Today in Las Vegas Magazine

BUFFALO BILL'S - Adventure Canyon
This is a flume-plus, as riders experience a 35-foot drop and then continue for four more minutes as they float through a shooting gallery (pistols provided). The scene is the Wild West and the targets are assorted bad guys (who shoot back!). Mon.-Thurs. noon-6 p.m., Fri. 11 a.m.-midnight, Sat. 10 a.m.-midnight, Sun. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Tickets $5 (packages available). 31900 S. Las Vegas Blvd. in Primm. 679-7433.

BUFFALO BILL'S - Desperado Coaster
Get ready for a 225-foot drop on a 55 degree slope at 80 mph as one of the tallest coasters in North America takes you on what may be the ride of your life. Great views. Mon. and Thurs. noon-6 p.m., Fri. 11 a.m.-midnight, Sat. 10 a.m.-midnight, Sun. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. (closed Tue./Wed.). Tickets $7 (packages available). 31900 S. Las Vegas Blvd. in Primm. 679-7433.

BUFFALO BILL'S - Turbo Drop
Here's one way to see the expansive Primm valley - ride up 180 feet and look fast before you drop back down at 45 mph. The final bounces are a bonus. Mon. and Thurs. noon-6 p.m., Fri. 11 a.m.-midnight, Sat. 10 a.m.-midnight, Sun. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. (closed Tue./Wed.). Tickets $5 (packages available). 31900 S. Las Vegas Blvd. in Primm. 679-7433.

CIRCUS CIRCUS - Canyon Blaster
Within Adventuredome lurks this monster of a ride. Careening along rails that twist their way from end to end and top to bottom of the park, it combines speeds up to 55 mph with tight turns through double loops and double corkscrews. Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Fri. and Sat. 10 a.m.-midnight, Sun. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. (hours may vary). Rides $6. All-day pass $22.95, discounted for children. 2880 Las Vegas Blvd. S. 794-3939.

CIRCUS CIRCUS - Chaos
Imagine the Tilt-A-Whirl gone wild and you have some idea of this ride, not just tilting, but spinning and flipping seemingly out of control. You'll go this way and that, with no two rides exactly the same. Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Fri. and Sat. 10 a.m.-midnight, Sun. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. (hours may vary). $6 (packages available). 2880 Las Vegas Blvd. S. 794-3939.

CIRCUS CIRCUS - Inverter
The name is the clue... and the warning. For what may be the longest four seconds of your life, you face off with the hard concrete below, before completing the remainder of the 360° rotation. Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Fri./Sat. 10 a.m.-midnight, Sun. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. (hours may vary). Tickets $6 (packages available). 2880 Las Vegas Blvd. S. 794-3939.

CIRCUS CIRCUS - Rim Runner
You might want to bring a raincoat or an umbrella for this one. Soaking is just part of the fun as riders float serenely along a scenic waterway before plunging unceremoniously down a 60-foot drop. Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Fri./Sat. 10 a.m.-midnight, Sun. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. (hours may vary). Tickets $6 (packages available). 2880 Las Vegas Blvd. S. 794-3939.

CIRCUS CIRCUS - The Sling Shot
Oh, what a minute! Mercilessly packed into just 60 seconds is a 100-foot ride to the top followed by a quick trip back down, with unnatural Gs and a sense of weightlessness as traveling companions. Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-6 p.m., Fri. and Sat. 10 a.m.-midnight, Sun. 10 a.m.-8 p.m. (hours may vary). Tickets $6 (packages available). 2880 Las Vegas Blvd. S. 794-3939.

EXCALIBUR - Magic Motion Machines
Just how do you want to be shaken up? On this magic motion ride, adventure can take shape as a journey to a mysterious and newly discovered island (complete with - dinosaurs!), or as a mission to destroy an Earth-threatening comet, or any of many other action-packed adventures. Open daily 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Tickets $5. 3580 Las Vegas Blvd. S. 597-7084.

LV HILTON - Star Trek: The Experience
You don't have to be a Trekkie to enjoy either interactive show in this high tech attraction. "Borg Invasion 4D" launches its first ride at 12:30 p.m., while "Klingon Encounter" takes first comers at 11:30 a.m. Sun.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Fri. and Sat. 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Dual mission tickets $36.99, call for other prices. 3000 S. Paradise Rd. 697-8700.

LUXOR - In Search of the Obelisk
You get to be one of the good guys on this motion simulator. With your peers, you race against time and space to outmaneuver the wicked Dr. Osiris in the pursuit of the magical crystal, while struggling to return to the safety of the Earth's surface. Open daily, 9 a.m.-11 p.m. Tickets $9.99 (packages available). 3900 Las Vegas Blvd. S. 262-4555.

NEW YORK-NEW YORK - Manhattan Express
"Express" service in this case means a zippy ride all around the perimeter of the hotel at speeds of up to 67 mph. Along the path awaits twists, turns, corkscrews and a unique 180-degree "heartline" move. Open 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sunday-Thursday; 10:30 a.m.-midnight, Friday-Saturday. Tickets are $14, re-rides $7. An all-day Scream Pass is $25. 3790 Las Vegas Blvd. S. 740-6969.

SAHARA - Speed - The Ride
Here's your chance to see what it's like to be shot from a cannon. Riders are hurtled into a curve, then into an underground tunnel, and finally atop a 224-foot tower - then just like Ginger Rogers, do the same thing backwards. Open Sun.-Thurs. 10 a.m.-midnight, Fri. and Sat. 10 a.m.-1 a.m. Tickets $10 (packages available). 2535 Las Vegas Blvd. S. 737-2111.

