Vegas with Kids, any suggestions ....

[Laurajean1014]

On a kid-friendly hotel and entertainment?

We are going to see Elton John at the Red Piano and maybe Celine Dion. However, my friend and I are not big gamblers and we will have a 9 and 11 year olds.

Any suggestions would be helpful.

 

[CEDmom]

We celebrated my mom's 75th birthday in Vegas a few months ago. In our group were 3 kids (2 were 4 & 1 was 11). We stayed at The Flamingo. I'd definitely recommend. It's pool complex is consistently rated one of the best and the hotel itself is nice. The rooms we had were quite large and very nice. The rate we paid was great as well. I booked through the Flamingo website and got Sat-Thurs for $68 per night.

The location of the Flamingo can't be beat either. It's in the middle of the strip across from the Belligio. The monorail stops behind the hotel.

I got Frommer's guide to Vegas with Kids and it was a big help. There's quite a bit of free entertainment and lots of inexpensive places to eat.

 

[TXTink]

How about the Ethel M Chocolate factory tour? It is free, and at the end of the tour you get a free piece of chocolate!

 

[beavismom]

Here is a link to a lot of family attractions.

http://www.vegas.com/attractions/kids.html

 

[Bbgrizzle]

For hotels, most kids like the Excalibur. Not only for the big castle theme, but also the midway (play games, win prizes). Also King Arthur's Tournament is a fun dinner show for kids to see (also at the Excalibur).

For attractions, Circus Circus has the Adventuredome (indoor amusement park). MGM has Rainforest cafe and next door to that is M&M World (see the 3-D movie, it's cute) and Coca Cola world. The rollercoaster at New York New York is fun too. Ride the monorail between MGM and Bally's. And see the water fountain show in front of the Bellagio.

Hope that helps. I've lived here all my life and still haven't gotten around to seeing everything.

 

[funhouse8]

We just came back from the Excalibur. The hotel was nice. Before we left I read horror stories about the condition of this hotel but was surpised it was nice. The pool area was fun with two slides and the price was right. 59. for the room. alot of the hotels wanted to charge per person but the excalibur was per room. We had dinner at King Arthur's Tournament and the kids thought this was alot of fun. The other shows were so much money and we felt at least this one we got dinner. we had 7 kids with us and they all thought the Excalibur was great. Good luck and have a great vacation. Gina

 

[Peter Pirate]

We've taken our kids twice (when they were 13 & 8 and 14 & 9). They had fun but not a great time and these kids have travelled extensively. They're used to lots of tourists (we live in the Keys), they're used to drunk ridiculous acting people (we live in the keys) and they're good at live and let live (again)...But really there was little for them to be superchaged about. The pools are great a Mandalay Bay or Flamingo if you're there when it's warm. The Strat has those crazy coasters at the top if they like thrills and Circus Circus has the adventuredome indoor theme park (really lame).

The things they really liked were (1) Hoover Dam (2) horseback riding in red rock canyon (3) the magic show we saw (can't remember who).

LV is great but the 'kid friendly' idea has long since passed so I'd have a good plan if you do go and keep them on a string.

 

[mickey4ver]

along with the keep them on a string advice....

we were out there several years ago, and walking on the "path" through the slots to elevator to our room....grandson walked a little to close to a slot machine and we were quickly told to "pull" him back in....honestly, I understand the "need" for the rules, but it was a little over the top, we were walking the way we had to, to get to our room, and he got a little too close to the machine....like at 2 he even cared/knows what they are all about...

kid friendly maybe several years ago, but to me, it is a place I would visit again, but with no little ones if at all possible..the ages of your kids though seems like they could have fun at the above listed establishments....

JMHO...take it or leave it

 

[Laurajean1014]

How is the Hard Rock Cafe? Anyone stay there?

What about Ceasar's Palace? That's were Elton John and Celione Dion are playing?

Keep the info coming, please.;

 

[mickey4ver]

Didn't do Hard Rock out there, but have in Florida, assuming they all are pretty much the same, fun...but way overpriced...JMHO...yet again

Ceasars is cool, lots of fun shopping down under, and an automatronic show the kids would enjoy...I liked perusing around in there...yes, Celine had her own theatre built there, it was in the works when we were out there...you won't be able to miss it...LOL...

we stayed at Mirage, if you get a chance, slip in there, it is a tropical setting, they have a place where you can view Sieg/Roys white tigers and also a great aquarium behind the check in desk and its just nice in there...
except that is where we got "hollared" at for not staying on the Yellow Brick Road...

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

Here's a link:

http://www.lasvegaskids.com/

 

[Dan Murphy]

Keep them by the pool, LOL. LV is not the best place for kids. That 'family friendly' experiement proved costly to the bottom line there, so back to the 'adult' playground concept.

 

[kasar]

I have to concur that it's not the most kid friendly place to go (an example: when we went by a NUDE, NUDE, NUDE bar our 2 dd's were discussing how you could only go in there if you didn't wear clothes!) However, there are plenty of diversions for kids.

Circus Circus is fun, constant circus acts going on, arcade, etc.

Hard Rock is far away from the strip - okay if you have a car. Maybe a bit "older, hip/Hollywood crowd", I don't know if I'd be comfortable there with kids.

