This post was contributed by Lisa Dion.
Last month I wrote about Spring Break, traveling with my kids through Arizona and Utah visiting National Parks. But the trip wasn’t all about appreciating the staggering natural beauty of the Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce Canyon.
No. It was also about exposing the virgin eyes of my twelve and nine-year-old to the lights, noise, and debauchery of Sin City. They totally loved it.
I found a ridiculously low rate for a room at Stratosphere, the northernmost hotel on the famed Las Vegas Strip. I paid an extra $4 for an upper floor so we could maximize the views. They make it back a little by charging a $28 “resort fee” to use the pool and Internet. Make no mistake, the house always wins…
One of the big draws for the kids was the idea of thrill rides located on the top of the hotel. Not only does the Strat have the tallest freestanding observation tower in United States at 1,149 feet, they offer rides up there. (And it follows that they would be the highest thrill rides in the U.S.). Of course you pay a fee to simply take the elevator to the indoor and outdoor.
observation decks. House wins again.
Once up there, you are surrounded by amazing views of the glittering city lights by night and the Spring Mountain range by day. We were on the fence about shelling out more dough for the rides, but then a couple approached us and offered tickets to X-Scream, a rollercoaster-style car that propels you 27-feet off the edge of the building into the air. Their rational fear became our mortal terror. Roman sat in front and Parker and I clutched each other in the middle seat. It was terrifyingly exhilarating.
I’m not a Vegasy show type person, but I’m a Beatles fans as is everyone in the family, so I surprised them with tickets to Love at the Mirage. It’s a Cirque du Soleil production set to the music of the Beatles featuring circus artistry in the round. It was pure magic. There’s a reason why it has sustained for more than 10 years and garnered numerous Grammy awards.
We ended the night with drinks at the Venetian for some fake Venice fun followed by the cool fountain light show outside of Bellagio. Every half hour between 3 and 8pm, the fountains explode, shooting water up into the air, choreographed to music and light.
Photos courtesy of Stratosphere
Stratosphere Casino, Hotel & Tower | 2000 Las Vegas Blvd. S, Las Vegas, NV
702.380.7777