Girls, Girls, Girls**
March 28, 2007 by mrschili
I’ve heard, over the years, that Vegas was trying to reinvent itself to be a more family-oriented vacation destination.
What I’m sayin’ here is, “not so much.”
Yes, there are quite a few places that we wouldn’t mind taking the girls. We spent a good part of Saturday morning at the Bellagio, gawking at gorgeous glass flowers, butterflies suspended from the ceiling, topiary and flower sculptures, and chocolate fountains. It’s pretty easy to avoid the casino in that resort, so it wouldn’t be a big deal to bring the girls through the lobby. We are staying at a nice place that has a big pool and daily, kid-friendly activities that the girls would love. I’ve been told that there are a lot of fun things to do at New York, New York - several roller coasters and an arcade, though I haven’t seen such with my own eyes.
Beyond that, though? Uh, no. Kids should stay home. Walking to the strip Friday morning, we passed not one, not two, not three… (can you see where this is going?) newspaper boxes filled with free “Playmate Girls” magazines/fliers. I can only assume (because, you know, I didn’t actually stop to pick one up) that they are advertisements for shows and ‘escort services’ (and, just as an aside, how did I not know that prostitution is legal in Nevada? What the hell is wrong with me?). At best, the women in the pictures are scantily clad. At worst, they’re not clad at all.
Not only are the fliers pretty much everywhere, but there are people in the streets offering business cards to tourists as they pass. On these business cards are - you guessed it - naked women. Seriously naked women. I’m talking “nothing left to the imagination” naked. The people who take these cards generally don’t keep them, though, and they end up fluttering around like snowflakes on the sidewalk. Very naked, very sexual snowflakes.
Now, I have no problem with nudity. We have a very matter-of-fact attitude about nakedness in our household. I make a point of NOT making a point of nakedness and of not sensationalizing body parts; I don’t want the girls to grow up with a sense that parts of them are bad or dirty - private, sure, but not taboo. An elbow is no more or less than a breast. I’m not even sure I have a problem with the kind of nudity I saw in those cards and fliers; I take no issue with porn, per se (of course, everyone has their aesthetic limits) and, really, the women in the pictures have gorgeous bodies - if *I* looked like that, I might consider having my picture taken for money (but that’s ALL I’d consider).
What I’m saying here, though, is that, even though I don’t have a problem with it for me, I do have a problem with it for anyone under the age of, say, 18. Commercialized sexuality is something that requires a fair bit of maturity to put into perspective (a maturity that I’m not sure most adults even have, so I feel I’m being charitable with the 18 year old limit). I know for sure that Punkin’ Pie and Beanie aren’t ready to intellectualize the input they’d get here.
Vegas pretty much gave up the whole family-friendly advertising campaign and switched to the far more appropriate “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.” If you’ve got kids, skip Vegas and go to Disney.
**I’m going to be processing this trip for quite some time, so please put up with the posts…
My parents lived in Vegas for a few years. They became the type of people who forget how to entertain themselves. The only entertainment is going to the casino and losing money. They were so brainwashed that coming home $20 ahead one night cancels out 14 straight of coming home $50 (or more) down.
I remember walking down the strip my first time visiting and being embarassed by all the nudity. I was an adult, but travelling with my parents. Legal or not, do not think passing out pictures of naked women is something that should happen. Put them in a newspaper stand box, but please don’t hand it to me. If I want it, I will find it.
I’m with you, girl - if I looked like that, you’re darned right I’d have my picture taken. But probably only as a gift for my husband!
[Apologies for the long comment] Having lived in Las Vegas for 5 years, and worked at a casino for 3 of those years, I agree with you — in part. The Strip is not a family place to hang out and play. Some of the casinos are more family-friendly than others (see Excalibur and Circus Circus), but none of them are completely geared to families.
Years ago in Las Vegas, you could see children waiting on the sidewalks outside the plate glass windows of casinos in the downtown area, while their parents gambled inside (how frightening is THAT?). That was before my time (thankfully). Vegas went through a period in the late 1990s when it tried to identify itself as a “family destination”. After investing millions of dollars in theme parks and child-oriented activities, they realized the truth of it. Any area that uses gambling, drinking and naked women (and men, in a few cases) as a draw for its intended audience cannot justify marketing itself as a destination for families. So they stopped. Now “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”.
That being said, there are still lots of great things to do in Las Vegas for families, just not on the Strip or in downtown. There is Red Rock Canyon (beautiful red rock cliffs, hiking and climbing), Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, Boulder City, wonderful local museums (I’m NOT talking about the Liberace Museum either), and parks and playgrounds. NONE of these are located on the Strip. Think of the Strip/Downtown areas as really BIG red light districts. You can bring the family to Las Vegas. Just don’t stay on the strip, and if you want to hit a casino, try Circus Circus.
And just to clarify, prostitution is not legal in Clark County (where Las Vegas is located). Any advertisements for brothels involve a drive out of the county, and handing out these frankly offensive flyers is part of their “marketing” (YUCK!). But the illegalization of prostitution is a relatively recent development, and a large part of the culture of the Strip/Downtown areas is based on commercialized sexuality. Which is why we live in Western Massachusetts now, raising our two beautiful girls. in an environment that is infinitely healthier.
I’m glad you had a good time in Las Vegas, and can’t wait to hear more of your impressions!
Everything you say is true. This is why going to Vegas is just not my idea of a great time. An interesting time maybe. The shows can be cool, but the over-the-topness of EVERYTHING leaves me feeling drained.
I agree with Meno - it is such a sensory overload that I kinda wanted to run away, screaming. Having said that, in small doses, it was fun.
Nine years ago, my husband and I had reason to be in Vegas (”lost Vegas” said a little Boo) with our very small children. We stayed at Circus Circus, which was perfect for my then almost 3 year-old; a minimum of raunch and skank (although it was available in machines all along EVERY street, as you saw) and reasonably kid-centered. I can’t imagine staying anywhere else with kids. As you said, Chili, family friendly, my ass!
When I was a Customer Service Manager for a cryogenics company a few years ago, I remember the warehouse manager being almost intolerably happy one day as we waited for the daily morning meeting to start.
“Why so chipper?” we asked.
“My husband’s away for a week.”
“And you’re happy about this?!”
“We’ve been getting on each other’s nerves lately.”
“Ah. So, where’d he go?”
“Vegas.”
I shoot a look around the rest of the room at this point, one eyebrow cocked.
“Let me get this straight - your husband is spending a week in the one state in the union where prostitution is legal, and you’re happy about it?!”
“Oh, he’d never do anything like that.”
“Oh, no. No. No, of course he wouldn’t. So, um, why is he in Vegas?”
“A friend’s bachelor party.”
She couldn’t understand why we were all laughing so hard…