Las Vegas with a baby or toddler: what actually works with children under five

With a child under five, Las Vegas is a city with two faces. Some of its best-known attractions let the smallest visitors in for free, and some cabins are big enough for a pushchair. The big shows, on the other hand — the reason many people travel here in the first place — are off-limits to exactly this age group, or simply not designed for it. Know that in advance, and you won’t plan an evening that ends at the box office.

This article covers only the youngest children, from babies to nursery-age children. The rules that apply to all minors, from the casino ban to the curfew, are covered in the overview Las Vegas with kids.

The age limits that catch toddlers out

For the youngest visitors, the limits in Las Vegas aren’t 18 or 21, but height and age in single figures:

• Sphere: according to the operator, “The Wizard of Oz” is intended for guests aged six and over, and every guest needs their own ticket, regardless of age. A baby on your lap isn’t an option. With tickets from €106.79, you pay the full price for a seat for a child the show — with its fog, wind, flashing lights and vibrating seats — simply isn’t made for.
• Cirque du Soleil “O”: children under five aren’t admitted.
• Flyover: the flying theatre requires a minimum height of 102 cm. Many four-year-olds don’t yet reach it.
• High Roller: under the ticket terms, children up to age three ride free when accompanied by a parent.
• Hoover Dam: on the guided tours, children up to age three go free.

For everything else, the rule is: the limit is stated on the booking page, and that’s where you should check before paying for the whole family.

Arriving: airport and hire car

Harry Reid International Airport has nursing pods in both terminals, which open via the app from manufacturer Mamava, plus family bathrooms. For the return flight, a rule from the American aviation security authority TSA helps: baby food, formula, breast milk and juices for toddlers are allowed in reasonable quantities in hand luggage, even over 100 ml. You have to present them at the security check.

If you take a hire car, you’ll need an infant car seat for babies and a child seat for toddlers. In Nevada, it’s compulsory for children under six and up to around 27 kg. Reserve it together with the car, so one is ready when you pick it up.

With a pushchair on the Strip

Distances on the Strip are deceptive. Two neighbouring resorts are often several hundred metres apart, and then there’s the walk through the building itself. In the big resorts, getting from your room to the street means long corridors, escalators and a route straight through the gaming floor.

You’re allowed to walk through the casino with a pushchair, but not to stop there. The ban on minors at slot machines and gaming tables also applies to a sleeping baby in a pushchair. If one parent wants to play for a while while the other moves on with the child, agree on that in advance.

The pedestrian bridges over Las Vegas Boulevard have lifts. With a pushchair, they’re the better option than the escalator, even if they’re sometimes a little out of the way. Allow more time per stretch than the map suggests.

What works well with children under five

The prices are the lowest currently bookable via GetYourGuide. They change by day and time.

The observation wheel. The High Roller on the LINQ Promenade is one of the best things in the city for small children: an enclosed, air-conditioned cabin, a ride of around half an hour, tickets from €18.43 for adults, and children up to three ride free. The pushchair can come into the cabin with you.

The aquarium. The Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay is dark, cool and can be explored at your own pace, from €25.62. The youngest children get in free. Up to what age varies between sales points, so the figure on the booking page is the one that counts. If you need somewhere cool at midday, this is the place.

The children’s museum. The DISCOVERY Children’s Museum isn’t on the Strip but in Symphony Park in Downtown. It’s built for children up to twelve and has its own area for children up to five, Toddler Town, on the ground floor. Everyone aged one and over needs a ticket, adults included. Pushchairs are allowed in, there’s a parking spot next to Toddler Town, and your own snacks are allowed in the break areas. The museum is closed on Mondays outside school holidays and public holidays.

Free. The fountains outside Bellagio and the conservatory behind them cost nothing and are often the highlight of the day for small children. More on this in What to see in Las Vegas.

What doesn’t work well with a toddler

The big shows. Besides “O” and Sphere, every production sets its own age limit, and many evening shows are aimed at adults. Even where a toddler is allowed in, most performances start when they should long since be asleep. The full selection with prices is in Las Vegas shows and tickets.

Long day trips. The Grand Canyon tour with the most reviews takes around ten hours, and the combination with Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend around 17. With a child under five, that’s a day spent on a bus. Which routes to the canyon still work with a baby or toddler, and what the helicopter operators require for children under two, is covered in Grand Canyon with kids. You’ll find the tours themselves at Grand Canyon tours from Las Vegas.

The resort pool areas. Not every pool is for families. Some areas, especially the day clubs, are for adults aged 21 and over only, and rules on swim nappies and children’s pools are set by each resort individually. Ask before you book if the pool is the reason for your choice of hotel.

Naptime and daily rhythm

With a toddler, naptime decides the day. Because the walk back to your room is long in the big resorts, it’s worth spending the morning near your own hotel and tackling the afternoon programme only after the break. A short trip suits this better than a whole day out. To the Hoover Dam, there’s an off-road vehicle tour that takes around three and a half hours, while most tours there are combined with the Grand Canyon and take nine to twelve hours.

In summer, the heat adds to that. In July, the normal daily high is around 40°C, and with a baby you’ll only want to be outside in the early morning and late evening. It’s best to discuss what to watch for with fluid intake and sun protection in this heat with your paediatrician or pharmacy beforehand.

When you’d rather skip it

Las Vegas is barely worth it with children under five if the reason for the trip is a show, a concert at Sphere, or a long trip to the national parks. These things aren’t made for the child, and in the end the only question left for the parents is which of them gets to go to the theatre in the evening.

In high summer, too, it’s a difficult choice with a baby or toddler. The days shrink to a few hours outside, and the rest plays out between air-conditioned corridors.

Come in spring or autumn instead, build the programme around naptime, and stick to the observation wheel, the aquarium, the children’s museum and the fountains, and you’ll experience a city that leaves even the smallest visitors amazed. More things to do in the city are at Things to do in Las Vegas.