Las Vegas with teens

[CdnCarrie]

Would you take teens (age 15-18) on a family vacation to Las Vegas? Would there be enough for them to do for 4-5 days?
Parents are not gamblers.

 

[soccerdad72]

Not for 4-5 days, no. I don't think there would be enough for them to do. We did two days with a 15 year old and a 19 year old as part of a longer trip and it was enough. We went biking in Red Rock, saw a show on the strip and had a nice dinner, but we would have struggled to find more things to do if we were there much longer.

 

[bcla]

I think it could be done. Still - the smell of smoke permeates almost everywhere if it's close to a gaming floor. Many use Las Vegas as a base for day trips to other places such as Zion National Park or the Grand Canyon. I think Circus Circus still has its indoor amusement park.

It's only about 2 hours to Death Valley. I wouldn't recommend it during the summer, but during winter it's not bad.

 

[neverlandsky]

Yes plenty to do.
Area 15
Escape Rooms
Indoor Mini Golf
Springs Preserve
Malls galore - Town Square, Downtown Summerlin, Galleria.
Mob Museum
Pin Ball Museum
Neon Boneyard Museum
Luxor’s Bodies
Allegiant Stadium Tours / Raiders Image
Bellagio Fountains / Garden
Mirage Volcano
Las Vegas Sign Photo Op
The High Roller
Game Works
Wet n Wild or Cowabunga Bay
A good resort pool
Fun eateries

 

[TwoMisfits]

I'm doing that in a month...we are there 7 days (6 actual "vacation" days), non-gambling parents and entertainment-oriented kids.

For now, we have 7 attraction Go City tickets, Area 15/Omega Mart tickets, National Atomic Museum tickets (which we got on Groupon for cheap - but now, they are in the 7 attractions, too) and Cirque Du Soleil Mystere tickets. I'm still deciding on 1 more show or Neon museum evening tickets or some other evening event.

My spouse and I will also have high tea (sans kids) at the Waldorf Astoria to celebrate our 2 year belated 20th wedding anniversary (when we honeymooned in London and had tea many days). The fact they will accommodate my allergies was priceless, since it's the only way I can do a tea service now...

All the other times, it will be all of us. My kids asked for 3 activities/day (2 fun and 1 food), and we're staying at our timeshare, so we'll have pools, onsite activities, and space (but still be close to the strip).

 

[DLgal]

Would you take teens (age 15-18) on a family vacation to Las Vegas? Would there be enough for them to do for 4-5 days?
Parents are not gamblers.

No. Las Vegas is not synonymous with "family vacation" in any way and at this time, there isn't enough to do if you don't gamble. It's a great adults getaway spot, but I would never bring my teen boys there.

 

[neverlandsky]

Oh forgot to add. Good Family off the strip resorts, Green Valley Ranch and Red Rock Resort.

 

[Kittyblue]

There's plenty to do in Vegas, I just got back from taking my teens in June and even more things are open now. They loved Area 15, the Pinball Museum, the Museum of Selfies (just opened in Linq Promenade) and Coke tasting at the Coke store. We were only there a couple days but we also considered a pool day and the rides/games at Circus Circus. There's quite a few show options as well. Neverlandsky and Twomisfits have a lot of great ideas.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Would you take teens (age 15-18) on a family vacation to Las Vegas? Would there be enough for them to do for 4-5 days?
Parents are not gamblers.

Don't get me wrong. I like Vegas. And people will point out rightly so that Vegas has things to do and it does. There are rides. But In looking at those rides, would I make a special trip out there just to do them? No. A ton of other places have more and better rides if that is what you want to do. There are shows. But other places have shows too. As for the museums, well other places have those too. And though the museums are fun, there are better places for them too. Of the things listed, unless the kids are in to shows, I just don't see Vegas as a destination city for rides, nor museums. They're things to do if you're otherwise going or are going to be there. But they are not enough to get me to go on their own.
Vegas is a good destination if say you want to fly in and then spend time there while you're going to Zion or the grand canyon or to visit your sister in Barstow or something. There is also Red Rocks and Hoover Dam for day trips.
In sum, yes there are things to do. But I wouldn't be planning a family destination trip there just for Vegas alone. Vegas is still primarily, a gambling destination. By the way it is very hot in the summer And the distance between resorts is much more than it looks like on a map.

