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3 places to see Mt. Fuji (save + share this post): 3 places to see Mt. Fuji (save + share this post):

If you don’t have enough time to spend days in Hakone visiting Mt. Fuji it’s easy to take a day trip here from Tokyo. It’s only about 90 minutes by car and we spent the day exploring the area. There is a swing at the top for an additional fee where you literally swing into Mt. Fuji and they have a souvenir shop and small food vendor to purchase snacks.

Location 1: Mt. Fuji Panorama Ropeway which cost 900 for adults and 450 for children for a roundtrip ride on the cable car. They do sell one way cable car tickets if you want to hike down the mountain.

Location 2: Kawaguchi Asama Shrine, there is a small fee of 100 per person but children are free. This place is really only for pictures besides the view there isn’t anything else to do. They have it set up with a line to capture photos in front of the tori gate and each group has 3 minutes to take pictures, yes they actually time you, to make sure the line keeps moving.

Location 3: Arakurayama Sengen Park where you’ll need to climb 398 stairs or take the curved paved path to the top for views of the mountain and Chuerito Pagoda. The stairs are a straight shot but the path makes it accessible for strollers and wheelchairs.

We were truly blessed to be able to see Mt. Fuji as it’s often not visible. When I visited in 2015 we made the trip here and it was gloomy and cloudy and we couldn’t see anything. We did go to the base of the mountain on that trip and do the ice cave exploration so all wasn’t lost but I am so happy Jordyn and I got to see the full mountain with our own two eyes on this trip!

There are lots of other places you can view Mt. Fuji but with only one day we couldn’t visit them all. The other 7 best places to see Mt. Fuji are on a boat tour on any of the 5 lakes that surround the mountain (Kawaguchi, Yamanakako, Saiko, Shojiko, or Motosuko), Koyo-Dai Lookout Platform, Sanko-Dai Lookout Platform, Oshino Hakkai Springs, Fuji Q Highland Amusement Park, Rooftop of Fujisan Station, Shin-Fuji Station Platform and in Hakone.

Have you ever seen Mt. Fuji’s beauty? Would you add this to your Japan itinerary if you haven’t?

#mtfuji #lakekawaguchiko
How we spent 48 hours in Kyoto (save + share this How we spent 48 hours in Kyoto (save + share this post):

1. Start your day at Arashiyama Bamboo Grove. We arrived here at 7:30am and there were quite a few people here already. We didn’t visit but in Arshiyama you can also visit the Monkey Park to see the Japanese Macaques (snow monkeys).

2. Head to Kinkaku-ji to see this stunning Temple of the Golden Pavilion. They open at 9am and we arrived at 8:45am and by time the opened the door at 9am the line was extremely long.

3. Walk through the gorgeous Tori Gates at Fushimi Inari Taisha. Before or after your visit be sure to walk through the street vendors for some amazing food. We tried noodles, mochi and just enjoyed learning more about the local foods. We visited here around 11am and even though it was so crowded if you want photos without people wait until you’re walking through the gates to exit and there are often moments where the area is empty, just be a little patient. 

4. Book a session at @kyoto_samurai_experience to learn about the history of the Samurai, watch a demonstration and get to try your hand at using the samurai sword yourself.

5. Eat your way through Sannenzaka and Ninenzaka. You will be able to walk through these narrow streets (with some hills) and try ice cream flavors such a matcha, green tea, white peach, Sakura (if in season), Black sesame, caramel and more and yes, we tried them all! There’s also tons of mochi and other treats. You’ll find the Starbucks with a traditional Japanese home interior here as well as Yasaka Pagoda and Kiyomizu-dera Temple, be sure to visit.

6. Walk around Gion and catch a Kabuki show at Minamiza Theatre.

7. Visit Daigo-ji temple, it’s not frequented by a lot of tourists so it’s rarely crowded and you can have a moment on zen here!

While we didn’t have time this visit as the weather altered some of our plans on my last visit to Kyoto in 2015 I also visited Ginkaku-ji (the Silver Pavilion), Nijo Castle which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Ryoanji Temple and highly recommend going. 

