There’s a really great stop in Las Vegas that is entirely family friendly. Ethel M Chocolates is a chocolate shop where you can see the candy actually being made, as well as a cactus garden to walk through outside. Since we visited at Christmastime, our pictures show the cactuses decorated with all colors of Christmas lights. The great thing about this adventure is that it is free, unless you want to buy some really incredible chocolate to give your kids at the end of the tour.
We started with a walking tour outside to see the cactuses. Did you know that there are 2,000 varieties of cactus? Of course, we didn’t see them all, but we really enjoyed our walk through the gardens. We love the outdoors, so seeing a saguaro, as well as a standing saguaro skeleton, was really cool. Our kids had a great time looking at each cactus and comparing all the different types.
When we had our fill of the cactuses, we headed inside for the chocolate tour. Since we came to visit after hours, chocolate wasn’t actively being made, but we still read all the informational signs and looked at the equipment. Next time we’ll go back to see the chocolate makers in action.
We ended in the giftshop, where we bought chocolate for the kids. It was a little pricey at $2-$3 per bar, but since we didn’t pay any admission, we didn’t feel even a twinge of guilt. Ethel M Chocolates was a great way to spend a little family time in Las Vegas.
For more information on hours and tours at Ethel M Chocolates, visit their website. For a great chocolate or candy tour here in Utah, check out Mrs. Cavanaugh’s Chocolates or Sweet Candy Factory.
