Las Vegas - Las Vegas for Family Vacation? Not!

Las Vegas is a sin city but over the last 10 years or so, made efforts to tout itself as a family vacation spot also (swimming pools with slides, amusement parks, roller coasters, family magic shows, etc.). I recently stayed 1 night in Vegas with family (tail end of a Utah trip visiting national parks). There were hundreds of young men/women on the walkways on the strip handing out "playcards" of nude women that are available for your pleasure. These people are in your face, wearing printed T-shirts that are also advertising for women, and the walkway was full of thousands of these playcards dropped by the visitors. It was horrible walking with two 8-9 year old girls. There were traveling billboards (attached to the vehicles) advertising for the same types of services.

All we wanted to do was to walk from Planet Hollywood to MGM to see the David Copperfield magic show. So, please think many times before booking Las Vegas travel for family travel.

Seeing billboards of scantily clad women as part of Las Vegas shows is one thing, but open solicitation of prostitution in your face does not fly with me, even in Las Vegas.

Yeah it's not the right place for young children. I wouldn't bring my kids there until they're over 15 at least.

Las Vegas is a sin city but over the last 10 years or so, made efforts to tout itself as a family vacation spot also (swimming pools with slides, amusement parks, roller coasters, family magic shows, etc.). I recently stayed 1 night in Vegas with family (tail end of a Utah trip visiting national parks). There were hundreds of young men/women on the walkways on the strip handing out "playcards" of nude women that are available for your pleasure. These people are in your face, wearing printed T-shirts that are also advertising for women, and the walkway was full of thousands of these playcards dropped by the visitors. It was horrible walking with two 8-9 year old girls. There were traveling billboards (attached to the vehicles) advertising for the same types of services.

All we wanted to do was to walk from Planet Hollywood to MGM to see the David Copperfield magic show. So, please think many times before booking Las Vegas travel for family travel.

Seeing billboards of scantily clad women as part of Las Vegas shows is one thing, but open solicitation of prostitution in your face does not fly with me, even in Las Vegas.Las Vegas stopped marketing itself to "families" many years ago. It has clearly returned to pushing the "adults only" aspects and, to be honest, I'm not sure how you could have missed this fact. MGM used to have an amusement park, but that closed at least 10 years ago. Circus Circus has one, but it has always aimed for the "family" crowd. The only roller coasters are at New York New York, the Stratosphere and Circus Circus. The "card snappers" (the ones distributing the ads for hookers) don't number in the hundreds, though it may seem that way to you. They are, and have always been, a nuisance. For at least the last 10 years or so, Las Vegas has been advertising itself as an adults-only attraction ("What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.").

Nonetheless, I can't remember a stay when I didn't see people with babies, rambunctious toddlers, and older children. I just wish people would get the message.

I think travel agents in other countries are still pushing LV as a family style place. I see a lot of folks with children, obviously foreigners, walking around casnios looking very bewildered by it all.
Clearly, Las Vegas is not a place for family vacation.

Oh, come on now!

I do agree it's adult entertainment, but the prostitute ads aren't anything like that common. There are a few people handing out such ads, generally around businessmen (especially at the convention center.)

So what? They almost always only offer them to males unaccompanied by females or children. Even if a kid does see one, so what? Some awkward questions, that's all. Same with the billboard trucks.

So what? They almost always only offer them to males unaccompanied by females or children. Even if a kid does see one, so what? Some awkward questions, that's all. Same with the billboard trucks.

They offer them to singles, couples, everyone. You must have encountered some courteous ones.
They are just one aspect of a completely hedonistic atmosphere. It really is not a place for small kids. I don't want to preach or anything like that, but c'mon.

Oh, come on now!

I do agree it's adult entertainment, but the prostitute ads aren't anything like that common. There are a few people handing out such ads, generally around businessmen (especially at the convention center.)

You're more likely to find five or six people handing these out on every single corner on the strip ...and to anyone and everyone, as mentioned above. A lot of people take the cards and throw them on the ground. Come evening, the sidewalk corners are covered with the cards, making them easy to slip on (and I suppose making some interesting viewing for kids).

There are hundreds of places to take young kids on vacation other than walking down the strip in LV. I too think the invite card handout is obvouusly suggestive but many of the programs on tv or the ads in magazines are very suggestive too. Much of LV is about adult sexual fantasy and most borders on the titillating if not directly on the rawer elements of sexual fantasy. Next time go to Disneyland or Six Flags.

