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I mean c’mon there is not one reason, look at th I mean c’mon there is not one reason, look at this view from the top of the Kloof Corner hike! The biggest way we’re able to afford traveling so much is by letting the deals dictate where we go. Cape Town has been on our bucket list forever but with flights typically costing $1,200-$1,800 it hasn’t been a priority. But when Scott’s Cheap Flights (now called Going, I don’t like the new name but that’s besides the point) dropped this Cape Town deal for less than half of what it normally costs we jumped on it!

So often I hear “but there are no deals during school breaks”, YES THERE ARE! We went to Cape Town for Thanksgiving and the girls get the entire week off of school so they missed no days. Plus since there seasons are opposite it was late spring and the weather was amazing. Scott’s emails deals directly to your inbox for the airports you choose (we select our home airport and airports we can easily fly direct to and always have cheap flights because sometimes it’s worth flying to a city for a deal (known as a repositioning flight). They offer a free version but you don’t get all the deals so we have the Premium subscription which costs $49 for a year and you can tap the link in my bio and use code TRAVELINGCHILD20 for 20% off. They have an Elite membership level for business class seats. Because someone always asks, yes they give deals for nonstop flights but please remember you can’t fly everywhere nonstop. Beloved if you’re going to Thailand from the US you’re going to have a layover.

Anyway when in Cape Town you must hike, there are so many amazing ones! This Kloof’s Corner hike is perfect for sunset. It’s not stroller or wheelchair accessible as there are stairs but if Jordyn and Kennedy can hike it in 40mins (one way up) I promise you don’t have to be super fit!

P.S. when booking a flight from the US you have 24 hours to cancel & get a refund (on flights booked 7 days in advance). So many ppl told me they hesitated on this deal because they had to see if they could get off work/what dates worked for their travel partners. Always book first, think second & just cancel within 24hrs if you can’t make it work! What’s the best flight deal you’ve booked?
Hello from Cape Town, South Africa! Here’s every Hello from Cape Town, South Africa! Here’s everything you need to know about getting into South Africa (save + share this post):

1. Your passport must be valid for 30 days after your scheduled date of departure.

2. You must have 2 consecutive empty pages in your passport.

3. There is no visa required for US citizens for visits less than 90 days.

4. There are no shots required to travel to South Africa, unless you are traveling from or transiting through yellow-fever deemed countries, then a yellow fever shot is required. You can find a list of these countries online.

5. South Africa has opposite seasons than the US so our winter is their summer. December to February are peak travel due to the weather but if you visit in November like we did you’ll get good weather and avoid the massive crowds of peak season.

Have you visited South Africa? If so, which part? If not, is it on your list?
Because why do y’all do this to us trip planners Because why do y’all do this to us trip planners? Are you the one in your group that plans the trip or do you just show up? If you’re the planner tag your friends 😅. If you just show up do you look at the itinerary or ask all the questions even though the info was given to you 👀?

Original reel idea credit goes to @kryssedeal, sis really nailed exactly how I feel!!
#sponsored Last year we were able to cross some am #sponsored Last year we were able to cross some amazing places off our bucket list. We want you to do the same so we’ve teamed up with @vrbo to give you the opportunity to win $3,500 and turn your bucket list trip into a book-it-list one! 

Just head over to the giveaway post on @vrbo, make sure you’re following them and tag 3 people you’d want to join you on your trip! 

So what is your book-it list vacation this year?

*T&Cs apply – link in bio

 #VrboTogether #BookItList
Things to do in Istanbul (save and share this post Things to do in Istanbul (save and share this post):

1. Visit the various houses of worship like Hagia Sofia, the Blue Mosque. Suleymaniye Camii, Ortakoy Mosque, Chora Church and the Camlica Mosque

2. Tour palaces like Topkapi Palace, Dolmabahce Palace, Beylerbeyi Palace

3. Climb the Galata Tower for amazing views of Istanbul. You can even enjoy a meal here at the restaurant on the top floor.

