Vegas Vacation for Under $500: 12 Family Friendly Things to Do in Las Vegas

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Sin City. Viva, Las Vegas! For most people, thinking about a trip to Las Vegas conjures of images of partying to their heart’s content. But if you know where to look (and not to look), there are actually a lot of kid-friendly things to do in Las Vegas and it can make for a nice long weekend with the family. And I assure you, it will be far less disastrous and comical than Clark Griswold’s Vegas Vacation.

Since we live in Utah, Las Vegas is just a short 6-hour road trip from home. Even though we love exploring Utah and checking things off our Utah Bucket List, sometimes we just need to get out of the cold! And in February/March when Utah is still pretty cold or in October/November when winter is just around the corner, Las Vegas is usually experiencing ideal sunny and warm weather. The combination of short drive and warmer weather make it an easy choice for a getaway. After many trips over the years, we’ve compiled our list of favorite things to do in Las Vegas:

Top 12 Family Friendly Things to Do in Las Vegas

5 Family Friendly Things to Do in Las Vegas On The Strip

5. Play Top Golf

Top Golf – $33-63/hour for the family Many cities all over the US have a Top Golf location but what makes this one unique is that it overlooks the Las Vegas Strip. The view is especially cool at night, when all the casinos light up the sky with their neon signs. Top Golf is fun even for non-golfers because it requires little skill. Think of it more like a driving range mixed with a bowling alley, add some surprisingly tasty food and you and your family will have a fun time.

4. Ride the High Roller

High Roller Observation Wheel – $34.75 for adults, $17.50 for youth ($139.50 for family of 6) This giant 550-foot tall ferris wheel is a relatively new addition to the Las Vegas skyline. It was built by Caesars Entertainment in 2014 and is the world’s second-tallest ferris wheel. In other words, probably not for those with a fear of heights. It takes 30-minutes to complete one loop and each cabin holds up to 25 guests. This is not your typical county fair two-seater ferris wheel.

3. Watch the Bellagio Fountains

Bellagio Botanical Gardens & Fountain Shows – Free I can’t think of Las Vegas without thinking of the final scene from Ocean’s Eleven where they end up in front of the Bellagio fountains after the heist and Débussy’s Clair de Lune is playing. The dancing water is mesmerizing, and I try to see them every time I go to Vegas. There are shows every 30 minutes starting at 3:00pm and then every 15 minutes starting 7:00pm and the songs always vary. After watching the fountains make sure to head inside the Bellagio and check out the botanical gardens. They constantly change the decorations according to the season. If you’re feeling a little taste of Italy while you’re there, stop by Café Gelato for some Italian-style ice cream.

2. Visit Shark Reef Aquarium

Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay – $29 for adults, $24 for kids, free for kids 4 and under ($154 for family of 6) Located at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino on the far South end of the Las Vegas Strip, the Shark Reef Aquarium is a wonderful way to escape the desert heat and provide some kid-friendly entertainment. There are three main exhibits – the Jungle, which features a rare Komodo dragon and Burmese pythons; the Temple, which has a touch pool with several species you can interact with; and the Shipwreck, which is the main exhibit. At 1.3 million gallons (about twice the volume of an Olympic-size swimming pool), the Shipwreck exhibit is one of the largest tanks in the country. It also features a shark tunnel where you can walk through the bottom of the tank and see the sharks and other creatures swimming all around you.

1. See a Show

See a Show – $30-120 per person ($180-720 for a family of six) Ever since the days of Elvis and Frank Sinatra, Las Vegas has been famous for its entertainment of epic proportions. Today you can find hundreds of shows from musicals to magicians to dancers and circus acts. And believe it or not there are quite a lot that are family friendly. Here are a few examples:

• Blue Man Group at The Luxor – a trio of blue-faced men who don’t speak a word play a variety of strange percussion instruments for laughs.
• Tournament of Kings at Excalibur – a live dinner show that adapts the legend of King Arthur complete with horse-riding knights and pyrotechnics.
• Cirque du Soleil – There are multiple family-friendly circus shows with different themes, including Mystere, Michael Jackson One, Beatles Love, Ka, and O.
• V, the Ultimate Variety Show at Planet Hollywood – if you can’t decide between magic, music, comedy, and acrobatics, then just go for the show that has it all. We saw this show in 2013 and it’s still there, so that’s saying something!