I should mention for others reading that when it comes to smoking, Vegas is still in the dark ages. However, things are slowly changing for the better. Another hotel and the first casino has gone smoke free. That's the Park MGM formerly known as Monte Carlo. Vdara is also smoke free as are a few others without casinos attached.

A word about Pot. Yes it is legal there. But it is not legal to smoke it in the open (though it does happen) and it is not allowed on any property where a casino is attached (It's still a federal crime and the casinos won't touch it with a 10 foot poll.) That said, in places like Excalibur where the staff doesn't seem to care, uh you can often smell it in the stairwells so it does happen from time to time.

 

[Kitty 34]

Would you take teens (age 15-18) on a family vacation to Las Vegas? Would there be enough for them to do for 4-5 days?
Parents are not gamblers.

We did several times between Disney trips. For five nights.........and even tho we told them what we do in Vegas stays in Vegas they still talked about those trips.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

We took our teen boys to Vegas for a week when DH had a convention there. They were 15 and 18 at the time. We took a tour to Hoover Dam, which we all enjoyed. While DH was in meetings, the boys and I wandered around the strip. We checked out the theming at the casinos and went to several of the attractions, including the lion preserve at the Mirage and Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay. We did the High Roller one afternoon and the Circus Circus rides one evening. DH and DS15 rode the coaster at New York, New York. We stayed at the MGM Grand where DS18 and I did an interesting focus group session. We watched the pilot of a new TV show and then filled out a survey to give our opinions. They payment was a bunch of discount coupons, some of which we found useful. We also took the boys to see Blue Man Group, which they loved. We did this trip over a 4th of July week, since that's when the convention was scheduled. It was very hot during the day, but we ducked in and out of casinos and used the Monorail system to avoid being outside for too long. We were all set to watch fireworks, but a huge rain storm moved in and they were cancelled. Overall, we had a good week there. As long as attractions are open, I think you can find plenty to do with teens.

 

[TwoMisfits]

Why we booked Vegas (figured I'd put up a 2nd post advocating it)...my oldest teen specifically wanted it.

She wanted a summer spot with a lot of art, theater, and food. We had booked NYC last year, and had to cancel, and this year, NYC is still not back for what we wanted. In fact, nowhere in the US right now (the limits for our 2021 travel) has the theater, food, and evening entertainment options of Vegas. Maybe they get there in 2022, so it will be much less appealing, but I had airline tickets for 2021. And I had to go Southwest...

Cirque is showing in Vegas...not many other places. Concerts are going nightly in Vegas...not many other places. Potted Potter is on my possible list - it can only be seen now in Vegas (my oldest two are huge fans, so that's in my "maybe I book this" plan - if I see discounted tickets, it will be a certain book)...

We'll be hitting Jamie's (Top Chef current season) place in main Las Vegas (since we have a rental and can). As I said, we'll be at a premier high tea. We'll be hitting Jose Andres "regular person" spot and hoping to also go to Gordon Ramsey's "fish and chips" spot (and if I didn't have allergies, we'd do Giada, but that one just seems like it won't work). We're gonna try to try real dim sum for the 1st time. We're gonna try In-N-Out for the 1st time.

And I wanted a place where I could get my kids exposed to "new nature." We've seen beaches. We've seen mountains. We've seen lakes and waterfalls. We haven't seen desert (well, I have, but this is for the kids). So, we'll be seeing the desert and the Hoover Dam (I already prebooked that attraction on the 7 attraction pass). We are fans of places that have a natural draw with a kitchy entertainment/food draw. I don't even think we'll do "rides" in Vegas, other than maybe one of the "only can do in Vegas" crazy rollercoasters for the kids (I won't get on it)...that's not why you go...but neither is gambling the only reason to go...

PS - Hey, Travel Las Vegas, feel free to send my check by mail...(kidding, kidding)...

