Sin City PG-13: Top 10 Things to Do With Kids in Las Vegas

Imagine the scene: you’ve booked a long weekend in Las Vegas. You’ve parked the kids with the grandparents. You’re heading to Sin City. It’s going to be wild.

You’re reliving those good old crazy days, when you cruised the Strip, danced till dawn, and partied hard.

And then the babysitters cancel…

Now, you’re taking the kids to Las Vegas. What to do?

The dancing girls at Peppermint Hippo are off limits, whiskey night at the Oak and Ivy is cancelled, and that all-nighter at Omnia will need to be rescheduled.

Don’t panic. Once again, team Techopedia has your back.

Las Vegas has moved on. It’s all about family now and there is plenty to choose from: wild, fun, wacky, and weird. Las Vegas has it all.

We’ve scoured the Strip, in search of fabulous days out for all the family. From shark tanks and dancing fountains, to waxworks and iconic national parks, there are plenty of things to do in Las Vegas with kids.

This time: what happens in Vegas is heading home in the family photo album.

Here’s our top 10 guide to Sin City – minus the sin.

1. Red Rock & the Valley of Fire

Las Vegas sits in the heart of the mighty Mojave Desert. Just travel a few miles, in any direction, and the scenery flips from neon to nature.

The state of Nevada is home to some of the country’s most important national conservation areas, including both the Death Valley National Park and the Joshua Tree National Park.

The Red Rock Canyon is one of the closest parks to town. Located just a few miles west of Las Vegas, it’s a national conservation area, with stunning scenery.

There’s a 13-mile-long scenic drive that takes you through the heart of the park. Alternatively, you can burn off those all-you-can eat Las Vegas buffets on foot or bike.

Another fresh air option is the Valley of Fire, situated an hour’s drive north east of Sin City.

Stunning bright red sandstone, ancient petroglyphs, and trails to suit every ability; all combine, to make this incredible park well worth the journey.

2. Madame Tussauds

If you like your celebrities up close and personal, a trip to the waxworks is a win.

Madame Tussauds Las Vegas has more than 100 wax figures to examine in detail. It’s your best chance to take a selfie with Travis Barker, Lizzo, Megan Thee Stallion, and other assorted celebs.

Tickets cost around $50, usually sold as a bundle featuring the attraction’s other highlights, including: the Marvel Universe 4D Movie, the Hangover Movie Bar, and the Carnival Carnage 7D Game.

For an extra $16, you can have your hand cast in wax. Just don’t leave it out in the sun.

3. The Adventuredome at Circus Circus

Here’s a day out guaranteed to keep the kids happy.

The Adventuredome is a self-contained amusement park, with the best rollercoasters in Las Vegas.

Attached to the Circus Circus Hotel and Casino, it’s not a huge venue but it’s cleverly packed with rides, thrills, games, and more.

Adventuredome admission is free. You can then choose to either pay for individual rides, or grab a wristband and go nuts.

The two big rides are El Loco and Canyon Blaster; both rollercoasters with corkscrews, flips, and rotations.

Other popular attractions are Canyon Cars, Sand Pirates, NebulaZ, Chaos and Lazer Blast.

Throw in 4D cinemas, VR rooms, arcades, and clown shows, and you have all the ingredients you need for a day of distracted, happy, children.

A junior wristband is just $30. For anyone more than 48 inches high, it’s $60. Unlimited rides all day – that’s a great deal. No wonder it’s one of the most popular things to do in Las Vegas with kids.

4. Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay

Nevada may well be the driest state in the United States but, at the Shark Reef Aquarium, located at the Mandalay Bay Resort, there is a large tank containing assorted sharks, turtles, 2,000 varieties of fish, and more than 1.3 million gallons of water.

It’s the biggest aquarium in the state.

Tickets start at around $29 for basic admission. If you want to get up close and personal with sharks and stingrays, feeding packages are available (you give them food, you don’t throw the kids in).

Shark Reef attracts more than 900,000 visitors every year. It’s a family favorite and one of the best things to do in Las Vegas with kids.

5. The Ethel M Chocolates Factory

Is there anyone that doesn’t like chocolate?

