Should people take their children to Las Vegas for vacation?

I'm a teenager living in Vegas. I can shed some light on this.

For the past few years, Vegas HAS been aiming for a new image. An upscale, cosmopolitan adult playground. That's the image that brings in the money.

However, if you search around and plan carefully, there's plenty of good family options. A great variety of shows, unique exhibits, IMAX theatres, roller coasters, shopping, Gameworks, hanging out by the pool, site seeing, etc. Just walking around the strip is fun. Or if you're up for a short drive: hiking in Mount Charleston, taking a boat tour of Lake Mead, etc.

Although, it's also a good idea to invite a babysitter to come with on the trip. That gives the adults more opportunity to enjoy Vegas, while allowing someone they trust to take the kids to Gameworks (or where ever).

oh for cryin out loud you can take kids to vegas for a great vacation. there's more than enough things for a whole family to do that doesn't involve gambling or drinking or a general need to be over 18. just do some research.

No..I wouldnt even recommend it for adults..LOL

For a while they tried to go with Vegas as a family vacation, but now they turned it back to What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. That alone should give you your answer. Personally, I went to Vegas when I was 19 and didn't really have any fun at all. I could go into the casinos, (around the edges) but other than that I just houng around the pool and did lots of nothing. Somehow Vegas just doesn't scream wholesome family vacation to me. And personally I would not want to be around a bunch of screaming children if I am in vegas. I'm sure I'll be hung over and probably sleep deprived from gambling. Children wouldn't want to be near me, let alone me be near them.

NO. Las Vegas has made some things "family friendly", but Vegas is not made for the family.

The family friendly line is the sucker's excuse to take the kids to a sin-city adn go gamble while you spend a little amount of time with the family during vacation.

Ask the casino owners how much money they make off the family friendly entertainment items as opposed to the gambling, drinking and whoring. The "family friendly" entertainment is the price to pay to maintain the real focus of Vegas (gambling, drinking and whoring).

If you worry about morals, NO.

There are fewer family vacation packages there in the past 10 years. [My mom lived there for years].

Too many naked 'billboard triangles' advertising strippers, escorts, and whorehouses on the tops of cabs. Too many half naked showgirls in the casinos. The hotels set it up so that you HAVE to go through the casinos to get to the lobby - your car, etc. They want you to gamble on the way in and out. Took us a MINIMUM of 20 min to get to the car [Excalibur] w/ 4 & 7 yr old boys.

There IS Leeds museum, Hoover Dam, wet and Wild, Marshmallow factory tours, etc for kids, but too much ADULT stuff in and around it all.

You have Disneyland, Zoo, Universal, Knotts Berry Farm, etc in CA for the kids. We took kids to both places. Wouldn't take them to Vegas again. Too much to explain.

Turns out ppl didn't want to watch their kids when trying to drink and gamble, so Vegas has scaled back.

SIN CITY is the "Adult Disneyland"

Omg!! Take the kids to Vegas. They have tons of family entertainment. Vegas is not a bad place. Parents should have the common sense about entertainment for children anyway.

Vegas is NOT for the kids, cant have them in Casinos, bars, and pretty much anywhere youd want to go. SO yes if you want to ruin your trip because you cant go into any of the places you really came here to see then yes bring your kids!

Sure, it really is becoming a family vacation place. There are many families there and things to do as a family and not just gambling anymore.

There are shows, rides, and the hotels themselves have fun activities for kids, as well as taking day trips, as long as the weather is not too hot.

However, sometimes it is good to leave the kids and go on vacation yourselves, and Vegas is a good place to go for that as well.

it depends how old they are if there in the teens thn u can drop them off at circus circus

I work in a casino, and have for years. What bugs me is that these people bring their kids to Vegas, and then the next thing you know, the kids are sitting next to the parents while they play slot machines, or they loiter in the casino, or worse yet, minors are gambling! We only have so much security, and they can all only be in one place at once. So, please, if you bring your kids to Vegas, show them the desert. There are great places to visit out here to teach them about the past and how Vegas has come to be.

absolutley not!
there is nothing good down there for kids under the age of 16 except for the huge KB toys and the rides at the stratosphere. Take them somewhere better like the grand canyon, or hoover dam.

well, we did exactly that last year,!! we spent 5 days in Vegas, our children were 10 and 13, and we had such a ball. We never went gambling, cause we just dont do that, we went to an amazing magic show with the kids, Lance Burton, he was fantastic, we saw amazing sights, buildings that are a vista, went on rides, up towers, up the Eifel tower, through St Marks square in a gondola, saw the Bellaggio fountains, went to the Grand Canyon from there for a day trip, we never went to an adult show either, we just did family things, admit tingly we were not up late at night, so saw no really bad things, and kept the kids with us all the time, but we never cam across any trouble in Vegas, we would all go back tomorrow !

No. I've lived here for three years, and would not recommend it. They try to be family friendly, but most of the entertainment here is for adults. Why would you want to take your kids to "Sin City"?

