Family Fun, Vegas Style!

Like every family we have our rituals. The summer is no exception. Just about every 4th of July we go to Sin City for fun and fireworks. That’s right. Las Vegas, Baby! We’ve been going since the kids were in preschool.

Now I know, Las Vegas might be the last place you’d think to take a child, but Vegas has changed a lot over the years. Yes, you can still find the sleaze, but over the last decade it has become incredibly kid friendly too.

In the mornings we used to visit The Shark Reef at the Mandalay Bay, admire the White Tigers at The Mirage and ride the roller coaster at New York-New York. The afternoons we’d have lunch and hang by the pool. And with the extreme heat, there’s really no better place to be. At night, we’d enjoy the fabulous restaurants (Vegas has tons of them!) and then see a magic show or let the kids load up on “winnings” (stuffed animals) at the arcade at Circus Circus.

You almost forget you’re in Vegas.

Unless you count the time we were in the pool with what we presumed to be “European” sunbathers. It was a scorcher and the hotel’s five pools and chairs were packed, so we parked ourselves at the first set of chaise lounges we could find in the shade. Rubbed in the sunscreen, grabbed our inner-tubes and headed for the cool water. And then they saw them.

Topless swimmers.

My kids giggled and asked me why the women didn’t have bathing suit tops on. My first thought, sophisticated woman that I am, was that they’re European of course. I explained to the children that in some parts of Europe, it’s perfectly natural for women to sunbathe topless. And we shouldn’t stare (reminded hubby of this too).

Ever curious, I decided to wade near them to hear what foreign tongue they were speaking. To my surprise, it was a flawless English. And that’s when I noticed another group of topless women. Some how, in our heat induced stupor, we staggered over to the “Tops Optional” pool. A little bonus you don’t find at most kid friendly hotels.

I never did tell the kids we were at the “wrong” pool. I kept up the charade, since they were more interested in doing handstands and summersaults, and shaded chaise lounges were hard to find. What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

Do you have a favorite summer vacation spot too? Had any embarrassing moments you needed to explain away like we did? Please share!