Travel Guide: Exploring Las Vegas with a Toddler

We have been spending a lot of time in California due to my husband's job (the life of a lineman's wife -- always interesting and full of adventure!). We decided against flying home to Maine over Thanksgiving due to the price of airline tickets being ridiculously over priced. We didn't want to sit around all weekend with nothing to do so I came up with an idea: let's spend Thanksgiving in Vegas!

I received free rooms through MGM Grand thanks to a game I have been playing off and on for a couple years called myVegas Slots (you can check out my blog post on that here). We also have a soft spot in our hearts for Las Vegas. Back in 2011 after dating for only 3 days, we decided to take an 8 day vacation to Las Vegas and that is when and where we fell in love...but that's a story for a different day. :)

It's the city that never sleeps. There's always something to do. It is a city that we love and wanted to share with Cole, our 3 year old son. So we packed up our car and drove 4 1/2 hours to spend Thanksgiving weekend in Vegas.

Accommodation Recommendation: MGM Grand

For this past trip we decided to stay at the MGM Grand for one simple reason: Top Golf is located on the MGM property.

Our 3 year old is OBSESSED with golf. He actually asks to watch it on TV most times over anything on the Disney channel. Top Golf is a short walk from MGM and they will even shuttle you to and from the hotel.

We were offered an upgrade from a standard King room to a Stay Well room for $20 and we were very happy we did so. The bathroom was gorgeous with marble everywhere. There was a bathtub for Cole where the standard room is a shower only. The shower water is infused with vitamin C. The room had an air purifier and a diffuser where you could control how much of their blend of essential oils was dispersed into the air. The couch pulled out into a full size bed so Cole had his own space. We had a decent view of the strip, too! By the end of our weekend getaway we literally felt like we had spent a few days at the spa just by spending time in our room.

You can read more about the Stay Well rooms at MGM here.

Things to Do:

Top Golf

As I mentioned above, our 3 year old is OBSESSED with golf and loves Top Golf even more. As we were driving into Vegas he saw a billboard with the Top Golf logo on it and started freaking out. So, it was the first stop we made after checking into our room! Even if you are not an avid golfer (like me!), Top Golf is fun for everyone. It's basically a multi story driving range with targets all over the green. If you hit your ball into the targets, you receive points. The person with the highest points wins.

What I liked most about this Top Golf is the bottom 2 stories are reserved for families while the top 2 stories are strictly 21+. You can also order food and beverages while you play (the hot ham and cheese with tomato bisque soup is to die for). I would highly recommend reserving a bay before you arrive. We had to wait an hour and a half for a bay to be available and we arrived at 11 AM. It only gets busier as the day goes on!

The Big Apple Arcade at New York New York

We were very impressed with the variety of games that were available here. We spent about two hours in this arcade and had to literally drag our son out because he wanted to stay all day. Tickets added up quickly and the number of tickets required to earn a prize were very reasonable. This is hands down one of the best arcades we have ever been to.

The Freebies: Fountains at Bellagio, the Volcano at The Mirage, & the flamingo wildlife habitat at the Flamingo hotel

These are all iconic things to see on any Vegas trip, but seeing these through a child's eyes was magical. Cole LOVED the volcano at The Mirage. He was absolutely in awe and was left speechless. He still talks about the "cool fire" days later.

Food Suggestions

Quick Bite: Sirrico's Pizza in New York New York

This is hands down THE best damn pizza I have ever had in my life (Barstool Sports -- where ya at with your pizza review?!). I have been to Vegas five times and always make it a point to eat here for at least one meal. The first time my husband and I went to Vegas in 2011, we ate here for breakfast, lunch, and a late night snack in one day. Their pizza is THAT good. It's very quick and easy.

Low Key Restaurant: try the The Sugar Factory

We eat at the Sugar Factory whenever we are in Las Vegas. Not only are their desserts and drinks some of the most amazing creations you will ever see, but their meals also taste phenomenal.

They have a pretty extensive menu including steaks, pasta, salads, and burgers. The fettuccine alfredo is hands down our favorite meal at the Sugar Factory.

We always order one of their goblets (drinks in fishbowl type cups that are decked out with candy and even have smoke rolling off them when they reach your table). Also a must when you are at the sugar factory: one of their decedent milk shakes. Our 3 year old gets SO excited when he sees one of these beauties being brought to our table.

More Upscale Dining: Mon Ami Gabi inside Paris Hotel

Mon Ami Gabi is the kind of restaurant we love: a fine dining experience without having to dress up in a suit and tie. The dress code is pretty lax. My husband wore dark jeans and a flannel shirt and he fit right in.

I was a little nervous bringing our 3 year old here because I didn't know what the atmosphere would be like. To my surprise, it was very kid friendly. They provided him with a kids menu and crayons. Our waitress was a sweet heart -- she took time to talk to our son every time she was at our table. The service was absolutely phenomenal!

We got lucky and were seated inside right next to the window facing towards the Bellagio. We were able to watch the fountains while we sipped champagne. The view was breathtaking!

The view was great but the food was even better. My husband and I both got the flank steak and we were both in awe with how tender and juicy it was. We ate at a high end (and super expensive) steak house in Beverly Hills this past August and I honestly have to say I liked the steak at Mon Ami Gabi better. Very flavorful and reasonably priced at $29.

Vegas is fun as an adult only getaway, but we had just as much fun exploring the city with our kiddo.

Have you been to Vegas with you little one? What was your favorite part of your trip? Let me know!