Las Vegas with kids... opinions.. suggestions

[love2disney]

DH really wants to go there christmas time. I have a 6 yr old and a 1 yr old. Looking at Mandalay Bay to stay with 2 tickets to Lion king included in the package but I have me reservations coz according to me however they spin it las Vegas is not family friendly.

Have any of u gone there with kids? What are must sees? Should I even do the trip?

My DS6 will turn 7 while we are there. Anything special we can do for him if we do decide to go?

Will my 1 year old [actually 21 month old] be able to sit thru a show?

Any other opinions, help , ideas, links are appreciated.

 

[BeenHereB4]

Hey there. I got married there in May with my 9yr old and 6 yr old in tow. We had a great time. We didn't do much on the strip though - although we did Circus Circus and NY NY. We stayed for 5 days. The only problem on the strip when we did go was all the trucks that go by with the escort advertisements on them and the little cards littering the streets with "thong lady pictures" on them (that is what my kids resorted to calling them anyway)

We stayed at the Red Rock Resort. Great pool for kids, great stuff to do in the Canyon. Calico Canyon was loads of fun for them and had great photo ops. There are parks with water features outside some of the developments that are open to the public.

Hoover Dam and Lake Meade are just an hour's drive so we did those too. Loads to do - I think they'd have a great time.

Feel free to PM me or ask here if I can be of any help.

 

[BeenHereB4]

There are horse back riding places, pony rides, family friendly hiking trails.....

Just keep in mind that there is more to Vegas than the strip. FTR, our vacation package for the 4 of us, 5 nights, including air and a mid size rental car was $1700. So it can be a really budget friendly trip too.

 

[Pakey]

DH really wants to go there christmas time. I have a 6 yr old and a 1 yr old. Looking at Mandalay Bay to stay with 2 tickets to Lion king included in the package but I have me reservations coz according to me however they spin it las Vegas is not family friendly.

Have any of u gone there with kids? What are must sees? Should I even do the trip?

My DS6 will turn 7 while we are there. Anything special we can do for him if we do decide to go?

Will my 1 year old [actually 21 month old] be able to sit thru a show?

Any other opinions, help , ideas, links are appreciated.

I do not find Las Vegas to be very family friendly. I go often (in fact, just got back this weekend) and there are A LOT of intoxicated people in the hotels and walking on the street. The streets are crowded and I personally would not want to try to walk them with children or a stroller.

I've been to many of the shows over there and I've never seen children at them. I've not seen Lion King there but every other show I've been to serves alcohol (this includes all of the Cirque shows, Phantom of the Opera, a few of the variety shows). In fact, I was at the Early showing of Beatles Love on Thursday and I sat next to a very intoxicated couple. Las Vegas, especially in the evening, is geared towards nightclubs, partying, etc.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I've never been...but I Recall seeing a Duggar family special of their vacation out west.

They traveled through Las Vegas (but of course didn't do any typical vegas things).

There was some chocolate factory they went to. No idea where it was other than it is close to Las Vegas. No idea if they do public tours, but you might want to check that out.

 

[Dan Murphy]

.....however they spin it las Vegas is not family friendly.....

Never a truer statement.

 

[RadioNate]

I think if you stick to the Vegas area and not downtown/the strip it can be alright and a decent family vacation. I think BeenHereB4 made it work well but she stayed off the strip and did other area attractions.

I wouldn't take kids on a typical on the strip Vegas vacation. It just isn't family friendly. Vegas made that push in the late 80's but it fizzled and is back to an adult playground.

To answer the Lion King and a 1 year old question. I have a 1 year old (22 months) and there is no way she could sit through the production (which I have seen) and behave properly. It is just too much.

 

[BeenHereB4]

OH! Sorry to post again, but for your son's bday, I thought this would be cool. We didn't get to do it this trip but will do it next time.

http://www.vegasindoorskydiving.com/weight.php

 

[BeenHereB4]

Never a truer statement.

Again, Las Vegas is more than just the strip.

 

[luvflorida]

We just returned from a long weekend in Vegas, and I have to agree that it is not a family-friendly or kid-friendly place, nor do I think it should be!

My husband and I have been to Vegas several times, but never with young children. We have gone with our adult children and combined it with a trip to the Hoover Dam.

Having said that, though, I can see where Mandalay Bay might be a fun place to stay with young kids. The hotel is very nice and it's not really on the main part of the strip. Mandalay Bay has a secluded beach area that is gorgeous! There are several huge pools, a wave pool, and a lazy river area, all surrounded by tons of beach sand. There are big beach cabanas that can be rented by the day, also.

When we were there we saw a lot of kids going in to see The Lion King. I'm not sure if a child as young as one would be able to sit through the show, but you know your child better than anyone else. I'm sure some one year olds would be mesmerized by it all!

You can take a tram from Mandalay Bay to the Excalibur. The Excalibur looks like a castle, something your oldest might get a kick out of seeing. From there, it is a short walk to MGM Grand where there is a Rainforest Cafe. They also have a glass enclosed habitat with two of the cutest lions I've ever seen. They're a lot of fun to watch! You could see all of these places without walking down the strip, which I would avoid doing with young kids!

 

[luvmy3]

I guess it really depends on why your dh really wants to go there. If its for the strip and typical Vegas stuff, then leave the kids home. If he is looking at the less popular family aspects of Vegas (are there really any?) then enjoy your trip!
All I know is that I had a BIL live there, once he had a child he moved to another State for a reason

 

[ksjayhawks]

I would not take an almost 2 year old to Lion King. He won't be able to sit through it and you should not ruin the performance for the others. There are also parts of it that could be scary for someone his age.

