Sharing a roundup of some of my favorite things to do in Vegas with teens or tweens!
Hi hi! How are you? I hope you had an amazing weekend! We celebrated graduations, birthday parties, and then packed up for a little adventure 🙂 Summer is here and I’m excited to visit as many places as we possibly can and escape the scorching Tucson oven.
For today’s post, I wanted to share some Vegas highlights! We met up with the Pilot in Vegas a few weeks ago, just for a night. (We also got upgraded to the penthouse two-bedrom suite at the Bellagio and it was EPIC.)
It was the girls’ first *real* time in Vegas (last time they were babies), and they’re obsessed. P said it’s one of her top favorite places (NYC is #1, then Vegas, then Honolulu, Rome, and Barcelona.)
While Vegas is definitely an adult place, you can definitely have fun as a family with kids. Growing up, my dad used to take us to Vegas every summer, so it’s a place that I’ve visited many times as a kid and as an adult. It’s just as fun; just in a different way 😉 This trip also gave me the opportunity to see some attractions that we haven’t done!
(the kids approve their photos on the blog and on IG. Sometimes they ask me to put an emoji over their face, so that’s what I do!)
what to do in Vegas with tweens and teens
Here are some top destinations for teens and tweens:
(* = things we did on our most recent trip, everything else is something that I’ve previously visited)
*Madame Tussad’s
It was our first time here and we had an absolute blast. It was way more fun than I was expecting and the kids loved seeing so many different wax celebrities and taking photos. It was jarring to see how realistic they were; we often thought they were real people!
Leo is very tall 🙂
M&M factory
You can see all of the different flavors, colors and types of M&Ms and make a little goodie bag of your top picks. (I also only like brown M&Ms and I can make an entire bag of brown peanut M&Ms which is a joy lol)
*Omega Mart at Area15
This was the girls’ top request and we LOVED it. It’s a short ride off the strip and this area is packed with fun activities (like ax throwing, shops, little restaurants) and Omega Mart. They had seen Omega Mart on Youtube, and it’s like a whimsical grocery store with wacky items and hidden rooms. You can spend a lot of time here. P also did the zipline that took her around the interior of Area15.
*Ride a gondola at the Venetian
This is another thing we haven’t done and while I feel like it’s a bit pricey for what it is, it was a fun experience. The gondolier took us around the canal in the Venetian and serenaded us, and the girls got a kick out of it. It was also a nice way to enjoy some scenery and rest our feet after a ton of walking.
Top Golf
They have a Top Golf attached to the strip, which is an easy family activity. This wasn’t worth it to us since we have one in Tucson, but if you don’t live near a Top Golf or you’re a golf family, this would absolutely be worth it.
*Fountains at the Bellagio
This is one of my all-time favorite Vegas attractions. The fountains are so beautiful and I love the music. It’s free, it’s lovely, the kids really enjoyed this one, too.
See a Cirque du Soleil show
We’ve seen a few of these but I really wanted to take the girls to one in Vegas. O at the Bellagio was sold out, so we’ll absolutely book tickets in advance next time.
Ride the roller coaster at New York, New York
I haven’t been on this since I was a kid, but it’s still running and apparently still a hit.
Aquarium at Mandalay Bay
This is another great option, especially if you have younger kids or you’re just looking to escape the heat.
Museum of Illusions
We haven’t visited this particular one, but we’ve been to Scottsdale and Barcelona locations and they were almost exactly the same. If you don’t have one near you, I highly recommend it as a way to spend an hour or so.
Neon Sign Museum
It’s really cool to see the vintage Vegas signs and take pics. Definitely do this one when it’s not summer, as it gets pretty toasty out there.
Something I haven’t done but everyone raves about:
Wizard of Oz at the Sphere
This is on our list for our next trip!
Blast from the past: Adventuredome at Circus Circus
We’ve been to this SO many times as kids and it’s still running. It’s an indoor theme park, so the how weather doesn’t matter. They have an awesome roller coaster, too.
Eat!
Vegas has some of the best food and there’s truly something for everyone. If your kids like burgers, you can find incredible burgers. If they love pizza,you’ll find the best pizza. If they like fine dining, check our RPM, Vanderpump, or Yellowtail. Vegas also has crazy desserts everywhere. We got crepes, matcha ice cream, and you definitely need to take the kiddos to a buffet experience. We love the Wynn buffet.
Shop!
Vegas also has some of the best shopping. Any store your kid likes; they likely have it. We definitely made our way through a few Sephoras and athletic shoe stores.
A tip for Vegas with kids/tweens/teens:
We personally avoided the Strip at night, especially since it was just me and the girls until the Pilot could meet up with us. We planned to stay on the north side of the strip – I feel like the south side gets a little sketchier – and to be off the Strip in the evening and then head back to the room.
We did Area15 at night, which was perfect, and then the Uber driver dropped us off at the fountains at the Bellagio to watch the show, and we headed upstairs to our room for room service and relaxing.
I feel like if you stay at a hotel that has good activities inside (like Caesar’s or Venetian for shopping) or a Cirque du Soleil show, plan to do that at night so you’re not our wandering the Strip with the kids.
So tell me friends: Vegas with the fam, or parents only? It’s definitely a different vibe but a blast both ways!
xo
Gina
