Back in 2007, I wrote about visiting Miniatur Wunderland in Hamburg, Germany, a toy train-lover’s dream world. Since then they’ve expanded quite a bit and this year opened a mini international airport among all the train tracks and roads of the world. Take a look at their new video for a preview.
Story and photos by Kayte Deioma
Ask most Reno parents what to do with children on a rainy day and you’ll likely hear the vote split 
between staying home, going to the mall or maybe seeing a movie. If you happen to be staying at one of Reno’s kid-friendly hotels, you have a few more options.
Most of the casinos have some kind of arcade for kids, but the Grand Sierra Resort goes above and beyond to provide family entertainment.
The outdoor kart tracks and aerial adventures at the Ultimate Rush Speed & Thrill Park at the Grand Sierra are great for sunny-day fun, but not so hot in the rain or snow.
However inside, on arcade level, they have Fun Quest, one of the biggest fun zones in town, with 
over 125 games. In addition to standards like Dance Dance Revolution and shooting galleries, they have redemption games that are replicas of the casino games, where kids win tickets for prizes instead of cash. It doesn’t have much in the way of décor, but the kids don’t seem to mind.
Later in the afternoon, if you want to get more physical, you can climb the rock wall, hit a few rounds on the 9-hole indoor miniature golf course, get in on some bumper car action or take on your friends in a game of laser tag.
Also on the arcade level, the Grand Sierra Cinema is a state of the art movie theatre complete with popcorn and candy concessions.
Upstairs, the 24-hour Grand Sierra Bowl 50-lane bowling alley can provide additional hours of fun for the whole family.
The resort also caters to the culinary tastes of the younger set with Johnny Rockets, Round Table Pizza, Port of Subs, the Cable Car Creamery and the Candy Barrel, in addition to their more adult restaurant fare.
Grand Sierra Resort and Casino<
2500 East 2nd Street
Reno, Nevada, 89595
(775) 789-2296
www.grandsierraresort.com
story and photos by Kayte Deioma
Quad Cities is a very family friendly destination, with children’s programs or activities at most attractions. Even the hotel where we stayed at the Isle of Capri Casino had an indoor pool that was always packed with kids, and cribs were available for the room. But there are a couple places in the Quad Cities that are just kid heaven.
Family Museum
For toddlers through pre-teens, the Family Museum in Bettendorf offers hands-on learning experiences that can keep youngsters entertained all day. My niece Becca, 9 and nephew Declan, 2, enjoyed their stay so much that we squeezed in a second visit before leaving town.
Making noise is always fun, so applying the mallets to xylophones made of different materials and banging on steel drums in a special sound-proof room in Rhythm Alley were perfect 2-year-old diversions that Becca also enjoyed.
In the Amazing Acres exhibit, you can puff a cloud into existence, spin up a tornado or generate lighting in the weather display. Drive a John Deer combine through virtual corn fields; learn how farm goods become food at the market; groom and ride a stuffed horse, or fill up the car with bio-fuel. Our little squirrels enjoyed scampering up a giant tree trunk, and Declan became attached to a wooly sheep that was almost as big as he was.
In Watts Up with Energy, see how hard you have to peddle a bicycle to generate enough energy to run a light bulb, a blender or a blow-dryer. The Energy Hog, a giant pig in a leather jacket, holds an interactive display that uses computer games to
teach lessons on saving energy around the house.
The Human Body exhibit allows kids to assemble a skeleton like a puzzle from xrays of different bones, and try to insert all the organs in the right spaces in a plastic torso. A high-powered microscope gives a close up look at tiny blood cells; while a giant model of a heart lets you walk right through its chambers.
There’s a special play area called the Garden where parents can let toddlers loose to climb and explore. The gift shop is full of learning-inspired toys, and if you need a lunch break, there’s a café in the Library next door.
Michael’s Fun World
For kids 5 through teens and adults, another great option is Michael’s Fun World. This was Becca’s favorite stop on our trip. Outdoors, Michael’s has a go kart track and miniature golf course, but on a rainy day you’ll want to head for the indoor fun.
The main warehouse-size building is filled with inflated play areas with competitive games like trampoline basketball and jousting. There’s even an air-filled obstacle course for two. Of course there’s one just for bouncing that requires no skill at all, just socks.
A climbing, sliding playground that rises three stories into the rafters, a rock climbing wall and the inflatables are all included in the price of admission. There’s also a full arcade with video games, simulators, skill games and a couple lanes of Bowlingo requiring the purchase of tokens.
For hunters and warriors, there’s a separate room and a separate fee for laser tag. Wearing glow-in-the-dark green and orange vests, two teams face off against each other in a dark room, skulking among pseudo-structures to shoot the enemy’s vests and disable their lasers. They aren’t’ finished for good; they just have to recharge before getting back in the game.
A separate building holds the baseball and softball batting cages with automatic pitching machines.
Family Museum
2900 Learning Campus Drive
Bettendorf, IA 52722
(563) 344-4106
www.familymuseum.org
Michael’s Fun World
345 West 76th Street
Davenport, IA 52806
(563) 386-3826
www.michaelsfunworld.com
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