A Lifestyle Report: Family Vacations in Las Vegas Can be Winners

Las Vegas, NV. Nearly 40 million people visit Las Vegas each year, according to the local Visitor’s Bureau, and with thoughtful planning more families are finding unique activities to enjoy in and around the city.

One outing kids and their parents rave about is zip-lining over the Mojave Desert. Flightlinez Bootleg Canyon excursion is about a 20 minute drive from the Las Vegas Strip and offers a picturesque getaway with heart-pounding rides down four separate zip lines.

The tour requires approximately 4 hours to complete. The length of the tour depends on: group size, weather conditions, and other factors.

The Flightlines outing also offers beautiful views of Lake Mead, Mt. Charleston, and the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge. Bootleg Canyon zip-lines range in length from 1,150 feet to 2,546 feet. The zip-line tours are offered 7 days a week at a cost of $159. Contact: (702) 293-6885 for more info.

If you’re spending time in the city be sure to plan your itinerary before you head out the door. Most resorts occupy vast tracts of land, so hailing a taxi or renting a car and parking in the free casino structures will keep navigating around town manageable for younger kids.

There are quite a few age-appropriate shows including Cirque du Soleil’s LOVE.

Here comes the sun, Las Vegas. Cirque Du Soleil Love Show, Mirage, Las Vegas.

About Cirque du Soleil: Since 1984, the company has brought wonder and delight to more than 100 million spectators in more than 40 countries in more than 300 cities on six continents. Cirque du Soleil has 5,000 employees, including more than 1,300 performing artists from close to 50 countries. In Las Vegas, Cirque du Soleil has permanent resident shows like these: “O” at Bellagio, Mystère at Treasure Island, KÀ at MGM Grand, MINDFREAK® LIVE! at Luxor (Criss Angel’s new show, still backed by Cirque du Soleil), The Beatles LOVE at The Mirage, Zumanity at New York-New York Hotel & Casino, Michael Jackson ONE at Mandalay Bay. Tickets run from $69 to $180.

The Fountains of Bellagio–the Strip’s most famous free attraction–has some new musical hits: The Beatles, Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds, Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean and the ’40s Glenn Miller hit In the Mood.

The display launches every 15 minutes at night and has a 29-song repertoire. With massive water cannons blasting over 460 feet in the air, the $40 million dollar fountain captivates crowds. The water show takes place in an 8-acre man-made lake utilizing a network of pipes with more than 1,200 nozzles. The show is illuminated by 4,500 underwater lights.

The lobby is, in a word, grand, both in scale and in design. Above the 18-foot ceiling is a coffer filled with the most extraordinary glass sculpture, a chandelier called Fiori di Como by glass sculptor Dale Chihuly, whose work has been exhibited in every major museum in the world. This stunning piece is comprised of 2,000 hand-blown glass blossoms. Chihuly glass art sculptures also adorn the Bellagio Baccarat Lounge with the Clusters Persians centerpiece as well as his Blue Spears which outline areas of the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.

The lobby of the Bellagio is a also worth a look. Above the 18-foot ceiling is a chandelier called “Fiori di Como” created by glass artist Dale Chihuly. The stunning piece includes 2,000 colorful hand-blown glass blossoms.

If you loved the 1997 movie, Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition at the Luxor is right up your alley. Featuring more than 300 artifacts from the famous ship, the exhibit brings history to life.

the exhibit features a piece of Titanic’s hull, a full-scale re-creation of the Grand Staircase as well as a newly expanded outer Promenade Deck, complete with the frigid temperatures felt on that fateful April night.

The exhibit features a full-scale re-creation of the Grand Staircase as well as a newly expanded outer Promenade Deck.

Through May 31, see 15 of the most prestigious artifacts recovered from the R.M.S. Titanic including diamonds, sapphires, pearls and gold jewelry that once belonged to some of the wealthiest passengers.

Through May 31st, 15 of the most prestigious artifacts recovered from the Titanic are also on display, including diamonds, sapphires, pearls and gold jewelry that once belonged to some of the wealthiest passengers.

Described as a floating palace, the incomparable Titanic was deemed “practically unsinkable” by the White Star Line and its builders. However, on a calm April night in 1912, the massive luxury liner struck an iceberg and slowly sank into the North Atlantic.

One of the most striking pieces of “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition” is a huge portion of the hull called, “The Big Piece.” It’s the largest single slab of the ship ever brought to the surface and weights in at 15 tons. It took salvage crews two full days to slowly pull the 26-foot long piece of the ship up from the bottom of the Atlantic.

The 25,000-square-foot exhibit features numerous items from the Titanic, including luggage, the ship's whistles, floor tiles from the first-class smoking room, a window frame from the Verandah Cafe and an unopened bottle of champagne with a 1900 vintage.

The 25,000-square-foot exhibit features numerous items from the Titanic, including luggage, the ship’s whistles, floor tiles, and an unopened bottle of vintage champagne.

Here’s a link for tickets or Call 800-557-7428. Ticket Prices are $32.00 for General Admission, $24.00 for Children (4 – 12 years) and it’s free for children 3 and under.

Here are some other family activities worth checking out:

If you drive 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas you’ll find Hoover Dam and the beautiful Bypass Bridge. The dam was built during the Great Depression when thousands of men and their families came to Black Canyon to tame the Colorado River. It took less than five years to build the largest dam of its time, a massive structure which still make a huge impression.

Sopping at the outlet mall is a teen favorite. The Las Vegas Premium Outlets – North is on South Grand Central Parkway and has 150 stores including: Armani Exchange, Ann Taylor, Burberry, Coach, Cole Haan, Dolce & Gabbana, Elie Tahari, Kenneth Cole, Lacoste, Nautica, Polo Ralph Lauren, Salvatore Ferragamo, St. John, TAG Heuer, Theory, and Tory Burch.

For more information on how to make the most of a family trip to Las Vegas, contact the Las Vegas Convention and Visitor’s Authority.