Planning a "Family" Trip to Las Vegas

We went to Vegas last summer. I will have to say Circus Circus was a total dump. Very run down, faded plastic looking. We took one extremely brief, yet expensive ride on their "flume" ride, which was terrible, and left. Would not return with my kids. Maybe it's because we live near Mall of America's indoor amusement park, which is 100 times better, but we thought it was awful.

We stayed on the strip, not a lot of family friendly places. Maybe kids would enjoy the lion exhibit at MGM, fountains at Bellagio, but those wouldn't take up too much time.

I'd go for a hotel/resort with a good pool area, like maybe Mandalay Bay or something off-strip with a waterslide.

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Keep this in mind, with minors in tow, you can't EVEN stop in a casino. Literally, you can't stop walking and have minors with you. The law states that minors can not be in proximity of a gambling device, loosely worded.
For example if you are walking thru the gambling floor from your hotel room, which you will have to do if you stay on the strip because the gambling is up front and the room are usually at the rear, and you need to stop to 'tie a shoe' or 'get a drink' and your kids are with you, security will inform you that you need to keep moving. Speaking from experience....

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I went to Vegas in 1999 for a Tae Kwon Do tournament and hated it. We stayed at Circus Circus, cheep rooms but couldn't find the pool. They had an amusement park but each ride was $5. They have a circus show but we could never make it because of our schedule with the tournament. LINES LINES LINES everywhere we went. My daughter, 12 and the one who was competing, and I really wanted to get the Tony Roma prime rib dinner at that time about $10; the line was a 45 minute wait at 11PM.

I wouldn't go to Vegas again no matter what was going on--even if one of my kids decided to get married there.

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No advice other than a tip. All of the non-smoking rooms (in the hotels with casinos especially) are smokey! It comes through the vents from other places! In fact, everywhere you go, even outside, smoke! I'm real sensitive to cig smoke and was miserable the last time I was in Vegas....literally counting the days til I could get away from the cig smoke. I don't know if this is still the case since it was a while ago I was last there (about 8 years now)

Anyhoo, that trip was work related, so I had no choice on accommodations, though very nice (The Monte Carlo) I probably would have found another place to stay, far from the casinos/strip and would have been quite happy just driving in to site see.

If I were going with family, and this is an issue considering there will be kids and possibly elderly depending on who family-wise is coming along, I'd rent a nice luxury RV. You maybe will have more options of places to go and things to see being mobile, and you'd definitely avoid the smoke.

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Stay at New York New York...plenty of teen arcade and rides. Also fun games for little ones. With that being said you also have to take a trip to circus circus for your 2 year old.

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Hi ... My Hubby wants to go to Vegas for his bday in March -

Hope to see ya! lol

Circus, Circus, Treasure Island, Excaliber--all monuments to Vegas' FAILED and ABORTED attempt at becoming a family-friendly vacation destination.! Make no mistake, they've abandoned that idea.
So choose all activities, locations carefully.
Stay on the strip at one of the newer hotels. Check Kayak for packages of airfare & hotel. We just checked MGM and it was about $350/per person for airfare & 2 nights from PA. Airfare alone is more.
BUT you might have multiple stops which might be miserable considering you'll have a 2 year old along. (But you're closer to begin with than we are.)
Personally, for daytime, I'd look into trips to Hoover Dam, etc. AWAY from Vegas, then the adults can have some casino nights out.

Been to Vegas... let's say the saying "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" was true for me. And with that, all I can say is this probably isn't the right locale for a 50th birthday celebration where kids will be in tow and family friendly is a must.

I probably wouldn't have responded, but the other person who mentioned the Mall of America is right. You'd all probably have way more fun in Minnesota. The Mall has a great indoor amusement park, shopping, restaurants galore, and indoor golf. It's next to the airport and there are tons of hotels to pick from and downtown Mpls just minutes away. There are two casinos near MOA (one just minutes away, the other about an hour), an indoor water theme park next door, and more. The kids would certainly have fun. Just sayin.

