Las Vegas with a Baby

It’s Vegas Baby!  But that doesn’t mean we think of wanting to go to Las Vegas WITH a baby.  However, that may be your reality if you are a new parent and want a fun weekend getaway without leaving your baby at home. 

I’m here to tell you that enjoying Las Vegas with a baby in tow is completely doable.  You just need to put in a little planning effort.  Follow these tips, to have a great Vegas trip with the whole family! 

Thanks to Lauren from “My Favorite Job Title is Mom” for contributing this guest post.

Baby Friendly Vegas Hotels

When traveling anywhere with a baby, it’s important to find a hotel that is baby-friendly.  Some amenities that make a hotel baby-friendly include easy access to transportation, large rooms, pack-n-play availability, and in-room refrigerator.  For toddlers and older children, hotels with kid-style attractions are great.

When we traveled to Las Vegas with our son, we stayed at the SLS Las Vegas.  This worked out well as we were able to get a large corner King room which gave us a lot of space to spread out. 

The hotel also has a monorail stop which made it quick to get further down the strip. 

The downside was that it was on the far end of the strip and the area away from the strip wasn’t great.  The hotel didn’t have much to offer with regards to kid-friendly attractions, but since my son was only 10-months-old, the kid-friendly attractions would have been over his head anyway. 

These tips for hotels with a baby are helpful if you are traveling with a baby or toddler.

Check out these Las Vegas Hotel recommendation.

Read Next: Best Las Vegas hotels with kids

Getting Around Las Vegas with a Baby

When getting around Las Vegas, you have a few options. 

Riding the Las Vegas Monorail with a baby

For getting from end to end of the Strip, a great option is the monorail.  This runs from the SLS Las Vegas to MGM Grand. 

Advantages of the Monorail:

• The monorail allows you to wheel the stroller right on and provides a nice view of the city. 
• It also isn’t limited by traffic, so it’s pretty efficient. However, you do have to purchase tickets which can add up if you are making many trips a day.  Also, depending on where you are heading, you may have a bit of a walk from the closest monorail stop.

Disadvantages of the Monorail:

• Cost, you have to purchase tickets and this can add up if you are making many trips a day. 
• Depending on where you are heading, you may have a bit of a walk from the closest monorail stop.

Read Next: Tips for flying with a baby

Using ride share with a baby

Another option is to use a ride share service like Uber or Lyft. 

Advantages of ride share with a baby:

• Convenience: You can call a car using an app from anywhere and have it deliver you directly to your destination. 
• Cost: ride share is pretty affordable, especially outside of peak times

Disadvantages of ride share:

• You have to consider traffic, traffic can sometimes back up along the strip
• You will need to have a car seat for any child that needs one.  If you have a travel system stroller-car seat combo, then this may work, but if you have a child with a convertible car seat, ride share likely isn’t a great option.

Using the bus to get around Las Vegas with a baby

There is also the option of taking the bus throughout Las Vegas. 

Advantages:

• You won’t need a car seat for this option
• The bus provides a little more flexibility than the monorail, with more stops and destinations. 

Disadvantages:

• You will need to collapse the stroller when you board. 
• You will be limited by the timetable

You can view information about bus routes and fares on the RTC Website.

Walking around Las Vegas

Finally, there is always the option of walking. 

Advantages:

• You can definitely get your exercise in Vegas by opting to walk everywhere and the sites and sounds of the Strip provide plenty of entertainment for the entire family. 
• All you need is comfy shoes, and have a stroller you like.  Theoretically, you could also baby wear.

Disadvantages:

• Vegas can get hot with the desert climate.  Whoever is wearing the baby can quickly get hot and tired.  However, the buildings are close together, so you can always opt to walk through a hotel to enjoy some air conditioning.

Baby Stroller in Vegas

You will definitely want to invest in a good stroller for your trip to Vegas.  Ideally, it should be one that offers maximum comfort to baby, has a sun shade and is easy to maneuver. 

The Nano Baby Stroller is one of the most highly recommended travel strollers and is perfect to use in a city like Las Vegas. 

Vegas is definitely a walking city, and the sun can get hot.  Having a sun shade gives your baby protection from the sun.  It also allows for you to toss a thin blanket over the stroller to create a dark, quiet space for a quick nap or just to let Baby decompress from all the crazy sights and sounds. 

Everything in Vegas is designed to be wheelchair accessible.  This means that there are ramps everywhere, you just may have to look carefully.  I will say from experience the ramps are usually off to the side and can be a little difficult to spot when confronted with the sensory overwhelm that is Las Vegas.  Just remember that they are there somewhere.

Las Vegas is designed to minimize the number of intersections where cars have to stop for people to cross. This is great for traffic flow but does require elevated pedestrian bridges in place of cross walks.  There are escalators and elevators on both sides of the street to provide access to these crosswalks.  For most people the escalators are a quick way to go up and down.  However, with a stroller you will need to take the elevator.  It does take a little longer waiting for the elevator on both sides of the street, but it’s definitely not a major issue as long as you allow plenty of time to get from point A to point B.

Restaurants are also designed with strollers in mind.  They often have a designated stroller parking area so your stroller can easily be put out of the way while you are eating and readily accessible when you are ready to leave. 

Things to do in Las Vegas with a Baby

1. Dine at a famous Las Vegas buffet

If you have a toddler or baby that has started eating finger foods, then you definitely will want to check out an all-you-can-eat buffet.  Vegas buffets are legendary and going to one with a child just discovering all the food variety is so much fun.  We took my then 10-month-old son to a buffet and he just loved trying all the new foods they had. 

2. See the spectacular Bellagio Fountain

Another great option is the Bellagio Fountain.  This is a must-see for anyone going to Vegas, but your baby or toddler is sure to love watching the water dance to the music.

3. Walk the Las Vegas Strip

Simply walking the strip and exploring the different hotels is a great option.  The showgirls, the extravagant hotel designs and the street vendors are all a sight to behold.  These things are all true to the Vegas culture and will captivate littles. 

Check out this list of free and inexpensive things to do with kids on the Las Vegas Strip

However, just keep in mind that babies (especially young ones) can get overstimulated by all the sights and noise.  That’s when it can be helpful to have baby noise canceling ear muffs and a stroller that you can cover.  You can see all my essential items in my baby travel essentials post.

4. Can Babies Go to Shows in Vegas?

The quick answer is yes.  There are actually quite a few family-friendly shows in Vegas such as the Tournament of Kings at Excalibur.  However, you will want to research the shows and make sure that they are appropriate for young children.  You will also want to invest in the noise-canceling headphones mentioned above to help block out any loud noises.  Keep in mind that babies enjoy lights and bright colors; however, they can quickly get sensory overload and may need to be removed from the situation.

Head here or more ideas of family-friendly shows and attractions in Las Vegas.

What you CANNOT do with a baby is go to a casino.  You are allowed to walk through the casino on designated paths, but you cannot stop with anyone under age. 

In summary, Las Vegas can be a fun family trip with a baby or toddler.  However, you will need to plan accordingly and know that it’s going to be a bit different than attending a bachelor/ette party solo.

Lauren

Happy Travels!

About Lauren:

I’m the mom behind My Favorite Job Title is Mom.  I’m a veterinary pharmacist for my day job and a mom to a toddler.  I travel a lot for work, but also enjoy traveling as a family.  I’m passionate about helping other parents navigate traveling with young children.

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