{UPDATED} How to Do Las Vegas With Kids

Las Vegas is best known as a playground for adults, with world class casinos featuring endless opportunities for gambling and nightlife. That’s why most people are surprised to find out that it is actually a really great family friendly destination as well! Your little ones will love the many kid friendly activities at local hotels, parks, and museums, as well as the bright lights, entertainment, and larger-than-life attractions. 

We will steer you in the right direction and help you make the most of your time in Las Vegas with kids! There is so much to see and do in this vibrant city!

---

Best family friendly hotels to book when visiting Las Vegas with kids.

Las Vegas hotels are often geared towards a more adult clientele, however, it is definitely possible to find family friendly lodging in Sin City. The hotels we’ve suggested have amenities and accommodations that are not only suitable for kids, but in some cases designed for them!

1. Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas

Although the Four Seasons Hotel is a bit of a splurge it is worth its weight in gold. It is casino-free and the service is impeccable, with many amenities and services geared towards families and kids. They offer babysitting, a beautiful family friendly pool and access to the adjacent Mandalay Bay Pool complex including a lazy river, three swimming pools and a real-sand beach!

2. Circus Circus Hotel and Casino

As the name implies, Circus Circus is a circus-themed hotel that has been entertaining families for years! The Adventuredome, a 5 acre indoor theme park, has rides, games with prizes, and daily circus shows for free. Kids love this place!

3. Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino

Families flock to the Mandalay Bay Hotel for its world famous Mandalay Bay pool complex which features multiple pools, a beach, a lazy river, and a wave pool! The 1.6 million gallon Shark Reef Aquarium is also located inside the hotel. If you’re heading to Las Vegas with kids this stop is a must, whether you decide to stay overnight or not!

4. New York-New York Hotel and Casino

The New York-New York Hotel has a great location in close proximity to many family attractions and activities on The Strip. It has an arcade and the Big Apple Roller Coaster for kids that are a bit older. The whole family will enjoy the 2-story Hershey chocolate store, located inside the hotel that is filled with candies, chocolates and gifts!

5. Excalibur Hotel

What kid wouldn’t want to stay inside a giant castle?! The Excalibur Hotel, with its brightly colored turrets and spires, is exciting and appealing to little ones at first sight. Inside you’ll find the medieval theme continues in full effect! Be sure to get tickets for the “Tournament of Kings” dinner show, which has been a favorite Vegas attraction for decades. Adults will love the reasonably priced rooms and the convenient tram that connects you to the neighboring casinos, Mandalay Bay and the Luxor.

If you want your hotel to have an even more family-friendly vibe, consider renting baby gear such as a full size wooden crib, sound machine, baby bathtub, and more from BabyQuip. An Independent Quality Provider from Las Vegas can even have your items waiting for you at the hotel upon your arrival.

---

Best shows to see with the kids.

A trip to Las Vegas with kids would not be complete without exploring at least one of the magnificent and mesmerizing shows they have to offer. The good news is that you have plenty to choose from. From circus performances to pet theater, Vegas has it all!

1. The Blue Man Group 

The Blue Man Group at the Luxor Hotel is a longtime favorite for families, blending music, percussion, comedy and interactive audience participation.  The show is broken into different sketches so it manages to keep kids’ attention better than your average show experience.

2. Mystere By Cirque Du Soleil

If you’re ready to be wowed, take the little ones to Mystere, a gravity defying Cirque du Soleil performance. It is a high energy aerial circus act at Treasure Island Hotel, featuring bungee jumpers, gymnasts, clowns and more! The whole family will enjoy and remember this awe-inspiring experience for years to come.

3. Jabbawockeez

If fast paced hip hop and pop music makes your little ones want to get up and dance, check out the Jabbawockeez dance extravaganza at the MGM Grand Hotel. This perfectly choreographed group has been voted the “Best Family Show, and “Best of All Ages” show for three years in a row.

4. Gregory Popovich’s Pet Theater  

Gregory Popovich’s Pet Theater is a completely family friendly show that will have kids laughing at all of the hilarious Pet Theater antics. Located in The V Theater at Planet Hollywood, this show features silly pet tricks that even toddlers will enjoy!

---

Related Articles:

• Los Angeles: Off the Beaten Path
• Cool & Unusual Places for Kids in San Diego
• BabyQuip Baby Gear Rentals: How to Get Started

---

Best activities for kids in Vegas.

Las Vegas isn’t just for adults. There are actually plenty of attractions geared towards kids! Some of the best activities are as simple as getting to experience a bird’s-eye view of the splendor, glitz and glamor of the city from high up in the sky. Theme parks and aquariums are always a surefire hit with the kiddos as well. Here are some of the best activities Las Vegas has to offer!

1. Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay

Don’t forget your camera on this adventure! Kids will be amazed by the Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay. This aquarium, with over 2,000 animals spanning 14 exhibits, is a breathtaking sensory experience that allows guests to touch sharks, rays and horseshoe crabs.

2. Adventuredome at Circus Circus 

For over 50 years, Circus Circus has been a favorite destination for any family traveling to Las Vegas with kids! Although Adventuredome has some pretty serious roller coasters, they haven’t forgotten about their younger visitors.  There are family-friendly rides such as Circus Carousel and Road Runner, as well as junior rides such as Frog Hoppers and Thunderbirds. You can also play mini golf, hit the arcade, and get wet in the Splash Zone! Get all-day wristbands to get the most out of this spot.

3. High Roller Observation Wheel 

The High Roller Observation Wheel at The Linq in Las Vegas is the world’s largest observation wheel and a very popular attraction for kids! It features a 360 degree sweeping view of the Las Vegas Valley and The Strip. If you can get the little ones to stay awake for a nighttime ride you’ll get the added pleasure of seeing the endless amount of lights that Vegas is famous for.

