Las Vegas with kids... opinions.. suggestions

[love2disney]

What would be a good offstrip hotel for kids?

 

[luvflorida]

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...

That was me. In my defense, I would just like to say that I did not advocate taking kids INSIDE the Excalibur. I suggested that the OP's older child might get a kick out of seeing the OUTSIDE of the Excalibur because it resembles a very large castle.

On a recent visit to Las Vegas, my husband and I were walking down the strip and passed the following impersonators- Elvis Presley, The Blues Brothers, Michael Jackson and Winnie-the-Pooh. I asked my husband, "Now which one doesn't belong on the strip?"

One evening we walked down and caught the Pirate show outside Treasure Island. The show goes on nightly directly outside the entrance to the casino. The setting looks very kid-friendly, with big pirate ships and the promise of a pirate attack. There was a big crowd gathered for the show, and beside us was a family with a young boy, maybe 8 or 9 years old.

The show started and it wasn't long before the "sirens" and "pirates" started to battle. The sirens were scantily clad and had some, um...dance moves to entice the attacking pirates. Well, I heard the mother of the boy say, "Oh dear, this isn't what I had in mind, not what I thought it would be", and the boy's parents promptly dragged him away. But not before the kid snapped as many pictures as he could with his camera! Hopefully, the photos won't end up at Show and Tell at his school!

Unfortunately, some people realize it before it's too late that LV isn't for the little ones!

 

[RadioNate]

What would be a good offstrip hotel for kids?

I'd go out to Red Rocks and do Hoover Dam and those things.

Have you been to Vegas? There isn't really anything off the strip (well technically things like the Palms and the Rio are off the strip but those are about the LAST 2 places I'd bring kids!) I also wouldn't stay downtown with them.

What exactly does your DH expect to do in Vegas at Christmas? Is he going to hang out in the casinos while you entertain the kids? You won't be able to do any thing really together because the kids aren't allowed in the casinos.

It will be cold there in Dec, the pools won't be usable.

I'm sorry but I just can't imagine this will be fun for anyone.

 

[Papa Deuce]

Well, I have been to LV about 7x.... wouldn't even consider taking my kids for lots of reasons... but if you go, and spend time on the strip, well, I sure hope they LOVE to walk. I used a pedometer last time I went.... I walked about 8 miles a day.

 

[Papa Deuce]

I'd go out to Red Rocks and do Hoover Dam and those things.

Have you been to Vegas? There isn't really anything off the strip (well technically things like the Palms and the Rio are off the strip but those are about the LAST 2 places I'd bring kids!) I also wouldn't stay downtown with them.

What exactly does your DH expect to do in Vegas at Christmas? Is he going to hang out in the casinos while you entertain the kids? You won't be able to do any thing really together because the kids aren't allowed in the casinos.

It will be cold there in Dec, the pools won't be usable.

I'm sorry but I just can't imagine this will be fun for anyone.

I may be wrong... I think they can be in the casinos, but not on the gaming floors.

 

[waltskids]

DH and I went to Vegas twice, both before kids and it isn't a place I would take my kids to, IMHO. We stayed at both the Flamingo and the Luxor and didn't see many children at all, and both times were in the summer. The pools were full of young adults who were all having a great time. While there are things a family may enjoy, most of the city is geared toward adults. We are smoke free in NJ, even our casinos have many non smoking sections, but Vegas gave our allergies a run for their money The smoke was so bad in the casinos and I wouldn't expose my children to that as well.We are very pro-travel when it comes to our kids, but this is one place I would not travel with little ones. Now if you have a babysitter....

On another note, we visited Red Rock Canyon and Hoover Dam while in Vegas and this was great. Maybe you could do a trip that included things such as this??

 

[BriarfoxinWA]

I may be wrong... I think they can be in the casinos, but not on the gaming floors.

The big casinos have pathways that are usually carpeted differently or they are tiled walkways through the gaming areas. The kids can stroll down these but I know when we would even pause on the way through a security officer would be right there saying we needed to keep moving. The kids can be in the restaurants and other non-gaming areas.

 

[Dan Murphy]

What would be a good offstrip hotel for kids?

Off strip hotels are almost exclusively there for the casino they house. Not that the strip hotels are not. But, at least the strip hotels have some redeeming qualities....grandeur, spectacle, shopping malls, etc. Off strip are for the either the locals or hard core gamblers who do not like the trappings of the strip. Certainly not good for kids or families.

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

Mandalay Bay is kinda kid friendly(over 7y or so. Wave pool aquarium.
Plus with the deal out there you might be able to catch a pretty cheap room.

 

[BeenHereB4]

Off strip hotels are almost exclusively there for the casino they house. Not that the strip hotels are not. But, at least the strip hotels have some redeeming qualities....grandeur, spectacle, shopping malls, etc. Off strip are for the either the locals or hard core gamblers who do not like the trappings of the strip. Certainly not good for kids or families.

I beg to differ here. Have you seen the web site for Red Rock Resort? Def much more than a casino. And there is a kid's club where the kids can stay for up to 4 hours, a movie theater, bowling alley, a tour operator for Canyon activities (including those geared towards families), the kid-friendly pool (which is NOT open in December as a PP stated), etc.

Other than Red Rock Resort, I really have no other suggestions though. I think there is a Green Valley Resort near Lake Mead which is awesome too, but that is FAR off strip. Red Rock is about a 10 minute drive.

 

[RadioNate]

I may be wrong... I think they can be in the casinos, but not on the gaming floors.

semantics....

The big casinos have pathways that are usually carpeted differently or they are tiled walkways through the gaming areas. The kids can stroll down these but I know when we would even pause on the way through a security officer would be right there saying we needed to keep moving. The kids can be in the restaurants and other non-gaming areas.

You kinda have to walk though the gaming areas to get to the hotel and other areas (pool, restaurants) at many places but they have to stay on the walkway and aren't really allowed to stop.

Mandalay Bay is kinda kid friendly(over 7y or so. Wave pool aquarium.
Plus with the deal out there you might be able to catch a pretty cheap room.

Average temperatures in December in Vegas are a high of 58 with a low of 34. The wave pool is great...when it isn't in the mid-50's out.