I don't think so. If you aren't 21, you pretty much aren't allowed to anything in Vegas. I live there.

no...they might stay in vegas

Over the last 20 years, Las Vegas has changed its image by becoming more family oriented. It now offers a lot of attractions and entertaining events that has a lot to offer to under the age of 21 years old (gambling and drinking age). Hotels offer also specialized services and entertaining opportunities in order to please all ages. While most people think of Las Vegas as Sin City, once you look up the touristic opportunities this place has to offer to families, you will be surprised by the endless possibilities.

i went and i was bored. there wasnt much to do. and those 21+ just wanted to hit the slots and clubs, ect

I was born and raised in this town and it used to be a place where you could take the family, but now they have taken away most of the things for kids to do. The water park ( Wet 'N' Wild ) is gone, alot of the kids parks and aracdes are gone or to dangerous to go to, and some of the casinos that used to be "family friendly" like the Excalibur, now have half naked women dancing on the tables when you walk through. Not to mention the hookers, pimps, drug dealers and homeless that are now even more rampant in Vegas than when I was growing up, and I am not even 30 yet.

Planning a Las Vegas Family Vacation

Vegas has something for everyone, even the kids. Follow our suggestions to maximize your family fun in Las Vegas!

Q: Where can I safely drop off my young children in Vegas while I gamble away their college fund?

A: Hey, we would never recommend dropping off kids anywhere or gambling away their college fund, especially when there are a number of attractions for the whole family in Vegas, including GameWorks and Circus Circus' Adventuredome. Kids can kill a lot of hours at these places (and considering the prices of some new games, they might kill their own college fund). If you do want to gamble, though, there are a handful of hotels that offer child-care facilities on property.

Q: My sister and husband are coming to Vegas with their 1-year-old. Will we be allowed in the casinos? Where can I take them? We want to show them at least one casino, but we have baby considerations, such as feeding, napping, strollers, etc. What can you recommend?

A: They'll be allowed to bring the baby into the casino if they're just passing through (to get to a restaurant, shopping, etc.) But babies and blackjack don't mix, so don't plan to sit down with a toddler at the tables. Also, the Bellagio does not allow children inside unless they're registered hotel guests, attending a show or dining with the family at one of the restaurants. Take it from us, the best places to take a baby would be shopping or to the many attractions Vegas offers. Try the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay (kids under 4 are free), the Forum Shops at Caesars or gardens at the Flamingo with live Chilean flamingos, Mandarin ducks and koi. Youngsters will definitely get a kick out of the Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at the Mirage and the MGM Lion Habitat.

Q: We are coming to Vegas with our 8- and 12-year-olds. What is there to do for kids this age that will still be fun for us?

A: Vegas may be Sin City, but there are still plenty of things that the whole family can enjoy: magician Lance Burton at the Monte Carlo, "Tournament of Kings" dinner theater at the Excalibur, the World's Largest Permanent Circus at Circus Circus, buffets, hiking at Red Rock Canyon and the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay. Animal lovers of all ages will surely enjoy "Gregory Popovich's Comedy Pet Theater." If you want to get some shopping done, Caesars offers something for the whole family. Stop and shop at the Forum Shops where the kids can enjoy the Fall of Atlantis and Festival Fountain shows and aquarium. Want to sneak some education in with some fun? Then take them to see Bodies...the Exhibition, where your kids can check out all sorts of real-life bones and organs. To show your kids -- as well as remind yourself -- how fun science can be, visit the interactive Lied Discovery Children's Museum. Make sure to also stop by and check out the Springs Preserve. For the adventurous preteens, they can experience the adrenaline rush with indoor cart racing at Pole Position Raceway. As long as they meet the height requirement, they're good to go.

Q: What is the best hotel to stay in with our kids?

A: Location rules in this category. Check out New York-New York for its roller coaster, Mandalay Bay ( Shark Reef ) and finally Circus Circus, which has the most kid-centric activities per square foot.

Q: What is the best free stuff to do with our kids in Vegas?

A: There are so many free attractions in Vegas, it's hard to know where to begin. First, you have the sheer wonder of just wandering around the Strip. There also are the gardens at the Flamingo, the Fountains at Bellagio, and the high-flying Circus acts at Circus Circus. You also won't want to miss M&M's World at the Showcase Mall, Mount Charleston, the MGM Grand Lion Habitat and Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at the Mirage. There is also a fun children's park at Town Square. After you're done shopping, the kids can run off all their energy here. For more, check our free attractions page. That ought to keep you busy.

Q: We want a fun place to take the kids to eat. Any suggestions?

A: Vegas boasts a lot of dining alternatives that are great for the kids. The themed Rainforest Cafe lets you dine among a 10,000-gallon saltwater aquarium and animatronic animals, and movie memorabilia is on display at Planet Hollywood. Chow down on some burgers while enjoying a fun, island theme atmosphere at the Cheeseburger at the Oasis inside the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood. Elephant Bar at The District is also a great place to take the kids. The safari theme and diversified menu makes it fun for everyone. If your kid is a picky eater, you can't go wrong with a buffet. You might want to call ahead to find out children's prices and special offers.

