Although "Viva Las Vegas" might not bring to mind kid-friendly activities, Las Vegas does have more family attractions than you may think. Head to a chocolate factory for a sugar rush and then spend a day at one of the incredible amusement parks, or plan a trip to a museum after interacting with dolphins and stingrays. Whatever your children's ages, Vegas has something unique and fun for kids to do.
1. Visit M&M's World
If your kids love chocolate, a stop at M&M's World should top your to-do list. Personalized M&Ms make a great souvenir or just a sweet treat for the trip. The personalized printer machines allow you to write your name, a message, or an icon on your M&Ms.
2. Go on a gondola ride at the Venetian
Gondola rides at the Venetian take you down the Grand Canal in an authentic gondola, with your gondolier singing to your family as you float down the canal. You can choose whether you'd like the indoor ride or the outdoor ride, as each has an entirely different view.
3. Go to the secret garden and dolphin habitat at the Mirage
Explore Siegfried and Roy's secret garden and dolphin habitat. You will see bottlenose dolphins, white lions, leopards, and white tigers. As long as they are at least eight years old, you can sign your children up to paint with the dolphins; as children hold a canvas in their hands, a dolphin will come up to it and paint a picture.
4. Visit the Mob Museum
Older children may be interested in learning about the history of crime and how it shaped America. Interactive exhibits, such as the crime lab and the organized crime today exhibit, give the kids a hands-on experience at the museum.
5. Ride the Big Shot at the Stratosphere
This high-speed ride is only for children over 48 inches tall. Adventurous kids will love being shot up in the sky to a height of 1,081 feet and then dropped and brought back up again. Anyone under 15 needs to be accompanied by a parent, so don't suggest this to the kids unless you're brave enough to go too!
6. Go to Madame Tussauds to see celebrities and superheroes
Marvel superheroes are on display at Madame Tussauds, the famous wax museum. Get up close to the Hulk, and experience the 4D theater show that gets you involved in saving Las Vegas from Dr. Doom! Even if your little ones aren't into superheroes, there are musicians, celebrities, and sports stars to view and with whom to take photos.
7. See the Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay
With dangerous animals such as lionfish, piranhas, and pythons, this aquarium is an experience you don't want to miss. Over 2,000 animals are on display at Shark Reef Aquarium. The most substantial exhibit is the shipwreck, where you get almost a 360-degree view of sharks, stingrays, sea turtles, and sawfish swimming all around you. The touch pool lets you interact with stingrays and horseshoe crabs.
8. See the Fountains of Bellagio
The Fountains of Bellagio are a unique blend of water, music, and light to create an enchanting--and free--performance. The show runs every 30 minutes from 3 to 8 p.m. weekdays and noon to 7 p.m. weekends, so don't worry too much about missing a performance; you can always catch the next one.
9. Go to the Las Vegas Natural History Museum
A stop at the museum might not be on your child's radar, but the Natural History Museum has unique exhibits that are sure to excite. With the interactive exhibits, children can become paleontologists digging for fossils, or marine biologists exploring the ocean in a submarine. See if your child can find their favorite animal at the prehistoric animal exhibits, the savannah gallery, the rainforest exhibit, or the live marine life gallery.
10. Visit Mount Charleston
Whether you like hiking, biking, climbing, or picnics, head to Mount Charleston to spend some time in the Spring Mountains. Known as a "sky island," the higher elevation creates an oasis for plant and animal species that are not found anywhere else on the planet. If you or the kids don't feel like a hike, take a drive through the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area instead.
11. Visit Ethel M. Chocolate Factory
Watch chocolatiers and machines making chocolate in the self-guided viewing aisle. You might even see pecan brittle being made by hand, depending on what time you go. There is also a tasting class which will educate you on chocolate production as well as flavor identification.
12. Go to Adventuredome at Circus Circus
With a variety of rides, Adventuredome is a great way to spend a day regardless of the age of your children. A carousel, a Ferris wheel, bumper cars, laser tag, and the world's only indoor double-loop, double-corkscrew roller coaster top the favorite attractions list at Adventuredome.
13. Visit the botanical gardens at the Bellagio
The display of the gardens at the Bellagio is maintained by 120 horticulturalists who update the design multiple times per year. The gardens get updated every season, with a special display for Chinese New Year. Stop by any time of year to see this free, 14,000 square foot garden.
14. Go to the Children's Park at the Las Vegas Town Square
The Children's Park has a treehouse with a rock wall, a hedge maze, playhouses, a pop-jet fountain, and a stage. The hedge maze has been cut low enough to let your child explore while you can still keep an eye on them. The pop-jet fountain is a splash pad that spurts water up from the ground. Let the kids run wild in this giant park made just for them.
15. Go to Wet'N'Wild Las Vegas
Beat the Vegas heat at Wet'N'Wild, a water park spanning over 20 acres. A family area consisting of a lazy river, a wave pool, kid-friendly slides, and a dumping bucket will entertain younger children, while thrill-seekers might want to head to the zero gravity slide instead.
16. Visit Hershey's Chocolate World
Personalize your chocolate bars, star in a tv ad, and see the Statue of Liberty sculpture created from 800lbs of chocolate. Indulge your sweet tooth with more than 800 chocolates and candies at Hershey's Chocolate World. You might find a new favorite flavor!
Las Vegas has lots of kid-friendly activities, for both young and older children. From chocolate factories to museums and amusement parks to animal exhibits, you might decide Las Vegas is where you're going to book your next family vacation.
About Author: Didi Marie Gibeau is a writer, marketer, and social media manager, freelancing to fund her bucket list adventures. When she's not in front of her computer creating something for a client, she's off exploring the world with her son and taking photos of their experiences.