Fabulous Las Vegas....with kids

Ah, Las Vegas.....what can I say??!! It is the place where so many people flock to for a quick getaway! Though mainly known for its reputation as "adult freedom" where "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas", many do not think or realize that Las Vegas has so many attractions and activities geared towards kids and families that are either free, or affordably priced! It was the perfect excuse for us to get away after the end of another school year, and start the celebration of our summer vacation this year! 

Here are some of the fun highlights of our quick getaway in Las Vegas perfect for kids and families! 

Paris Las Vegas 

We stayed at the Paris Las Vegas for a little bit of the Paris experience! It's centrally located on The Strip, so easy to access both north and south attractions along The Strip. With the Las Vegas Monorail Pass, the station at Bally's/Paris easily connects you to many other areas along The Strip so that you don't have to walk in this crazy heat! 

Paris Las Vegas hotel

And the view from the pool is one of the best! It's a great view while enjoying the serenity away from The Strip. 

Pool at the Paris Las Vegas

Eiffel Tower Experience

​And you can't stay at the Paris Las Vegas without enjoying the Eiffel Tower Experience! The Paris Las Vegas  Eiffel Tower replica is 460 feet high, just half the size of the name sake in Paris, France and you get to enjoy beautiful 360 views of The Strip. You can choose to do it in the daytime (great views of The Strip) or upgrade to the night experience (spectacular views!), which is often busier, but sooooo much more of an experience! See for yourself! 

MARVEL S.T.A.T.I.O.N

Do you think you have what it takes to become an Avenger?? WE DO!!  ​

Do you think you're worthy?

As huge Marvel fans in this household, there is absolutely no way we could miss out on the Marvel S.T.A.T.I.O.N experience at Treasure Island! The Marvel S.T.A.T.I.O.N stands for the "Scientific Training and Tactical Intelligence Operative Network" and this interactive experience recruits and trains you to become a part of the Avengers team. You go through the exhibits to learn about the history of the Avengers team members and end with the ultimate battle against Ultron. At the end, you can choose to receive a special commemorative official Avengers ID photo card to confirm your Avengers status. 

But this is what I really came for.....Sigh.....me and the mighty Thor, god of lightning...

MADAME TUSSAUDS LAS VEGAS

Madame Tussauds Las Vegas wax museum is a great place to get your "celebrity" sighting fix without meeting actual celebrities. Or fighting off The Hulk....

You may want to visit more than once as they are constantly changing the figurines to keep things new and fresh! 

M&Ms World

Chocolate fun for everyone at M&M's World for all things chocolate and M&M's! Four stories of chocolate, souvenirs, character meets and even a 3D show experience! 

​FOOD and DRINK

Have you heard of Dragon's Breath? Apparently, I have not and underestimated its popularity online (I must be old!) as my kids had to educate me on this thing called Dragon's Breath! Tucked in at the Grand Bazaar Shops between Paris Las Vegas and Bally's is Dragon's Breath, a cereal snack (similar to Fruit Loops) is dipped in liquid nitrogen. When you eat it, the nitrogen comes out your nose and mouth (like a dragon!). It takes awhile to get the hang of it before you can actually "breathe" like a dragon, and of course our really good Dragon Breath experiences never happened when we were trying to get a good pic or video! So you'll have to settle for our word that you actually can breath like a dragon, and it looks way better than what we could catch on film! You can also order Dragon's Breath snacks in ice cream, boba tea, popcorn and several other snackery items.  

Also in the Grand Bazaar Shops, is Wahlburgers, a chain of burger restaurants owned by the Wahlberg family (think Marky Mark, Donnie, New Kids on the Block Wahlberg). The burgers were tasty and cooked to your desired perfection. Not realizing you can order your burger in different "doneness" levels, I opted for a "medium" doneness for a burger, which left the middle of the burger still pink! (GASP!) My food scientist inner self was thinking of all the havoc it would wreak on my digestive system but then realized my iron gut prevails and it's no match for a little bit of pink. I've had way worse in my earlier days....But I would highly recommend checking it out! It was not as heavy and greasy as I was expecting. Beware of long waits during the busy times. We stopped by several times each with 45 minutes to 1 hour wait times before we went there on our last day before 11:00am. By the time we left though, there was a line up outside for guests waiting to get in. 

Las Vegas is also synonymous with the "All You Can Eat Buffets" and there are so many to choose from so a buffet is always on the must do list for any Vegas experience. With allergies galore and food intolerances to be mindful of, our restaurant choices can sometimes be very iffy, and buffet options are a hit and miss. So a wide option for food choices is necessary to ensure there is something my kids can eat! We chose the Spice Market Buffet at Planet Hollywood, and what do you think was the highlight of the buffet?? The all-you-can-eat....cotton candy. Yep, I paid Las Vegas holiday buffet prices (because it was July 4th week) so my kids could eat all the cotton candy they desired....(facepalm!) 

All you can eat cotton candy at the Spice Market Buffet in Planet Hollywood Las Vegas

Which conveniently leads this momma to The Tipsy Robot, also located in Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood.....the robot creates perfect drink mixes each time while providing an entertaining experience to watch! 

And of course I always have to have a little bit of Asian food wherever I go, and who would have thought there would be so many choices in Paris Las Vegas?! The Yong Kang Street Dumpling and Noodle House is a little bit of Asia, combining food from Taiwan, Hong Kong and China! 

As we couldn't do it all in one trip, other notable experiences worth checking out with your kids along The Strip include the following:

FREE:
- Bellagio Fountains - every 30 minutes between 3 and 7pm, and every 15 minutes from 7pm to midnight
- Mirage Volcano eruption at 8pm and 9pm each night
- Circus Circus free show
- Fall of Atlantis at Caesar's Palace - 11 minute show ever hour

COST:
- Roller Coaster at New York New York
- High Roller at the Linq 
- Stratosphere thrill rides
- Sigfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at The Mirage
- Adventuredome at Circus Circus
- Shark Reef's Aquarium at Mandalay Bay

I could literally eat my way around Las Vegas as there are so many great options and simply not enough time or belly room to enjoy it all in one visit! Whether you come to Vegas for the uninhibited freedom to let loose and indulge in guilty pleasures in a place most famously known as "Sin City", or just wanting a quiet relaxing vacation by the pool, there really is so much more to enjoy if you're looking for a quick but jam packed getaway! 

Start your travel planning here at www.visitlasvegas.com for the most up to date happenings in Vegas. You may think you don't need a travel agent to help you with a quick trip to Vegas, but there is a lot of value that a travel agent can bring to your trip and it never hurts to see what deals we can find for you! Especially for a group or wedding and a bachelorette/stagette party.....Let me know how I can help! Viva Las Vegas!