The Entertainment Capital of the World promises a fun and fabulous vacation for all — including the little ones. If you’re looking for affordable, family-friendly things to do in Las Vegas, the destination has more than enough to fill your ambitious itinerary without breaking the bank. Here are some favorite kid-friendly activities in Las Vegas to consider. 

Where to Splash Under the Sun 

What better way to spend a day than splashing under the sun as a family in Las Vegas? And not just any pool. We’re talking Vegas pools going above and beyond and offering unique experiences that simply cannot compare. Here’s just a few noteworthy options that are free for guests staying at the resorts.  

  • For a more laid-back experience, there’s Mandalay Bay Beach at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, a tropical lagoon that awaits at this Strip-side swim spot, complete with a lazy river and a sand-entrance wave pool to “surf” the tides. The 11-acre space also offers a stunning atmosphere, cabanas and gazebos to rent and fantastic fare from the Beach Bar and Grill.  

  • The Tank at Golden Nugget provides a unique poolside experience with the epicenter of this three-tiered complex being a 200,000-gallon shark-tank aquarium with a waterslide running right through it. A true hit among adventure and animal lovers alike. Catch an up-close glimpse from the VEGAS ON team below.

  • For a splash pad with waterfalls and splash buckets, and a 50-foot waterslide tower complete with three slides, stop by Splash Zone & Pool at Circus Circus Las Vegas. Whether you and the kids are racing down competition slides or enjoying a near-vertical waterslide drop, this is family fun for everyone. 

  • For families with young children, the Family Pool at Resorts World Las Vegas is an ideal option. With fun water features you’d find at a water park or your local splash pad, this pool is sure to put some smiles on faces from the minute you arrive. 

  • At Cowabunga Vegas Waterparks, thrill-seeking kids and adventurous adults will have a blast while taking in the rides at one of two locations of this fun-loving water-park chain. Race your crew on downhill water slides, almost defy gravity on a vertical water ride, and splash around in the kids’ area! 

Exciting Things to Do 

The best thing you can do as a family is spend quality time and have fun together. Do just that at any one of the various affordable and entertaining activities for families listed below, many of them free of charge.  

  • As a family, witness the “history” of the ill-fated continent of Atlantis at The Atlantis Show at The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace a long-beloved — and free — animatronic attraction. More than 400 moving parts make each of the featured statues come to life as they tell the story of how their glorious kingdom now sits under the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

  • The Mermaid Show at Silverton Hotel & Casino is a free water attraction that transports viewers to an underworld fantasy. The resort’s tropical fish aquarium holds more than 117,000 gallons of water — just the right amount of space for its mermaids to work their magic. You can even enroll your little ones in Mermaid School after the show, where they can interact with the magical mermaids and swim among tropical fish and rays. And the fun doesn’t stop there. Check out the exciting daily stingray feeding show at 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.  

  • In between playing fun carnival games, you and the family can take in a number of free Circus Acts at Circus Circus Las Vegas. Trapeze artists will enthrall, silk aerialists will awe, and juggling masters will amaze.  

  • Take in the glory of the iconic M&M candy at M&M’s Las Vegas. Here, you can find novelties and print customized versions of the candy-coated chocolate delights. Yum!  

  • More sweet adventures can be explored at Hershey’s Chocolate World at New York-New York Hotel & Casino, with over 800 varieties of chocolate and candies. Let the kids customize their own chocolate bars or watch them command the camera as they “star” in a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup television ad! 

  • Fun Dungeon at Excalibur Hotel and Casino is a place of never-ending fun for the whole family! Create memories together playing classic carnival games and arcade favorites, a great way to stay entertained for hours.

Outdoor Fun 

And the budget-friendly family fun doesn’t stop there. Check out the below outdoor activities you can do for free throughout Las Vegas.  

  • Prepare to be amazed by the eruption of the Volcano at The Mirage Hotel & Casino, a free nightly show meant to dazzle its watchers.  

  • Head Downtown Las Vegas to experience Downtown Container Park, a free, open-air shopping center featuring a playground and a three-story tree house, complete with a three-story slide! There’s always something exciting here, as the park routinely puts on family-friendly events such as free concerts and movie nights. 

  • Hidden behind the glitz and glam of the historic hotel’s walls is a lush, four-acre landscape of streams and waterfalls filled with friends from the animal kingdom. The Flamingo Wildlife Habitat at Flamingo Las Vegas, a zoo of sorts in the center of the Strip, features exotic birds, turtles and fish, and is completely free! 

See, you can totally visit Las Vegas on a budget with kids! Now you just have to decide where to stay with one of these great deals. Oh, and the list of kid-friendly things to do in Las Vegas doesn’t end here either — check out these fantastic production shows!