Some other things we were interested in but just didn’t have time for were a calligraphy class and if you are into manga you can visit the Kyoto International Manga Museum.
This is your sign to rent a kimono in Kyoto! It wa This is your sign to rent a kimono in Kyoto! It was an honor to be dressed by Japanese women & taught about the Kimono. Here’s everything you need to know about renting a kimono & a tiny history lesson on them(save + share this post):

1. Originally kimono was the Japanese word for clothing but is now used to refer specifically to traditional Japanese clothing. Kimono’s date back to the Heian period of 794-1185 and were every day wear until western culture was brought to Japan.

2. There are 8 layers in a kimono in addition to the Tabi (white socks) which are specifically made to wear with Jori (traditional Japanese shoes). Even though there are 8 layers it doesn’t take long to be dressed.

3. Today kimonos are mostly worn for special occasions such as NYE, weddings, gradations, tea ceremonies & summer festivals. But geishas, maikos, kabuki actors and a few traditional professions wear them every day.

4. We rented our Kimono’s from this shop https://kyoto-kimonorental.com/kimono/. It’s less than a 5 minute walk from Hokan-ji. We made a reservation in advance but you will find kimono rental shops all over Kyoto. They open at 9 and you have to return the Kimono’s by 5.

5. They offer multiple packages which vary in the type of material the kimono is. The package I got was the ¥4,900 ($37.50) one and Jordyn’s child price was ¥3,900 ($29.87). You can get your hair and makeup done for an additional ¥1,200. The value of the yen is down now so be sure to check exchange rates whenever you make it to Japan for accuracy.

6. This shop offers photo packages directly through them or you can take your own or hire a separate photographer.

7. If you’re worried about renting a kimono and wearing it in Japan being seen as cultural appropriation, don’t be. I obviously can’t speak for every Japanese person but from hearing it first hand from Japanese people in Japan and the large amount of Kimono rental shops all over Japan encouraging visitors to try kimonos, the Japanese are so excited to see foreigners embracing their culture and wearing kimonos respectfully! We received so many compliments from the local community as we explored Kyoto this day.

📍Daigo-ji temple & Hokan-ji
After spending 48 hours in Osaka we went to Kyoto. After spending 48 hours in Osaka we went to Kyoto. Here’s how to get here and where we stayed (save + share this post):

1. You can take the Shinkansen (bullet) train from Shin-Osaka Station to Kyoto Station if you have the JR Pass and it will only take you 15 minutes. If you don’t have a JR Pass the Shinkansen ticket costs about 1,420 yen (right now that’s about $11). 

2. If you don’t have the JR Pass you can take the Hankyu Kyoto Line or Keihan Main Line. These are regular non express trains and will increase your travel time to from 15 minutes to 45-55 minutes but they only cost 400 yen (about $3) so you can save money, especially for a large group.

3. There is also a bus that leaves picks up at Hotel Keihan Universal Tower, Universal Studios Japan and Namba and goes to Kyoto Station. I’m not sure of the costs.

4. If you flew into Osaka you can also take the Haruka Express train from the airport to Kyoto Station. 

In Kyoto we stayed at The Chaper Kyoto which is a Marriott property. The rooms are on the small side but the hotel is clean and modern. There is a bus stop down the block which we could take to get to Gion in 9 minutes. The room was about $240/night since it’s busy season.

The weather this time of year is pretty sporadic. Some days it was hot and sunny and some days cool and gloomy so definitely pack a variety of attire and bring some layers and the weather changes throughout the day. Will be sharing our itinerary soon.

Have you been to Kyoto? If you have other accommodation recommendations please share them below to help others!

📍Fushimi Inari Taisha
Want to visit Super Nintendo World at Universal St Want to visit Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan? You need to know this (save + share this post):

1. Just because you have tickets to the park doesn’t mean you’ll get into Super Nintendo World, it requires a timed entry ticket. These do run out so it’s not a guarantee you’ll be able to enter! If you get your park tickets in advance you might be able to grab an advanced booking in the app but if these are all gone by time you get your tickets you’ll need an area timed entry ticket. These are only available the day you’re visiting & you can only attempt to get it once you’re actually in the park! We got to the park when they opened at 8am & there were only two entry times left so arrive early! You can get them on the app (you must grant the app permission to see your location so they know you’re inside) or you can go to one of the ticket kiosks.