4. Take a cruise of the Bosphorus to see both the European and Asia side of Istanbul.

5. Visit the cities Bazaars, the Grand Bazaar where you can shop your heart out and the Spice Bazaar where you can eat your heart out. Don’t leave without trying a Turkish delight!

6. If you want to go shopping Istiklal is the place to do so. They have a wide range of stores including international chains like Zara.

7. See a Dervish show at Hodjapasha.

8. Walk across the Galata Bridge to see fisherman at work and then walk under it to taste their fresh catches.

9. Take a day trip to the Princes’ Islands.

10. Experience a Turkish Hammam.

11. Explore the neighborhood of Balet, enjoying the colorful building and have some traditional Turkish tea or my favorite Apple Tea.

12. Turkey has some amazing food so go on a food tour or take a cooking class. If you don’t do either just make sure not to leave without having a traditional Turkish breakfast!

I recommend at least 5 days in Istanbul but you can easily spend a week or more exploring the city.

Have you been to Istanbul? If not is it on your list? For those that have been what was your favorite thing to do?

#istanbul #bucketlistadventures
Our Egypt Itinerary (save + share this post): 3 n Our Egypt Itinerary (save + share this post):

3 nights Siwa: Shali Fortress, 4x4 safari in the Great Sand Sea, sunset on Fatnas Island, emple of Amun and Temple of the Oracle, take a look or a dip into Cleopatra Spring, Mountain of the Dead, House of Siwa Museum, float in the salt lakes.

5 nights Cairo: Great Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx,  Egyptian Museum, Saqqara, Khal Al Khalil, Old and Coptic Cairo: Hanging Church, Mohamed Ali Mosque, Al Azhar Mosque and the Fortress of Babylon, see an Al Tannoura Egyptian Dance Heritage Show at Wekalet El Ghouri. For a break from the historical things with kids spend a day at Dreamland Park, Kidzania, or Ski Egypt. Stay at Marriott Mena House.

3 nights Luxor: Hot air balloon ride, Luxor Museum, Mummification museum, Valley of the Kings, Valley of the Queens, Temple of Karnak, Temple of Luxor, Colossi Statue of Memnon and Hatshpsut

3 nights Aswan: High Dam, Temple of Philae, Nubian Villages, Sail on the Nile by Felucca, Nubian Museum, Abu Simbel

On the way to Aswan from Luxor you can also stop to see the Temple of Horus and Kim Ombo Temple. If you have extra time visit Alexandria, Bahariya Oasis, and White Desert National Park to see the White Desert.

Have you been to Egypt? Is it on your list? There is so much to see outside of Cairo! 

#bucketlisttravel #cairoegypt #luxoregypt #aswan
OUR MOROCCO ITINERARY (save + share this post):

🇲🇦2 nights Chefchaouen- painting class, hiking, enjoying the Blue City and more.

🇲🇦3 nights Fes- Royal palaces, Moroccan dance class, visit the tannery and more

🇲🇦6 nights Marrakech- Majorelle Gardens, explore the Medina, explore the various mosques, stay in a riad, take a Moroccan cooking class and more.

🇲🇦3 nights Sahara Desert- ATV tour, sand boarding, Bedouin experience and more.

For all the details of each trip tap the link in my bio for the itineraries of each city. Have you been to Morocco? Is it on your list?

P.S. the girls were 3 and 5 on this trip

#moroccotrip #thisisafrica #travellingwithkids

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3 Days in Las Vegas With a Toddler

July 7, 2016      Destinations, Nevada, North America

This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Please see our disclosure policy for more information. All opinions are my own.

Why would you go to Las Vegas with a toddler when it’s better known as sin city? Well outside of the strip regular people live in Las Vegas and many of them have kids so yes you can plan a Las Vegas family vacation. Here’s how to spend 3 days in Las Vegas with a toddler or older kids too!

Toddler girl standing in front of the welcome to Las Vegas sign at the airport

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no cost to you.

