City of Sin: bringing baby to Las Vegas

This last year has been quite intense. With husby going into the program full time at full speed all while holding down a full time job and full time family his schedule leaves very little time to relax let alone have quality time with fam. Immediate action had to take place. We needed a break from all the monotony that is our life.

San Diego? The few hours drive south looked promising but certainly way out of our price range (go figure!) and with the current swine flu outbreak it was out of the question. Husby's classmate and his family just got back from SD and he contracted the flu. We weren't about to roll the dice on that one.
San Fran? I love the city but Husby wasn't keen on the costs of parking. Santa Barbara? Yes but what would've been ideal was touring the wineries. Next! After scouting hotel recommendations and prices, researching activities and ideas we settled on LV.

I know what you're thinking.
Bringing a baby to Las Vegas? Are you insane? Trust me everyone, and I mean everyone, was giving us grief about our choice. Yeah, Las Vegas really isn't an ideal location for kidlets. Vegas started to make a transformation making it more "Family Friendly" but then reverted back to "what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" - it's an adults playground. We were determined to find a different side of Vegas, a family friendly one.

Are there really family friendly options in the city of sin?
Why yes, yes there are on and off the strip despite LV's fizzled attempt of attracting families to the 702. Hoover Damn, Grand Canyon, Lake Mead, Valley of Fire, Red Rock Canyon are great day trips. Off the strip is the Springs Preserve - great for everyone. Maybe we'll take part of that when our little one is older.

Um, what about all that smoke?
Trust me with an infant in tow I too was concerned about breathing smokey air in the casinos but Las Vegas has been doing it's very best in enforcing and achieving a clean indoor air act. However casino floors, strip bars and standalone bars are exempt. No problem since the three of us we were least likely to be caught at one of those places. To my surprise the air in the hotels that we visited smelled very fresh and clean. Great ventilation!

Costs to stay in Vegas during the week along with hotel ammenities and all the great restaurants sold us and with tyke in tow we made the 4 hours drive.

Our room at Treasure Island offered fantastic views of the west and the strip.





During our stay we certainly utilized room service for nights that our little one just wasn't in the mood to brave through the overwhelming sounds of the casino floor and crowds. We visited and bore witness to ponies being built, splashed in the hotel pool(s), petted fish, saw a different kind of love, and gut busted at the buffets (all to be posted in detail in another post). We enjoyed ourselves and I even think our nugget liked the change of pace and scenery.

With time for research you can certainly find family friendly things to see and do in Vegas (on and off the strip) without having to subject yourself to the over exposure of sex or without having to pass by the flyer clicky clackers on the strip.

Here are some great sources:

www.vegaskids.info

offthestripdining.blogspot.com

Treasure Island Hotel, Las Vegas
3300 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 894-7111



xoxo