Flightster

Las Vegas, New Orleans and Amsterdam for Kids

• by Shannon Albert
• on October 20th, 2010
• 1 Comment

No worries – I’m not going to suggest kids should crash your parties in these fun cities but what I am suggesting is that these typically adult-oriented destinations have so much greatness to offer children that maybe families should consider bringing everybody along on the trip. Here are some family-friendly ideas for each.

Las Vegas

My husband and I went to Las Vegas alone a few years ago and I kept thinking “oh, the kids would love this!” I was happy to be somewhere without them for a few days (it rarely happens) but I also realized that there were plenty of opportunities for them when they did come with us. I don’t buy the previous Vegas campaigns that promote Vegas as family-friendly but I do think there are many fun things for the whole family to do. These things belong on a Vegas with Kids itinerary:

• The M&M Store. So many colors! So pretty! So fun!
• A Cirque du Soleil show. Except Zumanity. That one is still just for adults. I’ve met people who really aren’t into shows and even recently met somebody who fell asleep during a Cirque show but my family has always enjoyed them. If your kids are into productions of any kind, they will love Cirque shows.
• Fun and Games at Circus Circus. The Circus Circus hotel has many arcade games and indoor amusement options that kids love. I can’t recommend the hotel itself for families (though the low pricetag is appealing) because it’s probably not the greatest option but the fun activities are definitely a good choice.
• Aquarium at Mandalay Bay. The Shark Reef aquarium at Mandalay Bay contains lots of sharks and piranhas as well as many other animals in this huge facility. I also think staying right at the Mandalay Bay hotel is a great option for families due to its proximity toward the end of The Strip and the wave pool that kids love.
• Magic shows. There are several magic shows in Vegas to choose from but perhaps the best for kids is the Lance Burton Magic Show. This show is very popular and has been around for years. The humor is kept family-friendly and the magic is top notch.
• Blue Man Group. There are 2 shows nightly at the Venetian. Fun and funny performances.
• Side trip to the Grand Canyon. There are plenty of tour companies offering services but some are better suited to families. Look for tours that pickup at the hotel, provide stops along the way, don’t require too much walking for a child and provide food.
• A million other things that I could list: The Bellagio fountains, the roller coaster at New York, New York, FAO Schwarz, etc. PLENTY of things to do in Las Vegas for anybody, including kids.

(Noticeably absent from the list: the gondola ride at The Venetian. Not much fun and too expensive. Anybody with me on that?)

New Orleans

Our family just returned from a long weekend trip to New Orleans. My husband and I had been alone but wanted to head back with the kids. Our two kids are very different in personality and age but both fell completely in love with New Orleans. Here are some things I recommend for kids in New Orleans:

• Stay away from Bourbon Street as much as possible. This means for hotel as well as well as activities. It’s definitely the most adult-oriented street and staying away is just a good general idea.
• Consider a hotel on Canal Street. We lucked out and ended up getting a hotel on Canal through an online auction site but the location worked out so well that I’d recommend it for other families as well. There’s always a lot going on, you can easily walk to the French Quarter without actually having your hotel there, the streetcar and bus stops are easy to access and many of the kid activities are actually on Canal.
• Get the combo package for the zoo, aquarium, IMAX and Insectarium. The package for this is reasonably priced and you save quite a bit compared to buying each individually. All are fantastic to visit and 3 of the 4 (everything except the zoo) are on Canal so they are also easy to get to. The zoo is also easy to get to via public transportation. We took the streetcar to the zoo but took the bus back. We had been advised not to ride the buses but found them very clean, safe and more direct for our trip to the zoo.
• Take a free ferry ride. At the end of Canal, on the river, you can take a free ferry ride. The Algiers ferry takes is short and takes you to the other side of the river and back. The Gretna ferry is much longer and takes you further down the river, including a pass under the bridge. Just ride the ferry round trip, take some pictures and relax for the ride.
• Tour the French Quarter. Obviously the French Quarter has to be part of your plans. I would suggest going in the daytime but leaving before the parties begin. Beignets at Cafe du Monde, eating in local restaurants, shopping in the toy store on Jackson Square, carriage rides. Many things to do with kids throughout the French Quarter.

Amsterdam

My thoughts on traveling to Amsterdam with kids are just thoughts right now because I haven’t done it but, as always, I have a loose itinerary created in the event that somebody should ever spring a surprise trip on me. Things I would love to do in Amsterdam with my family:

• Visit the canals and Anne Frank’s house. My daughter has always loved Anne Frank and visiting the house would be such a great way to make the book come to life.
• Ride bicycles. Since it’s so easy to bike everywhere, renting bikes for the whole family would be a fun way to get around.
• Eat some vlaams frites. These freshly cooked french fries are sold all over and ever since my daughter was told about these in her French class, she’s been wanting to try them. Fun way to eat a somewhat familiar food in a new way.
• Visit museums. There are several museums to choose from and many have special offerings for kids.

I kind of think just about any destination has something to offer families (adults-only resorts notwithstanding). What other locations would you add?

Shannon Albert

Shannon loves to share awesome, fun and hopefully useful info that she's collected and to connect with other travel freaks. She loves the planning part of travel as much as the traveling itself. Shannon's background includes working as a web developer and as a digital producer for an advertising agency. She lives in Texas with her husband, 2 kids and dog. New York City is her favorite city. Her blog is shannonalbert.com.