MisterNice

IT's not that Vegas is not family friendly, it's that Las Vegas has lost the elegance, charm, savoire faire it used to have.
We used to go to vegas twice a year every year for many years. I stopped going around then years ago, when they couldn't choose enough ways to overcharge for things and give you less for your money.
All the ambience is gone.

There are hundreds of places to take young kids on vacation other than walking down the strip in LV. I too think the invite card handout is obvouusly suggestive but many of the programs on tv or the ads in magazines are very suggestive too. Much of LV is about adult sexual fantasy and most borders on the titillating if not directly on the rawer elements of sexual fantasy. Next time go to Disneyland or Six Flags.

MisterNice

My thoughts as well. Just as people who don't want to be around a lot of kids shouldn't go to Disneyland for a vacation, people who don't want to be around the sex, gambling, etc. that Vegas is known for shouldn't go there.

<SNIP> I recently stayed 1 night in Vegas with family (tail end of a Utah trip visiting national parks).

Well that’s two ends of the spectrum right there. No wonder you had culture shock!


There were hundreds of young men/women on the walkways on the strip handing out "playcards" of nude women that are available for your pleasure.

My favorite is the one for blonde Asian girls...

I very much agree that Vegas is not for kids and I am about the least puritan person on the planet. Besides the fact that those ads and cards are literally all over the place (they put them in the mesh of construction fences at eye level of five year olds) and I don't think it is the right milieu for children, I find it strange to see strollers next to the black jack table.

I also don't think that it is just foreign families who come with their children. One could argue that if you come from Japan with the whole family for a once in a life-time USA trip where you want to see Vegas, well, then you just bring the kids. But I saw many US Americans with kids, too. It is one thing to take kids under 4 when they don't understand what's going on. But above that age they will understand much better. Taking teenagers would be counter-productive, too, because they would not be allowed in many areas.

Moreover, I find the entire atmosphere quite low level even at the higher end places. I think it is good to have seen it once in life-time but that's all that's needed. I did think that the former strip had more atmosphere than the new strip.

The only reason I'd come to Vegas is to see shows. If I wanted to gamble in style I'd go to Europe.

Till

Please continue to folow this thread in the Las Vegas forum. Thanks for your understanding.

Jouy31
TravelBuzz moderator

It was horrible walking with two 8-9 year old girls. There were traveling billboards (attached to the vehicles) advertising for the same types of services.

All we wanted to do was to walk from Planet Hollywood to MGM to see the David Copperfield magic show.

That walk would not be that pleasant for 8 or 9 year olds even if there were no such activities. Take a cab!!!

I think LAS can be a place for children if a little planning is done. Though people who want both an adult experience and an experience for the children on the same trip need to stay away.

I lived in Vegas for a short time during the period where they stopped marketing to families and went to the "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" mantra.

When that happened, people were complaining about how they moved to Vegas specifically for the "family friendly values and atmosphere." I was dumbfounded.

Here's a city that has 24-hour drinking, smoking, gaming, and limos to legal brothels and people moved there for the family values. Please.

It never ceases to amaze me how people are so easily suckered in by P.R. Vegas never has been, is or ever will be "family friendly."

This is no different than the rather clueless people who return from Mardi Gras and complain about all the drinking and women exposing themselves for beads.

We have the Internet now. There is no excuse for not knowing the atmosphere of somewhere you are planning to go to on vacation.

That walk would not be that pleasant for 8 or 9 year olds even if there were no such activities. Take a cab!!!

Absolutely no reason to take a cab from MGM to PH - it's no more than a 1/2 mile walk - roughly the same distance it takes to walk from the monorail station to Cinderella's Castle at Magic Kingdom. Plus, it probably would take the same amount of time to walk it as it would to wait for a cab, make the right onto the Strip from MGM's cab pick-up area, go up the Strip, make the right onto Harmon and then pull into the PH Cab area (even worse going PH -> MGM if going via the Strip; at least Koval is faster, but still I'd say a wash in terms of time).

As for kids in LV, I don't really see the appeal for families. In the warmer months, they can hang by the pool all day, and at night, go to a show with their parents. There's limited stuff otherwise though - tag along with the parents to shop, go on the few Coasters, etc. I just don't see it being enough to keep a kid entertained for 3-4 days. It's a city best left until you're 21 years old - the city really opens up to you then.

They offer them to singles, couples, everyone. You must have encountered some courteous ones.
They are just one aspect of a completely hedonistic atmosphere. It really is not a place for small kids. I don't want to preach or anything like that, but c'mon.

I see them often outside the convention center. If you look like a couple the man doesn't get offered one. Only once have I been offered one when my wife was with me.