2. To really enjoy you’ll need a power band which are sold for about $35. If you don’t have one you can walk around & go on the 2 rides but you can’t play the games & collect coins.

3. The wait times for both rides are usually 1-3 hours! To avoid this you can purchase an Express Pass (most people said this reduces wait times to a mere 15 minutes). Express Passes were sold out the day we went so we only got to ride Mario Kart: Koopa’s Challenge but not Yoshi’s Adventure. To avoid the 2 hour wait for Mario Kart we actually went through the singles line. We did end up in two different karts but we only waited 20 minutes to ride instead of 2 hours. Yo Shi’a Adventure doesn’t have a singles line or we would have done that too!

4. If you want to eat at Kinopio’s Cafe you also need a timed entry ticket so be sure to grab this as soon as you get inside Super Nintendo World. It’s usually a 1-2 hour wait once you get your timed entry ticket.

5. Once you leave you cannot reenter (if timed entry tickets are required at the time) so be sure to do everything you want before leaving.

Universal Studio Japan is extremely popular & tickets do sell out often so buy in advance. The most popular sites to buy them are Klook (where we bought ours) & KKDay.

Hope this helps! Who has Super Nintendo World on their list?
How We Spent 48 Hours in Osaka (save + share this How We Spent 48 Hours in Osaka (save + share this post):

1. Kicked off the day trying soufflé pancakes, you’ll find restaurants all over the city that sell these. We personally had them at Belle-ville Pancakes.

2. Visit the Cup of Noodles Museum where you can make your own Cup of Noodles logo and then customize the flavor and toppings for your noodles. They also offer a ramen making class here in addition to the museum where you can learn the history of the company.

3. If you’re visiting in March check to see if the March Sumo Wrestling Tournament is taking place at Edion Arena Osaka. If so def try to get tickets in advance (they go on sale a month prior) or arrive early to get same day tickets. It’s a fun afternoon.

4. We also did a Tea Ceremony class but photos/videos weren’t allowed.

5. End the first day getting cheesecake at the infamous Rikuro’s for their jiggly Cheesecake.

6. The other day spend at Universal Studios Japan for thrilling rides, shows and to relive your childhood at Super Nintendo World.

Where to stay in Osaka? The W Osaka is gorgeous but a little pricey and the Fairfield by Marriott is more budget friendly with nice, modern clean rooms just less amenities and smaller rooms (will post stories of both so you can see).

How to get to Osaka from Tokyo: We took the Shinkansen bullet train which takes 3 hours but is such an experience as it goes up to 199mph. Be sure to sit of the right side of the train for views of Mt. Fuji. You can also take a quick flight!

Other things to do in Osaka we didn’t travel time for:

1. Visit the Osaka Castle

2. Go to the top of the Umeda Sky Building

3. Go out in the Dotonbori

4. Walk around Kuromon Market

5. Watch a show at the National Bunraku Theater

6. Explore the Sumiyoshi Shrine

Which activity would you most want to do? If you’ve been to Osaka before what other recommendations do you have?

#osakajapan #travellingwithkids #cupofnoodles #universalstudiosjapan
6 Ways to Earn Delta Skymiles without flying! (SAV 6 Ways to Earn Delta Skymiles without flying! (SAVE + SHARE this post):

1. Link your Lyft and Skymiles accounts to earn 1 mile per $1 on US rides and 2miles per $1 on airport rides.

2. When booking Airbnb stays go to delta.com/Airbnb instead and you’ll earn 1 mile per $1 spent on airbnbs.

3. Order groceries online with instacart? Go to instacart.com/delta to link your accounts and earn 1.5 miles per $1 spent. If you’re new to instacart you can also get 3 months free.

4. Link your Starbucks account with your Skymiles account at delta Starbucks.com and you’ll earn 1 mile per $1 spent at Starbucks. Plus on days your flying with Delta, you’ll earn DOUBLE stars at Starbucks.

5. Sign up for SkyMiles dining at  Skymilesdining.com and is link your credit or debit card. Every time you use your card at a participating bar or restaurant, you’ll earn between 1-5 miles per $1 spent.

