Sharing a collection of some of my favorite things to do in Vegas with teens or tweens!
Hello hello! How are you? I hope you had an amazing weekend! We celebrated graduations, birthday parties, and then packed up for a little indulgence 🙂 Summer is here and I’m excited to travel as many places as possible and escape the hot oven of Tucson.
In today’s post, I wanted to share the highlights of Vegas! We met the pilot in Vegas a few weeks ago, just for one night. (We also upgraded to a penthouse two-bedroom suite at the Bellagio and it was EPIC.)
It was the girls’ first *real* time in Vegas (the last time they were kids), and they were hooked. UP said it’s one of her favorite places (NYC is #1, then Vegas, then Honolulu, Rome, and Barcelona.)
Although Vegas is a place for adults, you can definitely have fun as a family with kids. When I was growing up, my dad used to take us to Vegas every summer, so it’s a place I’ve visited many times as a child and as an adult. It’s just fun; in a different way 😉 This trip also gave me the opportunity to see attractions that we haven’t done yet!
(the kids approve their pictures on the blog and IG. Sometimes they ask me to put an emoji on their face, so that’s what I do!)
what to do in Vegas for tweens and teenagers
Here are some top spots for teens and tweens:
(* = things we did on our last trip, everything else I’ve visited)
*Madame Tussad’s
It was our first time here and we had an absolute blast. It was more fun than I expected and the kids loved seeing so many different wax celebrities and taking pictures. It was shocking to see how real they were; we used to think they were real people!
Leo is very tall 🙂
The M&M factory
You can see all kinds of flavors, colors and types of M&Ms and make a small bag of your top choice. (Also I only like brown M&Ms and I can make a whole bag of brown peanut M&Ms which is fun lol)
*Omega Mart at Area 15
This was a top request for girls and we LOVED it. It’s a short walk from the strip and the area is full of fun things (like ax throwing, shops, small restaurants) and Omega Mart. They saw Omega Mart on Youtube, and it’s like a grocery store with fancy items and hidden rooms. You can spend a lot of time here. UP also did a zipline that took him to the center of Aarea15.
*Ride the gondola at the Venetian
This is another thing we didn’t do and while I felt it was a little expensive for what it was, it was a fun experience. The gondolier took us to the canals of Venice and entertained us, and the girls got a kick out of it. It was also a great way to enjoy some scenery and rest our feet after a long walk.
Top golf
They have Top Golf attached to the line, which is an easy family activity. This wasn’t a good fit for us as we have it in Tucson, but if you don’t live near Top Golf or are a golfing family, this might be worth it.
*Fountains at Bellagio
This is one of my all time Vegas favorites. The sources are very good and I love the music. It’s free, it’s cute, the kids really enjoyed this one, too.
See a Cirque du Soleil the exhibition
We’ve seen a few of these but I really wanted to take one of the girls to Vegas. IO at Bellagio sold out, so we will book tickets in advance next time.
Ride a roller coaster in New York, New York
I haven’t been into this since I was a kid, but it still runs and apparently still hits.
Aquarium at Mandalay Bay
This is another great option, especially if you have small children or just want to escape the heat.
Museum of Illusions
We haven’t visited this particular one, but we have been to the 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.
The Neon Sign Museum
It’s really cool to see the old Vegas signs and take pictures. Definitely do this when it’s not summer, as there is a good stocking there.
Something I don’t do but everyone else raves about:
Wizard of Oz at the Sphere
This is on our list for our next trip!
Classic blast: Adventuredome at Circus Circus
We’ve been to this many times as kids and it’s still going. It’s an indoor theme park, so the weather doesn’t matter. They have an amazing roller coaster, too.
Eat it!
Vegas has the best food and there is something for everyone. If your kids love burgers, you can get amazing burgers. If they like pizza, you will get the best pizza. If they like good food, check out our RPM, Vanderpump, or Yellowtail. Vegas also has crazy desserts everywhere. We got crepes, matcha ice cream, and you definitely need to take the kids to the buffet. We love Wynn’s buffet.
Buy it!
Vegas also has some of the best shopping. Any store your child likes; they probably have. We definitely passed a few Sephoras stores and athletic shoes.
Vegas tip with kids/tweens/teens:
We personally avoided the Strip at night, especially since it was just me and the girls until the pilot met us. We plan to stay on the north side of the strip – I feel like the south side gets a little sketchier – and get off the Strip in the evening and go back to the room.
We did Area15 for the night, which was fine, then the Uber driver dropped us off at the fountains at the Bellagio to watch the show, and we went upstairs to our room to get room service and relax.
I feel like if you’re staying at a hotel that has great activities inside (like the Caesars or the Venetian for shopping) or a Cirque du Soleil show, plan to do it at night so you’re not the one wandering the Strip with the kids.
So tell my friends: Vegas with family, or just parents? Definitely a different vibe but it’s bang on both sides!
no
Gina
