Travel Tuesday:  Kid-Friendly Las Vegas

Gone are the days where Vegas was known as an “Adult Only” playground.  Believe it or not, there are kids that live in Vegas and so, there must be things for them to do in Sin City, right? Right!

A few weeks ago, my husband and I traveled to Las Vegas with our then 15-month old Daughter, Dahlia.  We knew that this was definitely going to be a much different Vegas trip for us and we were open to new and exciting adventures.  (We were actually there for my husband’s basketball tournament & decided to make it a family trip.) (All photos taken by myself or my husband)

We stayed at the Vdara Hotel and absolutely loved our stay!  The hotel has NO casino/gaming and is also non-smoking.  The rooms are all suites and had a kitchen so I could keep Dahlia’s milk cold in the fridge and wash her bottles in the sink as well.   There is also a nice sized pool area that other kids were playing in too.

While Vdara doesn’t have much else to offer kids, most of the other big hotels have things to do for kids and below, I will highlight some complimentary attractions, fee-based options and also kid-friendly places to eat.  We didn’t do all of the attractions because of Dahlia’s age & time constraints, but I’m sure that when she gets older, we will be back.

Complimentary Kid-Friendly Attractions:

• Bellagio Fountain Show (Plays either every 30 min. or every 15 min.  Check schedule for times.)
  • Dahlia loved the Fountain Show and so did we!  It’s always a sight to see!  The show was actually better than when I saw it a couple of weeks prior when I came for my cousins’ birthdays.  So, I am convinced it’s different every week.

• Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens
  • The Bellagio does an amazing job creating this magical indoor garden that plays to the theme of the season. It is open 24/7 and you can catch Mr. & Mrs. Greenthumb everyday from 10:30a – 11:30a.
  • When we went it was an underwater theme.  Dahlia did not want to leave & I don’t blame her.

• Fiori Di Como at the Bellagio Hotel
  • This wonderful display of glass art is spectacular to see by famous artist Dale Chihuly.  His work can be seen in every major museum in the world and you get to see some of his art for free in the hotel lobby.

• The Paris Las Vegas Hotel’s Eiffel Tower
  • To take a look at the Eiffel Tower in Las Vegas which is 1/2 the size of the real one in Paris, France is free, if you want to actually go up the tower it’s about $15-$20 per adult and $10 for kids.  I’d suggest going during the day with kids because the prices are cheaper.
  • During our trip, we only took photos outside the landmark.

• M&M’s World on the Strip
  • This fun shop has got every color M&M imaginable and fun figurines to take pictures with.  Kids will love coming in here and parents, watch out, you’ll probably be enticed to buy an item or two.
  • They even have a free 3-D movie, “I Lost My ‘M’ in Vegas,” starring Red and Yellow that shows daily. Critics give the overall experience at M&M’s® World® Las Vegas two thumbs up!
    Everyday:  9 AM – MIDNIGHT

    – 3D Movie is open until 8pm on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays

    – 3D Movie is open until 6pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays
• Hershey’s Chocolate World
  • Stop by during your trip to Las Vegas to customize chocolate bar wrappers, choose your favorite HERSHEY’S KISSES chocolates and JOLLY RANCHER hard candy flavors, and star in a REESE’S Peanut Butter Cup TV ad!

• The Mirage Volcano Show
  • This iconic front yard of the Mirage has updated their volcano show making it even more spectacular.
  • Eruption Schedule:
    Sunday – Thursday | 8 p.m. & 9 p.m.
    Friday – Saturday | 8 p.m., 9 p.m. & 10 p.m.

• The Mirage Aquarium
  • This 20,000-gallon saltwater aquarium is home to 450 fish and is located behind the Front Desk.  The tank is cleaned 2-3 times a week and the divers can be seen early in the morning.

• The Mirage Atrium
  • The atrium houses palms, lagoons and waterfalls in this indoor rainforest.

• The Fall of Atlantis, an animatronic show, at the Forum Shops of Caesar’s Palace
  • This is a newly revamped show that is a must if you decide to stop and shop
  • The Forum Shops is also home to a 50,000-gallon aquarium that kids will love too!

• The Beach at the Mandalay Bay Hotel (If you are a hotel Guest)
  • In the past, I have stayed at the Mandalay Bay Hotel and their Beach Area/Pool is one-of-a-kind in Las Vegas.  You’ll find many families here, especially at their Lazy River & Wave Pool!

• Circus Acts at Circus Circus
  • As a kid, I remember going to Reno, NV and watching the complimentary shows within the Midway, this is no different!  Circus Circus offers world class acts for FREE starting at 11 a.m. everyday!

Fee-Based Kid-Friendly Attractions:

• Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden & Dolphin Habitat at the Mirage Hotel
  • Cost: $22/adult and $17/child, there are also bundle packs you can buy with this entry.
  • Because this is a place for education and research, you won’t find shows and crowds of people, this Garden was a good size for Dahlia’s age and what’s awesome is you got to get up really close to the dolphins and watch them play.  We saw other amazing animals, baby tigers and even Siegfried!

