Although you might have to look beyond the slots machines and neon lights to find things to do in Vegas with kids –– there are quite a few. There is more to Las Vegas than just the casinos and slot machines, trust me! Having been there a few times with and without kids, what draws me to this city is the colors and lights of Vegas – all that neon and over-the-top decorations and interiors, not to mention the shows and amazing array of restaurants!
Botanical garden display at Bellagio
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Quick List of my Top 20 things to do in Vegas
#1 Stop at the Las Vegas Sign
#2 Visit Neon Museum
#3 Check out what is on display at the Bellagio Conservatory
#4 See the Bellagio Fountain Show
#5 Fall of Atlantis Show
#6 Catch some Circus Acts at Circus Circus
#7 Gondola Rides at Venetian (may be!)
#8 See the Eiffel Tower at Paris
#9 Ride Big Apple Coaster at NewYork NewYork (we are chicken when it comes to rides)
#10 Flamingo Habitat at the Flamingo
#11 Shark Reef Aquarium
#12 Admire the Lobby at Wynn (My favorite Hotel in Vegas)
#13 Day trip to Red Rock Canyon
#14 See the Seven Magic Mountains
#15 The Strat Skypod and Rides
#16 Fremont Street
#17 Tram or Limo Ride
#18 Attend a Show or two
#19 Lounge by the Pool
#20 Try your luck at the Casinos 😉
Start with these top things to do in Las Vegas with kids
Watch the lions, tigers and leopards at the Las Vegas’ Secret Garden at the Mirage, along with beautiful lush foliage and jungle-themed music.
Go on a gondola ride at the Venetian – located in St. Mark’s Square, it is a popular attraction. So popular, in fact, that the Venetian had to hire more gondoliers to meet demand and it still sells out every day. Plan ahead for this one.
Walk down the trip to see Vegas’s most famous performer in Las Vegas, tirelessly thrilling crowds with show after show, each one as magical as the last – The fountains at Bellagio
Watch the spectacular Volcano at The Mirage now includes two volcano systems, a lagoon and fire shooters that shoot flame on demand, more than 12 feet into the air. This free live show is staged nightly at 7:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and on weekends also at 9:00 p.m. The volcano erupts to lights, fire and music.
An 11-minute free show in the Forum Shops area, “Fall of Atlantis” features special water and fire effects and 9-foot-tall animatronic statues. Show times fall every hour on the hour. While you are there you can go shopping or window shopping around in The Forum Shops.
Fun for kids and the kids-at-heart, Las Vegas Mini Gran Prix allows you to race against your friends. You’ll get to choose from three styles of miniature race cars.
Kids can step into the Marvel Cinematic Universe at the Marvel Avenger’s S.T.A.T.I.O.N. At Treasure Island. (D’s favorite) A variety of superhero equipment and costumes from the “Avengers” films is on display under glass, including Iron Man’s armor Captain America’s shield, and Thor’s hammer. You can even purchase your own personalized ID at the Marvel Avengers retail store.
The Las Vegas location of Madame Tussauds at the Venetian features wax recreations of dozens of celebrities, including some of that the kids will recognize like the Avengers. A must-do when visiting Las Vegas with kids!
Free to the public and open 24 hours a day, a Sky-lit atrium at the Bellagio features seasonal scenes of trees, flowers and other plants. The Conservatory and Botanical Gardens at Bellagio Las Vegas are redesigned four times a year to reflect each of the four seasons.
Enjoy the skill and artistry of Cirque du Soleil’s inimitable acrobats, swimmers, divers and dancers in this aquatic-themed production of “O” at Bellagio. One of the best shows in Vegas in my opinion. Our kids loved it too.
A few more Family Friendly things to do in Vegas
Looking for a few more family friendly things to do in Vegas? High Roller, currently holds the record for the tallest observation wheel in the world. It sits at the back of the LINQ Promenade off the Strip and, at 550 feet tall. The pods (much like the London Eye) the top of the wheel and deliver panoramic views of the Vegas Valley once you get to the top of the wheel. One entire revolution takes about 30 minutes!
