VISITING Las Vegas · The Meadows

Visiting Las Vegas with toddlers and little kids: the plan.

Stay downtown or just west of the Strip. DISCOVERY Children’s Museum and the Natural History Museum are downtown, and Springs Preserve is about 10 minutes west. Here’s a plan with nap time built in.

Top 2 can’t-miss spots

#1West of downtown, 333 S. Valley View Blvd.
Springs Preserve
Open Thu–Mon 9am–4pm.
Kids $4.95 Nevada residents, $10.95 othersAdults $9.95 Nevada residents, $18.95 others2 and under
See it in the guide
#2Symphony Park, 360 Promenade Place
DISCOVERY Children’s Museum
Closed most Mondays.
$20 ($15 Nevada residents) eachUnder 1Indoor
See it in the guide
Nap breaks built in

One day or two in Las Vegas

A couple of big stops, a real lunch and a nap in the middle. Tap a stop for the full listing.

If you have one day
MORNINGSprings PreserveOpens at 9am, Thu–Mon · West of downtown, 333 S. Valley View Blvd. · $4.95 Nevada residents, $10.95 others kids, $9.95 Nevada residents, $18.95 others adultsLUNCHSprings CafeInside the preserve · West of downtown
NAPBack to the hotel for nap. If your little one sleeps best in the car, take a loop.
AFTER NAPDISCOVERY Children’s MuseumOpen until 5pm; noon–5pm Sundays · Symphony Park, 360 Promenade Place · $20 ($15 Nevada residents) per person
If you have two days

Day 1 is the one-day plan above. Day 2:

MORNINGLas Vegas Natural History MuseumOpens at 9am · Downtown, 900 Las Vegas Blvd. N · $7 kids, $14 adults
NAPBack to the hotel for nap. If your little one sleeps best in the car, take a loop.
AFTER NAPDISCOVERY Children’s MuseumOpen until 5pm; closed most Mondays · Symphony Park, 360 Promenade Place · $20 ($15 Nevada residents) per person
Where to stay

Kid-friendly areas near the big attractions

Pick the area by the stops you’ll make most, then plan around nap.

DOWNTOWNSymphony Park and Las Vegas Blvd. NDISCOVERY Children’s Museum and the Natural History Museum are about 5 minutes apart by car.Near DISCOVERY Children’s Museum and Las Vegas Natural History Museum
HENDERSONHendersonClose to Clark County Wetlands Park and the Henderson libraries.Near Clark County Wetlands Park and Henderson Libraries
THE STRIPCenter StripRainforest Cafe and Hash House are here, and the downtown museums are a short drive north.Near DISCOVERY Children’s Museum
Eat

Easy restaurants near the big stops

Kids’ menus, quick service and a short drive from the attractions. Prices come from each restaurant’s own menu.

Casual café · West of downtownSprings CafeNear Springs PreserveThemed restaurant · The StripRainforest CafeBreakfast and lunch · The StripHash House A Go Go (The LINQ)
Before you go

Practical tips

Parking, strollers, changing tables and the best times to go.

Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Springs Preserve is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Mondays
DISCOVERY Children’s Museum is closed most Mondays.
Story time passes
Some Henderson story times hand out passes at the desk up to 30 minutes before the start.
Red Rock timed entry
Red Rock Canyon’s visitor center needs a timed entry reservation from Oct 1 to May 31.
Visiting in November or December?

Santa and Christmas lights in Las Vegas

If your trip lands in the holiday season, these two pages have the dates, prices and booking links.

Santa in Las VegasBreakfast with Santa, Santa photos and Santa trains, with 2026 pricesChristmas lights in Las VegasDrive-thru and walk-through displays, start times and 2026 prices
This week

Happening while you’re here

This week’s top events in Las Vegas. The full list, with hours and the forecast, is on the this-week page.

#1Fri 9am–4pm
Nevada Day Celebration at Springs Preserve
Springs Preserve opens its gates free to Nevada residents for Nevada Day. Bring an ID. Overflow parking is at Meadows Mall, and everyone goes through metal detectors at the entrance.
Springs Preserve · Las Vegas
Free
Hours, food & parking
#2Fri 10am–3pm
Dinoween: Monsters & Mischief
Nevada Day at the natural history museum turns into a Halloween party among the dinosaurs. Come in costume and kids 11 and under get in free.
Las Vegas Natural History Museum · Las Vegas
Included with admissionIndoor
Hours, food & parking
#3Thu–Sat from 5:30pm
HallOVeen at the Magical Forest
The last week of Opportunity Village’s Halloween park, with decorated trees and jack-o’-lanterns, trick-or-treat stations, the Forest Express train, a carousel, mini golf and a slightly spooky funhouse. Some rides need kids to be 42 inches tall or ride with a grown-up. Adults can’t wear masks.
Magical Forest at Opportunity Village · Las Vegas
$24
Hours, food & parking
#410am–5pm
Scream for STEAM at DISCOVERY Children’s Museum
Halloween week at the museum, with spooky science, art and building activities, a Spooky Story Time for ages 5 and under and a puppet show in the afternoon. Costumes are welcome.
DISCOVERY Children’s Museum · Las Vegas
Included with admissionIndoor
Hours, food & parking
#5Dawn to dusk
Spooky Maze & Story Walk at Wetlands Park
A maze through the reeds with spooky decorations and a self-guided story along the way. Kids who answer the Story Walk question get a prize from the Nature Store, open Tuesday through Sunday 9am–3pm. Runs through the end of October.
Clark County Wetlands Park · Las Vegas
Free
Hours, food & parking
See everything this week →
Good questions

Visiting Las Vegas with toddlers: the FAQ

Is Las Vegas kid-friendly?

For a family with kids under 6, yes. Our Las Vegas guide lists 11 places we checked for little kids, plus 3 free places and 5 picks for babies and toddlers. This page adds 3 easy restaurants near the big stops and free storytimes at 2 library systems. This week’s list has 47 dated outings for ages 0–6. See free things to do in Las Vegas and this weekend’s list.

Where should we stay with a toddler?

Downtown or just west of the Strip keeps the museums and Springs Preserve within a short drive.

What if it’s too hot to be outside?

DISCOVERY Children’s Museum and the Natural History Museum are both indoors. Springs Preserve may close outdoor areas early on very hot days.

Can we do a desert day trip from Las Vegas with little kids?

Red Rock Canyon is just west of town, with a scenic drive and picnic areas. Valley of Fire State Park is farther out and costs $10 per Nevada vehicle, $15 for others.

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