Things to do--chocolate factory, coke world, m'n'm world--along with the others pp's have mentioned.

Will the pools be usable in December? I've only been in the spring. That might be something to check out.

Kids aren't allowed in casinos, so if you plan to gamble, one of you will have to stay with the kids somewhere off the casino floor and that could get old/boring for them and the person watching.

 

[DVC Sadie]

I do not find Las Vegas to be very family friendly. I go often (in fact, just got back this weekend) and there are A LOT of intoxicated people in the hotels and walking on the street. The streets are crowded and I personally would not want to try to walk them with children or a stroller.

I've been to many of the shows over there and I've never seen children at them. I've not seen Lion King there but every other show I've been to serves alcohol (this includes all of the Cirque shows, Phantom of the Opera, a few of the variety shows). In fact, I was at the Early showing of Beatles Love on Thursday and I sat next to a very intoxicated couple. Las Vegas, especially in the evening, is geared towards nightclubs, partying, etc.

We just returned from Vegas and found that LV has changed so much over the last several years. Maybe because they don't seem to cater to families anymore.

I haven't seen any children in the audience for any of the shows in the last two years and have found even the hotel pool areas filled with adults.

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

We go about 2 to 3 times a year. We have taken our kids before but not for the past 5 or 6 years. IMHO it is not someplace I would want to take my children. You really need to look at why you are going as someone else mentioned. The hotels used to have daycare type facilities but I'm not sure that they do that anymore. If you want to spend any time gambling then you'll have to make arrangements for your children. They are not allowed to loiter on the casino floor.

Pools will not be open in December. We've gone to the NFR many times and it has actually snowed on us there. I always take a winter coat. I think the pools are usually closed from November to March but I'm not sure on the exact dates...

 

[FergieTCat]

I once went to Las Vegas with a 3 year old. (Not my 3 year old, and not my idea).

Over the course of 3 days, we saw EVERY animal on the strip (lions, tigers, dolphins). We went to the M&M Store and the Coca-Cola store. We also went to Fremont Street (he wasn't impressed). He didn't like the volcano at the Mirage (too scary). He seemed to like the gondolas at the Venetian. We went to the arcade at NY, NY (he was too little to ride the roller coaster) (note to his father: Well, duh, he was only 3). We never made it to Circus Circus. And ... his father didn't bring a stroller because he thought it would be a pain to push it. The poor little guy was exhausted.

All said and told, I really don't think Vegas has that much too offer little kids. Older ones can at least be entertained in various video arcades, and there is a movie theater on the Strip. I personally love the Red Rock area, but I'm not sure little kids would appreciate the scenery.

 

[Rora]

My DFi's family lives in Vegas and while we don't have kids yet, we don't enjoy the typical Las Vegas stuff. From our experience, there wasn't a lot for non-drinking, non-gambling adults to do, let alone children. Others have given good ideas but I think that those suggestions are the extent of what you'll find for family friendly ideas.

Maybe you can expand the vacation to make it more about the west? Go see the dam, etc.

 

[LoraJ]

I got married at Mandalay Bay. My nephew was 6 at the time and he loved the pool there as well as the shark reef. They also did some sort of movie thing at Luxor. I think a short trip with kids is fine.

 

[malibuconlee]

In my opinion Las Vegas is for adults. I won't be taking my daughter until we celebrate her 21st birthday. Way too many times have I seen children in their strollers being wheeled thru the smokey casino at midnight. Take them and put them to bed!!!!

The things my friends and I say and do at the casino I wouldn't say or do in WDW, but we do in Vegas. Heck even trying to keep my friends quiet while going to the room at 6 AM after rolling in from the club/breakfast is a chore.

As for a show and your youngest...take them to a movie at home. If they can't sit thru that they won't at a show and there the people around you paid much more than $8 for their tickets.

Also, as far as it being Christmas, from what I understand the hotels don't do a lot of decorating like WDW does.

As for the pools, there is a lot of drinking that is done there too.

15 years ago Vegas was trying to make a name for itself in family vacationing, that is no longer the case. It's an adult playground. If you do go, I would suggest staying off strip and maybe coming during the day to the strip and taking a look around, but even then don't be surprised to find drunk people at all times of the day as well.

 

[amarberry]

DH and I have been to Vegas several time with our most recent trip being in August. We are parents to a 5 yo and a 2 yo. DH and I commented in August how inappropriate we felt it was to take kids to Las Vegas. We are far from prudish about drinking, etc., but it is just not an environment I would feel comfortable exposing my small children to. For example, another poster mentioned taking kids to the Excalibur hotel. The Excalibur has go-go dancer entertainment just as you walk into the casino floor (yes...kids aren't allowed in the casinos, but this is basically at the entrance to the hotel a few feet away from a SpongeBob statue). Keep in mind as well, it is very, very smokey just about everywhere. I would not want my kids exposed to so much second hand smoke.

My kids have traveled a lot for their ages. We are very pro-travel with kids, but Las Vegas is probably the one place I wouldn't take them to.

 

[starann]

I was in LV with my mom this past Aug and could not get over how many children...young children...were there. To *ME* Vegas is not a place for small children. While there are activites kids might be interested in (The Animal Sanctuary, the M&M store) it is jsut not someplace I would bring MY kids (who are 4 and 5). Most of the kids I saw looked bored out of their minds and others were down right cranky (I would be too if my parents saw fit to keep me out until 12 or 1 in the morning while they had their fun).

We stayed at the MGM and their pools are NOT kid friendly....unless by kid you mean the 20-somethings that were beyond drunk most of the day? We also went to the Flamingo pool and again, not kid friendly.

I hope you DH can wait until they are either older OR the 2 of you can go alone. Otherwise I worry you might not enjoy it!