Mirage has the dolphin exhibit - very cool! Next door to Ceasar's.

Excalibur and NY, NY seem very kid friendly with the theming and rides.

MGM has a really nice lion exhibit.

Hoover Dam is really cool, too. The kids would love the tour.

 

[JessetheCowgirl]

Originally posted by beavismom
Here is a link to a lot of family attractions.

http://www.vegas.com/attractions/kids.html

Hey, thanks! That is helpful

 

[hydster]

I don't think I'd say Vegas is really kid friendly either. We go down there almost every other month for a mini-adult vacation and have thought about taking the kids but just walking up the strip getting bombarded by porn flyers and scuzzy people would scare me!


The Lion Habitat in MGM is kind of cool to watch for free

The shark reef exhibit at Mandalay Bay is cool but pricey

Circus Circus is in our opinion kind of a dump

The luxor has a few cool things like the IMAX theatre and of course just being in pyramid is cool.

Bellagio has the conservatory that is a plant garden you can walk through for free

Caesars has a free show called Fall of Atlantis and Festival Fountain Show. It's right by the Cheesecake Factory it's pretty cool and gets crowded but if you happen upon it and it's packed you'll still get a great view! After the show you can watch fish and sharks in the 50,000 gallon aquarium and you can go behind the scenes on some days. The show starts promptly on the hour. Also in the forum shop area there is an automatronic of Bacchus, Venus, Apollo and Plutus with a laser light show.

Freemont street is kind of cool to experience but hold onto your kids tight! (don't know if you are a fan of fear factor but they filmed the vegas episode in freemont street for one of the stunts)

The Flamingo has the wildlife habitat for free

The Mirage has the dolphin habitat and secret garden but for both it's 12 bucks for adults and kids under 10 are free, Also at the Mirage the tiger habitat is free, and the volcano that erupts in the front is also free to watch and it goes off every 15 min.

The Rio has Masquerade Village which is free to watch or 10 bucks to participate

The Sahara has Speed the Ride which is 10 bucks and the cyber speedway for 10 bucks also or you can buy a combo pass

Treasure Island has something now called Sirens of TI and it is free at the front of the hotel as well. It goes 4 times a night but it gets crowded and can be extremely hard to see

The Tropicana has a bird show for free that goes a few times a day in the afternoon

Also I don't know when you are going but Wet and Wild water park is fun and is open until the 26th of September. It cost (last time we were there anyway) 28.00 per person over 48 inches tall and 21 for kids under 48 inches.

Most of the hotel pools are pretty fun as well.
Heidi

 

[Peter Pirate]

Just a note on the Bellagio exhibit noted above. The Bellagio is now 'kid free'. Unless you are staying there, guests of someone or actually have tickets to a show or a restaurant reservation kids are not allowed.

Also the Coke store had a rock climbig wall that my 9 year old was dying to try. She learned a valuable lesson that day when she asked her mom if she could do it when she should have known I was the one who would have said "yes"!!!

 

[WDWFAN9]

Both Hoover Dam/Lake Mead and Red Rock Canyon are a short drive outside of Vegas. They are well-worth the trip and enjoyable for the whole family.

 

[Jimbo]

Originally posted by Laurajean1014
How is the Hard Rock Cafe? Anyone stay there?

Hard Rock is the last place I'd go to with kids. It's like a non-stop spring break, which might be fun for the 18-28 crowd, but not so much for anyone else.

I always recommend www.cheapovegas.com as a good way to investigate the hotels.

 

[mickeymouse1520]

Originally posted by hydster
I don't think I'd say Vegas is really kid friendly either.

Circus Circus is in our opinion kind of a dump

Heidi
I agree with everything you posted. Circus Circus should be condemened and shut down. We walked through there last month.........and couldn't get out of there fast enough.

 

[Thumpersmom]

We just went at the end of June and I can say the Flamigo was a great place to stay. The pool and water slides are great. The wildlife was penguins and flamingo but cool. You have to show your room key to get into the pool area. We ate at their buffet and my DS who is 8 thought it was awesome! Be sure to check their website for great prices.

We went to :

Sharks Reef at Mandalay (15.95)

Imax and 3-D Ride things at the Luxor (we bought a pkg with the Shark reef but I would skip the ride simulators again. We laughed when you were not supposed to!)

Secret Gardens of Sigfried and Roy at the Mirage ($12 for adults kids free)

The Sirens show at TI (pretty lame but has women dressed scantily even though outside. Did not bother us but I could see some people not liking it)

Moving statues/Atlantis show at Ceasars (free)

Eiffel Tower at Paris ($12 I think) pretty cool and we went at night so got to see the Belliago water show too.

Tournament of Kings at Excalibur ($53) dinner and a show we had a blast and yelled for our knight the whole time. He won!

My DH and DS went to Wet and Wild....got a coupon online and it was around $20. They had a great time there.

We went to M & M world and coke world. Fun place to check out and free

NYNY rollercoaster ($10) kinda rough rde. I appreciate CA Screamin at Disneyland so much more because of this!

Desert Passage at Aladdin-shopping mall but inside and air cond. we walked around and ate here too.

There are a lot of people passing out the cards to strip clubs but they were never offered to myself or my DS.