Family trips to vegas

queen of hearts · #1 01-31-2009, 12:34 PM

We all know that Las Vegas is great for adults, there are loads of casinos and other adult entertainments. Though if your traveling with children what type of things are there to do.

I asked myself this very question and decided to look into the different things that would be great for the entire family to do together.

I was surprised to see all that is available for families. There are amusement and theme parks, national and state parks, nature tours, hotels that are really kid friendly, shows to see,museums and so much more.

There is just so much for an entire family to do that I doubt very much that you could do it all in just one trip.

I dont have children so when ever I think of Las Vegas I always think of things that are for adults and not children. Though a few of my friends that are planning on making Las Vegas their vacation spot this year do. This is another reason I decided to look into what they could possibly do on their trip. I am sure that they will love to visit many of the places I have listed as well as others.

VegasLuvsMe · #2 01-31-2009, 01:23 PM

I think Circus Circus would be the best example for a Family stay in Vegas.

Circus Circus has Bus, RV and camper hook-ups on their property with a disposal area.
They also have a store and laundromat, and even game rooms for the children.

If you are really loaded and can afford all of the thrills at Circus Circus, they have a 5 acre indoor theme park with carnival rides and even a putt-putt golf course.

1819 · #3 01-31-2009, 04:27 PM

i get some heat for my opinion but i am a firm believer in never bringing the kids to vegas. porn slappers, drunks, hookers, chicks runnin around in g strings, dopers, and general low lifes are abundant. from a selfish standpoint vegas is my playground. if i want to act a certain way, drinking, cursing, basically making a fool of myself that is the place to do it. i do not want to worry if i am setting a good example for little billy. there are thousands of places in this country to take children and have a wonderful family vacation. las vegas is not one of them. when we have children we make certain sacrifices. if we cant find a babysitter then we dont go to vegas. it will not kill anyone to stay home or go somewhere else. i dont buy the "well we have to live our lives" arguement. i recently heard that excuse in a restaurant when i politely asked a couple to leave. they had a screaming infant there at 10pm. selfish and disrespectful to all who came out to relax. i have been to vegas over 100 times in the last 20+ years. i have seen and experienced things that shock even adults. no reason for children to be anywhere near the place. there is a reason the "family destination" promotion failed. my boys will enjoy vegas when they are 21.

Eyeofngt · #4 02-01-2009, 07:19 PM

I agree with you on this!! Vegas is no place for kids, period.

queen of hearts · #5 02-02-2009, 12:21 PM

I understand where you are both comming from but there are some great things for familys with children to do in Las Vegas reguardless of opinion.
As for all of the bad that you listed in your post, well kids can see that stuff in movies, on the internet and right around the corner in some areas.

Though I do believe that everyone needs to protect their children as much as possible from that type of stuff, though I would imagine that the chances of the things which you listed in your post are not going to be seen in an amusement park, or in a show. Then again its possible, and its possible for that to happen reguardless of where you are.

Life is unpredictable, no one can say for sure exactly what is going to happen or when.

1819 · #6 02-02-2009, 01:00 PM

those things are less likely to happen at disneyworld. when people bring kids to las vegas it is only because the parents are being selfish. no kid ever wakes up and says "mommy please take us to vegas for vacation"......

queen of hearts · #7 02-05-2009, 10:41 AM

Haha, possibly. Then again you never really can tell what a child is going to say, LOL.

klhtrain · #8 03-26-2009, 02:33 AM

I will preface this by saying we are heading to Vegas with our 18 year old for Easter break. This is my son's 6th trip out. His first Mickey Mouse stuffed animal has facial scarring from getting caught in stroller wheels in front of the Stratosphere when he was 15 months old! So we definitely bring him out.

Are there places that are inappropriate? Absolutely! And we don't take him there. Sorry parents - I am old school. You don't take your infant to a $50 an entree restaurant - that is not child friendly and there is NOTHING on that menu that your child will even enjoy - and you do disrupt those around you that came to an adult restaurant and have every right to expect a quiet sophisticated night out. And you don't take your toddler to a lover's nook either - really, get a sitter. It is a pity that many parents don't realize that you can't have it all all of the time - you need to use common sense.

We took my son (last trip out - he was 16) to see Wayne Brady. Warnings abound yet there was a family there than had young kids (maybe 8, 10 years old - 3 of them). Even Brady was like - man, you are cramping my style. They should have left. Brady felt cramped. The kids were embarrassed. The parents needed a kick in the butt. I have seen parents dragging little kids thru casinos while mom and/or dad sneaks in a pull of the slots or two. Again, kick them out. I know that the casinos will not do that but they should. Their patrons would not criticize them.

These are the same folks that bring those little ones to R-rated movies back home because - hey, it is their right. Yes, it is their right - but it doesn't mean it is right.

I don't think you can't bring your family out, you just need to exercise common sense of which, unfortunately, there just isn't a lot of anymore. We will golf, we will bowl, we will see a Cirque show, go to Phantom, even sneak in a Penn and Teller. We will drive somewhere for the day. We will swim. Hit the indoor go-karts. Go out to Hoover Dam. Take a day trip to the Canyon. Lots of things to do that do not involve hookers, pimps, drunks, or naked breasts! And yes - my son has been inundated with hooker cards on the Strip - good opportunity for us to talk about the reality of Vegas (I do have to admit - he was the hit of the 10th grade when he brought those back to Pittsburgh!!). And when he sees the drunk making an idiot of himself - that is okay too because we talk about drinking and public drunkenness and what it looks like (sorry guys - I take these life lessons where I find them!!!).

And we have already planned for my son's 21st birthday when we will bring him out and take him to a casino and play some games!

VegasLuvsMe · #9 03-26-2009, 12:03 PM

I bet your son has had a lifetime of experiences in Vegas, and it sounds like you are doing it in a smart fashion, good job.

I mentioned Circus Circus because it sounds and looks like a family-based hotel and casino.
All kinds of rides and games for even the smaller children, and it's far enough off of the main part of the strip that I doubt you will find strippers there.

I've walked down to Circus Circus a while back, and there wasn't much going on on the outside, so this tells me all the excitement must be indoors.

I bet you son will have loads of fun in Vegas when he turns 21.
My son had just recently visited Las Vegas during my last visit and he was 21. He had a blast. ("Where's those free drinks?")