Things to Do in Las Vegas With Kids: A Parent's Plan

At a glance

Where: Downtown Las Vegas, Symphony Park, the Springs Preserve area and the northwest valley, plus Red Rock Canyon on the west edge
Best for: Toddlers to teens; the route below suits ages 3 to 12
Hours: Typically 9 or 10am to 4 or 5pm for museums; check each official site before you go
Cost: Free (Fremont Street Experience, Container Park, Lorenzi Park) to roughly $20 per person at paid museums; check the official sites

The easiest family day in Las Vegas stays off the Strip and spends the daylight hours in Downtown Las Vegas and Symphony Park: DISCOVERY Children's Museum, the Las Vegas Natural History Museum, Downtown Container Park and an early evening on Fremont Street. Springs Preserve, The Neon Museum and Red Rock Canyon are the big outings for a second day. Everything below was checked against its own official site.

One honest note first. The Las Vegas Strip is in unincorporated Clark County, not inside the City of Las Vegas, and this guide leaves it out on purpose: the walking is long, the sidewalks are crowded and the kid-friendly spots are spread out. Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, picked below, also sits west of the city, about 17 miles from the Strip, and we say so where it appears.

How we chose

We picked places a parent can actually use: open to children, easy to reach by car, and confirmed on their own official pages. We left out anything we could not confirm as open. Each pick below names its neighborhood, and anything outside the city limits is flagged. Prices and hours change, so treat every number here as typical and check the official site before you go.

Which pick suits which age?

Toddlers and preschoolers do best at DISCOVERY Children's Museum, Lorenzi Park and the Treehouse at Downtown Container Park. Ages 6 to 12 get the most from Springs Preserve, the Las Vegas Natural History Museum, Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs and Red Rock Canyon. Teens and tweens will enjoy The Neon Museum, Fremont Street Experience and The Mob Museum.

The ten picks

1. DISCOVERY Children's Museum (Symphony Park)

DISCOVERY Children's Museum, at 360 Promenade Place in Symphony Park, is our pick for a hot-day or rainy-day anchor for kids up to about 12. Toddler Town is on the first floor, with a family restroom and a nursing nook inside the gallery.

It is typically open Tuesday to Saturday 10am to 5pm and Sunday noon to 5pm, with extra Monday hours on holidays and school breaks. Admission is typically $15 for Nevada residents with ID and $20 for non-residents, for ages 1 and up. Parking is free for DISCOVERY guests: bring your ticket inside to get it validated. Families with EBT, SNAP or WIC cards can typically buy $5 Museums for All tickets in person.

2. Las Vegas Natural History Museum (Downtown)

The Las Vegas Natural History Museum, at 900 Las Vegas Boulevard North, is a small, calm museum that works for ages 4 to 10 and takes about an hour and a half. It is typically open daily 9am to 4pm. Admission is typically $14 for adults and $7 for children, with children 2 and under free, and Nevada residents get $1 off with ID.

Parking is free in the lot directly behind the museum. In our experience it is the calmest paid stop on this list, and it is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and the last Saturday in September.

3. Downtown Container Park (Fremont East)

Downtown Container Park, at 707 Fremont Street, is a free outdoor courtyard built from shipping containers, with a Treehouse, a playground and a Pixel Room that kids can use at no charge. Children are welcome until 9pm; after that the park is 21 and over. It typically opens at 11:30am Monday to Thursday and earlier on weekends, with food and drink hours varying by vendor.

Parking is in a metered lot across the street or on the street, and rates vary. The Treehouse or playground may close for private events, so check the park's site if the kids are set on it.

4. Fremont Street Experience (Downtown)

Fremont Street Experience is the covered, car-free pedestrian mall in Downtown Las Vegas, and it is free to walk. It is open 24 hours, and the free concerts and the overhead light show are the draw for kids; the best family window is late afternoon to early evening. Unaccompanied people under 18 face a curfew on Friday and Saturday nights from 9pm to 5am, and ticketed special events such as New Year's Eve can carry their own age limits, so check the official site first.

For parking, the Fremont Street Experience garage at 111 South 4th Street (entrance at 4th Street and Carson Avenue) is the usual choice. It typically charges an early-bird $4 an hour, capped at $20, Monday to Thursday from 3am to 5pm, and tiered rates up to $25 at other times; event nights can cost more, so confirm on the official site. SlotZilla, the zip line over Fremont Street, typically requires riders to weigh between 50 and 300 pounds for the lower Zip Line, and riders 13 or younger must ride with someone 13 or older.

5. Springs Preserve (Valley View Boulevard)

Springs Preserve, at 333 South Valley View Boulevard, is a 180-acre site built around the springs and meadows that scout Rafael Rivera found in 1829. The valley was named Las Vegas, Spanish for “the meadows”, after them, and the springs were the original water source for Native Americans living here thousands of years earlier. It suits ages 5 to 12 and has outdoor space where kids can run. It is typically open Thursday to Monday, 9am to 4pm, with last entry at 3pm, and it is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Parking is free on site. Stroller rental is typically $3 for a single and $5 for a double. Nevada residents pay less than visitors, and children 2 and under are free, though they still need a reserved ticket.

