It’s been a while since we’ve been able to go on vacation. Like the rest of the world, we needed a break. We decided very last minute to go explore Las Vegas during spring break. My kids had never been there before, and if you know me at all, you would realize that Las Vegas is the least likely place I would go. I don’t gamble or drink, so the typical allure of the Las Vegas strip is kind of lost on me. That’s ok! I love cities and new experiences and we knew that we could have a great time in the city doing some atypical activies. And have a great time we did!

Almost as soon as we arrived in the city, we made our way to Dig This Vegas. What a way to kick off our vacation! Did you ever play with trucks in the sand when you were a kid? This is basically the grown up, life-sized version of that. We were invited to each participate in the Big Dig Excavator Experience. We each got a full sized excavator to ourselves to learn to maneuver and control. Everyone in my family was psyched to get to do this, but I had my reservations, if I’m being honest. These are huge, heavy machines, and I didn’t have the slightest clue what to do to control them. I certainly had nothing to worry about, as I soon discovered, because we were in the hands of some very competent (and in my case, patient) instructors!

To start the experience, you head inside a warehouse where you watch a safety video and have a demonstration as to what you will be doing using toy-sized machines and sand. It was actually a great way to show us what we could expect for the next while. When we were ready to begin, we headed out to the vast yard to the side of the warehouse where we could learn some new skills.

Each participant is given a headset to to communicate with an instructor. So even though the excavators are noisy, you can clearly speak with your instructor. This is invaluable! We hopped inside our excavators and got familiar with the equipment. Our instructors gave us simple directions to get comfortable, as we gradually tried to figure out how to operate these massive machines.

As our confidence grew, we were instructed to complete a series of exercises while inside. This was so much fun! Before I knew it, we were digging massive holes, popping wheelies (my kids’ favorite) , spinning around (my favorite), and playing basketball! It was an absolute blast!

I can’t even begin to tell you how much fun this experience was. I have a whole new respect for heavy machinery operators, but, at the same time, feel great that I learned some new skills and took control of one of these massive machines! This was something that no one in our family had ever done, but had so much fun learning how to do.

The time passed pretty quickly, as they say, time flies when you are having fun. We were sad to leave, but I have to say, I would do this again in a heartbeat. I highly recommend you do it, too, if you get the chance. This is a great family activity, birthday gift, birthday party idea or team building experience. Adults and kids can participate easily, depending on the equipment you choose. To learn more about the great packages they have available, visit their website. This is one Vegas experience you won’t want to miss!

*we were invited to experience Dig This Vegas to facilitate a feature. All opinions are my own*