Wanderlust World Wanderlust World The waves of water shoot toward the sky and dance in rhythm with various tunes from Chopin to Sinatra in Lake Bellagio in front of the casino resort of the same name. The show is held every 30 minutes starting in the early afternoon and every 15 minutes in the evening.
Renovated in 2008 to reinvigorate what had become a stale show, the volcano in front of the Polynesian-themed resort now features more fire and a musical beat created by Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart. The volcano "erupts" once an hour after dark.
Just down from The Mirage, pirates battle it out in front of Treasure Island on a nightly basis. Now called Sirens of TI, what was once a fight between pirates and British soldiers is now a clash between shirtless men and women in skimpy outfits on pirate ship replicas with plenty of pyrotechnics.
The sound and light show underneath a 90-foot canopy that covers Fremont Street draws crowds to Downtown. Held every half hour nightly, this show is a delight for the eyes and ears, and it's convenient to nearly a dozen casinos on Fremont Street.
If you want to get away from the casinos for a day, this is a nice side trip. Located 19 miles west of Las Vegas, Red Rock Canyon is named for the colorful rocks and features a 13-mile scenic drive with plenty of pullover stops with hiking trails.
Located inside the south Strip casino, this glass enclosed exhibit features a rotating cast of lions and lionesses who mostly just lay around, but they occasionally play with trainers. There is a walkway that goes through the middle of the exhibit (still protected by the glass, of course) for better viewing.
This interactive wax museum at The Venetian allows visitors to get up close and personal with their favorite celebrities--the wax versions of them, that is. Featuring stars from screen (Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts), stage (Elvis, Liberace), politics (George Washington, Barack Obama) and more, the museum charges an admission fee.
If you have children in tow and want to beat the heat, this indoor theme park at Circus Circus is the place for you. It features a roller coaster, log flume ride, a laster tag game, miniature golf and an arcade.
The famed circus troupe Cirque du Soleil puts on several major productions on the Strip, but tickets don't come cheap at around $100 and up. The best choices include Mystere at Treasure Island, Love at The Mirage, O at Bellagio and KA at MGM Grand.
There are plenty of entertaining illusionists in this town, and most shows are good for children. The best selections are Lance Burton at Monte Carlo, Mac King at Harrah's and Penn & Teller at the Rio. David Copperfield also has a semi-regular show at MGM Grand.