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Things To Do In Las Vegas with Kids – Family Travel Guide

If you are planning a trip, and looking for things to do in Las Vegas with kids, there are so many options for kids of all ages. We share all kinds of things to do with kids in Las Vegas in this guide here, including free things to do with kids in Las Vegas.

These ideas will keep them entertained and having fun for days. This list is the result of lots of research before our trip, then making a number of week long trips to Las Vegas with the family + 4-5 day trips for sports tournaments. We have visited with the kids from their elementary school years, to teen years, and at various times of the year. I have kids in sports, that take us to Vegas for tournaments each year. That and I have a mom (the kids grandma) who loves Las Vegas. So I have tested out some things that make this spot work for all of us. I am hoping to save you some time, by laying all of this information out in one place, to make planning easy for your family.

To be honest. Las Vegas was not a vacation I thought I would consider with my kids, until we were gifted a hotel stay there by a family member, and then sports tournaments started to require us to visit too. There ended up being quite a bit more for them to enjoy then I originally expected.

There are also some things you will want to be aware of ahead of time, when traveling to Las Vegas with kids. We do share information about what to expect when traveling to Las Vegas with kids (like where to stay, and what to expect to be exposed to there) to help you determine if it might be a good fit for your family.

Whether you are in town for a family trip, or sports tournaments, here is a long list of things we thought where great for kids of all ages to enjoy. I have taken my kids from elementary school, through high school, so we have experienced it during lots of different ages for the kids.

Free Things to do on the Strip

There are quite a few free things to do in Las Vegas with kids, and we put together a big list of those – well, because they are free! Just checking out the gorgouse hotels is one of my favorite past times, but there is much more than that available for free too. These include some of our very favorite things to do when taking a Las Vegas family trip, so be sure to check those out and add them to your must visit list.

Beyond completely free, here are some of our favorite cheap things to do in Las Vegas for families, as well as some splurge options too!

Master List of Las Vegas Family Friendly Activities

These are some of the things we have done and loved on our family trips to Las Vegas. The

We are enjoying our samples of cokes from around the world, and the World of Coke – the Coca Cola store in Las Vegas!

Coca Cola Store Las Vegas

Visiting World of Coke – the Coca Colas store in Las Vegas is always a highlight for us. And it is not the merch that draws us (although that is fun too), but their beverage bar. Our favorite part of a visit to the World of Coke, is always the trays you can buy to sample Cokes from around the world.

To be honest, we do not even really like many of them…but it is so fun to go through and taste them all and talk about the countries they are popular in. It is also a great (and affordable) way to get out of the heat for awhile. As long as you are comfortable sipping off the same cups one tray order (which actually comes with two trays of sample cups) is all one family needs, as you really only take a sip of each one per person. The way we do it, is we all go through and take a sip and talk about where it is popular, then we each pick a few we liked best to finish off. We never really finish them though (so much sugar), but still lots of fun.

You can grab the tasting tray for the favorite Cokes from around the world for a moderate price. We do this every single time we visit, and have not gotten tired of it yet.

Plus, there is the M&M store, and Hershey’s store nearby too, so you can go through them all during one days visit just for the kids to be able to peruse some shops that might be of more interest to them.

Arcades for Kids on the Las Vegas Strip 

When my kids where elementary ages, the arcades and carnival games on the Las Vegas strip where some of their favorites. Fortunately, there are plenty to enjoy in the area, from one end of the Las Vegas strip to the next.

Here are some my kids love.

Circus Circus – this spot was my kids’ very favorite arcade and carnival games spot hands down, and we visited this multiple times. It is also where they won the most prizes at and had the most options for games to play. They even offer free circus shows throughout the day.

New York New York – has a great arcade (not really any carnival games, but they can win tickets from the arcade games to turn in for prizes). This one was probably their favorite arcade only stop. They also have a big roller coaster here, so if you have kids who are different ages it is a good spot (and you can grab a slice of pizza down in the food court area themed like Times Square, that won’t break the bank).

Excalibur – has what they call the fun dungeon. It is on their bottom floor level with carnival games and some arcade games. The kids liked this one, but it was their least favorite of the three mentioned so far.

Luxor – we never made it out there, but I hear they have an arcade space too.

Las Vegas Attractions for Kids

Adventure Dome Amusement park in Circus Circus 

This is the largest indoor theme park, and a fun stop for families (especially if you are visiting in July or August heats). We spent one day here, and the kids had fun. It is an indoor amusement park, so is perfect for year round fun, and has everything from kiddie rides to roller coasters. You can buy a bracelet so they can ride unlimited rides here.

