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Once you start looking, it is easy to find hundreds of things to do in Las Vegas with teens in tow.
Las Vegas was initially considered an adult playground in southern Nevada, peppered with bars, nightclubs, and 24-hour gambling. But over the past decade, the lively desert city has become a premier family destination.
There are a few essential requirements for finding things to do in Las Vegas when planning to visit Las Vegas with teens. Look for pretty and shiny activities or give an adrenaline rush. Also, schedule unique experiences that will justify leaving their friends.
AREA 15 – The Illuminarium
Located at Area 15 on West Desert Inn Road, The Illuminarium is a complete sensory experience. This 200,000 square-foot immersive art collective is alive with creativity and imagination. Open Monday through Sunday, the entertainment complex features several shows, including Journey to the Moon & Beyond, WILD, and SPACE – providing non-stop entertainment.
This blend of Super High Definition laser projection and audio beams creates a unique experience depending on where you are in the room. And visitors are encouraged to walk the 10,000 square feet of projection space during the show for the optimal experience.
Escape Room Experiences
There are numerous escape room adventures in Las Vegas. Most are designed for ages 16 and up, like The Blair Witch Escape experience. Breakout rooms usually involve solving puzzles in a confined area with a 60-minute limit. However, a few are team or family-focused, like the Alice in Wonderland outdoor experience.
Escapology offers several teen-themed escape rooms such as Scooby-Doo and the Spooky Castle or Star Trek: The Quantum Filament.
Kayaking on Lake Mead and the Colorado River
Las Vegas is a city full of contradiction and surprises, and one of the most unexpected things about it is the vast array of outdoor activities that are available. While the city is best known for its casinos and nightlife, it is also home to some of the most impressive natural scenery in the country. Among the most popular outdoor pursuits for locals and visitors alike is kayaking.
Las Vegas may be landlocked, but it is situated near two large bodies of water-Lake Mead and the Colorado River-that offer ample opportunity for kayakers to explore. And while Lake Mead is best known for its fishing and boating, it also provides a beautiful backdrop for a leisurely paddle. The Colorado River, on the other hand, is ideal for those looking for a more adventurous experience.
With its rapids and wildlife, a tour down the river is an unforgettable way to experience all that Las Vegas has to offer.
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Visiting the Las Vegas Motor Speedway is a great idea for teens. The speedway is a 1,200-acre complex of multiple tracks for motorsports racing. It is also home to the world’s largest Ferris wheel, the High Roller. Teens can explore the different tracks, watch races, and learn about the history of motorsports. They can also enjoy the many amenities that the speedway has to offer, such as restaurants, shops, and hotels. And if they get tired of all the excitement, they can always take a ride on the High Roller to see the sights of Las Vegas from above.
Blue Man Group
A permanent show at the Luxor Hotel, The Blue Man Group, is a team of blue-skinned performers. One of the most popular musicals for children and teenagers, this energetic and mesmerizing theater company combines art, dance, special effects, and music into a spectacular show. The show is rated family-friendly, which means teenagers are allowed entry without an adult.
Hot Air Balloon Ride
Las Vegas is a city that is full of sights and sounds that are sure to dazzle and delight the senses. However, for those who are looking for something a little more unique and exciting, a hot air balloon ride may be the perfect activity. Hot air balloon rides offer a birds-eye view of the city and provide an incredible experience that is unlike anything else. Furthermore, hot air balloon rides are an excellent way to bond with friends or family and create lasting memories. For those who are searching for an unforgettable experience in Las Vegas, a hot air balloon ride is sure to fit the bill.
Secret Pizza Restaurant
At the Cosmopolitan Hotel, there is a “Secret Pizza” restaurant. It is a pizzeria in the hotel that guests are supposed to find. Once there, the reward is a delicious and inexpensive “secret pizza.” The activity was made specifically for teens and is set up like a treasure hunt.
Ride the New York Roller Coaster
The king-sized New York roller coaster at the New York hotel is one of the highlights of the Las Vegas Strip. Officially named The Big Apple Coaster, the thrill ride was the first coaster to feature a 180-degree “heartline” twist and dive maneuver. The Big Apple roller coaster reaches 67 mph and drops 203 ft. The hotel estimates over 1.4 million riders, 54″ and taller, ride the steel monster each year.
Take a day trip to Area 51
If your teenager is a UFO enthusiast, this is a must-see activity. As you make your way down “Extraterrestrial Highway” over desolate desert terrain to Groom Lake, your destination is an area that for years didn’t exist. While this facility is still mega Top Secret, visitors can stand at the edge of the fenced-off facility and wonder if aliens ‘really do exist.’ Also on tour is the infamous Black Mailbox – a meeting place for UFO enthusiasts.
Ethel M’S Chocolate Factory
The Ethel M.’s Chocolate Factory is a fantastic sensory experience. Ethel Mars first started making chocolates in 1910 and is the foundation behind Mars candies, including Mars Bars and M&Ms.
