We visited Las Vegas overnight as a stopping place on our epic road trip, and we definitely wanted to make time to see the lights of the city. We arrived a little before dark and drove over to get the picture with the iconic Fabulous Las Vegas sign, checked into our hotel, got some supper and then took a few hours to walk along the Strip and enjoy the lights of the city. Visiting Las Vegas for the first time is definitely a unique experience that we will never forget. If you are traveling to Vegas with your family, here are a few things to know.

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Traveling to Vegas with Your Family

One of the most important things to figure out when you visit a new city is where to stay. We love staying in the Hilton family of hotels so we chose the Home2 Suites located on Las Vegas Blvd at the southern end of the Las Vegas Strip.

The Home2 Suites offers a free shuttle to and from Town Square (a shopping area) and Mandalay Bay. They also have free breakfast each morning and provide us plenty of space to spread out after a long day of travel.

How to see the Las Vegas Sign

One of the most iconic landmarks in Vegas is the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign. People have been visiting the sign since 1959. It’s super easy to park and get your picture with the sign thanks to the designated parking lot. **If you’re coming from Home2, just drive about 2 miles up to the start of the strip and do a u-turn to come back and park for free. There was a line to get a picture from the front, or you can easily walk over and take a picture from the side. It took us just a couple minutes to get the classic picture and move along.

How to See the City Lights

If you are only in the city for a few hours but want to see the city lights, you can take the hotel shuttle from Home2 up to Mandalay Bay to begin your walking tour. It’s much better to walk than drive down the strip since the traffic is pretty heavy.

From Mandalay Bay to the Bellagio, it’s approximately 2 miles. This gives you an opportunity to see many of the iconic casinos and hotels as you walk along the street.

Parental Guidance Required: If you are traveling with your family, have a conversation before you go about some of the things they will see. There are some unique and unusual things that will be on billboards and advertisements on vehicles. Some people are dressed differently than you typically see in rural America and there are some outfits that may not fit your family values. However, seeing a side of culture that is different is an opportunity to have discussions with our kids that we recognized as valuable.

The walk from Mandalay Bay to the Bellagio crosses multiple streets but there are several pedestrian walkways to help the crowds navigate the traffic.

Don’t miss the fountains at the Bellagio. During the summer months, there is a free fountain show that is choreographed to music and takes places several times an hour all summer long.

Visit your Favorite TV Show Sets

Our family enjoys many shows on the History Channel like Pawn Stars and Counting Cars. Since they are both located in Las Vegas, we drove past their stores the next morning.

When we drove into the parking lot of Count’s Kustoms, one of the employees was in the parking lot even though the shop wasn’t open yet. He noticed us taking a picture and came over to meet us. We’ve often said that the best part of travel is the people and this was one more example of that. We talked for about 10 minutes and had a great time learning a little about him and the business.

 

Seven Magic Mountains

Another great thing to see about 10 minutes south of Las Vegas is the free art installation by Ugo Rondinone, Seven Magic Mountains.

Have you been to Vegas with your family? What is your favorite thing to see and experience? I’d love to hear!