You may not think of Las Vegas as a family friendly location but that isn’t true. There are plenty of fun things to do in Las Vegas with kids. We spent our family vacation during spring break exploring a few of the kid-friendly things to do in Las Vegas.
Fun Things to do in Las Vegas For Kids
We researched quite a few ideas Las Vegas with kids ideas and found there were more things to do than we had time for. We only spent a few days in Las Vegas so we had to prioritize which activities we wanted to do on this trip.
My boys are really big into video games right now, they’d live on their computer, XBOX or iPad if we let them. So exploring various Las Vegas arcades made a lot of sense. We found a few other activities to round out our Las Vegas adventure.
Las Vegas Arcades
Arcades are a natural fit for a Las Vegas with kids trip, arcade games are like the PG versions of slot machines. While not every hotel offers an on-site arcade, we found plenty of options during our trip.
The Big Apple Arcade
The Arcade at the New York, New York Las Vegas Hotel is called The Big Apple Arcade. It features a variety of video games in addition to the famous Big Apple Coaster. We liked this arcade the best because it used game cards to keep track of tickets earned. It features both classic games like skee ball, lots of sports-themed games, and new games like Star Wars Battle Pod. The boys weren’t ready to brave the roller coaster yet, maybe on our next trip. 😉
Midway at Circus Circus
The Circus Circus Las Vegas hotel is a classic Las Vegas with kids option. Even if you don’t want to play video games, you should at least stop by for the free circus shows that are scheduled throughout the day. There’s even a small set of bleachers set up where you can sit and wait for the next act to start.
This arcade spits out tickets which can be annoying but my kids did love the numerous claw machines available. That’s one of their favorite ways to waste money. 😉 Although to be fair, they do win sometimes, so it works out I guess.
Fun Dungeon at the Excalibur
We visited the Fun Dungeon at the Excalibur Hotel several times because it was closest to the Tropicana Hotel where we stayed. The boys enjoyed the variety of games offered but it was their least favorite out of the three we visited. Sometimes convenience wins out though.
More Las Vegas Arcades
We had planned to visit a few more arcades but found some hotels had removed them. Unfortunately, some Las Vegas arcade lists online are quite outdated. So you don’t go through the same hassle as we did, I have a list of few more Las Vegas arcades we plan on visiting the next time we visit. If you know of any more we should add to the list, just leave a comment.
- Gameworks Las Vegas
- Dave & Busters Las Vegas
- Freemont Arcade
- Arcade City Food & Fun
Family-friendly shows in Las Vegas
The idea of Las Vegas shows may immediately bring to mind risque or adult-oriented productions but you can actually find quite a few family-friendly Las Vegas shows as well. Cirque du Soleil several different family-friendly shows including Mystere, O, Beatles LOVE and Michael Jackson ONE.
Blue Man Group
The Blue Man Group performs at the Luxor Hotel and Casino which was quite close to the Tropicana where we stayed. We opted not to see their show on this trip because we were only in Las Vegas for a few nights and wanted to see something new. That being said, we loved the Blue Man Group in Orlando and I wouldn’t hesitate to watch (or recommend) the Blue Man Las Vegas show.
Tournament of Kings
Tournament of Kings is a Las Vegas dinner and show experience featuring knights and their steeds in acts of chivalry and treachery. We didn’t opt to attend the show because we’ve been to Medieval Times before and it seems like a similar experience. The Tournament of Kings would be on my short list of shows to see on our next trip though.
Popovich Comedy Pet Theater
I really wanted to take my boys to the Popovich Comedy Pet Theater, they love animals and I know they would love this show featuring 30 different animals. Unfortunately, the show as on hiatus during our visit but it is number one on the list for our next Las Vegas trip.
V – The Ultimate Variety Show
The first show we did watch was the V – The Ultimate Variety Show which was really fun. The show features a variety of acts which helped keep the show moving which is important with kids. My favorite act was Russ Merlin, a prop comedian. His act was ridiculously silly. The boys really appreciated the crazy stunt acts we saw.
Nathan Burton Comedy Magic
The Nathan Burton Comedy Magic show was great. The boys still appreciate magic tricks and he had some pretty cool ones on stage. They were dying to get picked to go up on stage but we were seated too far back for that. If that’s important to your kids, then try to snag seats close the front. Nathan Burton did do a fun card trick that the whole audience participated in towards the end of the show.