I do agree there's not much of anything here for kids but I don't see it as harmful.

You're more likely to find five or six people handing these out on every single corner on the strip ...and to anyone and everyone, as mentioned above. A lot of people take the cards and throw them on the ground. Come evening, the sidewalk corners are covered with the cards, making them easy to slip on (and I suppose making some interesting viewing for kids).

Ok, I admit I rarely walk down the strip. If I'm going there I'm normally going to a specific location, not strolling along. I've never seen anyone handing out cards the few times I've been walking along it, though.

There are hundreds of places to take young kids on vacation other than walking down the strip in LV. I too think the invite card handout is obvouusly suggestive but many of the programs on tv or the ads in magazines are very suggestive too. Much of LV is about adult sexual fantasy and most borders on the titillating if not directly on the rawer elements of sexual fantasy. Next time go to Disneyland or Six Flags.

MisterNice

Yeah--there's a billboard for Jubilee: "Enjoy the costumes....or lack thereof".

That walk would not be that pleasant for 8 or 9 year olds even if there were no such activities. Take a cab!!!

Depends on the weather. It's only about half a mile. At that age I did a lot more walking than that.

I think LAS can be a place for children if a little planning is done. Though people who want both an adult experience and an experience for the children on the same trip need to stay away.

Yeah, this is the real issue. If adults want an adult experience here kids are going to be very much in the way.

We have the Internet now. There is no excuse for not knowing the atmosphere of somewhere you are planning to go to on vacation.

^

Seriously, it's not that difficult.

Mike

We have the Internet now. There is no excuse for not knowing the atmosphere of somewhere you are planning to go to on vacation.

Hear, hear! No excuse at all. NONE! So blame only yourself, and deal with it.

I think that there is still a lot to do for kids. Great pools, lots of show, some kid rides and arcades, sightseeing down the strip (bellagio fountains, paris, etc), plus you're just a car ride away from some nice outdoor spots like Red Rock.

I took my mother, who has no interest in gambling or scantily clad women, and we had a nice time.

Oh c'mon now, Vegas hasn't appealed to kids and families for over a decade, and even when they did it was seriously short-lived. Your complaint is tantamount to going to Disneyworld and complaining about seeing Mickey Mouse walking around.

I think that there is still a lot to do for kids. Great pools, lots of show, some kid rides and arcades, sightseeing down the strip (bellagio fountains, paris, etc), plus you're just a car ride away from some nice outdoor spots like Red Rock.

I took my mother, who has no interest in gambling or scantily clad women, and we had a nice time.Of course there is more to do in Las Vegas than gambling or seeing scantily clad women. However, all of it is geared towards entertaining adults and not children. The fact that children might also enjoy some of the entertain does not mean that Las Vegas is suitable for children. Have a little consideration for those who adults who want to be among other adults and not be around children for their holiday. There are a million destinations that are family friendly. There is only one that is geared exclusively to adults. Please keep it that way.

I think that there is still a lot to do for kids. Great pools, lots of show, some kid rides and arcades, sightseeing down the strip (bellagio fountains, paris, etc), plus you're just a car ride away from some nice outdoor spots like Red Rock.


I agree with PTravel on this one. I'm not all that removed from the family vacations - 10 years ago, I was in middle school doing a couple of trips a year with my parents (WDW being the big winter trip each year). As a 12 year old, I wouldn't have cared much for fountains, shows, etc. Pools, yeah, but I was more a fan of slides, etc. I've been to many of the pools in LV, and the only one I can think of that is somewhat kid-friendly is the wave pool at MB.

Now that I'm 23, I can enjoy a lot more of those things, but as a 14 year old hiking Red Rock, I would have been dragging along. 23 and hiking Red Rock though - a lot of fun.

If you want to go to a gambling destination that's also family friendly, try Atlantic City instead. It's not over 100 degrees every day in the summer.

You'd think they could get rid of the card snappers on the "green" angle alone - those people throw tons of paper waste into Las Vegas' ecosystem every day.

Rule #1 of card snappers: If you don't stick your hand out, you don't have to deal with the cards.

I'm also amused by the billboard trucks that advertise women with the tag line "Women who want to meet you!" Are heterosexual males really that dumb? :D :D :D

Absolutely no reason to take a cab from MGM to PH - it's no more than a 1/2 mile walk - roughly the same distance it takes to walk from the monorail station to Cinderella's Castle at Magic Kingdom.

Not to mention that the MGM is so huge that the distance from the front door to the back where the cabs are is about a quarter mile. That's actually one of the things I love about MGM; the parking is inconvenient and that keeps locals out of the poker room.

