Las Vegas and Kids--stay in or out of town?

[Garga]

This June my DH is going on a business trip and the family can tag along.  We'll head out early and visit my parents and then drive north 4 hours and end up in Las Vegas.  My DH will go to his conference during the day.  Ds11, ds9, and I will be on our own in the daytime.

 

DH was going to get a hotel in town.  But a coworker said, "Oh you should stay in such and such hotel outside of town.  It's about 20 minutes away.  It's more kid friendly.  You don't want to stay in town with the kids."

 

But, but, but!  I wanted to be in town!  I wanted us to have the experience of the fancy hotels and lights and water shows.  I wanted us to be able to walk out of the hotel and explore on foot if we wanted without looking for parking garages and stuff.  I wanted us to gawk at whatever might be there to gawk at.

 

But I know nothing about Las Vegas.  Nothing.  Is that a silly thing to want?  Unattainable? Are things in walking distance?   Do you have to drive to get anywhere?  Am I being naive?  It is crazy to take kids into Las Vegas and stay in town?  Is it better to stay 20 minutes out and just visit?  Is there anything to gawk at?  Or only women barely dressed?  I was hoping for fun decorated hotels and interesting stores or something else along those lines.

 

We aren't super conservative or super liberal.  We're just in the middle--your everyday family who doesn't want the kids exposed to falling down drunks, but who won't gasp in shock over people gambling. 

 

ETA:  I think I might be being naive.  When I try to google about this online it looks like unless I'm willing to spend money, money, money on amusement parks and shows, that it's not a good place for kids. Apparently it became more child friendly in the 90's, but now it's back to being not too cool for kids.  We didn't want to spend a lot of money on amusement parks and shows.  I hope one of you knows more about this.  We might need to stay out of town, visit the Hoover Dam, and find other educational things to see.  We can pop into Vegas for a water show.  

[Mrs Mungo]

We stayed in Vegas on our cross country trip with the kids (our kids are older than yours). If you're going to be walking around Vegas *at all* at night, then you're going to see drunks, people on drugs, scantily clad women, etc. You'll see *all* of that outside of the hotels. But, there are fun stores, lots of light shows, water shows, people dressed like celebrities to take photos with, lots of stuff outside to see and do. It's not really set up to be kid friendly, but it is a different experience for one night.

[gingersmom]

I would stay someplace with the nicest pool. My son loves the pool at the Excalibur (plus the hotel looks like a castle). There are separate pools so the water slide one is all families with kids.

 

The M&M store and Coke stores are fun. At Coke store you can try Coke from around the world.

 

The dancing fountains at Caesars Palace (at night) are free and amazing to watch. My kids were mesmerized.

[KungFuPanda]

We stayed at Circus Circus with our kids on our first trip for a wedding. You either let your kids see the strip or not. Staying elsewhere and visiting won't change their exposure. Our hotel was dated, tacky, kitschy, and just plain weird, BUT the kids loved it. It had an indoor amusement park and circus acts every hour.

 

We made the mistake of renting a car. It was unnecessary. I had no idea how short the strip was. We didn't even need the car and we were pushing my son's manual wheelchair. My kids liked the hotel, the singing fountains, the m&m store, the bawdy pirate show, and walking around the Venetian hotel. They also liked the MGM lions and the Luxor hotel lobby. They were exposed to giant thongs on billboards and vans with Live Nude Girls printed on the side with a phone number.

 

All in all, it was a nice desert wedding (we did need the car for that) and a memorable weekend

[SebastianCat]

DH & I went to Vegas for a work trip for him several years ago.   It was my first (and hopefully last) time visiting.   We stayed at the Venetian, which was fabulous - except for the smoke and noise in the casinos.   The Cirque du Soleil show we saw (forgot the title) was excellent.   But I was totally unprepared for the "playing cards" with pictures of nude women shoved in my face when we walked outside the hotel.   There's no way I would bring my kids (who are currently 11 & 9) to Vegas, but I'm pretty conservative.

[kubiac]

I visit Vegas somewhat frequently to see my in-laws, who live ~20-30 minutes from town (Summerlin).

 

Given free choice and infinite money, I would 100 PERCENT STAY NEAR THE STRIP.

 

Outlying Vegas is exactly every single recently developed car-dependent western-American suburb. Vegas near the Strip is extremely walkable (much more so than drivable--traffic is terrible most hours of the day), and they have monorails to help get between the casinos. There is a ton to see and do there, even without spending money, and even moreso if you do have a little to spend for tickets and such. I think locals tend to avoid the Strip (not least because of the aforementioned bonkers traffic) but if you can arrange it (money-wise and family-politics-wise), stay downtown!

 

I find very little that's shocking about downtown Vegas with the possible exception of smoking inside, which seems completely wackadoodle to me. Oh, and the heat. The heat is a sign from whatever gods you believe in that this area of the world is not suitable for human settlement. And yet Vegas exists.

 

Stuff that's NOT on the Strip that we've enjoyed with very itty bitty kiddos:

* Clark County Children's Museum >> SO SO SO excellent.

* Plant World >> like a tiny children's zoo (it's a plant nursery but they have many exotic birds, two huge desert tortoises, etc.) [FREE]

* Bass Pro Shops >> We don't have these in L.A. so I find the whole thing fascinating, but they have some neat aquariums (aquaria?) and this insane three-story duck waterfall and, of course, a zillion taxidermed game animals.

* Red Rock state park for hiking and nature

* Splash pad and playground at Tivoli Village [FREE]

 

Stuff that IS on the Strip that's we've enjoyed with little kiddos:

* Circus Circus performances and arcade (shabbier than the rest of town but who cares?)

* Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay

* Excalibur Tournament of Kings dinner show

* MGM Grand lions (not there any more maybe?)

[Guest Georgiou Family]

We just moved away from Las Vegas. I lived there for 10 years. My DH helped to open The Cosmopolitan, worked for MGM and for Caesars. It all depends on your family. I rarely took my little ones (now 6, 4 and 1) to the strip unless it was to visit the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay, Sigfried and Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat or to visit daddy at work (DH was in Marketing, not on the casino floor). There are LOTS of things to do and see in Vegas, but unless you're doing only "strip" things, you will have to drive.

 

We loved The Springs Preserve, the Discovery Children's Museum (which was just re-opened and redesigned) and visits to Red Rock, the Hoover Dam and drives along Lake Mead, etc.

Since your kiddos are a bit older, your choices will likely be a bit different. Green Valley Ranch is a nice choice (I'm assuming this is where you were told to stay 20 minutes off strip), has a great cinema, pool, small shopping district and is pretty. PM me if you have questions. Having lived there and having my husband work in the "belly of the beast" (so to speak) I can give you some insight. 

 

:)

 

[fraidycat]

We've stayed at Circus Circus and MGM Grand with kids in Las Vegas.

[Carrie Sue]

We didn't have too much problem--we had 2 kids at the time who were 7 and 4 (we took dh's dad out there with us to see the Grand Canyon and ended up staying a night or two in LV, which he also wanted to see).  We stayed at the Rio, which is a block or two behind the strip, and it was great--3 pools and no problems.  There were a few drunks/weirdos on the street.  All in all, it was fun and they probably remember being shocked at the Roman Statures outside Ceasar's Palace more than anything!  :)

[catz]

We stayed in town with kids and it was fun! My 12 year was appalled a couple times. :D My 8 year old was oblivious. We went to Beetles Love by Cirque du Soliel and the tournament of kings at Excalibur. There is an arcade in the basement of Excalibur. We went to the Springs Preserve, the Pinball hall of fame, and hoover dam coming into town (all those were driving from the strip). We also just walked around and looked at lights! Both my kids thought it was great and would love to go back. Somewhere along the strip had a really fun fountain show - I cannot remember which hotel.

 

We did stay a block or 2 back from the strip as well, but we walked all over the strip.

[Jennifer in MI]

We stayed at the Venetian a couple years ago and had a GREAT time.  There is SO much to see and do on the strip, I'd recommend staying there.  You will see a lot of interesting things - but we explained it to the kids before we went and it wasn't an issue.  Definitely do NOT see the pirate show.  I had read that it was family friendly.  It is NOT!

 

If you'll have a car - visit the Hoover Dam while you are there.  It's pretty close and worth the drive.

[Vida Winter]

We've taken the kids a couple of times tagging along with dh on business trips. The aquarium at Mandalay Bay is beautiful. They also like the M&M shop and Coca-Cola store. Last time we stayed at Planet Hollywood which has an attached mall (complete with indoor thunderstorm at regular intervals). One time we drove way beyond the strip (but the same road) and spent the morning at a Children's Museum. We saw an animal show at the Mirage and they got to pet a dolphin. When it's hot, it's HOT. It felt like my sneakers were melting to the pavement one time. Swimming is always fun.

 

Having said all that, we will not be going back. There is a disturbing element (cigarette smoke, gambling, etc....) that they did not like and actually had my oldest dd in tears wanting to leave. It has gotten worse over the years.

[DianeW88]

We've stayed on the strip with our kids multiple times, and it was fine. And I'm a Mormon who doesn't drink, smoke, or gamble. We went to Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay, M&M world, and Coca Cola World, as well as the King Tut exhibition at the Luxor. We only stay for one night on our way back and forth to Disneyland.

[Arcadia]

We stayed in town.  My boys and my parents enjoyed the Las Vegas Monorail and also the music fountain show at Bellagio.  We bought the unlimited pass for the LV monorail. We did a day trip to Grand Canyon driving from the LV strip through Hoover Dam.

 

The cigarette smoke was bad so we stayed off the streets as much as possible. We went to the Ethel M Chocolate factory tour just because my family loves chocolate.  The cactus garden at the factory is lovely too.  It was a short drive from the LV strip.

 

 

[Cera]

We were there two years ago.  There were people on every corner handing out flyers for escort services (as we walked by pushing two kids in a double stroller).

[KrissiK]

I went with Dh a couple years ago on a business trip. There were a few places i wouldn't have a problem taking my kids, but the overall theme of Vegas is vice. Hence the motto, "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas!" We stayed at the Hilton and the marquee on the hotel across the street said in enormous letters,"topl€$$, topl€$$, topl€$$." So, every time we walked out of the hotel there it was. And one evening we were having ice cream in the hotel icecream shop and kept seeing uh... "Ladies" walking down the way. Personally, it's not a place i would take my kids! But that's me!

[Jennifer in MI]

Oh yes!  I remember when we were there, my dd was just learning how to read.  She saw a sign and read it, "Hot Babes!"  "What does that mean mommy?"  We told her that it was just so hot there that the babies were hot.  She dropped it!  That stuff just went over my then-8 yo's head.  My teens got it, but ignored it.  We prepared them for it.  

[Jilly]

I've taken the kids numerous times to Vegas. We always stay at the Palazzo and have always been able to make it work for us. I have a post about one of our kid-friendly trips that you might want to look at. If you do go I highly recommend the National Atomic Testing museum. My kids loved it!