If you are planning your first trip to Las Vegas there are some important things you need to know about staying in the resorts. There are tons of fantastic resorts to choose from at a variety of price points. We stayed at 3 different resorts at 3 different price points during our stay in Las Vegas. I’ll share the lessons I learned during these stays to help you make the most of your stay in Vegas.
Most of the resorts are family friendly
You might think this is crazy talk. But there is actually a ton of stuff to keep kids occupied at most of the resorts. For example, Circus, Circus has an Adventuredome full of arcade games, roller coasters and rides for all ages. If you stay at Mandalay Bay in the warmer months you can take advantage of their massive wave pool and lazy river. Planet Hollywood has a huge mall to walk through downstairs. You kids will never be bored in Vegas.
You are going to do A LOT of walking
When I say you are going to do a lot of walking I’m not exaggerating. To get from the lobby to your room you have to walk through the casino of most resorts. The casinos are HUGE. I averaged 20,000 steps a day during my stay in Vegas. If you want to venture out of your resort to visit other resorts you will again have to go through the casino of your resort and then go through the casino of the resort you are visiting. Wear comfortable shoes and be prepared to walk.
Most of the casinos reek of cigarette smoke
Now this is the downside to bringing your kids to Vegas. Walking them through smoke filled casinos isn’t exactly the greatest thing in the world. I saw some people walking around with face masks on. If you aren’t a big fan of cigarette smoke (who is?) you might consider bringing a face mask with you for the walks through the casinos. I was not exactly prepared for this.
You don’t have to gamble to have fun
While the casinos are a big part of Vegas there are plenty of things to see and do if you aren’t into gambling. If you want to resort hop to see all of the sites, the monorail is a great way to go. The monorail can take you from the MGM Grand to the Stratosphere. A day pass is fairly inexpensive.
Ask nicely for room upgrades
Depending on the resort and the clerk you encounter you are likely to get a room upgrade if you ask nicely. During our stay at Circus, Circus we had a room reserved in the buildings that were detached from the main building. My husband joked with the clerk and was super nice and politely asked if there were any upgrades available. She upgraded us to a room in the main resort. He offered her a tip and she laughed and told him she wouldn’t take it.
Have you been to Vegas? What is your favorite resort? Do you have any tips for Vegas newbies that I missed?
I have never been to Vegas, so I would have no idea what to expect. It sounds like a cool place to visit!
I cannot wait to get to take a vacation there!
It is such a useful article, always dreamt to go to LA, maybe my kids have to grow up a little bit more.
Thanks so much for these tips. I had no idea you had to walk through the casinos and that the casinos allow smoking. This is important for visitors who have asthma, or have migraines triggered from things like cigarette smoke.
My husband surprised me with a Trip To Vegas and it was fun. I cant wait to go back
These are great tips. Yes, I think a lot of people don’t think of Vegas as family friendly but it absolutely is. I remember going there as a kid with my parents and it was super fun. Circus Circus, Excalibur and Mandalay Bay were some of the standouts for me. And it’s definitely a whole other experience going as just a couple or with a group of girlfriends.
Great tips! I have barely been through the airport in Vegas on my way to somewhere else, so these will come in handy should we ever get to spend more time in Vegas itself!
I’ve never stayed in Las Vegas but definitely want to.
It’s Vegas Baby. Whatever happens in Vegas, Stays In Vegas!! lol.
I would love to visit Vegas one day. I’ve never been, and it always looks like such a cool and fun place to go. I’d love to watch the Cirque Du Soleil.
I’ve only been to Vegas once and we stayed in the Stratosphere. You are definitely correct about all of the walking! I also took my (then) teenage daughter and she had a blast! My husband wants to go back very soon and this will be so helpful!
We were on opposite ends of the strip. We never made it up to the Stratosphere. Next time…
[…] you book your first trip to Las Vegas be sure to read our guide on 5 Things You Need to Know About Staying in Las Vegas Resorts. We truly had no idea what we were getting ourselves into. This guide will give you the information […]