 

[GAN]

Don't get me wrong. I like Vegas. And people will point out rightly so that Vegas has things to do and it does. There are rides. But In looking at those rides, would I make a special trip out there just to do them? No. Other places have more and better rides if that is what you want to do. There are shows. But other places have shows too. As for the museums, well other places have those too. And though the museums are fun, there are better places for them too. Of the things listed, unless the kids are in to shows, I just don't see Vegas as a destination city for rides, nor museums. They're things to do if you're otherwise going or are going to be there.
Vegas is a good destination if say you want to fly in and then spend a day or two there and then go to Zion or the grand canyon or to visit your sister in Barstow or something. There is also Red Rocks and Hoover Dam.
In sum, yes there are things to do. But I wouldn't be planning a family destination trip there just for Vegas alone.

Exactly. I personally wouldn't have taken my teens to Vegas to have "fun" on the strip -nothing against anyone that does but the environment is questionable at best. But why spend time on the strip with Zion, Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam so close by? If you go to Vegas and miss Zion(especially with teens) ...that's pretty sad in my opinion.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Thanks for the responses. Debating spring break destination next year. Waiting to do DL in the summer.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Yes, there is plenty to do. We’ve done multiple 5 day trips there with our kids - especially if you stay at a hotel with a great pool area. If you have a car, a day trip to Hoover Dam is really easy too.

 

[Kittyblue]

Spring break should have great outdoor weather. Last spring break I went hiking in Valley of Fire and saw the bighorn sheep in my signature. Some of the landscape there is surreal.

 

[wenrob]

No. Las Vegas is not synonymous with "family vacation" in any way and at this time, there isn't enough to do if you don't gamble. It's a great adults getaway spot, but I would never bring my teen boys there.

Sure it is and we’re wide open. There’s a ton of things to do for families without ever going near a casino floor. We did a staycation several years ago and I was whooped three days in we did so much. My kids still talk about that “vacation” as one of their favorites. If you’re willing to venture off The Strip we have other things to do as well.

 

[_19disnA]

But I wouldn't be planning a family destination trip there just for Vegas alone.

Agree and especially if the parents don't care to gamble as the OP indicated.

The OP never did explain how they happen to choose Vegas as their destination, particularly for 4-5 days. It is a bit like going to the ocean and then saying you don't care to sit at the beach, swim or suntan....then why/how did you choose to go there? Walking the Strip will certainly expose your teens to some things they likely have never experienced, but not sure that would be considered a good thing.

There are certainly non-adult oriented shows, but all shows tend to be pricey. I see a list posted above and a few of those items like the Mirage volcano (which lasts about 5 minutes) is something you might do while waiting for the valet to bring your car. Even the Bellagio gardens/fountains are nice to see if taking a break from gambling, but certainly nothing you could do for any extended period of time.

 

[CdnCarrie]

Agree and especially if the parents don't care to gamble as the OP indicated.

The OP never did explain how they happen to choose Vegas as their destination, particularly for 4-5 days. It is a bit like going to the ocean and then saying you don't care to sit at the beach, swim or suntan....then why/how did you choose to go there? Walking the Strip will certainly expose your teens to some things they likely have never experienced, but not sure that would be considered a good thing.

Cheap flights from just over the border and the fact we have never been. Well I have once years ago. Husband has not. And I figure it's not a destination that we need too long of a time period for and can keep it cheap.
I don't mind gambling. We would do a bit of it.

We were looking at cruises but the newer ships with lots of activities on them are longer cruises, add in hotels before/after, excursions, etc. More than we wanted to spend with us going to DL in the summer.

Other options we are looking at are New Orleans, Chicago (drivable - but March weather...) or maybe Vancouver. But we went west on our last trip.

 

[Skippy918]

We were just in Vegas a few weeks ago and spent 2 nights there on the tail end of our Zion trip. It was crowded and hot. We don’t gamble either. We took the kids to omega mart and then we also got tickets for David copperfield. The majority of the buffets were still closed. We would have liked to see cirque du soleil but they weren’t available when we went.