Grab your camera and hop on the fully restored authentic 1960’s-era London double-decker bus and begin your tour at the Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino. Sit inside in comfort or head up to the top level for some fresh air and the best view. Journey down the Strip to Fremont Street (time and traffic permitting, otherwise you may turn back sooner) with an “intermission” for a few minutes to rest, gamble or grab a bite to eat at the Stratosphere.

Along the way you’ll get inside information on the hotels, casinos and sights of the Strip from your funny, knowledgeable and entertaining guide. In between tidbits of history about the town, you’ll be treated to musical performances of classic hits from your celebrity host and have the chance to take plenty of pictures of the “star” in action.

The tour lasts ninety minutes and returns to Planet Hollywood at the conclusion. But the fun doesn’t stop there – riders get a bevy of extra perks. Enjoy two-for-one dinner and drinks at Pampas Brazilian Grille where waiters bring a never-ending parade of grilled skewered meat and seafood (and if that doesn’t fill you up, there’s also a hot and cold salad bar). You’ll also be treated to free tickets to the Mac King Comedy Magic Show. Head over to Harrah’s Hotel and Casino and enjoy a performance of side-splitting family friendly comedy, appropriate for all ages, from the hilarious and entertaining Mac King.

Slot machines are like video games that require no skill. Insert money, pull lever, and wait with bated breath to see if the fickle and mysterious lady luck will smile on you and let you hit the jackpot – or at least win enough to play again. And luck is not on your side; the casinos were designed to suck you in and take your money and they very rarely give it back.

So forget the slots and head to the Pinball Hall of Fame instead. Run by the Las Vegas Pinball Collectors Club, it is a museum of antique pinball machines, but unlike at most museums, visitors here are encouraged to get hands on with the displays. If you are going to throw your money away in 25 cent increments, you should at last have fun doing it! And not only is the Pinball Hall of Fame a fun trip down memory lane, but it’s also a little boost for your karma (which may not be so good after a few days of partying in Vegas): as a registered 501 (c) 3 non-profit, the Hall of Fame donates all proceeds after expenses to the Salvation Army.

For pinball aficionados this unmarked building next to the Tropicana Cinema is a must-see. The Hall of Fame boasts over 4500 square feet of games, mostly from the 1950’s – 1980’s. Admission is free and older games are only 25 cents to play, while a few newer ones from the 1990’s are 50 cents. There are also classic arcade games like Ms. Pacman, Tetris, Donkey Kong and Paperboy. All the games are non-violent and family friendly and have been lovingly restored to original playing condition.

Among the treasure trove of historic games, the Hall of Fame also contains one of the only two Pinball Circus machines left in the world. This is the only machine of the nearly 200 pinball games at the Hall that costs $1 to play, and for most it is worth the extra cost. The game has three vertical playing fields with seven flippers, which makes this antique very unique among its kind and even more fun to play.

For kids of all ages, the Pinball Hall of Fame offers a chance to trade in the bells and whistles of the slots for that of the arcade. It is a welcome respite of good old-fashioned fun in Sin City.

Unless you let your kids play craps, blackjack, or bet on their video games, then you probably have avoided Las Vegas as one of your family hotspots for vacation. But just because Vegas doesn’t have an honored mouse running around with all of his little friends in the kingdom doesn’t mean you should ignore what the beautiful desert city has to offer families like yours or mine. Sure, when you think of the City of Sin and their “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” motto, you aren’t thinking of children’s activities. But one of the greatest places families can go in the sandy, lit up strip of Nevada is the Lied Discovery Children’s Museum.

With over 22,000 square feet of exhibits, your kids will get to enjoy a hands-on experience as they learn about art, science, humanities and early childhood. There are currently 100 permanent exhibits kids can interact and learn while having fun at the same time. And to keep things more interesting, and families coming back year after year, of course, is by offering a rolling schedule of temporary featured exhibits, such as Clifford and Grossology: The (Impolite) Science of the Human Body to get the kids’ imaginations moving. You know how kids love to learn about yucky stuff. And the best part is they can touch everything in the museum, which will keep them more interested than if they were in a more formal learning environment that represents a cold funeral home. In addition to the wide array of exhibits for the little ones to get their hand son, there are also several educational programs to keep the learning process going.

Another important feature is the price it costs to get in. With all the fun and interactive education you and your children will get, you would think it should cost more than the $7-8 admission fee, right? And at a time when vacation budgets are being cut, it is important to get the most bang for your buck. So next time you are near the town of secrecy, feel comfortable knowing that there are places like this you can take the kids to for some pure, clean fun. And who knows, you might just end up having a great time with them!

If you ever go on vacation with the family, I am more than positive you have never considered Las Vegas. I mean, “Sin City” a place to bring the kids? All that gambling, liquor, and adult entertainment would be enough to prevent Vegas from entering the arena of vacation planning, right? Well, you may not know this, but there are plenty of things to do with the kids in the land of “evil”. And the funny part is that some of them are located right in the heart of the strip.

All kids love pets. At least, all of mine do, and since I have five then majority rules, I suppose. And nothing is funnier than when pets take on a human persona and run with it. So for some good family entertainment that doesn’t involve scantily clad cocktail waitresses and clouds of cigarette smoke, then you have to take the kiddies to Gregory Popovich’s Comedy Pet Theatre . Playing at the V Theater in the Planet Hollywood casino, this show is perfect for all ages. Cats, bird, mice, birds and more join their talents with humans to create the craziest circus you have ever seen before in your life. All of the animals are rescued from shelters across the country and have been trained to tale part in this amazing show.

Watch as the animals entertain the audience and fill the theatre with laughter as their little vignettes are simple yet hilarious. I mean, a cat pushing a dog in a stroller? How can anybody not find that absolutely amusing? Pets acting as humans are always fun to watch. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. Give your kids something they will be talking about forever, and even you the parent will be talking about it for years to come. But if you are planning on catching this show, buy your tickets early and make reservations. The word is out and it is one of the hardest shows to get into.

You won’t even know you are in a casino environment while sitting in the show, letting your family enjoy the other side of Sintown. And this is just one of the many family attractions that Vegas has to offer. So what are you waiting for? With shows like this, you will now have a reason to bring the family to the desert city that never sleeps.