6. And nope you don’t have to use a Delta credit card to get miles for any of the above, no matter how you pay you’ll earn BUT is you do pay for them with a Delta co-branded credit card (there are several and depending on which one you have) you can earn anywhere from a additional 1-5 miles per dollar spent on purchases, even if they aren’t Delta airline tickets.

The cash price for the flight we took to Tokyo was $2,600pp so it would have cost me over $5,000 for this since it’s peak travel to Japan (never in my life would I pay that, we would have went somewhere else). Instead I only paid $118 total by using all of these ways to earn Delta miles over the past few years which gave me enough miles to redeem even though we don’t get to fly Delta on a regular since they don’t have the strongest presence at MIA airport as it’s American’s hub.

Do you use travel credit cards and/or points and miles from loyalty programs to offset the cost of travel? If so what are your favorite ones? Let’s all travel for less!

The Traveling Child

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Things to Do in Las Vegas with Kids: The Ultimate List

August 18, 2021      All, 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.

I first took my eldest daughter to Las Vegas when she was two years old. On that first trip we spent 3 days in Vegas and you can read that itinerary here. Since then we’ve returned three times, at the start of our Southwest road trip (itinerary here), during our week long Nevada road trip (itinerary here), and at the end of our Southern Utah Road trip. Through these four visits we’ve done a lot and these are our favorite things to do in Las Vegas with kids.

Things to do in Las Vegas with Kids on the Strip

When most people think of the Las Vegas strip they assume kids don’t belong there. While some areas can get a little wild when the sun goes down there are plenty of kid friendly activities on the strip.  

 

Adventuredome Theme Park

The Adventure Dome is located inside of the Circus Circus hotel. It’s a very large indoor amusement park that has mini golf, rock climbing, bungee jumping, roller coasters, an arcade, and more. Some of the activities do have a minimum height requirement of 48” but there are still things to do for kids that don’t. Here you can purchase a wristband that is good all day (with in and out privileges) or you can buy individual tickets. Just note the wristband does not cover the arcade games, mini golf, and trampoline, those are extra. The last time we visited here in August 2021 wristbands were $20 for kids under 48″ and $40 for anyone above 48″.

High Roller Observation Wheel

If your kids are obsessed with ferris wheels like mine they will love the High Roller Observation Wheel. You can purchase tickets by clicking here enjoy the spectacular views of Las Vegas and the Strip. Located at The Linq it gives great views of the strip and beyond.

Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens

If you want to be wowed by beautiful displays made of flowers you have to take your kids to the Bellagio Hotel for a visit to their Conservatory & Botanical Gardens. Each time we’ve been the display is different so even if you’re returning for a second visit check it out to see what has changed. My kids eyes always light up when they walk through the gardens. It’s open 24 hours so you can enjoy it any time.

Gondola Ride at The Venetian

If you haven’t been to Venice (read our itinerary here) or just love Gondola rides, click here to purchase tickets to take a cruise at The Venetian and visit Madame Tussauds. We didn’t book this cruise, but it may work for your plans. The Venetian did a great job on replicating the canal to look just like Venice. You’ll have the option to ride inside or outside and up to four people can fit on one gondola.

The Eiffel Tower Experience

If you haven’t been to Paris with kids seeing the Eiffel Tower in Vegas is a great introduction. The one on the strip is half the size of the one in Paris but you can go up to the observation deck and eat at the restaurant. On the way up the elevator is glass so you can get views of the strip while you go up. Click here to purchase tickets to The Eiffel Tower Las Vegas and enjoy views or the Fountains at the Bellagio and views of The Strip.

See a Las Vegas Show

Yes even when visiting Las Vegas with kids you can see a show. Your child’s age will of course determine the type of show you can see but there are plenty of magic shows for even the youngest audience. Some recommended shows for kids are the Mac King Comedy Magic Show, Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil, and the Jabbawockeez. Personally we’ve watched the David Copperfield Show and the Blue Man Group. My kids were impressed with David Copperfield but personally I was a little disappointed. However, we all loved the Blue Man Group Show, it was very funny and we got to get up and dance! To see a list of available shows and purchase tickets, click here.

