Up until about 15 years ago, Las Vegas was an "adults only" paradise. You came to sit in seedy bars, or drink at the tables, and lose yourself for a few days. However, nowadays Southern Nevada is a family vacation destination, and so hotel casinos had to come up with something for the kids to do as the adults played. As a result, Las Vegas theme parks started to pop up around the city, with a decidedly Vegas twist.
You could argue that each hotel is in and of itself a theme park and that wouldn't be false. Go to the Luxor , Excalibur, or the Paris , and you'll see what I mean. Each of these properties has a theme, and sticks with it. However, that isn't enough anymore. Kids need thrill rides and a place where they can be safe while the adults are out trying to win the admission money.
The best in Las Vegas in my opinion is the Adventuredome at Circus Circus. It's a fully-enclosed (since it gets to 115 degrees in the summer) park that has everything a normal outside park would have. It has a solid roller coaster, a splash down ride, and everything else you need, including the cotton candy. It's a little like walking into the BioDome with the red tinted windows, but tickets for an all-day pass are just $22.95, cheap if you go on four or five rides. The circus theme is also carried through with clowns and more.
Really, Adveturedome is the only theme park in the true sense of the word, but the Coney Island Arcade in the New York New York, which also has the Manhattan Express Roller Coaster, as well as the thrill rides at the top of the Stratosphere are parts of a theme park, but for the ultimate in LV Theme Parks, just book the right hotel.
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