Brittany had always wanted to see a Las Vegas magic show and we thought the kids would love that as well. There are several kid-friendly magic shows to choose from, like Mat Franco at The Linq ($51) or Shin Lim at The Mirage ($77). But these shows are a little pricier and had a minimum age of 5. We had our 2-year old with us, so we opted for the Nathan Burton Comedy Magic Show at the Planet Hollywood because it didn’t have a minimum age and tickets were only $30 per person. We enjoyed it! It wasn’t a big budget show but it was still entertaining and a great value for the price.

Whether you choose to see a magic show or one of the others we recommend, seeing a show is one of the best family friendly things to do in Las Vegas!

Best Hotels in Las Vegas for Kids

Marriott Grand Chateau – as low as $157/night The Marriott Grand Chateau is a Vacation Club Resort located across the street from the Planet Hollywood. Unlike most hotels on the Strip, there isn’t a casino on site and no smoking is allowed. And because it’s a Vacation Club property, that means the rooms are all suites equipped with a full kitchen. It’s an ideal place for a family to stay if you still want to be close to the big casinos and shows without actually staying at a casino. And it has two swimming pools – one with a massive projector screen that plays movies and another on the rooftop that offers sweeping views of Las Vegas.

7 Family Friendly Things to Do in Las Vegas Off The Strip

7. See the Hoover Dam

Hoover Dam – $10-30 per person ($60-180 for family of 6) If you’re a fan of the 1997 Chevy Chase film Vegas Vacation, then a stop at the famous Hoover Dam is a must! While Clark Griswold might think, “it’s not that high” it is 726 feet tall. It’s the second-tallest dam in the United States and Lake Mead is the country’s largest reservoir. Finished in 1936 during the Great Depression, the massive concrete construction project took over five thousand workers to build and was a huge feat of human engineering at the time. Nowadays, you can take a tour to learn about the construction of the dam and how the hydroelectric power plant works. Afterwards, head over to Lake Mead Marina for water sport rentals, swimming, or even a cruise on an old-fashioned steam boat.

6. Seven Magic Mountains

No cost – free to visit. If you’ve driven down I-15 past Las Vegas on your way to California, you’ve no doubt noticed the rainbow-colored boulders stacked on top of each other. These 35-foot tall totems are an art installation by Swiss artist Ugo Randinone and is meant to be a creative expression of human presence in the desert. It’s cool to see up close if you happen to be passing through but it is really nothing more than a photo opp. But sometimes you gotta do it for the ‘gram.

5. Hike the Red Rocks

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area – $15 per vehicle. Red Rock Canyon is one of the most scenic places you can visit near Las Vegas, as the 2 million annual visitors would testify. There’s a 13-mile scenic drive or 30 miles of hiking trails throughout the area. Entry is $15 and you need to reserve a time in advance. Lost Creek Canyon Children’s Discovery Trail is the best trail for those with little kids – only 0.75 miles but it features waterfalls and petroglyphs. Or there’s Red Spring Boardwalk, which sits outside the main entry for Red Rock Canyon and doesn’t cost any money. It’s an easy 0.6 miles through some stunning red rock formations and desert scenery. The boardwalk circles a meadow (you don’t actually see the spring itself) and is stroller- and wheelchair-friendly. The Red Rock visitor center is just 30 minutes from the Las Vegas Strip, so it’s the perfect quick escape from the madness of the city.

4. Go to a Water Park

Cowabunga Bay water park – $42.95 per person over 48” or $29.95 per person under 48” ($205-257 for family of 6) If you’re visiting Las Vegas when it’s a hot, taking the kids to cool off at water park is a no-brainer, and Cowabunga Bay Las Vegas in Henderson is one of the best options around. Attractions include multiple pools, like the relaxation pool, cabana pool, splash pool, and wave pool. There are also all kids of slides from little kid-friendly to more thrilling ones for the older kids. Cowabunga Bay has some of Nevada’s most unique water slides and it’s sure to be enjoyed by the whole family.

3. Visit the Springs Reserve

Springs Reserve – $10 for adults, $5 for children. It’s hard to imagine Las Vegas as something other than a huge metropolis with giant, over-the-top casinos and flashing lights. But once upon a time in the West, the discovery of a spring in this area of the desert was a huge deal. Nowadays, you can visit the 180-acre reserve and learn about the history of the area. There’s a beautiful desert botanical garden, a recreation of an Old West boomtown, the Nevada State Museum, and the Origen Museum. The best time to visit the botanical garden is in the spring, when the Mojave cactus collection is in full bloom and the butterfly habitat is open.

