Our family loves Las Vegas, and obviously we are pretty partial because we lived in Las Vegas for years. We now live in South Carolina, but we still spend a lot of time in Las Vegas. This past summer, when Lily and I were together in Las Vegas for a week just the two of us, we found lots of fun things to do and see while we were staying on the strip. I had a lot of questions on IG asking for a list of what to do with kids while in Las Vegas, so Voila, here is the post you asked for!
I realized that the title of this blog post sounds VERY sponsored, but it is in fact, NOT sponsored whatsoever. I think like I have pretty helpful tips and I like to share them with ya.. so if you find this valuable, please send to a friend or share on social!
Enjoy this post of all the things I have discovered that are fun for kids while in Las Vegas.
I’ve separated this into an “on the strip” and “off the strip” list. I hate it when you go to blogs and see a list of things to do in a city and you find out that many of the activities are over an hour away. So if you are visiting Las Vegas, and staying on the strip and don’t want to be bothered with driving around, pick from “on the strip” list!
Also, I’m sure there are many other things to do, so I recommend a google search as well in addition to searching “entertainment” at the hotel you are staying at. This is my personal list and what I am aware of that is kid-friendly for a trip to Las Vegas.
Enjoy! (Also, please feel free to comment any of your suggestions! There is always something new to discover in Las Vegas)
On the Strip
Barbie Exhibit
If you love Barbie, you’ll LOVE the new Barbie Exhibit at The Shops at Crystals. Crystals is inside City Center (next to Aria). I loved Barbie before, but after seeing the exhibit, I officially became Barbie’s #1 fan.
It takes you through a timeline & history of Barbie, and you can see hundred of vintage, one-of-a-kind, and new Barbie dolls along with see the process of how the dolls are made + take picture inside a hot pink barbie convertible. There is much more to discover about Barbie than I ever realized; SO much history and women empowerment. You can also purchase specialty Barbies if you’d like at the end of the exhibit.
Lily and I made a date of this by going to the beautiful Starbucks inside Crystals first where we had cake pops and iced tea refreshers, and then we went to go see Barbie. Starbucks & Barbie are really the only 2 kid-friendly things to do inside Crystals, so I would recommend making the most of it while you’re there, and live your best cake pop or Frappuccino life.
Resort Pools
All of the resorts have gorgeous pools, so if you and your kids like the water, you’ll love this! Even in the middle of the desert, you can feel like you’re in a tropical oasis.
We usually stay at Wynn and their pool is awesome. Wynn’s resort pool is way better than Encore pool FYI – I do not recommend staying at Encore IF you know you’ll be going to the pool. The hotel is great, but the pool sucks, and it has zero shade 100% of the day. You will be a lobster by 11am. The Wynn pool has sunny areas and shaded areas, and it’s much bigger & enjoyable.
Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum
You can visit the world famous wax museum inside Venetian Resort. It’s really cool and worth going to see if you’ve never been before. You and the kids can take pictures with all the 150+ wax celebrities inside. You have the option to choose packages on their website and book in advance.
Marvel 4D Movie Experience
Also inside Madame Tussaud’s is a 4D Marvel Experience (you can add this on as a package w/your wax tickets). If your kid is into Marvel Superheroes, this is your spot!
Cirque Du Soleil Mystere
Mystere at Treasure Island is an incredible show for all ages. It was actually the first Cirque show to come to Las Vegas, it’s still one of the best shows on the strip. Appropriate and entertaining for all ages, is rare for Vegas shows, but this one has you covered. I’ve seen this multiple times, and it’s an epic show whether you are with kids or not. It’s really colorful, tons of high energy acrobatics, and it’s not too long (90 mins no intermission).
Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens
At the Bellagio Resort, across the lobby from the front desk is an opening where a glass ceiling rises up 50 feet. This is the Bellagio Conservatory. Each season, the 14,000-square-foot Conservatory Botanical Gardens transform into a showcase of inspiring sights, sounds, scents and colors. Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter are all featured.
It’s gorgeous every year and every season. Worth the visit, highly instagrammable, and magical for kids (and adults) to see.
Town Square Children’s Park
At the south end of the strip, close to Mandalay Bay, is a really cute shopping center called Town Square. They have great shops, restaurants, and kids activities. Lily loves the splash pad at the Children’s park. It’s really nice and secure, and there are places for parents to sit inside the park and around the splash pad.
The splash pad is located right in the middle of the shopping center. Be sure to bring a towel and change of clothes if your kid really decides to go all out in the splash pad.
AND there is a Yogurtland adjacent to the splash pad if you want to indulge in a treat on a summery day – or whenever for that fact 🙂
(Btw, your kid can enjoy this play park without using the splash pad. there are other activities to enjoy and use.)
