6 Fun Family-Friendly Things to Do in Vegas
Las Vegas is the biggest city in Nevada, and it has plenty of fun attractions for kids and adults. You and your children can enjoy nature, learn new things, and relax. Here are some of the most family-friendly, fun things to do in this famous city.
The Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Garden
The Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Garden is a free display at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino. It covers 14,000 square feet, and the displays change with every season. There are several bridges, gazebos, and ponds as well.
A 120-person horticultural staff maintains the Conservatory, and they use tens of thousands of flowers, trees, and plants each season. The Bellagio Conservatory has a beautiful, domed glass ceiling with sculpted metal beams with unique floral patterns. They’re made of oxidized copper or verdigris, and they have a beautiful green color similar to the Statue of Liberty. The Conservatory and gardens are open 24 hours, and admission is free.
Outside, you can see the Fountains of Bellagio, beautiful water, and a light show. Every performance is unique, and you can see the fountain every half-hour on weekdays from 3 to 7 p.m. and every 15 minutes until midnight. On weekends and holidays, the show starts at noon.
The Discovery Children’s Museum
The Discovery Children’s Museum is fun and informative for kids of all ages. The Discovery Lab helps stimulate creativity, exploration, risk-taking, collaboration, and critical thinking with a hands-on approach. There’s a workshop space with 3D printers, a laser cutter, a kiln, and many arts and crafts tools. Kids can also use a computer lab with CAD design software.
The Summit is a 70-foot tower with 12 levels, climbing structures, and interactive science exhibits. Kids can lift a real car with a giant lever on the first level. Eco City on the second floor is a miniature version of Las Vegas, and Toddler Town is for kids under five years old. There’s a crawl space for babies and a soothing Sensory Room.
At Water World, kids can use hooded raincoats to keep them dry as they play and learn about how water moves and interacts with objects. Solve It! invites visitors to join a team of archeologists and help solve unique mysteries. The Fantasy Festival lets kids shoot cannons from a life-sized pirate ship. There’s also a medieval castle to become queens, kings, princes, princesses, or even court jesters. You can visit the Discovery Children’s Museum Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. or Sunday from noon to 5 p.m.
M&M’s World
The M&M’S World store covers 28,000 square feet and four stories. It has an impressive Rainbow Wall with 22 different colors of M&M’s in transparent containers, and the M&M’s mascots, Red and Yellow, point to the sign outside. Many items with M&M’s themes are available, including luggage, stuffed animals, clothing, mugs, cookware, and office supplies. You and your kids can print your own M&M’s with personalized images. It only takes about two minutes, and you can choose the Welcome to Las Vegas sign, wedding bells, a deck of cards, champagne, a particular date, a short message, your name, and more.
There’s also a replica of Kyle Busch’s Number 18 NASCAR vehicle sponsored by M&M’s. Make sure you and your kids watch “I Left My M in Vegas,” a 10-minute 3-D film. Red and Yellow try to get Red’s M back after losing a roulette game. As you use the escalator between floors, you can see funny movie posters about M&M’s characters and a timeline of how they evolved over the years. You can visit every day from 9 a.m. to midnight.
The Shark Reef Aquarium
The Shark Reef Aquarium is the only aquarium in North America that focuses on predators. It’s at Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino, and it has more than 2,000 animals and 14 exhibits. You and your kids can see sawfish, rare golden crocodiles, piranhas, giant stingrays, jellyfish, and endangered green sea turtles. This place has 15 different species of sharks and two underwater tunnels.
There’s also a VR theater where you can find out what swimming with a pod of humpback whales is like. At the sea life petting station, you can feed turtles and stingrays. You can visit the Shark Reef Aquarium every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and kids from 4 to 12 years old get a discount.
Valley of Fire State Park
Las Vegas is warm and sunny even in winter, and there are plenty of places where you and your kids can enjoy nature. Valley of Fire State Park is about an hour away, and it covers 40,000 acres. It has a petrified forest and beautiful red sandstone rock formations that people call The Beehives because of their shape. At Atlatl Rock, you can see ancient rock carvings called petroglyphs.
The Fire Canyon/Silica Dome Overlook has a spectacular view of the area, and there are plenty of trails, campsites, and restrooms. You and your children can go biking, hiking, bird watching, and more. People often see area wildlife, including bobcats, coyotes, bighorn sheep, and foxes. Wi-Fi is available, and the park stays open all year.
Cowabunga Bay Water Park
Cowabunga Bay is in Henderson, about 20 minutes away from Las Vegas. It has a lazy river, several splash pools, a heated cove for toddlers, and a 35,000-square-foot wave pool. In winter, you can see the Festival of Lanterns, a beautiful display of Chinese lanterns with a holiday theme. There’s a 20-foot Christmas tree, and after Christmas, the staff changes it to a 45-foot dragon. The park offers several food options, including funnel cake, pizza, corn dogs, pretzels, and milkshakes. The hours vary depending on the day, and kids two years old and under get free admission.
These are only some of the fun things you can do with your family in Las Vegas. Did we miss any of your favorite activities? Contact us and let us know which attractions your children like most.