Las Vegas Suitable for Kids

[mebcamera]

This year we are going to Orlando but next year I was considering Las Vegas is it suitable for a 14 year old boy as he will be then.
Obviously plenty of enetertainment for the adults just unsure what there is for the teenager.
Thanks for your advice.
Martin

[highland lass]

This year we are going to Orlando but next year I was considering Las Vegas is it suitable for a 14 year old boy as he will be then.
Obviously plenty of enetertainment for the adults just unsure what there is for the teenager.
Thanks for your advice.
Martin

hi i have never been but i do plan to go one day! have been looking at las vegas my son is 7 now and i think there will be a lot for a teenager to do see
i would have no problem taking my son - helicopter over grand canyon all those spectacular hotels - bring it on

[highland lass]

This year we are going to Orlando but next year I was considering Las Vegas is it suitable for a 14 year old boy as he will be then.
Obviously plenty of enetertainment for the adults just unsure what there is for the teenager.
Thanks for your advice.
Martin

forgot to say welcome to the dibb

[mebcamera]

Thanks for both

[signtalker]

Have been twice with our son, last year being the last time when he was 15.I wouldnt say its suitable no, there are many great places to see and things to do outside of vegas, apart from the tacky touristy things that they have along the strip. Sure the hotel pools are great(mandalay bay especially which has a wave pool like typhoon lagoon), and good places to eat, but to be honest Ive been twice and my DS hated it, enjoyed travelling to the canyon more and staying in a rim cabin and horse riding etc etc.
Im no prude but i did notice a rise in "Clickers" this time on the strip, these are people that click girly cards in there hands ands try to give them to the males in the group(your son would be no exception im afraid!), they were everywhere this trip, more so than the last time we had visited. And whilst I appreciate lots of people think Vegas is suitable for children I wouldnt agree, its called sin city for a reason LOL.personally there are better,more interesting and more enjoyable places to visit with kids.
Sorry!!!

Jules

[excitedbunny79]

I went to Las Vegas many moons ago when I was 16 and we weren't allowed in any of the gambling areas, we could only walk through the casinos and we were moved on quite quickly when we were where we weren't supposed to be!

We've just come back from there having spent New Year there and really it's not ideal for young people. Everything is really geared towards adults and gambling. Plus, depending on the time of year you go it will be exceptionally hot, we went in August when I was 16 and it was 110 degrees at 10 o'clock at night.

But there again, I love Las Vegas so much that with or without kids I'd go in a heartbeat, it's the most fantastic place!

P.S Welcome to the Dibb! :thumbs-up

[marioner]

I wouldnt say suitable, there isnt much for a 14 year old to do. There are a few roller coasters, trips to the Grand Canyon can be expensive, a small aquarium, Madam Tussauds cant think of much more, other people might be able to add to this.

[lolly_pop]

ive been twice, with my mum dad nan and younger sister who was 10 and 11 on the trips and i was 16 and 17.
i didnt enjoy it a great amount and but my younger sister did because of the shows, shopping, circus circus, and the animals etc.
we stayed in the hilton on our 1st trip and the mirage on our 2nd trip

[Heather1957]

I have never been there with children but with some research I think you can find somethings to entertain your son, I know we've had some posts re this before.

The thing I would emphasise again (excitedbunny mentioned it) gambling is a very SERIOUS business in Vegas (I know that's stating the obvious) and some people get very cross if anyone is watching them play the tables or the machines so even if security didn't move youngsters on 'players' will and sometimes in a very aggressive way.

I also think it would be quite restrictive for adults when they've a child with them.

But, as I said, I know some posters have taken their children with them and all have had a great time.

[grumpys wife]

We have been to Vegas three times and I would say it is not a place to take children. There are shows to see thought these are usually quite expensive. The hotels have great shops to look around but kids and shops aren't really a holiday. The first time we went we were upset at the sight of a group of children, sitting on the floor, outside the casino in Circus Circus, at 12.30 AM, waiting for their parents who were inside on the machines. Their ages ranged from 11 to 2 years old. I think during the day you would find things to do but the evenings are a different matter :thumbs-up

[Astrid]

We went when our son was 3 and even though had a really good week I would certainly not take a child with me if I went again. They are very strict about no children being allowed near any of the gambling and because so many of the shows are adult orientated that also made it very restrictive for us in the evenings.

A good friend of mine returned from Las Vegas on Monday, she went with her husband and said that she's really glad she didn't take their two teenage boys because apart from the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam they wouldn't have enjoyed themselves. Whereas, on their own they were able to take in everything they wanted without worrying about their boys being bored.