• Shark Reef & Aquarium at the Mandalay Bay
  • Cost:  Adults: $20.00, Children (4-12): $14.00, Children (3 & under): free, Seniors (65+): $18.00
  • I have yet to come here but have heard good things.  Their mission statement states that they adhere to high standards of animal care while trying to create an educational and entertaining experience.  I appreciate that.  There are over 2,000 animals in over 1.6 million gallons of water here.

• The Midway at Circus Circus
  • The Midway has fun Carnival Games for all ages and an arcade with 200 games.  Prices are per game.

• Adventuredome Theme Park at Circus Circus
  • Cost:   All Day Ride Pass:
    • Regular Pass $31.95 (48 inches tall or taller)
    • Junior Pass $17.95 (Under 48 inches tall)
  • Or you can pay per ride at various costs
  • Adventuredome has rides for everyone in the family, from the toddler to the thrill-seeker.  It has something for everyone!

• Fun Dungeon at the Excalibur Hotel
  • Come to this famous & fun arcade at the Excalibur Hotel that has midway games, arcade games and ticket redemption games as well!
  • Priced per game.

• Gondola Rides at the Venetian Hotel
  • Cost:  $21/person for up for Four Persons
  • This is a one-of-a-kind experience that mimics the real experience in Venice, Italy.  The ride takes you through the canals and under bridges as your gondolier serenades you and your family.

• Madame Tussads Wax Museum at the Venetian Hotel
  • Cost:  General Admission: $29.95
    Children (4-12): $19.95
    Children 3 And Under: Free
  • Would you like to meet your favorite celebrity?  Well, here is your chance at Madame Tussads Museum that has over 100 life-like wax figurines.

• The Big Apple Coaster & Arcade at the New York, New York
  • Cost:  Individual Tickets – $14.00, Scream Pass – $25.00 – all day ride pass, $2.00 off 5×7 photo,
    Family Fun Flight for Four – $60.00 – Four individual ride tickets & 2 (two) 5×7 close up photosVegas Locals Receive $10 Admissions

• The Blue Man Group Show at the Monte Carlo (Moving to the Luxor in November 2015)
  • This kid-friendly show appeals to everyone of all ages because of the awesome music they play, the bright colors they have in their show and the comedy.  This is a win-win for the family.

Kid-Friendly Places to Eat that Parents can Enjoy Too:

• Any Buffet!  Really, any buffet is going to be kid-friendly, there are so many options that everyone can enjoy from a buffet and what better place to eat at one than in Vegas.  One of our favorite buffets is at the Cosmopolitan Hotel, Wicked Spoon.  This place has great portion sizes so you don’t go overboard and an array of food from many cuisines.  Kids will definitely love the dessert station as they can choose from many gelato flavors, cookies and cakes!

• Mon Ami Gabi at the Las Vegas Paris Hotel
  • This restaurant has so much French charm.  We ate breakfast here and sat outside and listened to the musicians, street performers and enjoyed the view of the strip.  Dahlia loved the delicious Big Skinny Pancakes which are a must while Jason had the Special of the Day  and I had a tasty Frisee Kale & Warm Bacon Salad that I could probably eat every morning it was that good!

• Tournament of Kings Dinner Show at the Excalibur Hotel
  • Cost:  $69.85 + service fee/person or $48.57 + service fee without dinner
  • This is an ultimate dinner and show experience.  Watch as knights joust and ride on horses while you eat a hearty meal with your hands – the original utensil. 🙂  I have seen something similar in Southern California and it was so fun, I imagine this is just as fun.

• Shake Shack at the New York, New York Hotel
  • Lo-and-behold, a burger place for kids that parents can enjoy too!  This product of New York has amazing food (krinkle cut fries with cheese & a regular burger are my faves!)  And parents, they have a good-sized drink menu and did I mention they have spiked milkshakes!?

• Serendipity 3 at the Caesar’s Palace Hotel
  • Another transplant of New York, Serendipity has it all!  From its old school ice cream parlor decor to its world famous Frrrozen Hot Chocolate drink that blends 20 different kinds of chocolate into an icy cocoa concoction, Serendipity 3 offers something for everyone who’s craving both sweet & salty.  
  • They also have specialty kids, brunch and dessert party menu deals & an awesome kids paper menu for coloring.

Our trip to Vegas was a fun one & it has given me a new perspective on Vegas.  I didn’t realize they had so many options for kids until we had Dahlia.  Las Vegas still remains one of my favorite places to travel too because of everything they have to offer & now I know they have even more!

If you have anything to add to my list, feel free to comment below or email me at dearestdahliablog@gmail.com.

Happy Traveling!