pirates of the Caribbean."

3. Lance Burton Theatre

Monte Carlo Resort and Casino
3770 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, Nevada  89109
877/386-8224

Prestidigitation is no rarity on the Strip.  We caught Lance Burton’s show and we wondered how kids could ever express themselves if the word “cool” was removed from the English language.  According to the children, some of the “coolest” feats accomplished by the handsome magician were making a car fly, and splitting two people into eight parts, each reappearing in the other’s clothes. 

Children were in abundance in the audience and Burton employed them in his act.  One boy vanished from the stage with Burton, then drifted down with him on a chandelier five minutes later. “Cool,” isn’t it?

4. M&M’s World

3785 South Las Vegas Boulevard
Las Vegas, Nevada  89109
702/736-7611

A splashy four-story ode to commercialism and chocolate, M&M’s World combines the latest in special effects with 26,000-square-feet of merchandise devoted to one of the world’s favorite snacks.  The audience dons 3-D glasses and watches a clever mini-movie called “I Lost My M in Vegas,” before heading out to an M&M’s megastore.  Here one can buy everything from M&M‘s (what is the singular of M&M anyway?) candy dispensers to the little round candies in a multitude of colors you’re never imagined.  While there are a few exhibits, one shouldn’t expect extensive displays like those at the World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta or The Crayola Factory in Easton, Pennsylvania. There was an entrance fee to the show, but it was dropped a few years ago.

5. The Liberace Museum

1775 East Tropicana Avenue
Las Vegas, Nevada  89119
702/798-5595

Mr. Showmanship’s showplace, while located a few blocks off Las Vegas Boulevard, celebrates the life and possessions of the man whose name was synonymous with the Strip for decades.  So what if today’s kids think Liberace is a name of a type of pasta?  The world’s most luxurious cars, keyboards and outfits, studded with rhinestones and other frills, are eye candy for youngsters. Thanks to a major expansion, visitors can now also see a recreation of Liberace’s master suite from The Cloisters, his Spanish-style hacienda in Palm Springs.

To our 7-year-old, the pianos and clothes were “sparkly,” while our 9-year-old found Liberace’s pink “Volks Royce” (a Beetle he purchased during the 1970s energy crunch and customized to look like a Rolls) a truly engrossing creation. A budding pianist, she also found a videotape of a Liberace’s performance on the Queen Mary inspiration to continue with her lessons.

6. The Strip by Day -- Lions and Tigers and Sharks, Oh My!

The Strip has always been a bit of a zoo, but in the last several years, that statement has taken on a literal meaning.  More accurately, the Strip is filled with mini-zoos. The MGM Grand has a lion habitat, the Tropicana and the Mirage have tigers, and Mandalay Bay has sharks and other marine life.

We journeyed into the Secret Garden of Siegfried & Roy in the Mirage, still open in spite of Roy’s injury, where grand white tigers stretched and rolled like house cats on a living room sofa.  Hand-held audio guides filled us in on fun facts about the animals. 

The Mirage also maintains a dolphin habitat where Atlantic bottlenoses are prone at times to play ball with visitors walking past.  Hands-on rules at the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay, where a touch pool accompanies the main aquarium complex. Kid’s report: the shark and sea stars felt rough, the sea cucumber and stingray were slimy. A word of advice -- most of these animals experiences don’t come cheap.

7. The Strip by Night -- Pyrotechnics, Fake Lava and Dancing Waters

This is when the real animals -- the party animals -- come out. Still, walking the Strip at night is very safe, despite the presence of pirates, dragons and volcanoes.

The neon jungle which is Vegas by night can be seen by driving the bumper to bumper parade on the Strip.  For more thorough enjoyment, park the car and take the young ones to the free nightly outdoor special effects spectaculars.  For example, the Mirage Volcano, amid palm trees and a lagoon, spews smoke and fire 100 feet into the air. 

Want something a bit less strident? The Fountains of the Bellagio dance nightly to the music of masters such as Pavarotti and Sinatra. Treasure Island replaced its G-rated pyrotechnic pirate ship battle show with a more sensuous pyrotechnic battle show called “The Sirens of Ti,” complete with sultry sirens seducing renegade pirates.  Decide for yourself if you want your children to see it, but suffice it to say it is no Super Bowl halftime presentation.

For more information, visit the Las Vegas Visitor Information Center, 3150 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, Nevada 89109 (877/847-4858).