More Kids Activities Las Vegas –

• Gondola ride at Venetian – pay to ride indoors or outdoors.
• The Eiffel Tower in Paris – you can go up to the viewing deck here. It is more affordable during the day, but I have heard it is beautiful at night.

Roller Coasters & Other Rides For Kids – 

You will find roller coasters at both the New York New York hotel and in the Adventure Dome. Of these options, my kids like the New York New York one best. It starts inside, but goes outside and is a fun ride. If you are looking for something more extreme, you will find those options atop the Stratosphere.

Great Wheel ride at LINQ – this is a slow moving wheel that is really more of an observation deck and you can board it in the LINQ area.

Zip Lining at the LINQ & Old Town Vegas – The zip line at the LINQ is one of the most affordable zip line options I have found, as they offer student pricing. It goes the length of the LINQ mall, and is open limited hours, so check those ahead of your travel dates.

Sky Diving at the Stratosphere – in addition to the extreme rides on the Stratosphere deck, you can also ski dive off the building. You have to be 14 to do this, and my oldest daughter did it on our last trip and loved it. She has no fear, though (we were more afraid waiting for her on the ground then she was jumping…I don’t think she batted an eye).

Zoos & Aquariums 

Here are a list of spots you can enjoy animal exhibits in Las Vegas:

• Siegfried and Roy Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat
• Silverton Aquarium (free but off the strip)
• Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay
• Lion Habitat Ranch (also off the strip)
• SeaQuest at the Boulevard Mall in Vegas (off the strip)

Las Vegas shows for kids

Family Friendly Shows – 

Las Vegas does not have a ton of shows that will be family friendly, but here are a couple that were recommended. We did not do any shows (although I have taken the kids to Cirque De Soleil in our city and they loved it), so I cannot personally recommend any of these. We just ran out of time to do everything.

• The Variety Show (in the Miracle Mile Mall)
• Blue Men (Luxor)
• Cirque De Solei (Treasure Island)
• Tournament of the Kings (Excalibur Hotel)

Other Attractions in the Area 

Here are some more things that we did not get a chance to do, but that I have heard are fun for kids in the area.

• Top Golf
• CSI Experience at MGM
• Hunger Game Exhibition at MGM
• Madame Tussauds Las Vegas Wax Figures in Venetian

Twilight Zone Mini Golf in Ballys & Monster Golf – We got Groupons for here so did it both years. It is a nice break in an air conditioned area and was very affordable.

• 4-D Rides in Ballys and Excalibur. This picture is of the one in Balleys down by the putt putt golf area.
• Titanic Exhibit at Luxor
• The CBS Television City Research Center at the MGM Grand welcomes visitors to come in and view and give their feedback on proposed new shows. CBS Television City is open daily from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. The center is located near the pool at the end of the Studio Walk. No advance reservations are necessary, and viewing is completely free. However, we suggest you call or stop by ahead of time to get the schedule to make sure you pick a family friendly show.

Shopping in Las Vegas 

We scheduled our trip to Las Vegas during the summer, so it could double as a school shopping trip. This way the kids could take the regular budget I spend this time of the year, anyways, and use it for their spending money in Vegas. Plus, Vegas has so many cool shopping malls that it will create memories to last them a very long time (and we found great deals on clothes in Vegas – my kids did not spend any more than they would have at the malls back home).

There are some pretty cool malls that are themed to look like you have been transported to another place in time. They make for wonderful shopping excursions for all ages. Plus, most of the malls had lots to offer in terms of candy stores and restaurants too.

Caesars Palace Forum Shops

The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace are a must-stop for shopping in Vegas. It is my favorite mall, as it is themed like you are outdoors in Rome (the ceilings look like skies, there is tons of theming throughout the mall, and even some free shows). If we only had time to shop one mall during our visit, this is the one I would pick.

There are lots of family friendly restaurants to eat at too here (and there is a separate mall entrance if you want to skip walking through the casino in Caesars Palace). There are some high end shops, but we also found plenty that my kids would shop at (like Nike, H&M, Lush, etc.).

The Venetian Shops

The Venetian Shops also have beautiful theming (and you can walk along the canal with fun restaurants too). Although I love a visit here, it did not have many shops my kids actually shop for kids clothing at. So I recommend you take a stroll through here, but save more time for actual shopping in some of the other malls.

Mile High Mall at Planet Hollywood

This is a mall connected to Planet Hollywood. It is smaller than the Fashion Mall, but has a number of shops and restaurants to explore. There are also a some of the discount stores out on the strip near this mall too (like Ross and DSW).

