Hot Summer Nights...and Days
Well, my fellow VEGASMAMAS, can you believe we're 1/2 way through summer already? Hot, hot, hot ’til you drop and kids at home with you, all day, every day. I hope you're riding high on summer adventures, dunking yourselves in some salt water and climbing mountains to their summit! This is the first year I’ve decided against camp and it's actually been satisfying keeping us busily engaged over summer. I’m reminding myself that, even though it might reach 120 degrees here, travelers come from all over the world want to experience our own backyard.
What a fabulous backyard, indeed. Let’s grow in our own backyard.
VEGASMAMAS' Summer-ized favs...
In front of Tim Bavington's Fanfare for the Common Man at The Smith Center.
GILCREASE ORCHARDS arrive early and harvest your own veggies & fruits, kids can run rampant and you bring home freshly picked (by you & your kids) God's Candy (Open T, R, SA: 6:30am-11:30am)
SPRING MOUNTAIN RANCH’S “SUPER SUMMER THEATRE" bring your picnic basket, blankets, chairs & wine and get ready for a bonafide, quality staged play on the grass that will blow you away. Sign up for their email blast, the minute these tickets go on sale they sell out. They also host yoga on the lawn and free movies al fresco, check their offerings.
LAZY DOG Dear Lazy Dog, even though you're a chain restaurant, how much do I love thee? Your air conditioning is minty cold. Your acoustics are fabulously loud…even louder than my children. Your food runs the gamete so everyone’s cravings can be satisfied. Your Dog Collars are what my kids dream of making (ask your server). That butter cake is too good and we sink right into your comfy booths. Our bow-wowster loves it...she orders right off of your namesake al fresco DOG MENU. Downtown Summerlin.
KINDERLAND like a big, safe, cool living room. Especially if you have littles 5 & under, you can chill on a sofa and kids can run in their blaze of glory but they NEVER go out of sight, it's a tiny mom&pop indoor playground. Purchase a package. Settebello across the way is outrageously tasty. Village Square.
MT. CHARLESTON day trip up to Mt. Charleston (-1 hour drive), do some hiking and grab a bite on the outdoor deck of Mt. Charleston Lodge; don’t worry, Mt. Charleston is (on average) 20-30 degrees cooler than Vegas so outdoor time isn’t an assault to your senses.
PICNIC AT THE SMITH CENTER talk about a photographic opportunity! The Bavington sculpture makes for an exquisite backdrop for your average picnic on their 2-acre Symphony Park (partly grassed, some dirt & parking lot...fingers crossed for the Art Museum). Just go early morning or early evening, avoid the afternoon heat. Make a moment. Cap it off with a free, pre-scheduled tour.
SUMMERLIN BASED FUN:
(free) SUMMERLIN SCREEN SERIES at Downtown Summerlin every Thursday night a free al fresco kids' movie plays in the streets of Downtown Summerlin! Until August 31 and begins at sundown, bring your blanket and buy your dinner there to support our local restaurants. There are SO many. I wonder if they'd transfer wine into a plastic cup so you can enjoy every sip from your blanket? Downtown Summerlin.
tonight Frozen
August 3 Moana
August 10 The Lego Batman Movie
August 17 Beauty & The Beast (2017)
August 24 Star Wars Rogue One
August 31 Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
(free) TIVOLI VILLAGE this cobblestone lined consumer's village was one of the first to bring Farmer's Market to the westside, get on their email list to find out kid friendly happenings throughout the summer. A favorite is LEONE CAFE for breakfast, lunch or dinner; they have a fabulous menu with French style al fresco dining and kids can play afterwards in Tivoli Village’s play area.
LIFETIME ATHLETIC this might be the most expense monthly fee you’ll pay for a gym but it truly lives up to its name, it’s a lifestyle; between the indoor & outdoor pools, kids activities, kids babysitting service (included in their membership, no extra fee), the spa, the manis/pedis, the luxurious accommodations, the yoga & the cafe…five hours here slips by rather quickly and your kids will be satisfyingly exhausted.
BOCA PARK eat an early dinner at GRIMALDI’S PIZZA (ask for play pizza dough for your kids on tiny pizza trays!) or the ever-popular, plant-based-restaurant-rocking-our-Instagram feed PANACEA (defined as "a remedy for all disease or ills"), indulge in original PINKBERRY froyo THEN walk around, go shopping, grap a decaf nightcap at SAMBALATTE.
BONNIE SPRINGS again, what haven’t I said about our favorite Olde Nevada? Go early, on a weekend for the mini-train on miles of real train tracks (!!!) and bring lots of wipies. Get dirty.
RED ROCK CASINO one of our favorite casinos and is a fabulous way to spend your time; their bowling lanes are beautiful, grab a bite at one of the many restaurants, stay cool in their movie theater, even brave the outdoors getting shade under a cabana at the pool and spend the day in aquatic luxury. All you can eat tacos & tequila at LIBRE every Tuesday, might not be kid-appropriate but it certainly is a delicious offering.