How to Get to Las Vegas with a Toddler on a Budget

I had just quit my job and had two weeks (unpaid) before starting my new job and I wanted to take advantage of this spontaneous time off . Where we went didn’t matter but it needed to be affordable but I couldn’t find any posted flights deals for the upcoming week. I turned to Skyscanner to find the cheapest flights from my home airport in the next two weeks. If you have a specific destination in mind but are flexible on the dates you can also search Skyscanner for the cheapest time to go to that destination. I was able to find tickets from Miami for under $200 4th of July weekend. They have a free app I use often, download it here.

You May Be Interested in Reading: Tips on Flying with Toddlers

When to Travel to Las Vegas with a Toddler

Since I was traveling to Las Vegas with a toddler in the dead of summer, we started our days very early in the morning to beat the burning sun. We then took a long afternoon break before heading out as the sun began to set. Be sure to always take water with you when you’re exploring the outdoors and bring plenty of sunscreen. We visited again in November as the starting point of our Southwest road trip and the weather was much more enjoyable. I recommend visiting October-November or March through mid-April for the mildest weather.


Things to Do in Las Vegas with a Toddler

Day 1: Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and 7 Magic Mountains

We landed in Vegas at 9:30AM with a full day ahead of us. We went straight to the Hoover Dam which is a 40min drive from the airport. Parking at the Hoover Dam is $10 per vehicle. If you just want access to the Visitor’s Center without going on a tour it is also $10. The Power Plant tours lasts 30mins while the Hoover Dam tour takes 1 hour.

The Hoover Dam tour is only accessible to those over 8 and wheelchairs and crutches are not allowed. If either of these restrictions apply to your group you can only do the Power Plant Tour. Honestly we got most of the information from the short movie they show before each tour so if you can’t do the Dam tour you aren’t missing too much. All Hoover Dam tours are free for kids 3 and under. The Power Plant tour is $15 and the Hoover Dam tour is $30. They have special discounts for seniors and military personnel and you can find more info here.

mom holding daughter in front of a bridge 

On the way back to Vegas to stopped at the Lake Mead Overlook. It’s a short stop but you get a stunning view of this man made lake.

Mom holding daughter in front of a lake

By this time in the afternoon it was about 112 degrees so we rested a bit. Around 5PM we headed out to Seven Magic Mountains, a perfect stop when visiting Las Vegas with toddlers. It’s a temporary art exhibition 10 miles south of Las Vegas and my toddler was so fascinated. Who can blame her, these 30-35 foot colorful boulders are quite a site to see in the middle of the desert. It will only be here until May 2018 so make your visit quickly! (Edited to add the exhibit has been extended until at least the end of 2018 with plans to keep it longer.)
​

You May Be Interested in Reading: Things to do in Las Vegas with Kids: The Ultimate List

 

Las Vegas with a Toddler Day 2: Red Rock Canyon

We spent our 2nd day exploring Red Rock Canyon, a National Conservation area located about 13miles from the strip. They have a 17 mile scenic drive in addition to quite a few trails ranging in difficulty. Don’t worry you can still see lots of its beauty from the several overlook stations if you’re not up for a hike.

mom and daughter in front of Red Rock Canyon sign

The park opens at 6AM and closes at 8PM during certain times of the year so be sure to check out their website to confirm the hours during your stay. The current cost is $7 per vehicle. The Visitor’s Center is a great place for kids to explore and learn about the canyon and the wildlife that live there. It is only open from 8AM so if you are headed there earlier you will have to kill some time before it opens.

girl sitting on rock with red rock canyons in the background

If you are really adventurous you can also camp overnight in the park. The amount of time you spend in the park really depends on how many trails you hike. There are also many overlooks you can stop at take in the views. We spent about 3hrs in the park. There are restrooms at each overlook but they are basically outhouses so be prepared to hold your breath or hold it until you get to the visitors center.

mom holding daughter at red rock canyon

Day 3 in Las Vegas with a Toddler: Flamingo Hotel, Shark Reef Aquarium, The Wynn, and the Bellagio Fountain Show

We spent our 3rd and last full day` exploring the strip. I know what you’re thinking. Are there things for to do on the Las Vegas strip with toddlers? There is plenty and the best part is a lot of them are free!

