Excerpt:
Las Vegas hardly existed before the turn of the 20th century and even then there wasn’t much to write home about until Hoover Dam was built in the 1930s. In the 1800s, Las Vegas (Spanish for “The Meadows”) was a stop on the Old Spanish Trail that took traders back and forth from the continent’s southwest interior to Los Angeles. In 1854, Mormon leader Brigham Young sent settlers from Salt Lake City to establish a colony and mine for lead in the nearby mountains. The Mormon fort built (see Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort, pg. 62) was the first non-Native American settlement in Southern Nevada, but the climate and environment were too harsh even for the hardy Mormons. In 1857, the fort was abandoned.
Although mining for gold and other valuable minerals attracted a few settlers and the State Land Act of 1885 brought a few adventurous farmers and ranchers to the area, growth was relatively stagnant until 1904, when a railroad linking Southern California and Salt Lake City established Las Vegas as a watering stop. The next year, the railroad auctioned off 700 lots in what is now downtown Las Vegas and a town was born.
In 1928, when the federal government appropriated $165 million for the construction of Hoover Dam, thousands of Depression-era job seekers began moving into the valley. Then, a few years later, Nevada Governor Fred Balzar signed the bill legalizing gambling and liberalizing divorce laws in the state. The feds, wanting to protect the dam workforce from the temptations of drinking and gambling, established Boulder City about 30 miles away to house workers. Drinking and gambling were outlawed in the government town, making Las Vegas an attractive getaway for thousands of construction workers with a little money in their pockets.
The new divorce laws also provided an economic boon to the area. A divorce could be obtained after just six weeks of residency, and soon “dude ranches” sprang up to accommodate the soon-to-be unmarried. These ranches, along with visitors traveling to see the dam, provided the beginnings of the budding tourist industry.
During World War II, the valley’s isolated location (along with the water and power provided by the dam) was ideal for military and defense industries. Nellis Air Force Base was established north of town, and Basic Magnesium, Inc., was established in Henderson to provide raw materials for the nation’s defense. Thousands of military and defense-industry workers temporarily swelled the area’s population and many stayed after the war ended.
During the war, the tourism industry began to take off with the building of two sprawling resorts on the Los Angeles Highway, now known as the Las Vegas Strip. The El Rancho Vegas, built in 1941, was first at the corner of what is now Sahara Avenue and the Strip. The Last Frontier was built in 1942, just a couple miles to the south. Both of these properties were Western-themed, low-rise motor inns attracting auto traffic from Southern California.
About that time, a compulsive gambler named W.R. “Billy” Wilkerson decided his best chance of beating the house was to own one. But he wanted something different. Wilkerson was a successful nightclub owner from Los Angeles and the publisher of the Hollywood Reporter. He designed an elegant upscale resort to attract his wealthy Hollywood friends. In 1946, Wilkerson began construction on what would become the Flamingo Hotel, but his gambling problem soon got the better of his dreams. He ran out of money, opening the door for a takeover of the project by notorious gangster and murderer Ben Siegel. In fear for his life, Wilkerson, the man who many believe “dreamed up” Las Vegas, fled to Paris.
The subsequent history of the Flamingo, the city’s first up-scale resort, is well documented in song and story (and a major motion picture). Siegel too ran out of money and, more importantly, ran out of support from his mobster patrons. He was shot to death in 1947.
The Flamingo, however, lived on to become a landmark on the Las Vegas Strip. Not one whit of the original building remains, but the name lives on.
Over the next decade, more hotels sprang up, many of them fronts for organized crime. The Desert Inn opened in 1950 and the Sands and Sahara hotels in 1952. Benny Binion opened the Horseshoe Hotel downtown in 1951. In 1955, the Riviera became the first Strip high-rise at nine stories. The Hacienda, Tropicana, Stardust, and downtown’s Fremont soon followed.
The 1960s saw the advent of the corporate takeover of the casino business. Howard Hughes started the trend when he moved into the penthouse suites at the Desert Inn. Legend has it that hotel management asked Hughes and company to vacate the suites so they could accommodate incoming high rollers. Hughes replied by buying the hotel. The purchase kicked off a buying spree the likes of which the city has never seen since. Between 1966 and 1968, Hughes bought the Desert Inn, Sands, Castaways, New Frontier, and Silver Slipper on the Las Vegas Strip, and the Landmark just off the Strip. Of those, only the Frontier still stands today. The Desert Inn and Sands were sold to Kirk Kerkorian, who went on to build not one, but two, MGM Grand hotels. Steve Wynn eventually bought the Castaways and tore it down to build the Mirage. He recently imploded most of the Desert Inn to make way for his newest megaresort, Wynn Las Vegas.
