The Las Vegas strip in 2003.

Frequent travelers will tell you that there are two parts to Vegas – the strip and off the strip. More than likely if they are gamblers, they have a vague idea of what is off the strip, namely the airport, Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon, and Los Angeles.

If you are planning to take a trip to this area with the family sometime during the year, here are a few options worth looking into.

On the Strip

From dancing fountains (Bellagio; www.bellagiolasvegas.com;888-987-6667) to erupting volcanoes (Mirage; www.themirage.com;800-374-9000) to pirates (Treasure Island; www.treasureisland.com; 800-288-7206) there is something for every age. Perhaps the best hotels for children, about up to age 11 or 12, would be Circus Circus and Excalibur. Circus Circus (www.circuscircus-lasvegas.com;877-224-7287) is exactly what it says. At this casino (yes, it is a casino), families will find midway games, circus performances, and Adventuredome (www.adventuredome.com;877-224-7287), roughly 5 acres of indoor fun, with rides for all ages. Excalibur’s (www.excalibur-casino.com; 877-750-5464) architecture was inspired by castles in England, Scotland, and Germany. One of the main attractions for families is the Tournament of Kings Dinner. Don’t miss out on the Court Jester Stage and performances by puppeteers and magicians

Animals – Oh My!: Enjoyable for all ages, the Mirage Hotel Casino (www.themirage.com; 800-374-9000), home to Siegfried and Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat. This 2.5 million gallon habitat is home to a family of Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins. While you are there, visit the White Tiger Habitat shelters Siegfried and Roy’s (famous) royal white tigers. MGM Grand (www.mgmgrand.com; 877-880-0880), whose movie trademark, Leo the Lion provided a welcome roar to moviegoers for decades, houses a lion habitat. At Mandalay Bay (www.mandalaybay.com;877-632-7800), you will find the Shark Reef, said to be the largest exhibit of its kind in North America. The aquarium houses over 1,200 different species of aquatic life, including sharks, sea turtles, and exotic fish. Families can take a self-guided tour. The Flamingo (www.FlamingoLasVegas.com; 888-308-8899) has a wildlife habitat with 300 birds, including Chilean Flamingos.

Don’t forget: Good Old Freemont Street, the oldest street in Vegas. Located in downtown, this area was once forgotten about as tourist tended to stay and play on the strip. Attracting tourists back is the Freemont Street Experience (www.vegasexperience.com), a one-of-a-kind light show only in Vegas.

Who doesn’t like candy? Ethel M’s Chocolate Factory and Cactus Garden (www.ethelm.com; 888-627-0990) offer tours and tastings. Visit M&M World (www.m-ms.com; 800-651-2437) to learn more about the colorful chocolate.

Thrill Seekers: For the older crew, head straight to Stratosphere Tower (www.stratospherehotel.com; 800-998-6937), and ride any of the three rides. A bit of trivia: the High Roller roller coast happens to be the world’s highest. Can’t get enough of roller coasters, New York New York (www.nynyhotelcasino.com; 888-693-6763) has the Manhattan Express. Not a thrill ride, but still an adventure is riding up the Eiffel Tower at the Paris Hotel (www.ParisLasVegas.com; 877-769-2096). At the top is a breathtaking, 460-foot panoramic view of The Vegas. A professional guide/elevator operator points out famous landmarks along the journey. You can’t get any closer to an actual NASCAR experience than at NASCAR Café Las Vegas (www.nascarlasvegas.com; 800-634-6074), located in the Sahara Hotel & Casino. Coaster fans and speed junkies need to head straight the “Speed” The Ride. I won’t reveal too much about this coaster, except for this: it lives up to the name. Ever dream of flying?

Away from the Strip

Active families: Red Rock Canyon (www.redrockcanyon.blm.gov; 702-515-5350) located about twenty miles west of The Strip, is one of the most scenic places to visit in Las Vegas. Here you can explore, hike, bike and picnic. Mt. Charleston (702-385-6500) at 12,000 feet is Nevada’s third largest peak. This is a popular destination winter or summer. During the winter, many flock to the Las Vegas Ski & Snowboard Resort; and summer, families can hike, picnic, or just enjoy the outdoors. Lake Mead (www.nps.gov/lame; 702-293-8907), the 16th largest man-made lake in the world, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere, offers a large recreational for all taste – whether it’s water activities, hiking, or viewing wildlife, you will find it here.

A bit of history: Grand Canyon (www.nps.gov/grca; 928-638-7888) may be in Arizona, but it is well worth the four hour drive. Whether everyone decides to ride down into the canyon or carefully peak over the edge and race back to the car, it is an experience that each will not soon forget. If it wasn’t for the Hoover Dam (www.hooverdam.com; 702-294-3517), there really wouldn’t be a Las Vegas, or many of the cities in the southwest. This greatest engineering work built in 1937 is the number one sightseeing attraction in Nevada. Nevada Test Site (702-295-1198) is a one room exhibit featuring a timeline of the country’s nuclear testing program.

Miscellaneous Fun: View the largest collection of limited edition clowns, designed by artist Ron Lee at Ron Lee’s World of Clowns (www.ronlee.com; 800-829-3928). Bonnie Springs (www.bonniesprings.com; 702-875-4191) and Sandy Valley Ranch (www.sandyvalleyranch.com; 877-726-3998) offers families a true experience of the old west and cowboys. It may be smaller than average zoos, but the Southern Nevada Zoological Botanical Park (702-647-4685) three acres is home to 200 species of plants and animals, including rare animals, such as the last family of Barbary Apes, and the Bali Mina.

This is just a sampling of what Vegas has to offer families in the way of entertainment. Find out more by visiting www.vegas.com . Be sure to also visit www.camplasvegas.com and www.lasvegaskids.net for more resources.