We plan to go to Las Vegas for the first time with our three kids (aged 8, 7 and 2 1/2) in the mid July. We'd like to know which hotel is more affordable, has more fun entertainment for kids, and what activities we can do during the three-day trip? Any advice will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Circus Circus has a family-oriented theme.
Excalibur has family stuff as well...
So someone else asked this awhile ago, and I just copied my answer - so here goes! Have fun!
I used to live in Las Vegas and while living there my daughter was 1-3 years old. There are a ton of things to do with small children.
The Rainforest Cafe in MGM is an amazing place to eat with small children. It's totally kid friendly, and there are tons of animals (fake) that move around, and thunder and lightening storms happen during your meal. It's really cool, but the line to get in is usually crazy, so make reservations or get there early! There's a real lion at the MGM as well.
The gardens in the Bellagio are beautiful and my daughter loved looking at all the flowers. I believe this is where the bird exhibit is too (you walk through and there are all kinds of different birds flying around, swimming)
The fashion show mall has live fashion shows (they have a website that you can find the times of the shows), with loud music and flashing strobe lights that kids usually like looking at. And the mall is super nice anyway.
There are free shows everywhere on the strip that just happen out in the open for all people to see. There's a show about the roman gods in Caesars Palace at the end of their shopping center that has lots of fire (a little bit scary though for toddlers).
There are shows in the Venetian's shopping area in St. Marks Square with live singers, people walking on stilts, jugglers, dancers (I used to perform in this show playing flute :-). There are also "statues" in the Venetian shopping center - real people that just stand there for about 4-5 hours straight looking like statues...
Several of the hotels also have drop-in child care centers (many 24 hours) if you want a little adult time. :-)
There's also the Treasure Island Pirate show, and the Bellagio water show (both outside).
If you want to go off the strip, there's the Freemont Street Experience which is really cool... they also have live music downtown all the time. There are bowling alleys in a few of the casinos (Green Valley Casino in Henderson and the casino in Summerlin)... but these ones are off the strip.
In New York New York there's a HUGE arcade.
The Knights of Excalibur show is awesome for kids... knights on horses in a jousting show and a really good meal is included in the price of your ticket. This is at the Excalibur.
We took our daughter to the Lied Children's Museum, she was 3 and had lots of fun! We are members at our local Children's Museum and were able to get in free at this one in Las Vegas because of that.
One hotel near excalibur has a beach for their pool. Mgm has lions if they are still there during the day. The Flamingo has flamingos and other ducks, etc that are free to see. There is also an aquarium at one and a zoo at another that have fees. Excalibur has an arcade and lots of carnival type games. Google for free or a 100 free things to do in Vegas for some ideas. There are boat rides at the venetican I think and one has an alantis show for free as we as human statue shows that are neat to see. I was amazed last time we went how many free things there were to see and do. Also Treasure Island sinks the ship every night and Brookfield has the fountains every hour and Mirage has a volcano that erupts at night.
My brother's family went to Vegas last year for a short vacation. They stayed at the Excalibur Hotel with their four kids and had a great time. The hotel looks like a fairytale castle from the outside so kids get excited just arriving! They are a family oriented hotel/casino with arcades and a great pool.
On a related note, you may want to check the weather before you go. It can easily be over 100 degrees in LV during the summer which can put a damper on outdoor activities.
I second Cheryl O's hotel recommendations- circus circus is an older hotel than Excalibur but has more kids' stuff. Also outside TI- treasure island- there is a live pirate show. Have fun! Take a lot of sunscreen- las Vegas heat is brutal in the summer!
My sister used to live in Henderson, NV. We took our 2 young kids to Las Vegas. There is actually a lot for families to do there. We stayed at Circus Circus. It is very affordable and the most family oriented hotel on the strip, but it is older. We stayed in one of their deluxe remodeled rooms. They have a floor of arcade games and a whole section with rides (just make sure it is open the days you are going). Mandalay Bay has a very nice aquarium. The lions and rainforest cafe at MGM grand, the Eiffel tower at Paris, the fountains and garden at Bellagio, the statues at Creasers, the gardens, dolphins, and tigers at the Mirage and the erupting volcanoes. Treasure Island has a pirate show at night, but I find it a little sexy for kids. Excalibur has a lot of medieval decor and things. We went to the dinner show there with the knights. M&M factory and Coca Cola factory are a must. New York New York has an arcade and roller coaster. Tropicana has the Titanic exhibit. There is also a mall with a great playground a little past the strip on the side with Luxor. Have fun!