Kids will love riding the train around the reserve. The views of the barren aren’t anything to write home about but the train ride is narrated and you learn some interesting history of the area, like how Mormon pioneers were some of the first to settle the area and use the spring water for irrigation (you can also visit the Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort down the road). If you’re looking for family friendly things to do in Las Vegas that are off the strip, then make sure to visit this hidden gem.

2. Take a Day Trip to Valley of Fire

Valley of Fire – $10 per vehicle Valley of Fire State Park wins my award for coolest state park name and the scenery is fitting. Go at sunset and the whole area glows like it’s on fire. It’s awe-inspiring because if you’ve ever driven through the Las Vegas desert via I-15, you know that it’s not exactly known for being scenic. Mad Max-style wasteland is more like it. But after taking the Moapa Valley exit and driving through 20-25 minutes of that kind of landscape, all of a sudden these dramatic red rock cliffs rise from the desert leaving you wondering how something like this even exists. About 250,000 people visit the state park every year, but it has become increasingly popular in recent years thanks to photographers and Instagram influencers. You can experience the park as a short day-trip from Las Vegas and just do the scenic drive, or you can do multiple short hikes in a day to see some fascinating formations, picturesque overlooks, and even some ancient petroglyphs.

1. Cool Off at Lake Las Vegas

Lake Las Vegas – prices vary depending on activity Lake Las Vegas is a resort community on the outskirts of Henderson that was built in 2003. Surrounding the man-made lake are golf courses, luxury hotels, condos, and upscale homes. The heart of Lake Las Vegas is a European-style shopping area with several restaurants, bistros, and even an over-water hotel inspired by the French chateaus of the Loire Valley. The lake doesn’t allow larger power boats or ski boats, but you can rent electric boats, kayaks, paddleboards, and flyboards. There’s an even a cable park for wakeboarders (think terrain park but on the water and with tow cables) and a giant floating obstacle course. What makes this #1 on our list is that it’s still of a hidden gem among Las Vegas visitors and even though it was designed as a luxury resort community, it is surprisingly affordable to stay and play there.

Las Vegas Family Resorts

Westin Lake Las Vegas – as low as $97 per night We love this hotel because it’s both upscale and affordable. There are multiple pools, a water slide, and a playground for the little kids. It also has a small private beach that’s perfect for launching a paddleboard or kayak. The Lake Las Vegas location is sure to be a conversation starter because all your friends are going to want to know where in the world you stayed that looked so cool. The only downside is there aren’t many amenities nearby and you’ll need to drive into Henderson or to the Las Vegas strip for more restaurants and nightlife options.

JW Marriott in Summerlin – as low as $223 per night .While this 4-star hotel is a little more expensive than the Westin, it may be worth it to some because of the location. Summerlin is an upscale, off-strip area with tons of entertainment options nearby. And you’re about as close as you can get to Red Rocks Canyon. The pool and spa are top notch. There are multiple dining options on site, including a buffet (when in Rome…er, Vegas, right?). Or head to Tivoli Village, where the steak at nearby Echo & Rig is some of the best we’ve ever had.

Vegas Vacation for Under $500 – Here’s How

As you can see, Las Vegas has something for everyone, including families. It’s easy to spend a lot of money here but it is possible to do it on a budget and still have a great time. Here’s how to do this road trip for under $500 (I’m not including food because of how much that varies according to personal preferences):

• 3 nights at Westin Lake Las Vegas: $291 plus taxes and fees
• Opt for as many free or cheap activities as possible, like Bellagio fountains, Springs Reserve, Seven Magic Mountains, Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire, and Top Golf: $50-100 total
• Choose one activity to splurge on, like the High Roller or Hoover Dam: $140
• Get the Marriott Bonvoy Chase Credit to cover 3 free nights at any of the recommended hotels in this post and spend the money on a show instead!

Enjoy your Vegas vacation!
-JJ

Make sure to check out our other road trip itineraries under $500 for more affordable, family-friendly vacation ideas! And less than a two-hour drive away to the North lies St. George, gateway to Zion National Park. So be sure to check out these kid-friendly things to do in St. George Utah!