Hughes’ impact on the gaming industry was only the tip of the iceberg. In the 1950s, Hughes bought 22,500 acres of land on the western edge of the valley and in 1985, almost a decade after the billionaire’s death in 1976, the Howard Hughes Corporation announced it would build a planned community of homes and businesses on what was then called Hughes Site. Today, the development is called Summerlin and is home to more than 67,000 people. The company says more than 160,000 will call Summerlin home by the time the project is completed in 2020.
The growth of the casino-resort industry began a population boom that has never stopped. In 1960, the city had a population of just over 64,000 and the county was home to 127,000. By 1980, the county population had bloomed to 463,000, and today the valley is home to 1.5 million people, with an estimated 5,000 people moving in every month.
Corporate America and public trading of casino stock has been good to the Las Vegas gaming industry. In the last 20 years, an unprecedented building boom has added more than 60,000 hotel rooms and dozens of major resorts to the Las Vegas Strip.
Today Las Vegas is one of the fastest growing cities in the country, outpaced only by its bedroom communities of Henderson and North Las Vegas. Many visitors are surprised to find a thriving residential community existing just beyond the glare of the neon of the tourist corridor. Of course, we are a little different in some ways. Not many cities have slot machines in the grocery stores.
Children and Gaming
Las Vegas runs on gambling, alcohol, and sex. These are not family-friendly activities. Local laws strictly prohibit children from loitering in gaming areas and near slot machines wherever they are located. Children (anyone under 21) aren’t even allowed to stand around and watch while their parents gamble. Children are allowed to pass through casino areas on their way to restaurants or other attractions, but are not allowed to stop and hang out. Although many parents find it inconvenient, it’s the law and if security staff at your hotel seems unreasonably strict, it’s for good reason. The casino can lose its valuable gaming license or face stiff fines for letting children loiter in gaming areas.
Getting Around
Las Vegas might be one of the easiest cities in the world to drive around in. Traffic, except on the Strip, is relatively light and visibility is good. Streets are laid out in a straightforward grid and very few (most of them downtown) go only one way. Major east/west streets crossing the Strip are named for the hotels they pass. An added bonus is the lack of hills and trees. The hotels make excellent landmarks that can be seen for miles in all directions. The streets are wide and the traffic lights are timed.
Locals like to complain about the traffic and the rudeness of drivers, but it makes me wonder how a city with so many new residents can have so many people who are naïve about relative conditions. Compared to other cities, we have no traffic and, except for our ever-rushing cabbies, drivers are as courteous as anywhere, except maybe in the tourist areas where alcohol tends to fog brains.
The Strip gets clogged almost nightly. Strip traffic creeps on weekends and comes to a halt on major holidays. On New Year’s Eve, for example, the street is closed down completely to make room for hoards of revelers. This celebration is no place for children and I even wonder about the sanity of the adults who attend.
Parking is free and plentiful almost everywhere you go, except in the downtown area. Even there, the hotels offer some free parking; however, parking on the streets is metered and most parking spaces are found in municipal parking garages. The Strip hotels offer free valet parking, but it is customary to tip the valet parker a dollar or two when your car is returned.
Walking in the tourist areas may be more dangerous than driving. We lose several visitors each year who insist on jaywalk-ing. Pedestrian overpasses are provided at the major Strip intersections and others have lights and crossing areas. The wise visitor uses them and still looks both ways.
Public transportation is plentiful on the Strip and around downtown. The Citizens Area Transit (CAT) bus system moves up and down the Strip and covers downtown. Trolleys run from the Stratosphere to Mandalay Bay for $1.75 per ride and are great for casino hopping. Taxis are available outside every re-sort and are convenient but, of course, expensive.
A recently opened monorail system runs from the MGM Grand to the Sahara on the east side of the Strip. The trains stop at several resorts along the way and at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Rides are $3 each way with discounts for round trip and day passes.
Public transportation for the rest of the valley is available, but slow and complicated. Taxis will begrudgingly take you to locations outside the tourist corridor, but it’s difficult to get them to come back and pick you up. And, finally, although many of the local casinos provide shuttle service to the Strip, a rental car is recommended for getting around the valley.
Play it Safe
A few safety precautions should be exercised. The crime rate in Las Vegas is relatively high, especially on the edges of downtown. For safety, valet parking is recommended at night and in the daytime in some of the rougher sections, such as at the northern end of the Strip between Sahara Avenue and Fremont Street downtown. Be sure to avoid dark isolated parking areas and always be aware of your surroundings. Most hotels will provide a security escort to the parking lot if you ask.
The summer heat provides another threat to health and safety. Temperatures climb to well above 100 degrees for several weeks and often go higher than 110 degrees. I don’t care what they say about dry heat, 112 degrees is miserable no mat-ter what the humidity.
Relentless sun and furnace-like winds take their toll. Be sure to drink plenty of water and make sure your children do too. Drink before you get thirsty and consider a sports drink occa-sionally to replace salt and electrolytes. You might not sweat in the Las Vegas heat, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t losing moisture; it just means the sweat is drying up faster than you can produce it.