STRATOSPHERE - Big Shot
Up, up, up - then a free fall. You experience 4 Gs for the 160-foot ascent and 0 Gs on the descent. At the top, the sixteen riders have a panoramic view from 1,049 feet above the Strip. At the bottom, they bungee up and down three times and then settle lightly onto the platform. Sun.-Thurs. 10 a.m.-1 a.m., Fri., Sat. and holidays 10 a.m.-2 a.m. Tickets $15.95 - go again for half price. 2000 Las Vegas Blvd. S. 380-7777.

STRATOSPHERE - Insanity
This ranks among the elite of perfectly named entities. Here's the deal - you serenely take a seat on something like the ol' Chair-o-Plane - and then whirl out over the edge, 900 feet above the Strip. Sun.-Thurs 10 a.m.-1 a.m., Fri., Sat. and holidays 10 a.m.- 2 a.m. Tickets $15.95 (includes tower admission - packages available). 2000 Las Vegas Blvd. S. 380-7777.

STRATOSPHERE - X-Scream
And yes, you will - scream, that is, and maybe even use some X-rated language. Because this teeter-totter from Hades sends you out over the Las Vegas Strip, about 900 feet below, and then jolts you downward. And then does it all again. Try to enjoy the view. Sun.-Thurs 10 a.m.-1 a.m., Fri., Sat. and holidays 10 a.m.- 2 a.m. 2000 Las Vegas Blvd. S. 380-7777.

FOR MINORS, SOME MAJOR ATTRACTIONS

Though Las Vegas is mainly a destination geared towards adults, there is something here for everyone. Some attractions the younger ones in your party are likely to find fun and interesting:

	CIRCUS CIRCUS, A WONDERLAND FOR KIDS At the 5-acre Adventuredome at Circus Circus, kids enter a world of unique thrills and sights. Besides high-tech rides, there's a roller coaster, boat ride, an IMAX Ride Film, Inverter ride, Virtual reality, Miniature Golf and more. Admission is free. Hours vary. Ride tickets range from $3-$5. All-day ride passes are $13.95 (33" tall to 48") & $21.95 (48" or taller). Under 33" free with paying adult. 794-3939.
	EXCALIBUR'S MAGIC MOTION "RIDES" At the Excalibur Hotel, the country's first Dynamic Motion Simulators - two phenomenal 48-seat facilities that take you on an unbelievable filmed experience. 5-channel Dolby stereo-sound, 70 mm high-definition film and seats that move in sync with the on-screen action give you the ride of your life! 5 different adventures, each a rare experience. Entry $4, open 7 days, 9 a.m.-1 a.m. 597-7777.
	LIED DISCOVERY CHILDREN'S MUSEUM This is the world's 4th largest children's museum, a fascinating 22,000 square-foot facility for people of all ages. Its 100 hands-on exhibits let children discover the world of arts, sciences and the humanities. Participation is key. Located at 833 Las Vegas Blvd. North. Open daily except Monday from 10 a.m. $7 adults, $6 kids under 17. 382-3445.
	VIDEO/GAMES ATTRACTION FOR ALL AGES Located inside the Showcase Mall, next to the MGM Grand, open 10 a.m. to midnight daily, "Gameworks" is a rare video and games playground created by Steven Spielberg and his colleagues. You'll be transported into the mystique of Area 51, the high-tech wizardry of the Information Superhighway and the glamour of the Las Vegas Strip. Admission is free, games from 50¢ to $3 each. 432-4363.
	THE SIEGFRIED & ROY SECRET GARDEN AND DOLPHIN HABITAT AT THE MIRAGE The Siegfried & Roy Secret Garden is a wondrous habitat at the Mirage Hotel. You'll see some of the world's rarest and most exotic animals, side by side, in harmony. Up close, the public can view snow-white and striped tigers, white lions, black panthers, snow leopards and an Asian elephant, all in a unique jungle setting. 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; on Sat. and Sun. 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; closed Wed. Entry $12. This fee includes admission to the nearby Live Dolphin Display, a 2.5 million gallon pool in which swim 8 Atlantic bottlenose dolphins. Educational and fascinating, this famous habitat lets you see the dolphins above and under water, at play, doing flips and dives, being fed. Open from 11 a.m.-7 p.m., on Sat.-Sun. open 10 a.m.-7 p.m. $6 fee on Wed. 791-7111.
	LUXOR'S AWESOME "GAMES OF THE GODS" Whether its Formula One racing or landing a fighter on an aircraft carrier, the Luxor's Games of the Gods arcade pushes you as close as you can come to the new "Virtual Reality." The 18,000 square foot facility houses four centerpiece areas. Two are motion-based flight simulators, one provides 360-degree aerial dogfights and one puts you into racers amidst 3-D screens. 262-4000.
	VISIT HOOVER DAM AND LAKE MEAD Only 27 miles southeast of Las Vegas, is world famous Hoover Dam, considered one of the world's great engineering and construction wonders, and Lake Mead, among the world's largest man-made lakes. It's Hoover Dam, in fact that creates Lake Mead. In addition to the spectacular views, it houses the country's major electric-generating plant. Tours into the Dam available, allowing you to view the wondrous inner workings. Call for more info. 494-2515.