Frommer's Las Vegas 2004

196
CHAPTER 7 . WHAT TO SEE & DO IN LAS VEGAS
1965, when stuffed elk and brown bears forever protecting their kill were as
close as most of us got to exotic animals. Worn around the edges but very sweet
and relaxed, the museum is enlivened by a hands-on activity room and two lifesize
dinosaurs that roar at one another intermittently. A small boy was observed
leaping toward his dad upon watching this display, so you might want to warn
any sensitive little ones that the big tyrannosaurs aren’t going anywhere. Surprisingly,
the gift shop here is particularly well stocked with neat items you won’t
too terribly mind buying for the kids.
900 Las Vegas Blvd. N. (at Washington). & 702/384-3466. http://vegaswebworld.com/lvnathistory. Admission
$5.50 adults; $4.50 seniors, students, and military; $3 children 4–12; free for children under 4. Daily
9am–4pm.
Lied Discovery Children’s Museum Finds A hands-on science museum
designed for curious kids, the bright, airy, two-story Lied makes an ideal outing
for toddlers and young children. With lots of interactive exhibits to examine,
including a miniature grocery store, a tube for encasing oneself inside a soap
bubble, a radio station, and music and drawing areas, you’ll soon forget your
video-poker losses. Clever, thought-inducing exhibits are everywhere. Learn how
it feels to be handicapped by playing basketball from a wheelchair. Feed a
wooden “sandwich” to a cutout of a snake and to a human cutout, and see how
much nutrition each receives. See how much sunscreen their giant stuffed mascot
needs to keep from burning. On weekend afternoons from 1 to 3pm, free
drop-in art classes are offered, giving you a bit of time to ramble around the gift
store or read the fine print on the exhibit placards. The Lied also shares space
with a city library branch, so after the kids run around, you can calm them back
down with a story or two.
833 Las Vegas Blvd. N. ( 1 ⁄2 block south of Washington, across the street from Cashman Field). & 702/382-
5437. www.ldcm.org. Admission $6 adults, $5 seniors and children 1–17. Tues–Sun 10am–5pm.
MGM Grand Youth Center This is the sole child-care center on the Strip,
and according to the genial manager, it’s booked solid during summers and on
holidays. MGM Grand hotel guests get first priority to leave their youngsters in
this warren of brightly decorated and well-supervised, albeit windowless, rooms.
Arts and crafts compete with Nintendo and videos for kids’ attention, and there
are no organized activities (although they do serve meals). If we were children
and our parents left us here on a family vacation, we’d never let them forget it.
In the MGM Grand Hotel, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd. S. & 702/891-3200. For children 3–12 (no diaper wearers).
Daily 11am–11pm. Costs vary, depending on season and whether you are a guest of the hotel (call ahead to
get more information).
Scandia Family Fun Center This family-amusement center, located
just a few blocks off the Strip, is still the most viable alternative for those who
need to amuse children not quite old enough for GameWorks, or for those on a
tighter budget. Certainly it’s where local families come for outings, and they
keep the batting cages hopping ($1.25 for 25 pitches). The arcade is a bit warm
and stinky, and other parts (including miniature-car racing and bumper boats,
$4 per ride; small children ride free with an adult) are a bit worn, but the miniature-golf
course (three 18-hole courses, $5.50 per game, free for children under 6)
is quite cute. Still, we do have to wonder about those round-the-clock weekend
hours; we certainly hope those playing miniature golf at 4am are not parents
occupied by children.
2900 Sirius Ave. (at Rancho Dr. just south of Sahara Ave.). & 702/364-0070. Free admission, but there’s a
fee for each game or activity. Super Saver Pass $12 (includes 1 round of miniature golf, 2 rides, and 5 game