Movie At Town Square
You can en joy the movies at Town Square too. You can really make a full day of being here with your kid(s).
For a fun-filled kiddo day at Town Square, I would go to California Pizza Kitchen for early lunch; then see a movie, go to the play park afterwards & have yogurt at Yogurtland, and then have dinner at Brio. (Also, parents if you like coconut, the BEST coconut martinis are at Town Square’s Tommy Bahama restaurant – just trust; they’re amazing)
**Be sure to check events happening at Town Square. There are often a lot of things happening here, and you may be in town for one of them! At the holidays they have Santa set up here and have a HUGE tree.
High Roller (ferris wheel)
The High Roller Ferris Wheel in Las Vegas located the The Linq is incredible! I personally love that it’s air conditioned and you can also ride it at night (it’s open from 2:00 pm – 12:00 am). All ages are welcome; you’ll want to book your tickets in advance, and a ride takes 30 minutes.
So cool: you can use the High Roller as an official family field trip by downloading this S.T.E.M High Roller Family Field Trip Guide!
Shark Reef Mandalay Bay
See more than 2,000 animals, including sharks, giant rays, endangered green sea turtles, piranha and a Komodo dragon at Mandalay Bay’s Shark Reef. Shark Reef also offers an educational program for school groups of all ages, with daily 1 hour tours. For ages over 5, you can partake in a VR film where a marine biologist takes you on a live-action journey to the nurturing grounds of the humpback whales, where you swim side-by-side with humpback whales.
Shark Reef Aquarium is the first and only facility in Nevada accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, so you can feel comfortable and confident in your decision to support Shark Reef.
Gondola Boat Ride
Inside the Venetian Resort, you will definitely want to book a gondola ride. A total family favorite in Vegas. You can choose an indoor or outdoor ride, and both would be equally fun. Float beneath bridges, beside cafes, under balconies, all while coasting down the Grand Canal… but inside the Venetian resort, but it looks like you’re outside – it’s SO cool!
Hello Kitty Cafes
If your kid is a Hello Kitty fan, then look no further than the Hello Kitty Cafes inside Fashion Show Mall AND at Park MGM Resort. As you would imagine, they have cuuuuuute cakes, pastries, and donuts, along with hot and iced cutesy drinks.
Glow In The Dark Mini Golf
Toward “old Vegas” is a Glow In The Dark, One-of-a-kind, Mini Golf Experience. They recommend wearing white or neon clothing so you glow inside the experience. Twilight Zone by Monster Mini Golf is a 10,000 sq. ft themed attraction with a custom-designed indoor glow-in-the-dark 18 hole miniature golf course. The course is surrounded by custom designed props, phenomenal artwork and it is for all ages who enjoy mini golf + they also have arcade games, bowling lanes, an alternate dimension gift shop.
Museum of Selfies
Female-founded and owned, Museum of Selfies, is a fun activity if you and/or your kid(s) would like some pictures on your vacay. You bring your own camera (for selfies, of course!), but there are plenty of employees around to take a group photo. You can take pictures with a giant cheeseburger, neon rainbows, a psychedelic zebra zoom, or a take picture in a bathtub full of money, to name a few!
Titanic Exhibit at Luxor
I personally love the Titanic Exhibit at Luxor. All ages are welcome, but obviously a toddler is probably not the best idea. If you children are into history and learning about the Titanic, it’s a really great exhibit to visit. You can have a professional photo taken on the wooden replica grand staircase and also a “jack & rose” on the front of the ship photo with you & your family.
Bodies Exhibit at Bally’s
For older kids, they may enjoy the Bodies Exhibit at Bally’s. Lily (age 6) is really into Egypt & mummies, so she actually really liked the bodies exhibit. Although she doesn’t fully understand the concept, she thought it was really cool!
Mat Franco Magic Show
For ages 5 & up, Mat Franco’s Magic Show is a great evening option. Located at The Linq, shows start at 7:00 pm, and you could make a whole afternoon & evening in this area by first stopping at the High Roller for a ride, then pictures at Selfie World, early din at Yardhouse, and then off to the magic show! These are all walking distance to each other and you can simply park where you’d park for the High Roller to enjoy the Linq Promenade.
Off The Strip Activities
Cafe Lola / Princess Parties
Cafe Lola has 5 locations and I think it’s definitely worth the visit. Lily LOVES to go to Cafe Lola and get the Mermaid Lemonade (it’s glittery, color-changing, and has an edible mermaid tail to stir the drink). Cafe Lola is a female-founded, local cafe created by my friends Alex & Lin, and they are the original pink & floral European-style cafe in Las Vegas.