I guess theres two sides here, but I would never take a child to vegas. If you've ever seen Treasure Island when they do their ouside show, a child could easily get stammpled. It is absolutely packed. A child could get lost. Hurt. The crowds were too much for us.
If you take a child through the casino to get to an elevator,etc..It's the equivalent of smoking a pack of cigs. The Strip is no place for a child.

If their children are over 18, no problem...

Why not everybody go somewhere else? That whole town is set up to take as much money from you as they can.

Las Vegan began to market itself as a family vacation spot a decade or so ago and now offers child care and many activites for all ages of children while the parents see shows and/or gamble. To me, it does not seem like an attractive family vacation location, compared to so many other alternatives, but I suppose to some it might.

You can take your kids to Vegas, there are a lot of things for kids to enjoy. Here's a list:
http://www.lasvegas-how-to.com/entertain-kids.html

when i was young my parents use to take to las vegas all the time, i never rilly liked it because there is not much to do there when u are under 21

It is a pretty adult place. They have tried to add some "family friendly" bits, but these are only to encourage the adults, who are the ones they really want. If you have a family vacation in LV, I reckon you are having an adult vacation to which you are dragging the children. Have a proper family vacation then, if you can afford it, have an adult weekend break in LV. (Family first, then adult if you can).

NO! Vegas is not for kids!

My then 12 yr old daughter went out there with me once and we were content to site-see, shop, and just walk around. I dont gamble or go to the expensive shows so it was all I wanted to do anyways. We weren't out late at night for her to see the other side of Vegas. She did think it was hilarious when I got hit on once by a drunk guy while we were waiting for my husband to park the car! I dont think I would bring toddlers and expect them to get anything out of it.

Too much nakedness to be able to be comfortable with young ones.

i wish they wouldn't...sure, there is "fun for the whole family" but with all the "adult-ness", smoking, skimpy dressed mid-western house wives ready to party, prostitutes in casinos, hustlers trying to recruit young ones, why would you? no one wants to be laughing and joking about "the night before" and turn around to see a 7 y.o. was listening the whole time, if u know what i mean...just seems inappropriate for kids

There's nothing wrong with the idea but there are better places for a family vacation WHICH COST LESS.

Depends on what you are going to do with them and what you teach them there... Want to teach them how to gamble? Wrong! Want to teach them that it's fun to see all the glamour and beautiful hotels and at the same time explain that gamble might lead to addiction and loose a lot of money (the real winner is ALWAYS the owner of the casino!), then it might be a good idea.

Also depending on the age of the children. A 5-year old might be better of in Disneyland...

It depends on why YOU are going to Las Vegas...

If you are going to gamble, watch shows that don't allow kids, drink until you puke, and other activities your kids shouldn't do, then don't.

If you plan to go shopping, sightseeing, visit water parks, and other family activities (all of which DO exist), then take them...

Fifteen years ago, I would have said yes, but it's not so family friendly anymore.

You know that thing they do in Little Rascals where Spanky stands on Stimey's shoulders, throws on a long overcoat and a hat and fake moustache, then tries to walk into some adults only establishment? That's the mental image that immediately comes to mind.

I'm sure they could have fun, but there are a lot of better choices for people with children. :)

Why not? I don't know I guess it's not like Tijuana in Mexico. Hard to tell from Europe, never been to U.S.!

Oh course, because I always wanted to give my son a treat from an aids ridden prostitute between dinner and going back to the casino for the evening! Where else can you get that?

Of course! There are plenty of things to do to entertain children... circus circus, water parks, a ton of shows, shopping, and great food!! :)

I'd say no but I've never been there.

Learn how to count cards. If you're good at it then teach your kids how to count cards. Once you're all successful at it, you can go to Vegas.

I don't know much about the age limits there or anything so I don't know if that would help.

As an Admin for KidsinVegas.com I do a lot of research on this topic because it is the number one asked question. First off - nearly 10% of visitors bring their children with them when they come to Las Vegas. Barring recent numbers as a result of the economic downturn that amounts to about 4 Million children each year.

But the question posed here is "Should" and the answer to that question will always be subjective.

A couple of years ago there was a bit of a push to make Las Vegas more friendly for families, this was an intentional marketing tactic by the PR people at numerous casinos. Back in the day there was a water park on The Strip, Gameworks opened, there were the IMAX Theaters, The Roller Coaster, etc. These were all designed to attract more families and their Vacation Dollars.

What was the result of this push? The result was it didn't work to attract any more families than were already coming to Vegas so it was abandoned. While the venues do exist so families can have something to do with their kids besides just hanging out at the wave pool or the arcades, the emphasis on marketing to families has died.

The downside to bringing your kids is you will find it tough to find someone to watch after them should you want to escape on your own. It would be in your interest to bring your own sitter.

There simply are not enough venues to justify Vegas as a Family Vacation Destination. Having said that our purpose is to expose the available opportunities for those who do.

We maintain a page complete with videos of Family Activities in Vegas for interested parties: http://www.kidsinvegas.com/most-popular-las-vegas-attractions-for-kids.html