We started the day at the Flamingo to visit their free wildlife habitat. It is a small outdoors habitat with various birds: parrots, pelicans, and flamingos. Nothing exciting for an adult but my toddler was very excited to see the Flamingos. They open at 8AM and have two daily pelican feedings at 8:30AM and 2:00PM.  We parked in their parking garage which is still free, (all MGM properties have begun to charge for parking unless you have a Nevada license). You can find out more info on the Wildlife Habitat here.

girl standing in front of flamingo exhibit

Next we drove down to the end of the strip near Circus Circus and had breakfast at the Peppermill, a neon-lit diner that has been on the strip since 1972. They have their own parking lot which is free for customers to park in. Both the food and service was great and they have high chair! Check out their menu here.

Circus Circus has a free circus show every 30mins, starting at 11AM until midnight. We aren’t huge circus fans so we skipped this activity but it’s a great option when visiting Las Vegas with toddlers.

We drove to the other end of the strip to Mandalay Bay to check out the Shark Reef Aquarium. Mandalay Bay is apart of MGM properties and parking is no longer free unless you self park and stay less than 60mins. Nevada state license holders are granted free parking with ID until December 30, 2016. You can find out about parking fees at each hotel on the strip here.

Shark Reef Aquarium is small by adult standards but a great size for toddlers. They have a touch tank that my daughter did not want to leave. They also have two walk through aquariums where the fish are swimming on both sides of you and above you. Admission is free for kids 3 and under, 4-12 is $14, and adults are $20 for standard admission. If you have a Nevada license you receive a $3 discount per person. Find out about more admission options here.

girl leaning on display glass at aquarium

After the Aquarium it was time for a nap. We waited until it cooled down to head back to the strip and drove to the Wynn which has free valet. Here we checked out their sick array of flower displays including a hot air balloon and carousel. It is so amazing what they did with flowers and my daughter was so excited, jumping up and down when she saw them.

girl looking at a hot air balloon made out of flowers

We left Wynn and drove down to the Bellagio (no more free parking). Here we went to their Conservatory and Botanical Garden. The level of excitement on my daughter’s face with her screeching when she saw this place was so unbelievable. It made me so happy!

girl looking at botanical garden with seahorse shaped flower display

After the botanical gardens we walked to the front of the hotel to take some pictures with the Eiffel tower in the background and watched the fountain show. Then we got some gelato and walked to the other side of the fountain to watch another show- they are each different as the water moves to a different song. The shows are from 3PM-midnight, every 30mins from 3-8PM and every 15mins from 8PM-midnight. It was nearly 9PM so we headed back but Jordyn had a great time.

 

We’ve since been to Las Vegas with toddler three times and here is an updated extensive list of additional things we’ve done with them. I hope I’ve convinced you that Las Vegas with a toddler is possible and appropriate. Looking to explore more of Nevada? Check out our Nevada road trip itinerary here. If you’re looking for the best places to eat in Las Vegas, check out this post from a local. Share this article to show someone else there are things to do in Las Vegas with a toddler. Enjoy your Las Vegas family vacation!

The Traveling Child is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

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Comments

  1. Mercedes says

    December 28, 2017 at 2:20 pm

    I’m planning to visit las vegas next month with my baby! She is 9 months and this has great tips on what to do 🙂
    Thank you!!

    • Monet says

      December 31, 2017 at 2:45 pm

      There is so much to do in Las Vegas besides the strip and we only scratched the surface. Enjoy your trip next month, and Happy New Year!

  2. Sidney says

    December 31, 2017 at 1:56 am

    What hotel did you all stay at?

    • Monet says

      December 31, 2017 at 2:44 pm

      We stayed with my friend who was living there at the time. I have stayed at Treasure Island previously before I had kids, it was nice, but it is at the end of the strip.

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Hi! We’re The Hambricks

Hi! We’re The Hambricks

If kids live there, kids can visit! That's our motto and you'll often find us exploring destinations most don't find "kid friendly". We've traveled to 35 countries on 6 continents with our children since they were 10 weeks old and share tips to make it easier and affordable. But mom and dad are people too so we also write about solo travel, baecations and girlfriend getaways.

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