Think Vegas Is Just For Adults? Here Are The Kid-Friendly Attractions I Recommend As A Local Mom

If you think Las Vegas is just for adults, think again! The "Entertainment Capital of the World" is an amazing vacation destination for people of all ages. As a longtime Las Vegas resident and mom, I often find it equal parts humorous and perplexing to see posts on social media that read something to the effect of "Is it a good idea to bring kids to Las Vegas? I'm worried there will be nothing for them to do!" Over 400,000 children live within Clark County, Nevada, which means that the city of Las Vegas and the surrounding metropolitan areas have many of the same kid-friendly attractions you'll find in cities of a similar size. From splash pads to indoor playgrounds, museums, arcades, and roller coasters, there's truly something for all ages. 

But even the Las Vegas Strip, long-marketed as a Disneyland for adults, offers numerous activities for both children and kids at heart. In fact, one of my favorite things to do in Las Vegas (both with and without children) is to spend the day at the pool. As locals, we often take advantage of the midweek resort discounts and book a staycation at one of the Strip properties just so that we can cool off on a hot summer day in the lazy river at MGM or at the wave pool at Mandalay Bay. Below are a few of my favorite family-friendly places to visit. Every location on this list is a 30-minute drive or less from the Strip.

While many Las Vegas visitors have heard of Red Rock National Conservation Area, Red Rock Canyon is a different, fun alternative activity with kids in tow. Red Rock Canyon is home to a charming village that's perfect for a post-hike lunch stop, as well as a number of nearby hiking trails and picnic spots that, in my experience, are better suited for kids (especially toddlers or inexperienced hikers). 

I run a family hiking group, and regularly lead groups of toddlers and elementary-aged children and their parents on hikes around the Las Vegas Valley. One of my favorite places to go is the Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, which is located within Red Rock Canyon. The park charges a $10 entry fee ($15 for non-NV vehicles), but this gives you access to a small museum, a large grassy picnic area (rare in the desert), and several easy loop trails that wind past streams, ponds, and a shaded area where wild burros can be found in the early morning and evening. 

The easiest Red Rock Canyon trails to do with those with tiny legs include the North Ash Grove Loop inside Spring Mountain Ranch State Park (0.3 miles), the Red Springs Boardwalk (0.6 miles), and the Calico Basin Trail (1.5 miles). My favorite part about the Calico Basin Trail is that you don't have to complete the hike to get the full experience. About half a mile in, you'll reach a shaded area with giant red boulders that the kids can climb on. This is where we often stop to have a picnic. For older kids or teens, I recommend First Creek Canyon, which is a trail outside of the paid entrance. Although the trail is 4 miles long roundtrip, it's mostly flat and rewards you with a secret waterfall hidden in a grove of cottonwood trees. This hike, and most of the hikes in Red Rock Canyon, are about a 25-minute drive from the Strip.

When I got married on a rooftop bar in Downtown Las Vegas last year, I had my kids, nieces, and nephews play at the Downtown Container Park while my husband and I took photos in front of the vintage neon signs and colorful murals outside. It was the perfect place to send the kiddos to burn off wiggles ahead of the reception because not only does Container Park have a playground, a giant treehouse, lawn games, and live music, but it also has several bars, including the popular Oak & Ivy and Bin702, which means that parents can have some fun, too.

Container Park is free to enter, and the play area is gated so that parents can ensure their kids won't easily run off. Grab a cocktail or a taco and relax at one of the tables that surround the playground. Right in front of the play area is a stage where they often have live music and lawn games like cornhole. Container Park is built out of 43 refurbished shipping containers stacked on top of one another to form three floors of shopping and dining (hence the name). One of my favorite places to go with kids in tow is to an overlooked spot on the second floor, in a section of the park that overlooks Fremont Street. You'll find a couple of tables set up here where you can take your beer, soda, or ice cream and people-watch as other visitors wander past on the street below. There are also several oversized games set up there, like giant checkers and Tetris. 

