Once known strictly for its gambling, partying and adult entertainment, Las Vegas, Nevada has transformed itself into a family-friendly destination. Many of the hotels and casinos on The Strip have added attractions that are fun for both kids and adults alike, including theme parks and rollercoasters, as well as museums and exhibits.
Adventuredome is an indoor theme park located in the Circus Circus hotel and casino complex, which features dozens of rides suitable for both kids and adults. Rides include Canyon Blast, a double corkscrew rollercoaster and SpongeBob 4-D, a totally new way to experience the Nickelodeon cartoon SpongeBob SquarePants. For younger children, there also is a Dora the Explorer 4-D film. Guests view these 4-D films in a motion simulator ride that combines a 3-D film with physical effects. There is a series of kiddie rides as well as family rides, and enough thrill rides to satisfy adults as well.
Above the 1,200-foot Stratosphere Tower are four mind-boggling rides available for the visitors of Las Vegas. The rides on the Stratosphere are the Sky Jump, Insanity, X-Scream and Big Shot. The Sky Jump allows riders to literally free fall 108 floors down the Stratosphere tower. Riders suit up and connect to a descender before taking their fall. Insanity is a more intense version of your traditional carnival swing ride, except the ride tilts at 70 degrees and hangs 900 feet above the Las Vegas Strip. The X-Scream resembles a giant teeter-totter, where riders are thrust up and down above the Las Vegas strip. The Big Shot sends tourists 160 feet in the air at 45 miles per hour, giving them the best views of the Las Vegas valley.
Set against a backdrop of New York Harbor, the Roller Coaster at New York New York takes thrill-seekers on a three minute ride up a hill of 203 feet, reaching speeds of 67 miles per hour. To make things a little more interesting, there is an inversion directly above the Las Vegas Strip. The Roller Coaster even takes a souvenir photo of each person on the ride, so they are bound to never forget their thrilling experience above the Strip.