Her factory kitchens craft pecan brittle, liqueur chocolates, and hand-made artisanal chocolate bars. The tour is free and offers premium chocolate tastings, a self-guided factory viewing, a three-acre cactus garden, and a gourmet gift shop. There are even chocolate tasting classes for those who want to stay at the factory for a little longer.
Non-stop thrill rides at the Strat.
Another hotel known for its thrill rides is The Strat. The roller coaster ride, X-Scream, runs up and down 866 feet. The reverse drop ride known as the Big Shot propels riders up 160 feet at 45 mph, while the spinning Insanity ride creates 3 G forces. Or, for an adrenaline rush, try the Sky Jump. Riders are strapped to a harness and jump, bungee style, off the Strat platform.
Snap a pic at the “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” Sign.
Located directly on Las Vegas Boulevard sits the iconic Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign. One of the Las Vegas is a city that is full of tourists from all over the world. This makes it easy to find something to do that is both fun and interesting. One thing that is a must-see for any first-time visitor is the Welcome to Las Vegas sign. It is one of the most recognizable landmarks that define Las Vegas. The sign is open 24 hours a day to visitors. It is a great place to take pictures and get a feel for the city.
See the Bellagio Fountains
Made famous in countless films, The Bellagio Fountains are the perfect starting point for a family vacation. The 8.5-acre artificial lake in front of the Bellagio Hotel & Casino Resort holds 1,214 water nozzles and 4,792 lights which are choreographed to music in a nightly dance of light, water, and sound. The highest water spout reaches 460 feet in the air.
Visit Red Rock Canyon
Red Rock Canyon is west of Las Vegas Blvd – about a 30-minute drive. This part of the Mojave Desert is known for towering red rock mountains and Native American petroglyphs. The National Park offers visitors a day outdoors on hiking trails, rockface climbing, horseback riding, and mountain biking. In contrast, the visitor center has numerous indoor and outdoor exhibits explaining the history of the red rock formations.
The Mob Museum
Another must-see teen attraction in downtown Las Vegas is The Mob Museum – the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement. It opened on February 14, 2012 – the anniversary of Chicago’s St Valentine’s Day Massacre and houses hundreds of artifacts and interactive exhibits covering four floors. These historical items tell the story of organized crime’s impact on American society.
Ride an Italian gondola at The Venetian
While they are not roller coasters, it is a sure bet that everyone will enjoy an authentic Italian gondola experience in Las Vegas. At the Grand Canals at The Venetian Hotel & Casino Las Vegas, take a ride in the gondolas and stroll the cobbled streets of Vegas. Listen while the gondoliers sing in unison as they march along the indoor canal during the Gondolier March.
After a relaxing boat ride, wander the dozens of stores and try true Italian cuisine al fresco – or at least out in the middle of the shopping mall.
Climb the Eiffel Tower
The Eiffel Tower Experience is famous. The tower is a half-scale replica of Eiffel’s Parisian landmark and provides visitors with stunning, panoramic views of the entire Las Vegas Strip. It is part of the Paris Hotel. The elevator at the tower’s center transports visitors to the 460-foot high observation deck. Many believe that the observation deck is the premiere spot to view the Bellagio Fountain.
Visit Fremont Street
Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas is often referred to as Old Vegas. Some of the city’s first casinos were built here. In addition to casinos, Freemont Street is home to arcades with air hockey and carnival games. The mall has excellent shops for a day of retail therapy and a Cineplex. Fremont Street allows visitors to zip line indoors in Las Vegas.
Slotzilla provides a bird’s eye view of the Fremont Street Experience, where two horizontal zip lines shoot out of a 12-story slot machine. There is no age minimum, but a weight minimum is enforced for riding the zip line.
Viva Vision, the world’s most expansive video screen and light show, is the Fremont Street show stopper. This free interactive phenomenon boasts concert-quality sound and is seen by over 24 million visitors each year.
See the history of Las Vegas at The Neon Museum.
Founded in 1996, The Neon Museum collects and preserves old and upgraded Las Vegas neon signs. Kept in The Boneyard, the collection of colorful displays at the Neon Museum spans three decades.
The Neon Museum’s Visitor’s Center is housed inside the distinctive shell-shaped La Concha Motel lobby. The curvilinear La Concha Motel was designed in 1961 by acclaimed architect Paul Revere Williams. Reminiscent of a building from The Jetsons, it is an example of 20th-Century modern design featuring Atomic and Space Age shapes and motifs.
Chopper Rides
Many forget that Las Vegas is a short five-hour drive to the breathtaking Grand Canyon National Park. A helicopter ride is one of the many unforgettable things to do in Las Vegas with teenagers. Most Grand Canyon tour companies will fly the whole family on a day tour with a picnic lunch. And a few will include a rafting tour down the Colorado River.
