Please HELP: LAS VEGAS with a 7 & 4 year-old?

[jake&samsmom]

Please help me -

DH surprised us with a Las Vegas trip (leaving in a few hrs. -a TOTAL surprise - just found out last night) for 4 days. Have not even packed yet!

Need your good advice as to what to do there with my 7 and 4 y/o boys.

Thanks so much in advance

 

[FJJM0621]

Depending on where you are staying, and if you are renting a car...you can find lots of things to to. Most casinos will have an arcade, movie theater, bowling... tons of shopping and tons of resturants. TONS OF WALKING!

Mandalay Bay has Shark Reef, a small aquarium.
Stratosphere has rides on top of it if you can stomache it.
Circus Circus has a arcade/ride area for kids - but it pretty run down IMO.

you will probably spend most of your time at the pool.

But most big casinos have cool shows that last a few minutes. Ask your hotel concierge. Treasure Island (TI) has a pirate show where the boat sinks - kids love that but beware: they changed it recently and the girls are more scantilly clad... kids might not even notice that though.

There is lots of stuff off the Strip but that depends on how adventurous you are.

We spent 2 years living out there. There is ALWAYS new stuff.

FYI - the kids CANNOT even walk through the casino area - they will need to stay on the outside paths and walk around it. Security will be on top of you in seconds if you shortcut through.

 

[Taja]

Excalibur has a fairly decent (and expensive--to me, anyway!) arcade on the lowest level.

The Pirate show at TI changed to the siren show several years ago. More adult oriented, but still suitable for children.

If you're staying on the strip and can get tickets for an early show, Lance Burton is a good option for families with children. I don't think the later shows are racier--just thinking in terms of children and bed times!

If you're at the Rio--don't make a special trip--Fantasy in the Sky is nice to watch. It's only about 10 or 15 minutes, so don't make a special trip. And you have to walk through the casino to reach it, which is a pain with children.

If you'll be there on weekedays and have a car, check out the Ethel M chocolates factory tour.

There's a Wet N Wild just off the strip--in the vicinity of The Sahara, if I remember correctly. Never been there--just passed it.

As the PP noted, the pool will be the primary entertainment for children.

Plan on a lot of walking on the Strip--and shopping!

Edited to add:

I haven't been to Las Vegas for two years, so call venues noted to verify information before going there directly. The resort management has been changing during the past few years and resorts are updated/changed constantly.

 

[turning40withMickey]

A plug for Wet N Wild, it was a cooling adventure for us (three kids in tow) I thought I heard it was closed now????
We loved the Stratsophere indoor amusement park, too, much better than circus circus. It was worth the price for AC and several hours of kid fun.

Kids like the rain indoors at Rio and Build A Bear which I seem to recall was in the same general area as Rio.

We spent a lot of time at the pool!

I can't remember what it is called now, but there was an area with a light show outdoors overhead in a whole long street area, Jillian's amusement area was there, too. At night the street had entertainment and the light show above.

My DD's absolutely loved the childrens museum. We spent a full day there, and they would have liked to go back a second day. We had a car to get there, but it wasn't too far.

 

[MandM-Mom]

We did the dolphins at Mirage with my oldest DD, checked out the lions at MGM and did the hoover Dam and Ethel M's chocolate tour. M&M store was cool but we were there about 4 years ago so alot changes.......Have fun

 

[deedeetoo]

If you want to get away from the strip (which I strongly suggest), you can go on a tour of Hoover Dam, a boat ride on Lake Mead, or go hiking in Red Rock Canyon. Of course you need a car for that.

There is more to Vegas than the strip. We have relatives in Las Vegas. Last time we went there we stayed off the strip and didn't visit it once.

 

[turning40withMickey]

We did not enjoy Hoover dam a bit. LONG LONG line outside to even get into the tour, pricey....

 

[iheartdisney]

Wet N Wild has been closed for SEVERAL years...sorry! The property was worth more than he park generated.
If you have a car, he zoo is cheap, but small. Not Vegas-ey at all. Picture a side of the highway chainlink enclosure kind of zoo. But they have free roaming peacocks and chickens, my DS4 burned off so much energy chasing the chickens around all day!
The children's museum is AWESOME! totally amazing! Also cheap. Under $25 for the family. It is 2 stories, and alot of stuff to do.
Children's museum review
Across the street from the children's museum is the Museum of Natural History, which we haven't hit yet. But it is supposed to be good too!

 

[_queenie_]

We have friends who live in Las Vegas (they have kids 19, 15, 10 and 7), and they say that Lake Mead is really worth a visit. Living in Henderson, they hardly ever go to the Strip other than to go out to eat once in a while, so they prefer some of the activities a little more out of the way. However, they have told us that if we ever make our way from New England out there, skip the Hoover Dam!