The Blue Man Group show is another popular family friendly show – it is at the Luxor Hotel & Casino. The world-famous comedic music show features a cast of performers painted blue.
You can find the kid favorite M&M World store in Vegas – four stories that carry everything M&M. Located in the New York, New York Hotel & Casino, Hershey’s Chocolate World is a 2-story, 13,000-square-foot flagship store that showcases over 800 Hershey’s chocolate and candies. New York’s legendary ice cream parlor and restaurant has a Vegas location that serves up its famous Frozen Hot Chocolate drink and other favorites.
Check out the Discovery Center, the kids will love the seven-story climbing structure that enables them to explore different exhibits and floors.
Last but not least, stop at Springs Preserve, an expansive facility on the north side of town. It offers three museums in one: the Nevada State Museum, a museum about the origin of Las Vegas, and a recreated Las Vegas streetscape from 1905. Kids will enjoy the sustainability gallery, playground, botanical garden, and 180 acres of trails.
Discounts on Las Vegas Attractions
Tours & Day Trips from Las Vegas
Seven Magic Mountains is a quick day trip from Vegas. The colorful stack of boulders is located approximately 10 miles south of the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and St. Rose Parkway in Henderson, Nevada.
From Las Vegas: Follow I-15 S to Sloan Rd (exit 25). Turn left (east) to Las Vegas Boulevard. Drive approximately 7 miles south on Las Vegas Blvd. and the artwork will appear on your left (east). There is no admission fee to visit the installation. It is FREE.
A visit to the Hoover Dam is an excellent day trip from Las Vegas filled with edutainment for all ages. It’s one of the seven engineering wonders of the modern world and straddles the Arizona-Nevada border. Tour the power plant, take photos from the observation deck and more.
Lake Mead, the largest man-made lake in the Western Hemisphere, offers year-round recreation – you can find everything from boating to swimming to hiking to wildlife viewing.
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is a short 25 minutes drive away, where you can hike, picnic and view plant and animal life under 3,000-foot-high red rock formations. We went on a pink jeep tour to see the different rock formations.
Grand Canyon National Park is a natural wonder measuring one mile deep and about 280 miles long. Although several other canyons have been carved along the Colorado River, this area is the most spectacular. You can take a helicopter flight into the depths of the Grand Canyon for a champagne picnic 3,200 feet below the canyon rim. They will pick you up right from your hotel.
See all the other activities and available tours from Las Vegas
See our trip, easy hikes and things to do in Grand Canyon with kids
Where to stay in Las Vegas
We have stayed at the Palazzo, Bellagio and Wynn on recent trips but find the Aria and the Luxury suites at the Aria Tower Suites the best bet for families – we love the views and the rooms with the double queen beds. Tower Suites even has a Concierge team that will personally welcome you curbside and their exclusive lounge is stocked with complimentary fresh made espresso, macchiato, cappuccino. Coffee machines are hard to come by in the Vegas rooms for some reason.
Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino is another family friendly Vegas resort which boasts one of the most kid-friendly pool complexes in town. There’s a lazy river, a wave pool, a beach with real sand and plenty of mocktails to keep the little ones happy.
Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas is another great family hotel, but we haven’t stayed there yet.
See other family friendly hotels in Las Vegas and read the reviews.
Here are a few photos of my favorite colors and lights in the Sin City
A Few Tips for visiting Vegas with kids
We love visiting Las Vegas – there are wonderful restaurants to eat, shows to watch and amusement rides and some free entertainment even while walking down the strip.
Most of the area is easily walkable, you don’t even need a car to get around and it is sometimes fun to catch a limo ride.
Just make sure there are no conferences scheduled in town. Vegas seems to be a popular location for a lot of trade shows and when that happens – it gets crowded everywhere and most hotel rooms rate skyrocket.
Visting Las Vegas with kids is not that bad and pretty fun if you learn to avoid spending too much time (and money) on gambling tables and slot machines 🙂 Spend that money on kid friendly shows and tours!
Have you taken the kids to Vegas, what are some of the things you did?
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