6. The Neon Museum (Downtown)

The Neon Museum, at 770 Las Vegas Boulevard North, is an outdoor boneyard of old Las Vegas signs, and it is a good fit for ages 7 and up. Tickets are timed, evenings often sell out, and arriving more than 15 minutes late can cost you your slot, so book ahead. Hours are typically 3pm to 11pm, which makes it an afternoon-into-evening stop.

Daytime child tickets (ages 7 to 17) are typically half the adult price, and the youngest children are free but still need a ticket. Only service animals are allowed, and shirts and shoes are required.

7. The Mob Museum (Downtown)

The Mob Museum, at 300 Stewart Avenue, is for teens and older tweens. The museum itself suggests it may suit ages 12 and up because of graphic content, and children under 14 need a parent or guardian. It is typically open daily 9am to 9pm. Parking is a small lot beside the museum, about $8 for four hours, with casino garages as overflow.

8. Lorenzi Park (West of Downtown)

Lorenzi Park, at 3333 West Washington Avenue, is a City of Las Vegas park with children's play areas, a water play feature, a spring-fed fishing pond and picnic shelters, typically open 7am to 11pm. It is the free option for toddlers and a decent lunch spot. Fishing needs a Nevada license.

9. Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs (Northwest)

Floyd Lamb Park at Tule Springs, at 9200 Tule Springs Road in the far northwest of the city, is a 680-acre City of Las Vegas park with fishing ponds, green lawns and the historic Tule Springs Ranch, good for picnics and open space. From October to March it is typically open 8am to 5pm. Entry is typically $6 per vehicle, card only at the gatehouse. It is a good half-day for families who want trees and quiet instead of crowds.

10. Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area (West, outside the city)

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, about 17 miles west of the Strip, is just outside the City of Las Vegas, and it is the one pick here that needs planning. A 13-mile scenic drive loops past red sandstone cliffs, and the visitor center is typically open 8am to 4:30pm. From October 1 to May 31, you need a timed vehicle reservation on Recreation.gov for the scenic drive, and entry is typically $20 per car.

Children 15 and younger are admitted free, and fourth graders can get free entry through the federal Every Kid Outdoors program. The scenic drive closes at 5pm from November to February, so go early.

Where to park and where to eat

Park once per cluster and walk. DISCOVERY Children's Museum and the Las Vegas Natural History Museum both have free parking. Downtown Container Park sits at the east end of the Fremont Street Experience, so one garage covers both on foot.

In Las Vegas, the best family hours run from breakfast to sunset, and the neon is the dessert.

For eating with kids, Downtown Container Park has a range of food vendors under one roof, and Lorenzi Park and Floyd Lamb Park both have picnic areas, so packing lunch costs nothing. Fremont Street has casino restaurants, but most want adults after dark, so eat before 6pm. For more options, browse food and dining listings.

When to leave

Leave Fremont Street by 8:30pm. Container Park turns 21 and over at 9pm, and the Friday and Saturday under-18 curfew starts at 9pm. In summer, plan outdoor stops (Springs Preserve, Red Rock, the parks) before 11am, because heat is a real hazard in Las Vegas; see the weather page.

What does a full family day in Las Vegas look like? (Tuesday to Saturday, ages 3 to 12)

This route keeps a family day in Downtown Las Vegas and Symphony Park to two parking stops and ends before the 9pm cutoffs.

10:00am, DISCOVERY Children's Museum. Park free in the garage and get validated. Stay about two hours.
12:30pm, lunch at Downtown Container Park. Let the kids burn off energy in the Treehouse and playground.
2:00pm, Las Vegas Natural History Museum. Quiet, indoors and done by 3:30pm, before its 4pm close.
4:30pm, rest. Go back to the hotel, or sit in the shade at Container Park.
5:30pm, Fremont Street Experience. Eat early, watch the canopy light show and leave by 8:30pm.

Swap in The Neon Museum for an evening timed ticket if your kids are 7 or older, and book it well ahead. For a second day, use Downtown Las Vegas as a base, then drive to Springs Preserve (Thursday to Monday) or Red Rock Canyon in the morning. Browse nearby neighborhoods for a place to stay.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

What are the best things to do in Las Vegas with kids?

The most reliable kid-friendly stops inside the City of Las Vegas are DISCOVERY Children's Museum, the Las Vegas Natural History Museum, Downtown Container Park, Springs Preserve and Lorenzi Park. Older kids and teens usually enjoy The Neon Museum and Fremont Street Experience.

Is Fremont Street safe for kids?

Fremont Street Experience is a free, car-free pedestrian mall that is best for families in the late afternoon and early evening. It has a curfew for unaccompanied people under 18 on Friday and Saturday nights from 9pm to 5am, so keep children with you and leave before it gets late.

Is Red Rock Canyon good for children?

Yes, the 13-mile scenic drive and visitor center suit most ages, but from October 1 to May 31 you need a timed vehicle reservation on Recreation.gov. Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is west of the City of Las Vegas, about 17 miles from the Strip.

How old do kids need to be for The Mob Museum?

The Mob Museum welcomes all ages but says it may suit ages 12 and up because of graphic content, and children under 14 need a parent or guardian. It is a better fit for teens than for young kids.

Where can you park for free with kids in Las Vegas?

DISCOVERY Children's Museum offers free garage parking with validation, Springs Preserve has free on-site parking, and the Las Vegas Natural History Museum has a free lot behind the building. Fremont Street garages and the Neon Museum area have paid or limited parking.

A Family Day in Las Vegas: Where to Take Kids