It may be the last thought on your mind — or maybe it’s the first right now.
If you are trying to make Las Vegas kid friendly, don’t worry, it’s not as unheard of as bachelor stories make it seem. But it was our first and last trip
To clear the air: my husband and I traveled to Las Vegas with our three-year-old daughter. Our “unusual” family trip was a mix of business and vacation due to my husband’s annual work convention.
Having never been to Las Vegas, I had no idea what to expect. Trust me when I say, this blog post doesn’t scratch the surface of what happened during our weeklong stay.
This post is all about the reality of making Las Vegas Kid Friendly.
Our Vegas Stay — The Mirage Hotel
Honestly speaking, Las Vegas was never on my ”top places to visit,” but I love to travel. When my husband bragged about his experience the year prior, it was apparent that I needed to see if Vegas lived up to the images I’d seen on tv and online. But it didn’t…not in the slightest.
We booked a hotel stay at The Mirage right on the strip. Because of my husband’s conference, our hotel room was booked months in advance. However, when we arrived, our room [nor his colleagues] was not available.
Instead, the concierge advised us to wait to receive a text message when our room was ready. So — after a five-hour flight with a four-year-old for a pre-booked trip, we had to wait with our luggage.
Two hours later…
After several coworkers were finally getting their hotel room keys, my husband checked with the front desk again. Unfortunately, our hotel room at The Mirage was still not ready.
To account for the delay, the hotel staff offered us a non-smoking handicapped room. Gratefully, we accepted the room, and I’m happy to report that it was a very nice room (click to watch for a quick hotel room tour).
About The Mirage Hotel Room…
Our hotel room overlooked a view of the entrance and the Las Vegas strip, but there was a large portion that also overlooked the roof. It was not impressive during the day (by any means).
However, at night, the Vegas strip street lights honestly showed Vegas in a way I had never seen before (considering how negative the trip was thus far). Our iffy was suddenly immaculate to the point that we slept with the blinds open — which I never do at home.
Back to daylight and reality, I found hair on the shower floor which grosses me out beyond belief. I do not like public showers whatsoever. If you think I’m being dramatic, I refused to shower in the hospitals after giving birth to both of my daughters.
As you may have seen on television, the rooms come with a refrigerator but don’t expect to store your leftovers there. The refrigerator is full of alcohol which is expected for the average Las Vegas guest.
Though atypical, I called the front desk to ask them to lock the refrigerator in the room because we obviously brought our daughter.
According to the sign in the fridge, if anything were moved, you would be charged for the beverage. Well…I called three times and even asked if they would remove it (there was a $20ish a day removal fee). Nope.
The bedsheets were very, very soft and comfortable. Though we requested and were given a non-smoking room, the entire floor smelled like cigarettes and weed every night.
The most appreciated thing about our hotel room was actually the guidebook.
How to Entertain Your Toddler in Vegas
If you’re visiting with small children (again, you’d surprisingly be in good company), make sure to utilize the guide book in your hotel room. I refuse to use hotel pools because they are like giant cesspools to me.
Most people brag about the Las Vegas buffets, and truth be told The Mirage does have a decent buffet.
My daughter and I did venture over to Caesar’s Palace which had a significantly larger variety, but having a buffet right beneath you is something I still cherish to this day.
Just outside the hotel, I found Siegfried and Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat, and SeaQuest Interactive Aquarium. Both are a definite must if you have kids (click here to read more).
Las Vegas Strip Safety
Just as a fair warning: aside from the aforementioned, try your best not to venture off the strip after sunset. I drove to the closest Target and felt extremely unsafe.
The neighborhood streets were very dark, but there were people walking in the street. I felt terrible for the residents of Vegas within city limits because they should have had working street lights.
I found it disturbing and inexcusable considering the entire Vegas Strip is overly well-lit.
Overall, I would opt to stay at the Delano (my husband’s first hotel (the year prior)) during our next visit. I have not totally excluded Las Vegas from our future travels, because the buffets are honestly something that cannot be mimicked.
However, I could do without the constant stench of smoke, especially if we travel with our children. If you want to refer back to this blog post, make sure to pin the following image on Pinterest.
Other posts you may like:
- Emerald Grande At Harborwalk Village: Beautiful but Buggy
- 7 Unforgettable Family Vacation Ideas for Toddlers in the US
- 13 Dog Travel Essentials You Need for Your Next Road Trip
4 comments
What a fun trip!
It really was a great family trip after all!
it looks like ya’ll had a lot of fun!
All things considered: it was definitely an experience that my two-year-old still remembers quite vividly.