Kids love Cafe Lola, and they often have Princess Parties; I would recommend joining their email list and/or follow their Instagram to see if your visit to Las Vegas lines up with one of their Princess tea parties.
Speaking of tea, any day of the week you can order their afternoon tea service (which is also very much mommy/daughter approved). For hot teas, I like their coconut tea, and for iced teas I LOVE Lin’s iced Matcha w/oat milk.
Bowling at South Point
Technically still on Las Vegas Blvd, but not necessarily “on the strip”, you’ll find bowling at South Point Casino. All ages are welcome, and they have 64 lanes! Be sure to check their event schedule as they have lots of bowling events here, and if you’re a casual bowler, you may want to know when to go and what days to avoid if there is a tournament happening.
Discovery Kids Museum
If you have younger children (ages 0-12 ), the Discovery Kids Museum is a must-visit. Discovery Kids Museum is a nonprofit children’s museum in Las Vegas, that provides children access to STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) educational experiences.
It’s actually SO cool; we used to visit often when we lived full time in Las Vegas. Discovery Kids Museum is a 3 story, adventure-filled tower with interactive science exhibits on every floor, along with climbing and sliding structures that make it a physically challenging and mentally stimulating.
Below is the type of experiences they have inside the museum:
The Summit: A three story, adventure-filled tower with interactive science exhibits on every floor, along with climbing and sliding structures that make it a physically challenging and mentally stimulating.
DISCOVERY Lab: It doesn’t get more hands-on than this. The Discovery Lab is an innovative maker space where kids can get creative, imagine, build, take risks, and feel free to make mistakes and learn from them.
Patents Pending: Budding engineers will love this lab-like environment that’s all about using experimentation, invention, problem solving and tinkering to solve design and engineering challenges.
Toddler Town: A unique, hands-on learning environment designed especially for the endlessly curious, imaginative and always-learning under-5 set.
Water World: Water is precious and powerful. Here kids might get a little wet, but it’s all in the process of learning all about the wonder of water.
Fantasy Festival: A feast for every child’s imagination, Fantasy Festival features stage sets, costumes and interactive displays that will have the kids entertaining you for a change.
Young At Art: This is a whimsical, wonderful environment where naturally-artistic kids can explore the “language” of art and spark their creativity at different “creative stations” featuring a variety of artistic mediums.
Eco City: This exhibit is all business. Kids can participate in different jobs in an environmentally-friendly city, featuring interactive businesses including a hospital, store, café, airport, auto shop and the new Raiders stadium.
Solve It!: This immersive exhibit is all about investigation. Visitors are tasked with solving a challenging mystery by gathering data in different environments, all while learning the scientific problem-solving skills used in investigations.
The Museum is located very close to the strip, but more in downtown “old” Vegas. It’s a really short drive from anywhere on the main part of the strip.
Area 15
Area 15 is an immersive entertainment venue, open to all ages before 10:00 pm, AND it’s only one street over from “the strip”.
At first glance, it looks like an indoor rave, but not to worry, it is actually quite kid-friendly and totally safe. You can enjoy all the awesome lights and neon without the drugs and weirdos.
You can simply just walk around and explore all the cool visuals while having lunch, or you can ride down a zipline (indoors!), fly like a bird in VR simulation, or even walk through a bamboo forest. There are also incredible off-the-wall ice cream and candy shops that have delicious treats. Surprisingly the food was really good.
Mermaid School at Silverton Hotel
You can go see a “real” mermaid swimming in the aquarium and even attend Mermaid School at the Silverton Hotel! Mermaid school is a 90-minute experience for ages 7-12 where you can swim (as a mermaid, of course) in the casino’s 117,000-gallon aquarium, along with thousands of tropical fish. You just need to be sure to bring a swimsuit & towel, AND you need to be a good swimmer to begin with.
If going to mermaid school is not your jam, you can still visit the free aquarium at Silverton and see the mermaids swimming in the aquarium.
Cowabunga Water Park
If water parks are your thing, then here ya go! With 2 locations, Cowabunga Canyon & Cowabunga Bay in Las Vegas, you can live your best water park life at Las Vegas water parks.
Ethel M Chocolates & Botanical Cactus Garden
For a unique chocolate tasting experience in Las Vegas, head over to Ethel M Chocolate Factory. The factory also has a really cool cactus garden that you can walk through after you eat chocolate; it’s actually the largest cactus garden in the Southwest USA with over 3 acres of botanical cactus.
OK that’s it!! What else did I miss?! If you know of something great comment below.
Enjoy your family adventures in Las Vegas! Send me a DM on instagram (@missashleydiana) when you visit and let me know you saw this blog post! XO.
