A few days ago, an article on CNN was published in which the editors named Las Vegas as one of the best places for a family vacation. You may be wondering right now, but Las Vegas has changed a lot in the last 20 years or so, and it's not just about casinos and gambling anymore.
With the first hotel resorts came a variety of attractions. In the 90s, resorts like the Luxor and Excalibur burst onto the scene with lively themes suitable for children. Tourists were attracted by the amusement park at the MGM Grand, the animal shows at The Mirage, the water park or the thrilling pirate show in front of Treasure Island, to name a few. However, critics at the time criticised the aim of the so-called 'Disneyfication' of Las Vegas.
Las Vegas offers more than 150,000 hotel rooms in a multitude of hotels, and each offers something different. For example, the Mandalay Bay resort offers an actual sandy beach, the Golden Nugget offers a pool with a shark tank in the center, and guests can walk through the center of the shark tank on a waterslide. South Point Hotel offers a bowling center with 64 lanes or a 16-screen movie theater.
What do the statistics show?
According to statistics from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, approximately 16% of visitors to Las Vegas last year came with someone under the age of 21 in their party. That number represents triple the number of families compared to before the pandemic.
"Families aren't just coming because there's something for kids to do, they're coming because we now have all sorts of offerings that appeal to adults and kids alike," said Steve Hill, CEO and president of the destination marketing organization. "No destination has figured out how to evolve over time better than Las Vegas, and no aspect of our recent history demonstrates this better than our transformation into a great family destination."
What does Las Vegas have to offer families?
Las Vegas continues to expand its range of enticing attractions, focusing mainly on modern technological and interactive attractions, which is perhaps the most important thing to do if you want to attract youngsters at this time. One such attraction is the Live Sketchbook at the ARTE Museum, where pre-prepared 3D models allow animals to come to life. Guests choose from colouring books with the outlines of different animals and use crayons to personalise their animals as they see fit. They then put their drawings under the scanner and they come to life.
Another attraction is the Electric Playhouse, where motion sensors allow families to play life-size video games using their body as a controller. Also popular is the miniature golf course at PopStroke, which is partially owned by Tiger Woods. It just opened in April and offers two 18-hole miniature golf courses, a full-service bar and a restaurant. Monster Mini Golf at Horseshoe Las Vegas has an 18-hole course with insane obstacles. Las Vegas is not lacking in roller coasters, one of which even reaches speeds of nearly 110 mph.
Not to be forgotten in the article is a new attraction that attracts a huge number of tourists of all ages to Las Vegas. It's The Sphere, a $2.3 billion technology-packed sphere that opened last fall. In its bowels you'll find several state-of-the-art robots, and in the main room several movies are projected on a huge led screen in 16K resolution and impressive sound. The exterior of The Sphere features 54,000 square feet of led displays. The Sphere measures 112 meters in height and 157 meters in width.
Las Vegas wants to continue to be more family-oriented
Las Vegas is gearing up for more family-oriented attractions in the coming years. The latest will be Universal Horror Unleashed, a year-round horror attraction that is under construction and expected to open in 2025.
Professional sports are also definitely worth mentioning, with the Vegas Golden Knights NHL team founded here in 2017 and winning the Stanley Cup in 2023. In 2018, the Las Vegas Aces women's WNBA basketball team was added, and in 2020, the NFL team Raiders moved to Las Vegas. In November 2023, Las Vegas also hosted its first Formula 1 race. In 2028, the MLB baseball team Athletics is set to be added, moving here from Oakland. Their new home will be a new stadium to be built on the site of the former Tropicana Resort.
The attractions that Las Vegas has to offer are vast, and we've brought you up to speed on just a few of them. As you can see, the city has changed, and it doesn't want to attract just gamblers or poker players anymore. The goal is to attract all ages and create a great place for a family vacation. So in the coming years we can expect new family-oriented resorts, new sporting events and new modern tourist attractions.
Source - cnntravel.com, youtube, wikipedia, vegasslotsonline, thomascook.com, blacksford.com, frontofficesports.com
