There are a lot of travel destinations that we associate with kids. Any of the Disney resorts or many tropical beach towns are obviously family-friendly choices. 

But Vegas? Who takes their kids to Las Vegas? 

Well, I did! I spent a winter weekend in Las Vegas with my two kids and did it on a tight budget. In fact, for many Portlanders, Las Vegas might be one of the easiest budget getaways we can do by air. Anyone who tells you the city isn’t a good place for kids is perhaps focusing on its infamous nightlife culture. But there is plenty to keep you busy during the day and endless options for quirky fun that aren’t centered on drinking or gambling. 

Here’s what I learned during my recent family trip to that neon city in the desert.

First, the budget airline deals from Portland to Las Vegas are bananas cheap. We flew Spirit there and Frontier for our return flight. It was my first time flying both airlines, and I was comfortable enough for a quick two-hour journey. We had to pack very lightly to work within our budget, as even carry-on bags cost extra with both airlines. But for a quick two-night trip, one personal item per passenger (a small backpack) was roomy enough. For perspective, the total cost of our return flight- for all three of us- was $100. That included the extra fees I paid to purchase seats together. 

Getting there is affordable, but what about the town itself? When I booked this trip, many people warned me that Vegas would be super expensive. And I immediately saw that it certainly can be costly. It’s a town built to make you spend money. Walking up the main strip outdoors is almost impossible – there aren’t crosswalks at the major street intersections. All the elevated walkways funnel you through casinos and shopping centers, begging you to shop while you get from place to place.  

But if you’re careful (easy to do when you are only traveling with a small backpack), it’s completely possible to ignore the shopping. Once you sort out how to move from casino to casino, there are plenty of free entertainment options and many affordable food choices. 

Here are some suggestions I have if you really want to make this trip with your kids for as little money as possible:

Become an MGM rewards member, and stay at Excalibur. 

Joining the rewards program doesn’t cost anything at all, but it gets you a good discount on an already affordable room. Our room, with two queen beds and a good view of the Luxor, was $30 per night and about $25 with the rewards discount. The medieval castle-themed hotel once had a reputation for being a bit grimy, but it was redone in 2018. I found our room to be both spacious and clean enough. (There was free wifi across the hotel.) 

Excalibur seemed to cater to families on a budget, and there were cheap food options on-site. Baja Fresh was probably the best of the food court bunch, but Buca Di Beppo had a decent lunch special that left us with enough pasta for dinner that night as well. The bottom floor of the hotel is an arcade that has games for both older kids and little ones. It’s set between the Luxor (a fun visit with kids) and New York, New York – both easily accessible by foot. 

And truly, it was just really fun and silly to walk back into that ridiculously enormous castle at the end of a long day. 

Excalibur Hotel and Casino, Photo: Ellie Hewitt

Excalibur and its formidable neighbor, New York, New York, Photo: Ellie Hewitt

Check out the free shows at various casinos. 

The amount of things to see and do at the big casinos surprised all of us. Sure, you can shop, eat, and gamble all day. But there are also some very cool free attractions to draw you in. 

Caesar’s Palace has a charming animatronic show about the fall of the city of Atlantis that runs every hour. The Bellagio has its infamous outdoor fountain show that runs every 30 minutes. (Before our trip, we all watched Ocean’s Eleven so that I could hype up the fountains- they really are impressive.) The Bellagio also has a beautiful conservatory that anyone can stroll through. The Flamingo has a lovely little habitat that’s home to a handful of different birds, including some very pink flamingos. And the Mirage has an outdoor volcano that erupts every hour. 

A Golden Dragon in the Lunar New Year display at the Bellagio Conservatory, Photo: Ellie Hewitt

Pink flamingos hanging out in their habitat at the Flamingo Hotel, Photo: Ellie Hewitt

Go to Meow Wolf!

Meow Wolf, set in a massive warehouse in Area 15, is the one activity we did that cost money. Meow Wolf is an immersive art experience that I’ve yet to be disappointed by. It is amazing to immerse myself in the art that someone has made, and puzzling out the stories and mysteries in the Meow Wolf worlds are fun ways to work together as a team- almost like low-stakes escape rooms. I loved this experience. 10/10, for sure.

A display at Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart, Photo: Ellie Hewitt

If I were to go back to Las Vegas anytime soon, I’d probably stay at the Flamingo. The theme and colors of that hotel appeal to me (I love pink, what can I say?), it felt quite a bit quieter than Excalibur, and the location is more central on the strip- meaning that our walking path would naturally lead us to explore different areas. The prices of those two hotels seem comparable. Still, a bonus of that location is that the nearby Planet Hollywood casino houses a restaurant called Ocean One, which offers a ton of breakfast and lunch options for just $5.99. It’s honestly tough to beat that deal in any town. 

But for our first visit to the city, I have no complaints about our choices. It was really fun to get out of the rain and explore a new place for a few days, and by the end of our trip, we were all more than thrilled to come home to our quiet little Portland.

If you’re getting itchy to walk around in some sun and do some strange new activities, I think Las Vegas is a place to consider. You might not need to spend as much money as you think!