A friend of mine went back to Vegas for the first time since she became a mother with two boys. The oldest being about 6 years old and the whole time he kept asking "Mommie, why do I need to keep looking up?" (as they walked past the playcard handlers).

I'm also amused by the billboard trucks that advertise women with the tag line "Women who want to meet you!" Are heterosexual males really that dumb? :D :D :DThey are after a few beers. ;)

As a 12 year old, I wouldn't have cared much for fountains, shows, etc. Pools, yeah, but I was more a fan of slides, etc. I've been to many of the pools in LV, and the only one I can think of that is somewhat kid-friendly is the wave pool at MB.

When my son was 10 (10 years ago), Vegas was still doing the family destination thing. And, I will fess up that I did fly some of his friends over for his 10th birthday party. Back then, they had the magic show and dinner at Caesar's Magical Empire, the Star Trek adventure and they all got their pick of a magic trick for their "goody bags" from the magic shop in Caesar's Forum. All those are gone now, except maybe the magic trick shop. It was March and we were in cabs so didn't see many of the card flippers. It worked out really well, and the kids had a great time because the entertainers at the magic show/dinner really catered to them. I wouldn't do it today, nor do I think that today any of the parents would let me take their 10-year-old kids to Vegas for a birthday party. And today, those same "kids" would be more interested in the bare pool parties, where they certainly wouldn't need or want my accompaniment. ;)

I'm 57 and was in Vegas in April. I realized it has changed and it no longer interests me. The shows are overpriced. Due to the economy, restaurants had limited hours, etc. The fun was gone.

You'd think they could get rid of the card snappers on the "green" angle alone - those people throw tons of paper waste into Las Vegas' ecosystem every day.

Rule #1 of card snappers: If you don't stick your hand out, you don't have to deal with the cards.

I'm also amused by the billboard trucks that advertise women with the tag line "Women who want to meet you!" Are heterosexual males really that dumb? :D :D :D

Yeah, they offer the cards but they certainly don't force them into your hands or anything. The most aggressive will hold their offering in front of you--but if you simply continue walking they'll pull their hand back in time. Never have I bumped into one even walking quickly.


I do wish the law would tackle it on the basis of litter--pass a law that says that every 4 hours or when going off shift anyone handing out material must pick up all copies within 50' of where they were operating (and if they were moving about it would apply to the entire area they moved about in) that they can safely and legally reach. (Thus they don't have to pick them up off the road, they don't have to pick them up from behind a fence or on property marked no trespassing.)

The law has repeatedly attempted to ban them based on content. The local--elected--judges go along with this, the first federal judge that sees the case always smacks down the law as every such attempt has been clearly unconstitutional.

Are you kidding me? Is this thread a joke...

Vegas is Vegas: Enough said. If you expect the red carpet to be rolled out for you and your stroller, children, toddlers or teenagers, then you're barking up the wrong tree. The whole reason I stay at properties like Wynn/Encore/Skylofts is due to the fact that they discourage strollers and children in their hotels. Want something kid-friendly? Go to Orlando.

Frankly, I'm sick of adult destinations feeling continually forced to cater to children and their parents who are over-involved, over-indulgent and can't seem to cut the umbilical cord for an adults-only weekend away. Hire a babysitter and leave the ankle biters at home. The last thing I need to deal with when getting through a casino is a line of children, walking hand-in-hand, forming a small human wall you can't get around. Ridiculous.

As for Vegas changing: It's all industry now, but don't think you still can't have a fantastic trip. That kind of statement is cutting off your nose to spite yourself, as the city is currently offering more than ever at a much lower price. If you expect the city to offer the kinds of deals they did in the '50s, you're living too far in the past. Ratpacker days are dead. The mob only owns the strip clubs and cabs now. Long live the conglomerate corporation that now owns all of the strip... For better and worse.



BN

Vegas isn't my first, or second, choice for a kid-friendly vacation, but there are enough attractions for kids if you plan carefully and take the trouble to find them. Stay off the Strip. Find a way to the kid attractions that doesn't involve walking through the smoky casino or 1/2 mile in the hot sun. Spend time with your kids instead of gambling and leaving them in the room.

My kid attractions list:
Circus Circus
Excalibur
Hoover Dam
M&Ms World
Gameworks
Lions (MGM); Tigers (Mirage).
Room service
Arcades (many properties) or the Pinball Museum.
Properties with kid-friendly pools (MGM, MB).

Or fly from LAS to Springfield, MO on Allegiant and take the kids to Branson.