4. Eiffel Tower Experience 

The Eiffel Tower Experience in Las Vegas is a half scale replica of the Eiffel Tower in Paris and provides incredible views and an exhilarating ride to the top that kids will enjoy. The best part is that kids under 3 years old ride for free!

5. Grand Canal Shoppes inside the Venetian & the Palazzo 

Going to the mall just got a lot more entertaining for the kiddos! Replicated after beautiful Venice, Italy, the Grand Canal Shoppes are an over-the-top experience features beautifully painted sky ceilings, a waterfall, and actual gondolas offering rides down an actual canal. Only in Vegas!

6. Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N at Treasure Island Hotel & Casino

If you’ve got a Marvel nerd in your herd then Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N is a must see! It’s like a Hard Rock Cafe for all things Avengers, complete with life size statues, actual props from movies, and interactive stations. Kids will love seeing and hearing about all Hulk, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America and the whole crew!

7. Walk!

The entire Strip is an amazing attraction both day and night. We definitely recommend just popping the kids into a stroller and exploring all there is to see. You’ll all be amazed at the fountains, statues, performers, and general excessiveness that exists in this super fun town! Warning: this desert gets dangerously HOT, so pay attention to the weather and avoid being outside if it’s unsafe.

---

Best things for the family to do off the Strip.

Most people around the world immediately associate the city of Las Vegas with The Strip, which is the 4-mile stretch of world famous hotels, casinos and attractions. But if you’re going to Las Vegas with kids, be sure to check out these great family friendly attractions off the Strip!

1. Discovery Children’s Museum 

Located in Downtown Las Vegas, The Discovery Children’s Museum has exhibits for children of all ages. Toddler Town is a desert themed exhibit geared specifically for kids under 5 years old. The Crawl Zone is a protected sensory area for infants who aren’t yet walking. Permanent exhibits also include Water World, which features a replica of the Hoover Dam, Eco City, Young at Art, and many more!

2. Las Vegas Natural History Museum 

The Las Vegas Natural History Museum located in Downtown Las Vegas features many interactive exhibits for your kids to explore. They will particularly enjoy the Cox Charities Young Scientist Center that allows kids to dig for fossils or explore the depths of the ocean inside a submarine.

3. Lion Habitat Ranch 

Going to Las Vegas with kids will probably encourage you to check out some attractions you might have otherwise missed! Just minutes from the Strip, the Lion Habitat Ranch is a lion sanctuary that features over 40 lions and Ozzie the Giraffe. Get a behind the scenes tour and take a photo with your little one feeding Ozzie!

4. Downtown Container Park 

The Downtown Container Park is an outdoor shopping, dining and entertainment area made entirely from old shipping containers. Kids will love The Treehouse, an interactive playground with climbing areas and slides.  

5. Red Rock Canyon  

If you fancy taking a break from the bright neon lights and stimulation of the Las Vegas Strip, consider a serene adventure to Red Rock Canyon. These unique geological formations are a sight to behold and have formed over the last 600 million years. Families will enjoy a bit of nature on the various hiking trails!

6. Vegas Indoor Skydiving

Located next to the Convention Center (so barely off the Strip), Vegas Indoor Skydiving is a popular spot will turn the whole family into soaring superheroes (as long as they weigh 40 lbs. or more). There is a bit of training, and then you’re off to the wind tunnel where powerful propellers keep you up in the air as if you’re skydiving!

7. Springs Preserve

This nature preserve is an inexpensive and educational option if you’re looking to explore and enjoy some local natural history in Las Vegas with kids. There are walking trails, a museum, gardens, and plants and animals on display. Springs Preserve is the quintessential elementary school field trip and a nice change of pace from the bright lights of the Strip!

8. Helicopter Tour Over the Grand Canyon

Las Vegas is ripe with extravagance, so why not suggest this over the top activity?! Companies like Grand Canyon Tours will pick you up at our hotel and take you on a ride out over Lake Mead, the Hoover Dam, and onward to the majestic Grand Canyon. The helicopters are relatively quiet, and with room for 6 passengers the whole family can fit! Kids under two even ride free. Just remember to use the potty first!

---

Free things to do in Las Vegas with kids.

We all like to go easy on the pocketbook when and where we can, in between the inevitable spending that’s going to set us back a couple of bucks. Have no fear, since there are definitely a handful of free things to do with kids in Las Vegas.  

1. Bellagio Fountains 

Head to the Bellagio and check out the iconic Bellagio Fountains. It’s a spectacular water show of dancing fountains choreographed to loud music and colorful lights, and it runs every 15 or 30 minutes daily depending on the day of the week. The nighttime shows are especially thrilling to watch!

2. The Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Garden 

The Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Garden is completely free and open to the public 24 hours a day. Children will marvel at the intricate floral creations that change four times per year with the seasons. 

3. The Volcano at the Mirage 

The Volcano at the Mirage Hotel “erupts” to fire, lights and music nightly. It is an over the top attraction that is a sure crowd pleaser!

4. Viva Vision Light Show on Fremont Street

The Fremont Street Experience is located just a few minutes from the Strip in Downtown Las Vegas. There is plenty to see here, and visitors love the charm that “Old Vegas” has to offer. Between 6 PM and 2 AM you’ll be treated to an amazing Viva Vision Light Show at the top of every hour.

---

Whether you are willing to spend like a high roller or you’re on a tight budget, there is plenty to do in Las Vegas with kids that spans the entire spending spectrum! The one thing you can be certain of is that there are more than enough attractions to keep the whole family entertained around the clock. Viva Las Vegas…with kids!