Las Vegas, for Families too!

There’s talk that Las Vegas is revamping itself and becoming a family vacation destination.  Having taken two trips to Las Vegas in one year—one with a family in tow, the other as a respite from said family (or at least the younger contingent of it)—I can safely say that Las Vegas is a wonderful family destination.  It is also a horrible family vacation destination.  It all boils down to this: a Las Vegas family vacation only works when you schedule your day and make hotel location your top priority.  

A must-shot, no matter how many times you go to Vegas!

Despite the glitz and glamour of hotels like The Bellagio and Wynn, there is a seediness aspect to Las Vegas that is part of its charm.  There is no great movement underway to rid the Las Vegas strip of its yard long margarita glasses, the girls in tiny bikinis, or the men who pass out cards that promise hot girls in twenty minutes.  This is part of what makes Las Vegas a great bachelor/bachelorette party vacation, but also why families have shied away.  Families who come to Las Vegas expecting this to have disappeared will be disappointed.   

While out with our two daughters, my husband and I heard plenty of times, “I would never take my kids to Las Vegas.”  I don’t blame them for their sentiment.  Kids take away from the ability to enjoy the Las Vegas nightlife.  Which brings me to my first point: families who head to Las Vegas for a family vacation must ditch the notion that they will get to enjoy Las Vegas the same way they did when they went there for their college roommate’s twenty first birthday. On my husband and I’s recent trip, the one where the kids were safely and happily ensconced at Nana’s house, I saw more than one young mother out at twelve a.m., complete with high heels, a killer hairdo, an exhausted look, and a wailing baby or toddler in a stroller.  I knew they desperately wanted to be in their comfortable bed, but something inside of them pushed them to enjoy Las Vegas for all its worth.  I sympathized with them because just five months prior, I, too, was this woman for one night of our Las Vegas family vacation.  I then happily pulled out the sneakers, threw my hair into a ponytail, and decided on a nine p.m. family bedtime.   

On our vacation, my family stayed at the Marriott Grand Chateau, just a bit off the strip but within an easy walking distance.  Hotel location is paramount to a successful Las Vegas family vacation.  The Marriott was non-gaming; smoke free, and off the beaten path enough that people didn’t wander in looking for a bar or a bathroom.   We had seven days on the books, which seemed like an eternity in slow moving Las Vegas time.  But as we started to research and find all the fantastic family friendly activities, the days started to fly by.  There’s a big, wonderful secret for families in Las Vegas: daytime is all yours.  From mid morning to the late afternoon, the partiers, the drunks, and the endless signs for hot girls are tampered down, and families take center stage.  

Listing family activities in Las Vegas could take a whole guidebook:  highlights for us were the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay, which rivaled the Monterey Bay Aquarium in creature variety and lives up to its name:  the Great Whites that circle all around you are eerie and fascinating.  There’s also the Siegfried and Roy Secret Garden at the Mirage: the baby tigers stole the show, but the opportunity to see lions and tigers at much closer range than you might get at a zoo was incredible.   Attached to the Secret Garden is a Dolphin Habitat, where my one year old said her first distinguishable word: “Fish.”  Off-strip, the Ethel M. Chocolate Factory will delight kids with a sweet tooth (and adults: my husband left with a chocolate ring around his mouth) and the Red Rock Canyon will show the unique landscape of Las Vegas.  The latter has a great driving trail, which means that you can see the sights without braving the heat.  Definitely this city girl’s favorite way of exploring the outdoors.  

The friendly dolphins at The Mirage

It’s no lie that Las Vegas is hot, and the afternoon hours are the worst.  There’s a reason why the clubbing set choose to not venture out during the day.  If you decide to walk the strip, bring water and sunscreen.  Our kids did better with a car, and parking is a breeze with most hotels offering a free valet service.   Another reason to plan your location carefully is that the Las Vegas heat will have you dreaming of pools.  On our “alone” trip, my husband and I stayed at Treasure Island, a lovely hotel, but whose pool turned into a veritable club in the midday heat.  Loud music, lots of college students, and a rowdy pool bar left few places for kids to swim and play.  At the Marriott Grand Chateau, however, the pool was extremely family friendly, quiet, and with lots of places to spread out.  A bonus was free use of the nearby Polo Towers kid pool area, which had an infant wading pool, a water play area, and nice shady awnings for moms who just wanted to read their book and let the dads chase the kids around the pool.  (Hmm, I don’t know anyone like that!)  

Escaping the heat!

And even at nighttime, when the spike heels, the muscle shirts and the people screaming profanities on the streets come out, there’s still fun for families.  The Bellagio Fountains are out of this world, and there’s always the endless stream of hotel buffets, which my husband calls the nightclubs of the parenting crowd.  When it comes to Las Vegas, this mom says: Don’t let its reputation keep you away from an awesome family vacation.

About the Author: Carola Valdes (Visitor Review)