San Francisco and Las Vegas with kids

[PhoebeBridger]

Hi! We have just booked a 10 night stay in San Francisco and Las Vegas. It will be Dp and I, my ds aged 10 and my parents (both in their 50’s). We are going to vegas for a wedding (not mine sadly although it’d be a definite yes if DP asked 😂) and have decided to add 4 night on in San Fran as I’ve always wanted to go. It’s all booked and paid for before anyone says don’t go/it’s filthy/not for kid etc.

Anyway we’ve been to New York with DS which appears to have a massive homeless/mental health problem, we live in a pretty ‘rough’ area of the UK so DS wasn’t really dazed but I know San Fran has a lot of issues.

I’ve looked at things to do in San Fran and have a bit of a list but for Vegas so far I have:

Bellagio fountains
A show
Trip the the grand canyon
mini paris
The Aquarium
Coca Cola store
m&m store (we’ve been the one in London and NYC and DS just LOVED them both)
Walking along the strip
The kids arcade (think it’s at the Excalibur)
The Vegas sign

DS is really excited about the trip, I know it’s not typically a place to take kids but we’re excited to go (and for the wedding). Has anyone get any tips?

thanks

Vegas: don't forget the new york new york roller coaster
Would he enjoy the (terrifying) rides at the top of the stratosphere?
Show has to be cirque de soleil. I have been to them all. Ka at the MGM grand is great. I didn't enjoy O at the bellagio as much as Ka but it is good. Mystere at TI has since gone I think but that was great. I don't personally fancy the music tie ins with the beatles etc.

San Fran: alcatraz could be interesting for ds, Chinatown fun to eat in, there's a big science museum that was fab, there's a beautiful Japanese tea garden. Go to Haight Ashbury to wander around the "hippy" shops and there's a massive park (think that might be where the Japanese garden is).

Tram ride!

Coit tower

The street with all the hairpin bends

Can you bike the golden gate bridge.

Sounds like a fab trip.

Thank you! Yes thinking of hiring a bike to go over the bridge! I don’t think he’d go on the rides but I might, I’ll have a Google now.

Thanks, I’m really excited!

These are all great recommendations.

The one word of warning for San Francisco is that the homeless problem is really dire. It’s nothing like the situation here. Think people shooting up in doorways in broad daylight, people pulling out knives on buses, people passed out on the pavement. It’s really shocking. After my last visit I decided I wouldn’t be returning if I could help it. Really stick to the touristy areas and avoid public transport except for the trams.

Las Vegas, try the downtown area too and the Container Park and zip line thingy. Maybe do a hotel buffet

San Fransisco, you must do the Exploratorium. And take sweaters and a light raincoat

In San Francisco, I would really recommend not staying in the 'touristy bit'. Find somewhere a bit more interesting and local to stay at. I used to live in SF and honestly, the tourist areas are shit. Dh did find alcatraz interesting, but it's probably more for teens than little kids.

I second Chinatown, Haight Ashbury, Golden Gate Park (yes, Japanese tea garden is great). Go for tacos somewhere in the Mission District. There is an interesting vintage amusements somewhere near Fisherman's Wharf (which I would otherwise avoid, but the amusements is great). Go out to Ocean Beach if it's a nice day and watch the sunset.

Vegas local here. Definitely see a cirque show, my DD enjoyed love (the Beatles one) and O at the Bellagio which is water based. Circus circus is grim but he might enjoy the adventuredome theme park there. If you can, hire a car and take a drive out to red rock canyon, only about 20 mins from the strip. While youre there you can explore summerlin a bit, there's a nice outdoor mall with a Dave and busters arcade and a cinema and bowling at red rock casino.

One thing I remember from a similar trip is that the Grand Canyon is MUCH further from Vegas than we had realised…

Perhaps @FromEden could confirm/clarify exactly how far it is?

My favorite memories of Vegas were the walk in beer fridge in Walgreens. You can walk around drinking cans of lager legally.

I think I'll go back this year

Oh yeah we have car hire booked so can drive out if anyone has any suggestions. I know it’s MASSIVE so of course don’t want to spend all time driving but anywhere within in a 2 hour drive would be fine.

Vegas ...We took our grandson a few years ago .Hoover Dam is another great place. Go actually inside the dam to see the workings. You can take photos back up the dam. As you have a car. Valley of Fire and Red Rock.

SF - our grandson had researched Alcatraz and it was like we had our own tour guide. By the bay is another great area.

You can get the bus up and down the strip ...downtown .can be unkid friendly be careful of anybody dressed up ad super heros or showgirls including at the vegas sign for photos they charge a fortune. Apart from my post of doom 😀have a great time it's definitely an experience

Oh and it stinks of weed !

The zip wire in Vegas is awesome !

For Vegas - My son enjoyed the gaming arena in the Luxor (HyperX) - it's essentially a massive massive Hall with loads of gaming machines. They also enjoyed the arcades at New York New York. The main thing is going in and out of the hotels though, it's so much fun and my children absolutely loved exploring. It's way more 'child friendly' than it seems. We've been as a family twice now!

The closest part of the grand canyon is about a 3 hr drive away and it's not the 'main' part, just the southern rim, so the views aren't as good. It's where the skywalk is where you can walk out on the glass platform

Oh forgot to say, definitely go to Omega Mart! It's weird but fun. It's at area 15, there are a few other activities there too, like an immersive van Gogh exhibition, VR stuff and axe throwing.

The strip wasn’t the most child friendly place come dusk, lots of handing out of quite graphic business cards advertising strip shows and the like to my son who was about 14 at the time.

There's the Hershey store too.
Pinball hall of fame is down by the vegas sign.

King tut exhibit at Luxor and Hunger games at mgm.

If you look at the go city tourist pass it gives a good idea of attractions, and costs, though there are usually discounts available for most.

Yeah you also get the lorry adverts for "'girls 24'/7' las vegas is not subtle!

Alcatraz you need to book months in advance. Fly to the Grand Canyon if you can afford it.

I’ll have a look at booking Alcatraz today, we went to New York in November and it STANK of weed as well!

We’re staying at the Luxur in vegas so I’ll have a look at the arcade. Definitely considering flying to the Grand Canyon but I’ll have a proper look after work.

Getting the zip line booked tonight! Very excited

Papillon helicopter tours will do pick up by private bus from Vegas hotels - well worth it!
our heli pilot was from Leeds originally

zip line at the Linq is fun but short!
the big wheel is fab at night!

If you're staying at the Luxor, the Bodies Exhibition & The Titanic exhibition are well worth visiting. We booked tickets when we were there and my boys loved it. The aquarium at Mandalay Bay (literally next door to the Luxor) is great as well, there's a 4D ride after you've been and we all had a great time.

If you're looking for food options, it's definitely worth trying a buffet - there's one in Luxor, but the nicer ones are probably Bellagio or Mgm (unless you're wanting to spend much bigger money). There are some great bakeries for breakfast, but places do tend to fill up as it gets later - if you're up early then it's usually pretty quiet. The forum shops at Ceasars Palace has loads of lovely/child friendly restaurants - The Trevi is great & do fab Bellini's.

The Whole Dam Tour at Hoover Dam is great - well worth it. You can stand on the road bridge outside and have one foot in Arizona and the other in Nevada too.

Ooo great I’ll add the Hoover Dam to our list. But I feel like we should have booked longer 😂