14 Things in Downtown Vegas for Kids

14 Things in Downtown Vegas for Kids

With so much going on on the Las Vegas Strip it's easy to forget about the little gem of downtown Vegas. It's not your typical downtown full of tall buildings, massive industry leading companies and the hustle and bustle of the suit and tie. Downtown Vegas is historic, full of lights and distinctive experiences you won't find anywhere else. Here are 14 family friendly things for you to do in Downtown Vegas.

1. Slotzilla Zip Line

Slotzilla is a 12 story slot machine on Fremont Street that you can zip line off of and soar over what is considered to be the heartbeat of downtown, Fremont. There are 2 levels to this attraction. One, the ZipLine which is about 77 feet from the ground and two, the Zoomline which is about 114 feet off the ground. You will reach up to 40 mph while gliding above the crowd below. This one is for the bigger kids, there is a minimum weight requirement of 80 pounds. For ticket pricing and information click here Slotzilla.

2. The Container Park

This one-of-a-kind play area that was opened in December of 2013, was constructed of 43 re-purposed shipping containers and 41 locally manufactured Xtreme cubes and includes a tree house with a 33 foot tall slide! The play area features a NEOS play system to get your kids moving and to have fun doing it! While the kiddos are having a blast in the gated playground, mom & dad can go to all the boutique shops for a little shopping and grab a meal at one of the many dining options. Through out the year they have live entertainment (Click here for current events Container Park Events). Parking can be a bit tricky as there is no parking lot for the Container Park but there is metered parking around the outside of the park, in all honesty it's probably best to take a taxi cab. To be fair, it's not technically on the Strip, it is downtown but about 10 minutes North of the Stratosphere Casino. You could easily spend a couple hours here shopping, dining and enjoying any entertainment that might be going on. 

3. The Tank Pool at the Golden Nugget

Has your kid ever wanted to get up close and personal with sea life? How about doing it while sliding down a 30 foot water slide? The Tank Pool at the Golden Nugget will offer an experience unlike any other. With a secured water slide going through a tank filled with sharks and fish you can safely swim with the sharks. The pool surrounding the tank offers amazing opportunities to view the marine life and displays a series of playful waterfalls you can swim under and enjoy. You can also take a Tank Tour where a marine biologist will take you through the inner workings of the tank, talk to you about how they take care of the marine life and how feeding time works. For tour information click here Shark Tank Tours.

4. The Toy Shack

You may have seen the owner of this store pop up on an episode or two of Pawn Stars as their go-to toy expert. Get a glimpse of his world and let your children experience the nostalgia of old toys and new all under one roof. Located near Slotzilla this fun store is easy to get to from Fremont Street. For store hours and location click here Toy Shack.

5. Fremont Street Experience

I think Fremont Street is one of the most underrated places in Vegas. There are shops, street entertainers and food galore (deep fried Oreos anyone?). There is live entertainment every night (Check the events calendar Fremont Street Calendar) and the famous Viva Visions show which playfully display amazing light shows on a 1,500 foot long video screen overhead to the likes of Bon Jovi, The Doors and more (Fremont Viva light show schedule).

6. Neon Museum

The Neon Museum is like a live photo gallery of the history of Vegas. The museum includes over 200 signs ranging in year from the 1930s all the way up to present day. Founded in 1996, they have been dedicated to preserving and protecting iconic Las Vegas signs and rescuing history that would have otherwise been lost and possibly forgotten. In fact, the Visitor's Center of the museum was once a lobby of the historic La Concha motel.  The outside exhibition space which houses most of the signs is known as the Neon Boneyard. You will only be able to enter the Neon Boneyard by purchasing tickets for a guided tour. Tours are 7 days a week and can be done during the day or at night when the signs are lit up. Just be aware that there is broken glass, rust and other fragments around the signs so if you are taking the kids a daytime tour might be the better choice. To book a tour click here Neon Boneyard Tour. Lastly, be sure to look at their "Happenings" page for upcoming events: Neon Happenings. The museum is a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization.

7. Las Vegas Natural History Museum

The Las Vegas Natural History Museum opened in 1991 and has been popular with locals ever since. Take your kids into the depths of their imagination and explore world history and world climates by way of different exhibits. The exhibits you will find are as follows:

Treasures of Egypt, Prehistoric Life Gallery (Dinosaurs), Marine Life Gallery (includes live sea life), African Savanna Gallery, African Rainforest, International Wildlife Gallery, Wild Nevada, Prehistoric Mammals, Geology Gallery and the best part of all the Young Scientist Center where you will find hands on activities to help your children discover the world around them. You can also take your family to the shark feedings and critter connection events, calendar here LVNHM Schedule.

8. The MOB Museum

The battle between law enforcement and organized crime has never been displayed in a way like this before. This 501 (c) 3 non-profit three story interactive museum chronicles the history of the ongoing epic battle of the police force and the MOB. Take the journey through true stories, personal accounts of people involved first hand on both sides and enjoy learning in a fun and creative environment. With multi-sensory displays you will feel as if you've been thrown into another dimension and immersed in the clash that has  impacted our society even today. For a list of events click here MOB Events.

9. Discovery Children's Museum

This is one that even the parents will enjoy. This museum is 58,000 square feet of hands-on interactive fun your child will never forget. With nine permanent exhibitions and some traveling ones (for a list of current exhibitions click here Traveling Exhibitions) the hours of fun are priceless. Kids will learn about the movement and power of water, the excitement of being a detective and solving mysteries and more! For more information see their website Discovery LV.

10. The Old Mormon Fort

This State Park serves as a time capsule for the birth of Las Vegas as we know it today. The area was the first permanent, non-native settlement of Las Vegas founded by Mormon missionaries. Through displays, original buildings, artifacts and hands on activities kids will discover and explore what life was like in 1855 when the settlement was founded and how people survived in the desert climate. Old Mormon Fort Website.

11. The Smith Center

The Smith Center is the main vicinity for performing arts in Las Vegas. They host various events from Broadway shows to concerts. They frequently host kid friendly plays, such as Matilda the Musical. They offer free tours that will help you discover the art throughout the property, the architecture of the Smith Center and the history of the building. For a list of upcoming events and shows click here Smith Center Events Calendar.

12. First Friday

If you are lucky enough to be in Vegas the first Friday of the month you can head over to the downtown area for a night of art, entertainment and food trucks. This foundation brings local artists from all over the city together for a night of creativity, community & fun.

13. The Gold and Silver Pawn Shop

This little pawn shop has become world famous thanks to the popular TV show Pawn Stars. You can walk around and see cool historical pieces of our culture and modern ones as well. It's probably one of the only pawn shops kids would want to go in if nothing more than to hopefully get a glimpse of Rick Harrison or Chumlee themselves.

           

14. Eclipse Theaters

This is a luxury experience every kid wants to have but doesn't know it! The theater has a restaurant on site you can dine in or you can have your order brought to you while lounging in the theater watching your movie in a VIP luxury chair. Just press the call button and the waiter will come take your food and drink order and bring it to you. Kids are not allowed in after 6:00 p.m. so make sure you catch an early movie! Eclipse Theaters