Food and Breaks with Kids in Las Vegas: Buffet, Dinner Show and Tours with a Meal

On the Strip, many restaurants sit inside the big resorts, including both buffets and the dinner show in this article. The route to dinner there often runs through the gaming floor, where children aren’t allowed to linger, and it’s longer than the map suggests. With hungry kids, both of those matter. Then there’s the heat: in summer it decides when you’re outside, and with that, when and where you eat.

This article sorts out where families can eat their fill, which tours already include food in the price, and where you can take a break in between without paying for anything. The rules for minors in the casino and the curfew are covered in the overview Las Vegas with Kids.

Buffet: plenty of choice, but not at every hour

The buffet is the meal that made Las Vegas famous, and for families it has a real advantage: every child takes what they like, and nobody waits for a plate that ends up uneaten. Two examples show how wide the range is.

Excalibur. The buffet at Excalibur, at the southern end of the Strip, is the simple model. It’s open daily 7am–2pm, no reservation is needed, and there’s brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. The resort places it in its cheapest price category. According to the price list, children aged 5 to 11 pay US$18.99 instead of US$32.99 from Monday to Thursday, and at the moment one child eats free for each paid adult meal. It’s closed in the evening – anyone planning it as dinner will find the door shut.

Bacchanal at Caesars Palace. The opposite approach is, according to the venue, the biggest buffet in Las Vegas, with more than 250 dishes across over 2,300 square metres. From Monday to Thursday there’s an early dinner between 2.30pm and 4pm for US$69.99 per person, reservation only. For families, this time often works better than the late evening. The resort’s website doesn’t state children’s prices, so ask when you reserve. Swimwear isn’t allowed, and shoes and a top are required. Anyone coming straight from the pool should change beforehand.

Whether a buffet is worth it for a toddler who eats three noodles depends on what the resort charges for small children. For kids who eat well and a lot, it’s usually a more relaxed choice than a restaurant with a menu. How the costs of a whole family day add up is worked out in the article on the family budget.

Dinner show: food without cutlery

The show “Tournament of Kings” at Excalibur combines dinner and performance in an hour and a half. On stage, a knights’ story unfolds with horses, pyrotechnics and jousting; at the table, a meal in medieval style. There’s no cutlery – you eat with your hands. Tickets start from €61.88.

According to the booking page, there’s roast chicken with a bread roll, plus a vegetarian menu without nuts or peanuts, and a children’s menu with chicken tenders that only applies to 4- to 12-year-olds. Special dietary requests must be registered at least four hours before the show. Children up to age three get in free, but then sit on a lap and share the adult’s meal. From age four, a child pays full price and gets their own seat and their own meal. In the reviews, some guests mention that the arena is chilly, so a jacket for the kids doesn’t hurt.

What horses, pyrotechnics and lighting effects mean for sensitive children is covered in the article Las Vegas with School-Age Kids. More shows can be found under Shows and Tickets.

Excursions: where food is included in the tour price

On a long excursion, the food is part of what decides how the day goes for kids. Some tours include it, others don’t. At Grand Canyon West, according to the Hualapai, you’re not allowed to bring your own food onto the site – more on that in Grand Canyon with Kids. A look at what’s included on the booking page saves trouble there.

Grand Canyon West and Hoover Dam with two meals. The day tour with the most reviews among the offers on this site lasts ten hours and costs from €85.26. According to the booking page, the bus stops shortly after departure at a restaurant outside the city, where there’s a hot sit-down breakfast for about 45 minutes. At midday, there’s a barbecue at Guano Point with a view into the canyon, with chicken as well as vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options. Chilled bottled water is included, and the bus has an onboard toilet. For kids, this is worth more than it sounds: a proper meal in the morning and one at midday give a long day some structure.

Small group with picnic. A small-group version with Guano Point, Eagle Point, Skywalk and Hoover Dam lasts twelve hours, from €176.55, and lists a picnic for lunch. Being on the road two hours longer is no small difference with kids.

Valley of Fire with sandwich. Shorter and easier for younger children is the six-hour tour to Valley of Fire for a maximum of 13 people, from €85.26. According to the booking page, the group takes a 40-minute lunch stop at the Seven Sisters, with a deli-style sandwich; bottled water is included. Children under six need a child seat or booster seat during the drive, and anyone travelling with a baby must bring their own infant car seat.

Sunset horseback ride with evening barbecue. A sunset horseback ride through the desert followed by a campfire barbecue lasts six hours, from €137.79. According to the operator, what lands on the plate is steak or chicken from the mesquite grill, baked potato, corn on the cob, a bread roll and apple pie. Children must be at least six years old, and up to age twelve they wear a helmet. You don’t eat until after sunset, so you’ll be back correspondingly late. This suits kids who can keep going in the evening, less so those who need to be in bed early.

More excursions with and without meals can be found under Desert and National Park Tours and Grand Canyon Tours from Las Vegas.

Breaks: cool, free and away from slot machines

In Las Vegas, kids lose most of their energy not at the attractions but on the walks in between. So plan breaks before anyone starts asking for one.

Back to the hotel. The simplest break is your own room, ideally during the hottest part of the day. Factor in the walk: in the big resorts, it leads from the entrance through the casino, a shopping arcade and lift lobbies, and it takes longer than you’d think.

The Conservatory at Bellagio. Bellagio’s winter garden, officially the Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, is free to enter and open around the clock. Across roughly 1,300 square metres, the display changes with the seasons. Between two displays it gets rebuilt, and then it stays closed for a few days: from 13 to 18 September 2026, from 8 to 13 November 2026, and from 3 to 8 January 2027. From 19 September, the autumn display is up. Anyone arriving on exactly those days should plan a different break.

Always carry water. In summer, drinking isn’t a side issue. Bring water on every walk outside. On the Grand Canyon tour with two meals and on the Valley of Fire tour, bottled water is included in the price according to the booking page. What the heat means for your daily schedule is covered in the family overview. More indoor ideas are gathered under Things to Do in Las Vegas.

When you’d rather skip it

The Excalibur buffet as dinner. It ends at 2pm. For the evening, you’ll need another plan.

Bacchanal with a toddler who eats little. As long as you don’t know the children’s price, you might pay a lot for very little. Ask first, then reserve.

The knights’ show with last-minute special requests. Anyone who needs different food must register it at least four hours beforehand. For a child who doesn’t want to sit at a table for an hour and a half, the show itself is also long.

The horseback ride with children under six. The operator won’t take them.

Grand Canyon West with baby food in the backpack, without asking first. Food brought from outside isn’t allowed there. Check with the operator how this is handled for baby food or special diets.