Tickle your tastebuds at the famous Ethel M Chocolate Factory, named after the mother of Forrest Mars (the man who invented both the Milky Way and the Mars bar).

You can tour the factory for free, discovering how the hand-crafted chocolates are made, sourced, and packed, using the self-guided viewing aisle.

If you want to sample the goods, you will need to make a reservation. It’s a popular spot.

Tickets for the Signature Chocolate Tasting Experience cost $25 for adults and $15 for children.

The tour also includes a visit to the three-acre cactus garden, containing more than 300 different plant species. Nom-Nominated.

6. Pinball Hall of Fame

If you want to introduce your children to the world of gaming, BC (Before Console), then head to the recently revamped Pinball Hall of Fame (PHoF).

More than 350 pinball machines are waiting for your flipping fingers, in a dedicated 25,000 square feet museum, opposite the famous Welcome to Las Vegas sign and the Mandalay Bay Hotel.

The venue is an attempt by the Las Vegas Pinball Collectors Club to house and display the world’s largest pinball collection.

The games all work and play, costing from 25 cents to 50 cents, depending on their vintage. All the monies raised by the pinball machines go to local good causes. Flipping Fantastic.

7. Las Vegas Shows

There are scores of Las Vegas shows you can enjoy that are fun for all the family. It’s not all showgirls and crooners.

Highlights include the insanely inventive Blue Man Group, performing in their specially-designed theatre at the Luxor; Mystere by the Cirque de Soleil, at Treasure Island; and the King Arthur inspired Tournament of Kings at the Excalibur.

If magic is your thing, head to The Linq, where Mat Franco is headlining.

Franco made history when he was the first ever magician to win America’s Got Talent, in 2014. Franco’s show is a firm family favorite, very child friendly, with lots of audience participation and a great narrative. Dressing up is encouraged.

8. Particle Ink

Here’s something very new, currently blowing minds in Las Vegas.

Particle Ink is the latest work from the LightPoets. It’s a totally immersive experience, showcasing state-of-the-art visual trickery and special effects.

The show combines street art, live performance and interactive technology. You are immersed in a living graphic novel. The show is not suitable for really young kids but tweens and teens are going to love it.

You have to download an app to participate and tickets start at $25. Get your mind bent at the Luxor. Visit the 2.5th dimension for some phygital (sic) activations.

9. Grand Canyon & Hoover Dam

The classic day break from the casino doesn’t get any more classic than this combo.

The Hoover Dam is a 40-minute drive, open from 9am to 5pm daily (adults $10, children $3). The Grand Canyon, a little further, at about 130 miles. Both are iconic tourist destinations and bucket-list ‘must-sees’.

Of course, if you really want to kick things up a level, why not dig deep and hire a helicopter.

If you scored at the tables, the real money online casinos before you arrived in Vegas, or on the scratch offs, it’s a no brainer.

If you didn’t, well, start saving now. A helicopter trip to the Grand Canyon will cost about $600-$900 per person.

10. The Fountains of Bellagio

It’s free. It’s showbiz. It takes top spot in the TripAdvisor list of 746 things to do in Las Vegas.

The Fountains of Bellagio are at the heart of the Strip. It’s a water feature that cost its creator, Steve Wynn, $40 million to build.

More than 1,200 water nozzles and 4,792 lights, combine with synchronized music, to create an unforgettable, iconic, Las Vegas spectacle.

It’s all free to enjoy, with shows every half-hour. It’s one of the most-photographed places in the United States. Splashing stuff.

And Finally…

To be honest, we’ve only just scratched the surface when it comes to things to do in Vegas with kids.

There are nearly 40 museums to explore, with subjects as diverse as the Mob, Elvis, neon, burlesque, Shelby cars, illusions, gadgets, punk rock, and the Titanic.

Every hotel and casino on the Strip is playing both sides of the vacation game: plenty of casino action for the grown ups, combined with a full house of family-friendly fun.

If you want to dump the kids, and put a little sin back in the city, there are more than 20 child-minding services in Las Vegas, as well as five Kids Quest cafes and zones, where you can leave your children in a secure play zone.

Just don’t forget where you left them.