Out of all the kid-friendly activities in Las Vegas, the Springs Preserve is probably one you'll hear local parents mention the most as their favorite place to go with little ones. The nature park has so much to offer visitors of all ages, including three indoor museums, a train ride, a butterfly exhibit, eight botanical gardens, a playground, a splash pad, and more. If you have toddlers, you'll want to bring a stroller, as the preserve has more than 3 miles of walking trails and many of the attractions are spaced far apart. For those headed here over the weekend, you'll find an  excellent restaurant called Divine Cafe, which has a spacious patio that overlooks the preserve and provides a pretty view of the Las Vegas skyline. 

For Nevada residents, admission is $9.95 for adults and $4.95 for children (ages 3-17). For non-residents, admission is $18.95 for adults and $10.95 for children (ages 3-17). Military and senior discounts are offered, and children ages two and under are free. The Springs Preserve is about a 15-minute drive from the Strip.

If you're looking for something that's truly kid-focused but more centered around learning than your typical indoor playground, the Discovery Children's Museum is always a solid choice. For those visiting in the summer months, when it's often too hot to be outside for long, the Children's Museum, as it's often referred to, offers a place of refuge from the sun that's also fun. Visitors will find three floors of arts and crafts, pretend play, a giant jungle gym, and a water play feature. It can get pretty crowded on the weekends, especially when it's hot outside, which is why I recommend going on a weekday or getting there as early as possible. The museum is located in downtown Las Vegas, about a 15-minute drive from the heart of the Strip. Admission is $15 per person for Nevada residents and $20 for non-residents.

The Children's Museum is about a 10-minute walk from the Las Vegas North Premium Outlets and a 20-minute walk from the Las Vegas Arts District, an eclectic gem with endless unique art, which means that afterward you can easily squeeze in some shopping or go out to lunch. The Arts District has a 1950s-style ice cream shop, an award-winning Brooklyn-style pizza joint called Good Pie, and Casa Don Juan, one of the city's most popular Mexican restaurants. 

If your kids are tweens or teens, they'll love going to Area15, a giant warehouse next to the Strip that has VR exhibits, axe-throwing, laser mazes, infinity mirror rooms, an illuminarium, and the immensely popular Omega Mart, an exhibit that's part trippy wonderland and part interactive art installation. 

While some of my friends have reported enjoying Omega Mart or Area15's monthly Family Raves with their babies and toddlers, I wouldn't generally recommend Area15 for young children. Some of the experiences have height requirements and may be too overstimulating for toddlers, preschoolers, or young elementary school-aged children.

While Area15 doesn't charge an entry fee, that doesn't mean it's free or even inexpensive. Described as a "mall of experiences" by Vegas Family Events, Area15 is similar to a shopping mall in that it's free to walk in and wander around, but to interact with the experience that each "store" is selling, you'll need to pay. Ticket prices vary depending on the activity, but you can also purchase Pass Bundles, which start at $49 and include entry to 13 different rides or attractions. Area15 is located about a 7-minute drive from the Strip. 

While the Strip is traditionally known as an adult playground, that doesn't mean there aren't kid-friendly attractions hiding between the bars and slot machines. Some of my tried-and-true favorites include The Fountains of Bellagio and the whimsical, seasonally changing Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, which are free to visit. If you're on foot, a good place to go next is the Arte Museum Las Vegas, an immersive art experience that's located next to The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, followed by The Big Apple Arcade and The Big Apple Coaster at New York New York, just a 20-minute walk away. Along the way, you can grab snacks and cold drinks at the M&M store or Coca-Cola Store, and stop for lunch at the kid-friendly Rain Forest Cafe, connected to The Cosmopolitan via a passenger walkway. 

If you're looking for suggestions for family-friendly places to stay, The Strip has several quieter, non-gaming and non-smoking casinos, like the all-suite Vdara Hotel & Spa, as well as several resorts with fun pools that include lazy rivers, the MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, and Tahiti Village. Some of the most kid-friendly resorts are off the Strip, however. My favorite is the Green Valley Ranch Resort and Casino, which includes daycare in the form of a paid kids club, a pool with a sandy beach, an arcade, a movie theater, and an attached outdoor shopping mall that has a splash pad in the summer.