Viva Las Vegas. This sprawling desert city is known for its world-class casinos, shopping, fine dining, entertainment and nightlife. We decided for our first visit to Fabulous Las Vegas to also bring along Peiting’s 14-year-old sister.
We stayed just off the Las Vegas Strip at Cancun Las Vegas, a Hilton Vacation Club, a family-friendly resort with spacious Suites and amenities, including an outdoor pool with a water slide and an on-site restaurant.
Here’s our list of family-friendly activities, on and off the Las Vegas Strip.
Family-Friendly Things To Do On The Las Vegas Strip
Entertainment
There’s no shortage of ways to entertain yourself in Las Vegas. Many hotels offer interactive fun for adults and kids, often for free. Check out the Flamingo Wildlife Habitat at the Flamingo Las Vegas, where we saw flamingos and watched the resident pelican feed. We saw beautiful mermaids at the Silverton Aquarium, where they love to interact with mesmerized children through the glass. Twice daily in the same aquarium are stingray feedings.
Other family-friendly entertainment includes performances like Cirque du Soleil shows, comedians, dancing and musical acts. We saw Mat Franco’s “Magic Reinvented” show at The LINQ Hotel and had a fantastic time. His show is touted to be “reinvented nightly,” because he tells stories from his personal life and journey to magic while engaging audience members with shocking tricks. It takes a lot to capture a 14-year-old’s attention, but she was enthralled the entire time (as were we).
For something a little different, the Big Apple Coaster at the New York - New York Hotel & Casino runs frequently, though you must be over 54 inches tall to ride.
Shopping
There's endless shopping up and down the Las Vegas Strip. Hershey’s Chocolate World at New York - New York is a popular destination for kids and adults. The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian Resort will transport you and your family to Venice. Marvel at the indoor sky that replicates sunset in the evenings.
The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace have a central aquarium full of fish and stingrays. Continuing north, the Fashion Show Las Vegas is an indoor mall with high-end designers and stores with kitschy souvenirs and toys. Finally, Las Vegas is home to two outlet malls on either end of the city. The north outlet has higher-end brands while the south outlet offers more approachable options for families and children.
Dining
From big chains to celebrity chefs, to say there’s an abundance of dining options in Vegas is an understatement. Las Vegas is known for its buffets, including Wicked Spoon and The Buffet at Wynn Las Vegas. Children under nine eat at a discount at Wynn. However, try to reserve seats in advance because the walk-in wait can be over an hour. Similarly, Wicked Spoon stops taking walk-ins after they reach capacity, which is usually around 11 a.m.
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Our favorite dining experience was at the Hello Kitty Cafe. There are two locations: one is an outdoor container with patio-like seating and the other is inside the Fashion Show mall. The drinks and desserts were made with care and ultra-adorable. Plus, they sell gifts you can pick up for the Sanrio fans in your life.
Attractions
While children aren’t allowed on the casino floor, most casinos have areas kids can explore. For example, Cafe Gelato inside Bellagio Las Vegas has a large selection of gelato, plush seating and fast Wi-Fi for a kid-friendly stop. While inside the Bellagio, don’t miss the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Garden with its magnificent seasonal and holiday floral displays. Outside, the famous Fountains of Bellagio show is free to watch and occurs every 30 minutes during the day and every 15 minutes at night.
Inside Treasure Island, Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. is an interactive display offering discounted tickets for children. Other paid attractions include the Fun Dungeon arcade at Excalibur Hotel & Casino, the Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino and the Circus Circus Adventuredome Theme Park.
Adventures Off The Las Vegas Strip
Spend a half or whole day at the Valley of Fire State Park, meandering along easy trails through otherworldly rock formations like Fire Wave. The roads are well-marked, and there is a visitor’s center with bathrooms, an educational walkthrough and a gift shop with snacks and drinks. We even spotted a bighorn sheep.
Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve in nearby Henderson is a free nature preserve containing nine ponds and hundreds of birds that offers a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the city.
For more nature with a twist, take a stroll with the family through the Ethel M Chocolate Factory and Cactus Garden, Nevada’s largest botanical garden. Self-guided tours through the factory and garden are free — and may include a sample or two of chocolate.
Drop by Downtown Container Park on the north end of the city for snacks and drinks for everyone, plus a playground featuring a 33-foot slide for the kids.
Las Vegas is a truly world-class city surrounded by natural wonders. With a little bit of planning, bring the kids along to experience what Fabulous Las Vegas has to offer.
Read “4 Seasons Of Fun In Fabulous Las Vegas” for more things to do on and off the Las Vegas Strip.