Once known as a freewheeling playground for grown folks, Sin City has evolved to embrace a wider audience. Where once it was rare, parents can now find plenty of activities to do with kids in Vegas, without even having to leave the strip. Check out some of best deals on things to do with kids in Vegas.
Most people think romance when they image a gliding ride piloted by a singing gondolier. But this is Vegas, where there are sights for the entire family. Step into a gondola for a sightseeing tour either indoors along the shops on the Grand Canal, or outside around the hotel. Aspiring gondoliers can even take a few hours to find out what it take to steer a craft of their own at the limited enrollment Gondola University.
Be thrown back in time as soon as your family walks into this 900-seat arena, where sparks will fly from the swords of knights as they battle. The thunder of horse hooves fills the air as visitors dine on an old-world meal, tearing into cornish game hens with no other utensils but their own hands. Based on the story of King Arthur, this spectacle is a thrilling, education, and raucous experience, and one of the more unforgettable things to do with kids in Las Vegas.
Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at the Mirage
The habitat at is a labor of love for the famous duo, who long dreamed of creating a respite for endangered big cats. Within a flourishing man-made jungle, gleaming white tigers and lions lumber around waterfalls and laze in the sunshine. Siegfried himself is known to drop in to visit with the beautiful beasts, among them panthers and leopards as well.
This experience begins with the approach, as a high-speed elevator shoots prospective riders over 100 stories up to the observation deck, where they can then board the Big Shot. Once riders are strapped in, the Big Shot launches them 160 feet into the air at 45 mph, then allows them to freefall back down, then up, then down again. Note that riders must be at least 48 inches tall, so this is one activity in Las Vegas for kids who are in grade school or older.
Soaring 86 feet above the casino, the Big Apple Coaster takes visitors on a wild ride. As if speeds up to 67 mph aren't enough, its most heart-stopping feature is a "twist and dive maneuver"—thrusting riders into the sky, then doing a barrel roll before plunging back down. If you have any kids who love a trill, this ride is for them.
The highlight of this 14-exhibit attraction is not its 1.3 million gallon tank, but the acrylic tunnel beneath it. This tunnel gives visitors an underwater view of 15 species of sharks as they dart around a makeshift shipwreck. Dedicated to the more dangerous water species, the aquarium brings guests face to face with golden crocodiles, piranhas, and other aquatic predators.
Get behind the wheel of a high-performance (but safe) go kart and zip around the 3/8-mile track at up to 45 mph, which is faster than the average speed. But parents don’t worry: drivers learn to commandeer the speedy karts through an instructional video before they are let loose onto the curving track.
When diagrams aren't enough, get a peek at our insides at this respectfully presented (read: not that gross) exhibit. On display are 13 whole-body specimens, giving visitors a rare vantage point on their muscular structure and internal organs.
Older kids enjoy taking on the role of investigator, uncovering whodunit with exhibits inspired by the show. They'll match strands of DNA and analyze bullet casings, even examine strands of hair to discover the culprit.
A glass lift escorts visitors 460 feet into the air to the top of the half-scale replica of the famed French landmark. Once in the air, 360-degree views from 46 stories high make the enormous landmarks on the strip look almost miniscule.
What's a circus without a carnival? This hotel's Adventuredome spreads across five acres, all indoors, with old-fashioned family amusements, such as bumper cars, coasters, and even rides for the toddler set. And as you try your skill at the games in the midway, you might come across circus performers, such as acrobats, jugglers, and clowns.
Life on the strip can be a little wild, but at the Flamingo, the encounters with actual wildlife can be pretty calm. In this oasis, the hotel's namesake birds preen on their own man made island, while ducks paddle in the stream nearby. Lush foliage and waterfalls frame this peaceful habitat, home to hummingbirds, koi, and stately turtles. Be sure to catch feeding time, which happens twice daily.