Madame Tussauds

Even if you don’t see any real celebrities on your trip to Las Vegas with kids you can always pretend at Madame Tussauds. This wax museum is filled with some seriously real looking celebrities. It’s another great activity to do on hot summer days or when it’s raining in Las Vegas. To purchase tickets to the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum with over 100 lifelike celebrities, click here.

Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay

Inside of the Mandalay Bay Resort there is the Shark Reef Aquarium. It has 14 exhibits, over 2,000 animals and a touch tank. It’s a great activity to do during the day when it’s really hot outside or if it happens to be raining. 

Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N.

Marvel fans in your family? Then stepping into the Marvel Universe at Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N is the activity for you. Dig into your inner superhero and train as a qualified station agent. You can also see stuff from the Avengers movies like Iron Man’s armor suits, Captain America’s shield, Thor’s hammer and more. It’s a very interactive experience as you go through the exhibit answering questions and watching videos to see if you’re up to Avengers status. Be sure to look for tickets on Groupon first, we saved $80 buying our tickets there in advance!

Mirage Hotel Volcano, Aquarium and Atrium

There are three things to do in Las Vegas with kids at the Mirage Hotel. There is an aquarium in the lobby and a rainforest in the atrium. In front of the hotel, they also have a the volcano show at 8 and 9pm, also at 10pm on the weekends. The volcano erupts nightly  8:00 and 9:00 PM (and 10:00 PM on Friday and Saturday), talk about a real life science project.

The Wildlife Habitat at the Flamingo Hotel

If you’re kids are really into animals you can take them to visit the Wildlife Habitat at the Flamingo Hotel. They have about 9 flamingoes in addition to turtles and some exotic birds. I will say my last visit wasn’t as impressive as my previous ones. Unfortunately it seems as if The Flamingo hasn’t taken too much care of the habitat most recently and it’s not as kempt as it was before.

Bellagio Fountains

The Fountain Show at the Bellagio is great for kids. Even as an adult it’s exciting to the water from the pond shoot up a hundred feet into the air so imagine a child’s reaction. The show happens every 30 minutes during the day and every 15 minutes once the sun sets. I personally think it’s better at night!

Welcome to Las Vegas Sign

Did you really go to Las Vegas with kids if you don’t have a picture in front of the Las Vegas sign to prove it? I recommend coming early in the morning while all the party goers from the night before are asleep. You’ll have a minimal wait if at all and the kids can run around the sign and enjoy it. If you have a car there is a small parking lot here.

Tastes of the World at the Coca-Cola Store

Apparently Coca-Cola tastes a bit different in every country due to the local water that is used to make it. So the Coca-Cola store is the best place to get a taste of all the different variations without traveling all over the world.

M&M’s World

Chocolate lovers in your family? Then M&M’s World is for you! You’ll be able to try so many variations of M&M’s in this 28,000 sq ft, 4-floor store. Have fun personalizing your own M&M’s with 16 color options and a printer to print your own words on your chocolate. This isn’t the exact tour we took, but if you’d like to take an SUV tour that stops at 4 different chocolate-themed locations, including M&M’s World, click here.

Things to do in Las Vegas with Kids Off the Strip

Seven Magic Mountains

Seven Magic Mountains is an art installation about 30 minutes from the strip. It was actually supposed to close back in 2018 but has become so popular they repainted it and are keeping it open for the foreseeable future. Kids love the bright colors and trying to figure out how the rocks stay stacked on top of one another rather than falling. Click here to purchase tickets to a similar van tour that stops at Seven Magic Mountains and Red Rock Canyon that includes snacks and water.

Lake Mead

Lake Mead is one of the largest man-made lakes in the world, built during the construction of the Hoover Dam. There are several ways to enjoy Lake Mead; from various viewpoints, scenic and dinner cruises, kayaking, or a helicopter ride over it. This tour is similar and it stops at the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead.

Hoover Dam

The Hoover Dam is just 30 miles from the Las Vegas strip and a modern marvel of the world. It’s a great place for your kids to learn a bit while on your trip. Mine were amazed at the 700 foot-tall dam and loved walking back and forth over the state lines of Nevada and Arizona. 