Fashion Mall

The Fashion Show Mall is an actual mall and so your kids will likely get the most shopping done here. It is three levels of stores and restaurants and had most all of the stores that my kids like to shop in at home. This and the Forum Shops are where the kids did most of their shopping.

One of the highlights for me here, was the fish pedicure. I have always wanted to do this, and I liked it (wish they had them around where I live)! It felt like they were tickling our feet, but my feet came out so smooth afterwards. They have a stand down on the first floor of the mall, but look for their shop upstairs if you want a little more privacy.

LINQ Promenade

We stayed right across the street from the LINQ during one of our visits and so spent some time there. There was a bath products store I loved and a socks shop, but most of their stores are specialty stores. There are a few fun places to eat (including a fun candy store), and some attractions to enjoy, but the kids did not do a ton of shopping here.

There are also two factory or outlet malls in the area, but they are not located on the strip, so you will need transportation to get to them. These include:

• The Premium Outlet Mall in North Las Vegas
• and the The Premium Outlet Mall in South Las Vegas

Kids Friendly Museums & More

Getting off the Strip 

We did not make it off the strip ourselves, just ran out of time with all there is to do. There are a couple of spots that I saw recommended off the strip, but nearby, in case you want to look into those more.

Hang Gliding down the ceiling roller track in Area15!

Area15 & Meow Wolf (The Omega Mart)

AREA15 is a unique an immersive art and entertainment district that is not too far off the strip (but you will need a car or Uber to get there). There are some spots to eat, as well as a number of different attractions. It can be a bit of a sensory overload, as many of the attractions are in dark areas with lots of flashing neon lights etc. So be sure to check out their site ahead of time if any of that might cause a problem.

The Meow Wolf OMEGA Mart is located within AREA15, and is one of the main themed attractions here (the one we primarily visited for). It is a wacky grocery store, that you climb through doors to get to secret rooms, etc. They are considered immersive art installations, and there are lots of lights and different areas to explore in it.

While this spot is unique, with some cool things to check out, it is also expensive. I am not sure I felt like it was worth the price. I am glad we experienced it once, but you will have to decide if it is worth forking out the cost for the various tickets (or a day pass), and transportation for the day. We were not personally impressed with the food we got there, but that may have just been the day we visited.

Getting Around

The Las Vegas strip is actually quite long, so even if you are planning things on the strip, there may be times you will want to use some kind of transportation to get from one end to the other or you want to head to the Stratosphere, etc. Here are some options available to you.

Uber / Lyft – Before Covid, this option was the best option for our family (after COVID, if you are traveling with more then 3 people we had to upgrade to the size and cost of vehicles, so you will have to look into pricing). Just download the Uber or Lyft app,and they were super easy to get just about anywhere (including from the airport).

Taxis – we were traveling as a family of 4, so before COVID Ubers were more affordable to use then taxis. After COVID, taxis were more affordable in some instances, because we had to upgrade to such a large vehicle for 4 people with Covid. Either are easy to get in Las Vegas, so just do a little research to see what is more affordable during your travel dates.

Monorail – There is a monorail that runs behind the strip and stops at major areas. If you are one or two people traveling, this is a great option to use. You can buy an all day pass and use it as much as needed. If you are traveling with more then 2 people, we found Ubers or Taxis to be more affordable. The other thing is that there is alot of added walking with the Monorail as it is set behind the hotels.

Trams – There are a few free trams that run from hotel resort to hotel resort that make it pretty easy to travel to those areas. We used them pre-COVID, but many are not offering service since COVID, so double check on what is open during your travel dates. These options include:

• Mirage to Treasure Island – these hotels sit right next to each other, but this tram will save you time vs walking out to the street and back in.
• Park MGM, Aria, Bellagio train
  • This one is a great way to head down to the end of the strip where MGM and Excalibur are, from mid-strip (Bellagio) and back.
• Mandalay Bay to Treasure Island and back
• Mandalay Bay, Luxor, and Excalibur route (all three stops from Mandalay Bay to Excalibur, but an express train back does not stop at Luxor).

My kids only made it as far as Excalibur before it was too much walking for them (especially in the heat) so if you want to go as far as Mandalay Bay or Luxor these are great options to do so.

Buses –  Buses will be one of the most affordable transportation options, but we never used them with the kids. After paying for all of us, it just seemed more practical to use an Uber with the added convenience of being dropped off right in front of our destination and not having to sit through all the stops. They are an option to look into, though, if you are trying to save the most money.

Be sure to check out our Travel page here for more tips on visiting Las Vegas with kids.