Hoover Dam is another landmark that can be seen on a day trip. Originally built as a hydroelectric plant, the Hoover Dam conduct tours in the dam’s interior, where power plant generators can be seen. The engineering marvel sits a short 30-mile drive from Sin City.
Surprisingly, the plant is considered an Art Deco masterpiece. Clean lines and bronze sculptures pepper the interior. The most famous creations are bronze angel sculptures – “Winged Figures of the Republic.” It is considered good luck to rub their toes before hitting the casinos.
Ride The High Roller
The High Roller observation wheel lets you glide 550 feet above the Las Vegas Strip. According to the Guinness world record, it is the biggest wheel in North America and the world’s tallest observation wheel. Each bubble-style cabin fits up to 40 people. It is even taller than the London Eye. The High Roller rotates slowly, allowing easy on and off access and spectacular panoramic views of all the famous landmarks in the city.
Visit Bodies The Exhibition at the Luxor Hotel and Casino
Bodies The Exhibition is a permanent interactive exhibit at the Luxor Hotel and Casino. It is an awe-inspiring look at the complexity of the human body through an array of over 200 specimens, skeletons, and dissected organs. The specimens are preserved in a polymer. Polymerization is a complicated process where human tissue and water are replaced with silicone rubber. In the self-paced exhibit, various depictions of the effects of disease on multiple organs, including the lungs and liver.
Visit the Circus – Cirque du Soleil
Teenagers and the circus go hand in hand. And what can be better than the Cirque Du Soleil – circus, Las Vegas-style? While a few of the six productions are primarily for adults, many are family-friendly, featuring acrobats, fantastic music, magic, and choreographic athletics. Cirque du Soleil’s, KA, or The Beatles LOVE are spectacular sensory ballets set to iconic soundtracks.
Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N.
Regardless of age, the Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. at Treasure Island Hotel & Casino is one of the many fun things to do in Las Vegas with teens. It is a museum dedicated to superheroes of the Marvel Universe with interactive exhibits and movie costumes. All guests leave with a S.H.I.E.L.D. Badge.
See the Wildlife in Las Vegas
The Mirage Hotel is home to the Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat. This tranquil garden was constructed in 1990 and dedicated to Siegfried & Roy. It allows everyone to walk the forest-like enclosure for a chance to see the White Tigers, White Lions, and Leopards and meet the bottlenose dolphins up close.
The Shark Reef Aquarium is a popular attraction at the Mandalay Bay Hotel. Visitors can stroll through an underwater tunnel to see a sunken ship serving as an artificial reef or feed sea turtles and stingrays at the interactive touch pool. The Shark Reef Aquarium houses over 100 sharks spanning 15 species. And reptiles like the golden crocodile and the komodo dragon number among the 2000 animals housed at the Aquarium.
Downtown Las Vegas Container Park
The Downtown Container Park is a quirky pit stop where all shops and restaurants are made from old shipping containers that have been redesigned and brightly colored. This offbeat open-air shopping center is filled with boutique shops, a playground, street vendors, restaurants, and easy free parking. A Drum Circle & Fire is performed daily.
Madame Tussauds Las Vegas
Madame Tussauds is a unique spot that captures famous people in wax. Las Vegas is home to the first Madame Tussauds Wax Museum at The Venetian Hotel & Casino.
Some of the largest exhibits display over 100 celebrity wax figures – from Elvis to Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. And The Hulk and Spider-Man may be lurking just around the corner. The museum also has a 4D cinema, a virtual reality room, and an immersive movie bar experience.
Experience Magic
If you like magic, Las Vegas is the place to be. In truth, Las Vegas hosts countless magic shows. The city has several headliners, including three world-renowned performers – the mysterious David Copperfield, Chris Angel, and the enigmatic. Penn & Teller.
Copperfield combines magic and showmanship for a perfect evening at the M.G.M. Grand Hotel & Casio.
Another unique performer is Chris Angel in MINDFREAK at the Planet Hollywood Hotel & Casino. A Sin City exclusive, this is an immersive experience complete with grand illusions, the latest technology, and spectacular pyrotechnics.
The quirky magician team of Penn and Teller is world-famous. The Philadelphia actors always push boundaries, whether playing with fire or knives and can be seen at the Rio Hotel & Casino. These Las Vegas shows are all rated family-friendly and welcome children and teenagers.
The catalog of things to do in Las Vegas with teens is endless.
Summers can be brutally hot in the desert, limiting the fun things to do in Las Vegas with teens. The best times to tour Las Vegas is in cooler weather – in the Spring and Fall. These months are the shoulder seasons, from March to May and September to November, where crowds are smaller and discounts abound.
Whether it’s shopping or laser tag, there are many attractions and activities in the city that do not require you to be 18 or 21 years old. Anyone at least 13 years old can find fun things to do in Vegas.