KIDS QUEST pay Kids Quest inside Red Rock Casino to watch your kids hourly, games & play areas & indoor basketball await them and you do NOT have to stay on premises (run across the street to CostCo, shop at Downtown Summerlin or run upstairs to the spa for an hour's worth of rejuvenation)
(free) YOUR LIBRARY never underestimate the power that is your local, free, wonderful library. Sign up for email blasts & always check their calendar; free storytelling readings, etc.
our art installation at The Summerlin Library, up until 8/1/2017
ON or CLOSE TO THE STRIP:
“WELCOME TO FABULOUS LAS VEGAS,” THE YESCO SIGN I mean, you can’t go wrong with this experience. Their parking is so easy thanks to a newly refurbished parking lot, bring a few bucks as there’s always someone ready to snap your photo then hop back on the 215 home. It’s worth the photo op. Gift this memorabilia to your Vegas born sons & daughters, they can have an entire album and the sign can be their growth chart.
Just think, people from all over the world travel here for that sign…have you?
THE LINQ HIGH ROLLER do as the Londoners do and observe your city from a rotating wheel although, in true Vegas style, it’s the WORLD’S TALLEST measuring 520’ in diameter. Kids 3 & under free, show your Nevada ID for +50% off & check their site for slamming deals. This is NOT for the faint of heart or those with a fear of heights; that said, my 3 & 5 year old loved it. Next door, drop by Sprinkle’s for a cupcake and sit by their fountain. Next to Sprinkle's, enter through The FLAMINGO HOTEL's Flamingo gates (yes, two 20' tall flamingo sculptures) straight into the refuge of air conditioning & public restrooms and take a gander at their (free but outdoor) walk, THE WILDLIFE HABITAT. Even pay $30. to get your family photo taken with parrots, they sit right on you...if you don't fidget!
SHARK REEF AQUARIUM OF MANDALAY BAY an old favorite, make sure to see their Polar Journey exhibition, too. Highly recommend buying an annual pass, affordable and worth the investment (plus bypass the line and go straight to VIP window, do this even if you're a first-timer buying the annual).
SEVEN MAGIC MOUNTAINS aaaah, yes.
THE WYNN totally blows Bellagio's conservatory away. Steve Wynn does flowers better than anyone in this town, on that level; it's a sensory explosion. Make sure to check out the art installations. No strollers allowed, baby-wearing instead.
DISCOVERY CHILDREN’S MUSEUM this place is intense. fabulous, but high-maintenance for a parent of young wanderers. word to the wise: try to not be outnumbered when you bring your kids, unless they’re older and know to stay with you. This museum houses a 3-story, interactive, climbing labyrinth which makes it difficult to have more than one little one to watch. Bring snacks & water.
SPRINGS PRESERVE one of my favorite places; there’s lots of indoor galleries to hide from the heat, just be prepared to walk in the sun from exhibition-to-exhibition. Plan on eating at their DiVine Cafe.
OLIVE'S a family outing to lunch on flatbread & salads & burgers, dine al fresco and enjoy a VIP view of Bellagio's Fountains (you're literally sitting over the fountains). Babies WILL get scared as the fountain engines are LOUD, please save for older toddlers or dine inside. Don't go on windy days as the fountains might be turned off. Be mindful of making reservations. Check out the current Muhammed Ali exhibit at #bgfa and grab an overpriced-yet-super-tasty gelato next door. The Bellagio.
our boys enjoying their super-tasty gelato at Bellagio.
THINGS I HAVEN’T TRIED (BECAUSE I GET A HEADACHE JUST THINKING ABOUT IT) BUT THEY COULD BE COOL…
THE ADVENTUREDOME IN CIRCUS CIRCUS
SHARK TANK WATERSLIDE AT THE GOLDEN NUGGET yes, you literally water slide through shark infested waters in your own tube of claustrophobia. I’m sure this will be cool, when my kids are older. Probably. Maybe. Or just take a tour...
Where was this when I was a 21-year old cocktail-sipping, bikini-rocking, legal mermaid gangsta?
This makes VEGASMAMAS happy. Mad respect for Leus' GREAT WHITE LTD shark towel, just in time for Shark Week and perfect for The Golden Nugget.
Words from THE GOLDEN NUGGET:
"EXPERIENCE LAS VEGAS’ $30 MILLION AWARD-WINNING POOL: Our pool is the Tank. Fun-filled, sun-filled, it features a 200,000 gallon shark tank aquarium, three-story complex, and 17 private cabanas. Climb 30 feet in the air. Close your eyes and rush down through the Tank on our world-class, one-of-a-kind waterslide. Experience the thrill of swimming right next to our sharks. It’s an unparalleled experience. After swimming among sea creatures, dry off and enjoy a drink at H2O Bar, or lounge poolside and relax in our rejuvenating waterfalls."