I would do the circus circus, or Excalibur, and or Treasure island, or even the mandaly bay which has the shark reef, it's a walk through of sea life, alligaator, fish,jelly fish and more, kids can even touch small sting rays in an open sea pool. Treasure Island has the secret garden, lions,tigers in cages, you can walk around and look and see the snimals, as well as see some f the dolphins they have there, and Circus Circus has the Adventure Dome, rides for kids,games to play even for the smaller ones, we go there 2-3 times a year if not more. you can find coupons online as well for $5.00 off all day pass. especially if you stay there, your kids can go back during the day if they want as long as they keep their wrist bands on. you can also go to the M&M candy store and below that is game works. hope that helps.
Dee

I have heard really good things about JW Marriott Las Vegas -- it's off the strip and has all kinds of family activities, plus a small casino. You could still taxi or shuttle to the strip and leave your son with grandma.

I've been to Vegas 7 or 8 times. Vegas isn't very family friendly, especially after dark. Lots of drinking, partying and people handing out info for prostitutes all along the streets (prostitution is legal in many areas of Nevada). And kids aren't allowed in casinos - you can't even stop on the way to your room, and you HAVE to walk through the casino to get to the elevators. Maybe you and Mom can take a girl's trip to Vegas and leave the kiddos at home with Dad?

Las Vegas is not as much a "family" town as it use to be. If you want to go to Hoover Dam, that's fun. Maybe a boat ride on Lake Mead, too.

My husband and I went there last year at the last minute and used Funjet. We got a fantastic "deal" but when we arrived we found out our "deal" gave us the worst room in the Excalibur Hotel. We looked out our window to see a blank white wall.

As far as not smelling the smoke, I found the Tropicana was wonderful to be in. I smelled Vanilla as soon as I walked in and it was through out the casino.

If you want to Bowl or see a movie, stay off the strip at Sams Town. I win more out there than I do at the strip hotels anyway.

Have fun!

I don't have info but I have a friend who has done annual Vegas trips with family, and they have always loved it. They don't gamble or anything. They go to great family shows, stay at nice but affordable hotels and enjoy awesome food at really great prices. So good luck, have a blast. Vegas is nice for families not just adults, in my opinion.

Is this what your mom wants to do or what you want to do? Vegas is a great trip, we've done it several time, but with a 2 year old in tow what would you actually do? You can't really go to the shows b/c they are not geared for very young children. You can't step foot into a casino with your two kids and many of the restaurants turn into night clubs in the evening, so you may be somewhat limited in that respect too.

We have stayed at the Hard Rock and it's a blast, but I wouldn't take my kids there! I would suggest that you check out the different websites for hotels along the strip and start calling. Ask if they have babysitters on-site, provide travel cribs, family-friendly restaurants in the hotel, pools where children are welcome (some say "Please no children"), etc. If the answers are "no"... keep calling.

S H:

Circus Circus is great for families - at least it used to be.
Treasure Island
Excalibur

Depends upon the $$$$ you want to spend as well. Talk to your travel agent - sometimes you can get GREAT deals on packages - hotel and airfare.

HAVE FUN!!!!

I saw that somone mentioned Mall of America. We have been going there for 5 years now. It's so much fun!!! There is also a Water Park of America too. (My son loved it, but he's 8.) My understanding is that it use to be a Great Wolf Lodge. The science museum up there is excellent.

We went to LV 3 years ago and stayed at an off strip hotel called South Point hotel. At that time I was pregnant and the smoke everywhere bothered me a lot. Taking a tour in all those hotels on the strip I know Suouthpoint was the cleanest and best hotel we got. It has a movie theatre and a swimming pool outside. Dining is so much cheaper and better than in the strip. I highly recommend it if you go with your family. Again it is far away from the strip you need a transportation if you want to go to the strip.