You May Be Interested in Reading: Tips for Taking Family Vacation Photos

Hoover Dam Museum

My girls loved the Hoover Dam Museum! It’s a free museum located in Boulder City, about 15 minutes away from the Hoover Dam. I personally think it’s better than paying for a Hoover Dam tour as it’s interactive and kids can learn so much more than the time spent on the 30 minute tour. If you do make it here you can walk over to Grandma Daisy’s Ice Cream Parlor and Candy Shop for a treat after, just a two minute walk.

Eldorado Mine Tour

If you’ve ever wondered about the gold mining industry in the United States you’ll definitely want to make a visit to the Eldorado Mine Tour. It was such a fun tour and you actually get to walk through the wines that were in use in the 30’s and 40’s. The tour is very educational but also short enough to keep even the littlest one’s attention spans. After the tour you can enjoy all the old cars, planes, and telephone booths on site, that might have been my kids favorite part.

Helicopter Ride

There is nothing like a view from above. Whether you choose to take a helicopter ride over Las Vegas, to the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead or all the way to the Grand Canyon Nevada in general offers some amazing aerial views. We personally took a helicopter tour over Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam and the views were breathtaking. My kids were 3 and 5 when we did this adventure and absolutely loved it! We took our tour through the trusted Papillon Helicopter Tours. Click here for a list of additional helicopter tour options and locations.

Springs Preserve

The Springs Preserve is a cultural oasis with a playground, botanical garden, nature walks, a butterfly exhibit and museums. There are also a ton of special events that happen here so be sure to check out their events calendar. It’s closed on Mondays.

Nevada State Museum

The Nevada State Museum is located at Springs Preserve and your admission to one covers the other so be sure to arrive with enough time to visit both. The museum has both permanent and changing exhibits. Some of the permanent ones include the history of Nevada and the Native Americans indigenous to the area, the mining history, and local animals and plants. It is closed on Monday’s so make sure to fit it into your itinerary on a different day.

Discovery Children’s Museum

You can not come to Las Vegas with kids under 10 and not visit the Discovery Children’s Museum. My daughters literally had to be dragged out of this museum when it closed, they didn’t want to leave. There are 3 stories of non stop fun and activities. They especially enjoyed the 2nd level where they got to try out various careers, earning a paycheck and cashing it to go shopping. It’s closed on Monday’s so plan accordingly.

Area 15

Area 15 is an indoor attraction/outdoor museum that has a variety of activities. Kids aren’t allowed after 10pm but prior to that you’ll see lots of kids here. They have have Axe Throwing at Dueling Axes where kids as young as 5 can participate. Just be sure to wear closed toe shoes or you’ll have to rent a pair from the front desk.

In addition to this they have indoor zip-lining for kids at least 75lbs, virtual reality experiences including a virtual reality escape room. They also have a lot of museums, for each attraction tickets are sold individually and you can buy them in advance online or right at the experience. Just note some have capacity constraints so you may have to wait for an opening.

Downtown Container Park

After visiting the Downtown Container Park all my husband and I kept saying if we wish we had a place like this back home. The park is made out of containers which is why the name is what it is. There are restaurants a playground, shops a stage and more. One of the stores is a magic shop and they do free magic tricks for shoppers. 

Downtown Container Park Sticker Room, Perfect for place to visit in Las Vegas with kids.

Viva Vision Light Show

Every night at Fremont Street in Downtown Las Vegas there is a Viva Vision Light Show. Here the covering of the street has a ton of LED lights that turn a variety of shapes and colors. If you’re coming here with kids which you probably are if you’re reading this post go to the earliest show possible. To me Fremont Street gets much more inappropriate for kids than the strip does.

Las Vegas Mini Grand Prix

If your kids love racing or going on rides they will love Mini Grand Prix. It’s one of their favorite things to do n Las Vegas. The place isn’t huge but they have a track for kids at least 42″ along with a bigger track with faster go karts for kids 54″ or who can sit as passengers with an adult and an even bigger and faster one for adults only. They also have 3 fair style rides and the big slide.

These outdoor attractions can be paid for via unlimited wrist band sold in 1, 2 and 3 hour increments. We went on a Tuesday afternoon in July and bought the 1 hour wristband and my kids were able to go on every ride at least 3 times. They also often have deals on Groupon so be sure to check prices there first! As an alternative you can buy individual ride tickets.  They also have an arcade inside which you can purchase tokens to play those games! We went to a very similar place on our trip to Fort Myers, FL and the girls had a blast so I knew they’d have fun here.

