We are going to Las Vegas for a conference in October and I am wondering which hotel pool is the best for kids ages 4 and 7. We are looking at Mandalay Bay, MGM, and Monte Carlo. Insight on these would be great…and if you thing any others are better. Also I know Las Vegas isn’t really geared to kids. What else should we do while we are there?
I would hope their pools are open at this time of year! It is over 100 degrees at 6pm where I live…and I know it’s a lot hotter in Vegas.
Mandalay Bay wins…no question…in the pool catagory. It’s hard to beat the WAVE pool, the Sand Beach, the Lazy River, etc etc etc.
MGM has big pools and a lazy river, but otherwise it’s pool area is a concrete slab.
Monte Carlo…yeah, it’s more serious business traveler spot…not so good for kids.
Beyond the Pool issue…MGM or Mandalay Bay would be my choices…probably best to choose which one your convention is based at. The MGM gets bonus points for the Rainforest Cafe (though a bit pricey I think) it has a great "kid/animal" theme to it. Just outside its front door…you can go to the M&M World and/or the Coca-Cola World…my boys have been to both and definitely have a great time…watch out for the free soda samples vs the kids sugar levels LOL.
Mandalay Bay has the Shark Reef…a really cool tour through a large aquarium with a wide variety of sea life…the lobby, usually during the daytime, has people with live Maccau’s (really big tame birds) that they let fly around and do tricks (free)…They also have the broadway play: The Lion King…seen it with my kids…a great kid show…and it starts at 7pm!?!?! (Tip: SNEAK in your own bottled beverages and snacks…the ones in the showroom are Expensive!) …and again…it has the most incredible pool…your kids will love being there all day every day…probably. And you can still catch a cab or the city bus (across the street) to go to the M&M/CocaCola worlds or wear comfortable shoes and walk (about 1 mile, 1.5 at most).
Outside of your hotel’s of choice…try to take your kids to Circus Circus….free circus performances during the day (sorta cool, no elephants, lions etc) and they have a HUGE area with kiddie rides and games, etc to play..like a fairground…but with aircondiitoning and no mosquitos!!!
Seigfreid and Roy’s Secret Garden @ the Mirage is very cool. I never knew lions got so HUGE…holy cow!!! And they have WHITE LIONS… a newer addition to the animal family. It starts with going ‘underground’ and watching the dolphins (tho you can hang ‘top side’ too!)…then you get to see panthers, tigers, lions, etc…live …and really close up. (The Lion Habitat at MGM is okay…their lions are pretty mellow and lay around a lot…usually far from view…it’s small and geared more to selling stuffed lions…but, hey, it’s free.)
If your time allows…be sure to squeeze in the "pet" show…Gregory Popovich’s Comedy Pet Theater…I’ve seen it…it’s amazing…1) he uses dogs and cats that have been rescued from shelters/pound 2) he’s pretty funny… 3) he has TRAINED CATS…you’ll be able to honestly say…cats CAN be trained!!! I was in a room full of Veterinarians when I say the show, and they were blown away!!!
There are more kid things to do…but honestly, these are pretty comprehensive…for on the strip.
Off the strip…they would like The Springs Preserve…close to the strip, sorta, and educational and fun!!! The schools take field trips there every year and the kids LOVE IT. (My boys go multiple times a year.)
The other off the strip option is: Lied Discovery Children’s Museum. It’s another "hot spot" for local school tours and where the kids "have a blast"…while learning stuff too! The environment invites your children to have fun and involve themselves in all the activities at the Lied Discovery Children’s Museum. Hands on activities and exhibits introduce your children to concepts from Biology and Physics to the ever changing world of the social interaction in our neighborhoods.
Kids get an introduction to environmentally friendly practices in the community in the green village. They get to test out simple machines and water flow exhibits. The Lied Discovery Children’s Museum was set up for children to enjoy a wide array of educational and intriguing exhibits that will fill an entire afternoon. Again…lots of fun for the kids…(and young at heart too!)