[disney owl]

We wnet last year without our kids & did see a lot of bored children of all ages. The main problem is the evenings as at any time of the day they are not allowed to do more than walk through the casinos.

A friend took her 14/15 yr old daughter as part of a touring holiday & they were there in early July & it was too hot for her daughter.

[Tiggernut]

Have been twice with our son, last year being the last time when he was 15.I wouldnt say its suitable no, there are many great places to see and things to do outside of vegas, apart from the tacky touristy things that they have along the strip. Sure the hotel pools are great(mandalay bay especially which has a wave pool like typhoon lagoon), and good places to eat, but to be honest Ive been twice and my DS hated it, enjoyed travelling to the canyon more and staying in a rim cabin and horse riding etc etc.
Im no prude but i did notice a rise in "Clickers" this time on the strip, these are people that click girly cards in there hands ands try to give them to the males in the group(your son would be no exception im afraid!), they were everywhere this trip, more so than the last time we had visited. And whilst I appreciate lots of people think Vegas is suitable for children I wouldnt agree, its called sin city for a reason LOL.personally there are better,more interesting and more enjoyable places to visit with kids.
Sorry!!!

Jules

I agree 100% with this! I enjoyed LV but i won't be returning there now i have my DD. As Jules said there are loads of these people giving out cards and 'flyers' with nude women on. I'm sure your son would be both facinated and horrified (because he's with his mum!) at being giving these things. I don't know if it's any different now but when we went a number of years ago they are quite 'forceful' in handing them out and many people just throw them on the floor in horror when they realise what they are. This means that they are all over the floor for anyone to see! :angry:

There used to be a theme park in the MGM but that has gone now and unless your son is really into shopping there is very little he will actually be albe to do within the casinos/hotles themselves.

[Pino_Spetzberg]

LV went through kids friendly period around 1996-2003, but few would disagree it has come out the other side now. The days when maybe it thought it was an alternative Orlando are long gone.
Witness the widespread " no stroller " policies, that said I'm sure many families enjoy the sights and experience of Las Vegas despite the obvious constraints.

Truth is LV isn't really reaching for young families now.

[mebcamera]

Thanks for all the replies. You have convinced me.

So the next question is where would you recomend to take a young teenager in the states other than Orlando?

Perhaps I will start another thread.
Thanks again

[tiff]

New York for a few days? Ive not been yet but planning on taking my kids aged 11 and 8.

[marioner]

What about a mini tour, start San Francisco and head towards the national parks, like Yosemite, stopping at places on the way, loads to see.

[disney owl]

my teenage daughter is desparate to visit New york, would that be a possibility or perhaps LA & San francisco

[Tiggernut]

What about a mini tour, start San Francisco and head towards the national parks, like Yosemite, stopping at places on the way, loads to see.

Definetly California!!! :thumbs-up San Francisco is fantastic with loads of history and things to see. Yosemite is easily as good as the Grand Canyon (imho) - and I have done both! Then perhaps down to LA to do Disneyland, Universal Studios and Hollywood. :grin:

[David63]

What does your son like doing? There is pretty much everything available in the US; it's a big country.

Boston is a lovely city, with historic buildings and giant skyscrapers and you can take a ferry over to Province Town on Cape Cod which is good for seaside holidays.

The islands off Cape Cod are really nice for a mix of charm and sea.

The California coast is beautiful and there are interesting towns along the way; you've even got the completely over-the-top Hearst Castle. You could spend a few days in San Fransisco which is the nicest American city that I've been to and what teenager could resist Alcatraz?

Stay in Chicago and go out onto the lakes - there's hiking and boating fun to be had.

A teenager might like Seattle as it has a cool reputation. The surrounding area is great for outdoors fun and the city itself boasts the Space Needle and a rock and roll museum inside a mind bending building by Frank Gehry.

Personally, I love Utah. You could start the trip in Las Vegas and then drive round through Zion and Bryce, Moab, with Arches National Park and then onto the Grand Canyon. When we do this trip again next year we'll visit the Grand Canyon first as, to be honest, after Zion and Bryce and Arches, it's a bit of an anticlimax.

[highland lass]

Thanks for all the replies. You have convinced me.

So the next question is where would you recomend to take a young teenager in the states other than Orlando?

Perhaps I will start another thread.
Thanks again

the replies have put me off going - so crossed off to do list :( there is always florida :grin: