Las Vegas is generally associated with gambling, a vice. It is thought of as a place where the casinos are always open, where the poker games never stop and where the call girls walk the street. All this used to be true and it is still true to a certain degree. There is still gambling, there is still poker games and there are still call girls. With this said, modern-day Las Vegas offers so much more than that. They offer fun for the entire family and the most unseemly activities have been pushed to the side. They no longer occupy center stage. Today Las Vegas is a family destination first and foremost.

The 90s

The transformation of Las Vegas started in the 80s but it was during the 90s that the transformation really took hold and forever changed Las Vegas. There where many factors that contributed to the change. It was partly due to fact that entrepreneurs saw an opportunity to make more money by attracting entire families with different activities. Not just the fathers. (I know that there are women who like gambling but Las Vegas has historically mostly attracted men. There are a lot more women visiting casinos today than there was before the 90s).

Another reason that Las Vegas chose to re-brand itself was that Atlantic City was growing and was trying to position themselves as a direct competitor to Las Vegas. As another gambling center. Las Vegas needed to offer more than Atlantic city could offer.

A number of new resorts where built. These resorts are built to offer everything. They offer great dining, great shopping, fantastic pools, museums, theme parks, aquariums, gardens, zoological and so on. They built everything a tourist could ever need in a small area.

Today Las Vegas gives a tourist coming to gamble everything they want but they also provide wonderful family activities.

Things to do as a family

Below you can read more about some cheap family activities in Las Vegas.

Shark Reef Aquarium

The shark reef aquarium at the Mandalay (South side of the strip) features more than 2000 fish from more than 100 different species.

The Roller Coaster at New York-New York

The Roller Coaster at New York-New York is a very large and exciting roller coaster. It reaches 70 mph and has two inversions as well as an intense spiral. The roller coaster starts with a 203 ft climb and you do not have to wait long before you hit a 144 ft drop. If you like roller coasters you will love the Roller Coaster at New York-New York.

Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum

The main Madame Tussaud’s Wax Museum is located in London but they also operate a very good museum in Las Vegas. The museum is located in The Venitian and features wax statues of a large number of celebrities and historical figures.

Dancing Waters Fountain Show

Perhaps the most famous thing to see in Las Vegas. The Dancing Waters Fountain Show in front of the Bellagio is completely free to view. The Dancing Waters Fountain Show is held on an 8-acre large pond and shoots water more than 240 ft up into the air. If you are in Las Vegas you should not miss it. The show is offered every 30 minutes during the day and every 15 minutes at night. I recommend watching the show both in daylight and during the night. The experience is very different when it is dark.

These where just a few examples of what your family can do in Las Vegas.