By ANNIE C. LEAVITT
Moapa Valley Progress
Hey moms and dads, you’ve made it this far: halfway through the winter break. School starts on Monday next week. But with the holidays pretty much over, maybe you are looking for a few more things to do outside of the house to get the wiggles out. Maybe you’re hoping to even get some education in, too? Here are a few ideas:
On Thursday, January 3, from 10-11 a.m., kids can come with their parents to the playground at Grant Bowler Elementary School to run laps and add to their 100-Mile Club requirements for this year.
Many forget about this, but the Lost City Museum is a true local gem. It is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. And kids get in free!
In addition, the Valley of Fire State Park is the perfect nearby place to take kids for a day hike. And the weather can’t be better at this time of year.
These things are all right here in our community. But if you don’t mind taking a drive, here are some other ideas:
Springs Preserves at 333 Valley View Blvd in Las Vegas is full of local history and hands-on exhibits about regional wildlife and habitats. It is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day but Sunday. More information is available at springspreserve.org.
Discovery Children’s Museum at 360 Promenade Place in Las Vegas is the best day trip you can take with the kids. The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Information is available at discoveryids.lv.org.
The Nevada State Railroad Museum at 601 Yucca St in Boulder City is open from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. every day of the week. Information is available at nevadasouthern.com.
The Boulder City-Hoover Dam Museum at 1305 Arizona Street in Boulder City is open every day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. (bchdmuseum.org). Or for that matter you can make a visit to Hoover Dam itself which is open for tours every day from 9 am to 5 pm (New Year’s holiday hours may differ). Visit www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/service/DamTour.html for more information.
The Mob Museum at 330 Stewart Street in Las Vegas is great for kids ages 12 and older. The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. (themobmuseum.org)
Our family’s favorite winter break tradition is just walking out the door to go for a hike. That’s the best part of our valley and winter is the perfect time to take advantage of the beautiful weather. And the kids don’t ask to watch the TV for at least an hour.
Don’t forget to finish the day at one of the local restaurants. The veggie sandwich at Inside Scoop is a personal favorite.