Save Money with the Go Las Vegas Card
Now here’s the thing about seeing Las Vegas shows, it can get quite pricey. There are cheaper shows to see or various ways to save money with extensive planning and research but the easiest way to do it is with the Go Las Vegas Card. We were given a set of complimentary Explorer passes during our trip so we could report back to you on our experience.
There are two options with the Go Las Vegas Card, one is the All Inclusive and the other is the Explorer Pass. The best option for your family depends on how long you will be in Las Vegas and how many attractions you want to visit.
We had a 3 Choice Explorer Pass which gave us access to 3 attractions over the course of 30 days. The Go Las Vegas Card is good for a variety of Las Vegas Shows and attractions.
Popular Las Vegas Attractions with Kids
Stratosphere Observation Deck
We also used our Go Las Vegas Card to visit the Stratosphere Observation Deck. This classic Las Vegas attraction allows 360 degrees views of the city from both an outside and inside viewing deck. If you are an adrenaline junkie, the Stratosphere offers several exciting attractions: X-Scream, Sky Jump, Insanity and the Big Shot. I am the one warrior in my family of worriers. 😉 I did talk my stepdad into riding the Big Shot with me though.
Bellagio Fountain
I love a good freebie and watching the Bellagio Fountain show was worth the trek down the strip. Afterward, head inside the Bellagio to check out the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, it’s also free. We found it to be very crowded but still worth a visit.
Coca-Cola Store, Hershey’s Chocolate World, M&M’s World Store
These sugar filled retail focused stores are a fun diversion for most kids. While they are free to visit, they all offer a variety of treats and themed souvenirs to purchase. You can snag free samples of chocolate at both Hershey’s Chocolate World and the M&M’s World Store. A soda or ice cream float sampler can be purchased at the Coca-Cola Store Las Vegas.
Off-Strip Kid-Friendly Ideas
Las Vegas Natural History Museum
The Las Vegas Natural History Museum is not very big but still a fun break in the day. I wouldn’t go out of my way to visit again but we had free reciprocating admission from our local museum so it was worth a quick stop over for us.
KISS by Monster Mini Golf
KISS by Monster Mini Golf is located off the strip at the Rio Hotel & Casino. It’s a little campy but still fun and since it’s indoors, it is a great year-round attraction.
More Kid friendly Ideas on the Las Vegas Strip
Because we couldn’t do it all, we have even more ideas for our next Las Vegas trip. If you know of something else we should visit on our next trip, leave a comment so I can add it to our list.
- Downtown Container Park
- High Roller Observation Wheel at Linq Promenade
- Madame Tussauds Las Vegas
- Mob Museum in Downtown Las Vegas
- The NEON Museum Las Vegas
- Hoover Dam
- Discovery Children’s Museum
More Ways to Save Money in Las Vegas With Kids
Beyond the Go Las Vegas Card, there are a few other ways to save money in Las Vegas:
Groupon Las Vegas
I am a big fan of using Groupon at home and on vacation. Groupon doesn’t always have huge attractions but it usually has deals on a cool new place or quirky local attractions. We found the KISS by Monster Mini Golf deal on Groupon.
POGO Pass Las Vegas
POGO Pass Las Vegas offers a variety of kid-friendly attractions for one low price. The venues often change so check it out before purchasing to see if it makes sense for your visit to Las Vegas.
Local Museum Memberships
We have a family membership to our local planetarium which grants up free admission to most other ASTC affiliated museums. In Las Vegas, we received free admission to the Las Vegas Natural History Museum. We’ve used our pass on trips to other cities as well, it’s definitely worth looking into if you like to visit museums on your family vacations.
Where to stay in Las Vegas with Kids
We stayed at the Tropicana Hotel right on the Las Vegas Strip. We really liked the location and our room in the Paradise tower was quite large. I can’t comment on the pool because it wasn’t open during spring break which is crazy. Apparently, pools not being open year-round is a thing in Las Vegas. If you are looking for more options, check out my friend Leslie’s recommendations on kid-friendly hotels in Las Vegas.
More Travel With Kids Ideas
- Things to do in Phoenix with Kids
- Things to do in Tucson with Kids
- Things to do in Houston with Kids
- Things to do in Southern California with Kids
This post was originally published May 28, 2019.
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