THINGS I REALLY WANT TO TRY (FOR THE FIRST TIME) BY SUMMER'S END:
GONDOLA RIDE IN THE VENETIAN
MADAME TUSSAUD’S WAX MUSEUM kids can touch the superheroes and you can touch the Viva Las Vegas icons.
LAS VEGAS NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM with two boys obsessed with dinosaurs I can’t believe we haven’t visited yet.
THE PLANETARIUM I've heard fabulous things.
LAKE LAS VEGAS for a daytrip or a weekend staycation, feels so far away yet only an hour drive.
HOOVER DAM even take a tour, marvel at the marvel that is this engineering feet.
SEA QUEST kids can actually touch the water life!
HOME, THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE IT.
INTERACT. WORK. DO. ART PROJECTS. Pinterest can be a fabulous way to get inspired, especially when it comes to foraging your own Waldorf school in your living room. Go rock-hunting then paint them. Remember when Julia Roberts was seen knitting on a plane? Knitting is a great way to engage their hand/eye coordination while saving their little eyes from the screen (ipad!). Pull up weeds. Make dream catchers. Teach them to recycle. Clean the garage. Make sun tea. I'm serious. It's summer. Do as you do and have your kids help you, my best moments of being a Little were usually based on helping my parents do something (my mother to cook, handing my father a tool or helping to clean freshly caught fish off the shores of La Jolla, harvesting from our garden, fixing the gate, etc etc etc). Sidenote: the ipad, a blessing and a curse.
YOUR OWN POOL I grew up meeting friends on the beach, now it’s meet your friends at the pool. Channel your inner hostess and invite friends to your pool, your neighborhood pool or buy a plastic old-school tub and let your kids have at it! Everyone can bring their favorite cut fruit or iced tea. Remember, monitor the heat and stay inside during the hottest times.
GARDEN it's too late for Spring planting but it's never too late to prep for a garden. Head over to our locally owned Star Nursery and talk to Dr. Q or refer to The Farmer's Almanac for custom Las Vegas Gardening Calendar. Consider raised beds or large pots, too, each child can have their own!
KIDS' PERFORMANCES not a Thanksgiving or Christmas would pass without my sister, cousins and I performing the most current pop song for our family. In this age of ipads, iphones and on-demand, as-you-like-it entertainment, remember to turn the tables and go old school. Who doesn't want to bounce around to Pharell's (ahem, the Minion's) HAPPY? Precious memories made.
BBQ who doesn't love that outdoor smell? Get kids involved. Shuck that corn. Shape those burgers! Butter those buns and set that table!
THINGS TO KNOW:
- be prepared with water (one canteen per person at least), snacks, wipes (kids are stickier the hotter it gets), spray water for the face, sunscreen
- I’m not too cool for a sun brellie
- fruit is your friend, keeps kids hydrated and ups their energy (sliced watermelon & cantaloupe are two of our summer favs)
- when applicable, go either early morning or late afternoon
- avoid the hottest time of the day by staying indoors, usually this is 11am-5pm
- if you’re new to Vegas the hottest time of the day means you’ll be totally drained if you run errands, partake in outdoor playdates or even just driving becomes so taxing that it’s not worth it
- sadly flip-flops aren’t best here in Vegas, it’s so hot your feet can get burnt & swell terribly if exposed and, if you’re car’s running and you’re strapping the kids into their car seat, your feet can be exposed to your car's underbelly broiler. also, they seem to swell more by late-day if wearing flip-flops all day. an hour is fine. all day exposure just sucks.
- I always keep a cooler with ice packs in the car and throw bottles, snacks, etc
- if you’re shopping at Whole Foods, say YES to their bag of ice! I’ll never forget the time my $9 raw miso dressing spoiled on the drive home.
- no matter how dark your window tint, when parking I always cover the kids’ car/booster seats with a white blanket (you’ll be amazed how hot those seats get within minutes)
- Just remember, when it heats up BE SAFE; if you’re just a little hydrated you can get dizzy, winded if just walking to the mailbox, overheated while climbing into your parked car. This heat is no joke so don’t push yourself, MAMA, we all know we are all super women so take it slow and be gentle with yourself.
- One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned the hard way was to stay indoors during the hottest time of the day which, here in Vegas, is usually 11am-5pm. Remember, do all your shopping, errand-running, etc early morning or late afternoon/early evening. You might be spending a fortune on indoor play areas & jump houses this summer but it’s worth it.
- Have fun!
there's so much to do in this town, please add your favorites in the comments below!
Join us for a kid-friendly brunch that delighted our palates, engaged the children and gave us a little time to relax...in a restaurant, with kids (oh, the irony)!