Ethel M Chocolate Factory

If your kids want to see how chocolate is made a trip the Ethel M Chocolate Factory is perfect. Their tours show you inside of their factory so you can see exactly how this delicious treat is made. We did a similar tour in Orlando and had so much fun (see our itinerary here). Of course you’ll get to try some of the chocolates throughout the tour. After you can walk it off at the Ethel M Botanical Cactus Garden. Best part is both are free and it stays open until 8pm where a lot of the other kid friendly activities in Las Vegas close at 5pm.

Red Rock Canyon

With all the bright and flashing lights Las Vegas is known for so many people forget it’s in the middle of a beautiful desert. Be sure to make it to Red Rock Canyon and enjoy the scenery. If you and your kids like to hike there are a variety of hikes you can do for various levels of fitness. If hiking isn’t your thing you can enjoy the scenic drive, viewpoints, helicopter rides and the visitor’s center.

Seasonal Things to Do in Las Vegas with Kids

Haunted Harvest at Springs Preserve

We visited Springs Preserve in October and were able to participate in their Haunted Harvest. It was so much fun; they had games for the kids, theatrical and musical performances all by kids 14 and under, a maze, petting zoo, arts and crafts and more. Of course there is also trick or treating and bags are provided if you don’t have your own bucket. Tickets are separate than the regular admission to the Springs Preserve so be prepared to pay for both if you want to experience the Springs Preserve without the special event.

Holiday Express at Springs Preserve

While we were at the Haunted Harvest the Springs Preserve was promoting their Holiday Express event. While we haven’t attended it if it’s half as good as the Haunted Harvest it’s worth going to!

Free Things to Do in Las Vegas with Kids

If you’re looking to save money, below are the activities mentioned that are free of charge!

  • Red Rock Canyon
  • Seven Magic Mountains
  • Bellagio Fountain Show
  • Bellagio Botanical Gardens
  • The Wildlife Habitat at The Flamingo
  • Circus Acts at Circus Circus
  • The Viva Vision Light Show
  • Downtown Container Park
  • Ethel M Chocolate Factory

Where to Stay in Las Vegas with Kids

When visiting Las Vegas with kids where you stay might be your most important decision. There are many options including staying in an Airbnb (sign up here to save $40 on your first stay), Vrbo and hotels both on and off the strip. 

Where to Stay in Las Vegas with Kids On the Strip

On our most recent visit we stayed at the Mandalay Bay. I love it for kids because while there is a casino it’s at the end of the strip, away from a lot of the craziness. There is also the aquarium in the hotel and a beach and wave pool. My kids love playing in the sand at the beach and enjoying the lazy river. The rooms are big, nice and clean and have a tub making it easier to bathe small children. You can check out reviews of the hotel here and make your booking here. 

The wave pool at Mandalay Bay

Where to Stay in Las Vegas with Kids Off the Strip

If you want a hotel near the airport I recommend the Tru by Hilton. We’ve stayed here as well and as a newer hotel it’s very modern and clean. Your room rate also includes a free airport shuttle, free breakfast and parking is complimentary. There is a pool table in the lobby but no pool. You can check out reviews of the hotel here and make your booking here. If you’re looking for additional ways to save on hotel bookings you can check out the Dosh App, they give up to 40% cash back hotels and are the same price you can find directly on the website. This year I’ve gotten just under $600 cash back thus far. If you’re looking for great restaurants in Las Vegas, check out this post from a local.

 

We’ve now been to Las Vegas with kids three times and I’m sure we’ll be back plenty more. This extensive list of things to do should definitely help you plan an amazing trip regardless of the amount of time you have. Did you find it helpful? Please share it! 

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Comments

  1. Devesh says

    October 31, 2019 at 12:11 pm

    Thanks for sharing a great post!

  2. Claire Rose says

    August 29, 2021 at 4:16 pm

    I just wanted to say that I SO appreciate this post! Your family is just beautiful! I’ve been to Vegas many times but my husband and I are considering taking our 6 kids there! Your post has been the most informative by far! Thank you so much!

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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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