The distance between hotels is deceiving. The buildings are so huge they look much closer than they are. From the Flamingo, for example, it looks like Caesars Palace is just across the street, but it’s a considerable hike from the Flamingo’s front door till you reach air conditioning at Caesars. Consider taking a taxi, bus, or monorail even for what appear to be short trips, especially for the short-legged set.
For any outdoor activity, summer or winter, be sure to use a good sunscreen, and a hat is a must. The lack of humidity means the sun is especially bright. It’ll skin your hide in a wink.
Hiking, camping, and other outdoor activities should be limited when the weather is really hot and, even in milder times, be sure to take along plenty of water. A gallon per person per day in the desert is recommended.
With all this talk about sun, heat, and lack of humidity, it seems funny to have to mention the other hazard of the Las Vegas desert: flash flooding. The desert floor doesn’t do a very good job of soaking up water so, when it does rain, there’s a tendency to flood. Water can suddenly come crashing down from the surrounding mountains as it makes its way across the valley to Lake Mead. Don’t ever cross water running in the street unless you’re sure of the depth (as in, you’ve seen some fool ford the pool before you). Don’t let children play in floodwater during a storm and do not go around barricades put up by law enforcement.
In the rain, Las Vegas streets become especially slick. The oil and tire residue that builds up on the streets rises to the top of the water, creating perfect conditions for hydroplaning. Slow down and keep plenty of room between you and the car in front of you.
The desert is a wonderful place to live and to play, but com-mon sense and awareness can avert disaster.
Make Time to Relax
I’ve listed lots of things for visitors to do here in Las Vegas, but whatever you do, try not to do too much. Make time to relax and enjoy your time off with your children. Your hotel pool is a great place to have fun. Perhaps arrange your day so you’re back at your hotel for an afternoon rest period. If your kids are too old for a nap, play a board game in the hotel room or watch a movie on the in-room TV.
Pace yourselves and enjoy our city. You’ll find there’s no place quite like it in the world.
Description:
Who in their right minds would take kids on vacation to Las Vegas? A lot of people.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority estimates that more than four million annual visitors travel with minors. Sunny weather, reasonably priced accommodations, bargain food galore, and tons of attractions make Las Vegas an especially attractive vacation destination for families.
So what do children do in the city created for adults? A lot of things. Long-time Las Vegas resident Kathy Espin has compiled a guide to hundreds of fun, wholesome, and educational activities that children of all ages will enjoy. This book offers first-hand details on every kid-friendly attraction in Las Vegas, from knock-your-eyes-out thrill rides to wild-animal habitats. Historical perspective and behind-the-scenes details help make visiting families feel at home in one of the most bewildering cities in the world.
Kidding Around also ventures into areas beyond the glamour of the Las Vegas Strip and farther yet into nearby rural communities that still look and feel like the Wild West. Go horseback riding at a Western dude ranch, take in a historical or natural-history museum, see visiting waterfowl at a bird sanctuary, and introduce your kids to an Elvis impersonator.
See Las Vegas in a way few visitors ever do: with an eye toward good clean fun!
Reviews/Media Mentions:
Casino Connections, Casino Player, Gridskipper: The Urban Travel Guide, Kansas City Star, Las Vegas One, Las Vegas Review-Journal, Las Vegas Sun, Nevada Magazine, The Star-Ledger, TravelAge West, USA Today, CityLife, KNEWS, CNN
"Prolific gambling books publisher Huntington Press has issued Kidding Around Las Vegas ($12.95).
Described as a parents' guide to Sin City, the book is a compendium of Las Vegas' surprisingly rich inventory of nongambling attractions—manmade and natural, from museums to paintball parks.
The paperback was written by 30-year Las Vegan, mom and grandmother Kathy Espin, and includes an index, maps and an appendix on child-care facilities.
Intended as a travel guide for youngsters, young and old alike will discover plenty of appealing things to see and do away from the bright lights of the Strip. This volume deserves a spot on every Vegas regular's bookshelf."
—Kansas City Star
"Las Vegas has gotten expensive even for families, but, Espin notes, some of the best adventures Southern Nevada offers are free."
—Las Vegas Review-Journal
"Activities mentioned in the book include many well-known attractions such as the Mirage's dolphin habitat, Mandalay Bay's Shark Reef aquarium exhibit and the Fremont Street Experience. None involve half-naked assistants, go-go dancers or raunchy jokes.
The book also features off-Strip attractions, day trips and overnight stay activities like the Henderson bird viewing preserve and Mount Charleston ...
Espin's book has become a surprise hit for Las Vegas book publisher Huntington Press."
—Las Vegas Sun
To read the full article, click http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/sun/2005/aug/29/519273505.html?kidding
USA Today
Read the article here: http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2005-08-04-vegas-for-kids_x.htm
Huntington Press
