Las Vegas with teen
 

I was wondering if LV is a good place to spend a few days with my 14 y.o. daughter. Is it fairly easy to get around without a car? Would the hotels have info on tours to Hoover Dam? Shopping at reasonable prices? Shows and places to eat? Any info would help.

If your daughter likes shopping, lots of high end stores on the strip, but also the fashion show mall more reasonable priced and shuttles to the premium outlet malls from the strip and good restaurants than you two should have a good time. She would probably enjoy the shows. There is also the dolphin habitat and secret garden at the Mirage, the shark reef at Mandalay bay, game works. I think a few days would be a great time here with your daughter and plenty to do. There are all kinds of tourist books(Whats on, Today) that gives you information on tours to Hoover Dam with strip pick up.
Have Fun

Apart from the drinking, gambling, and strip clubs Vegas is a great place for a teen.

Okay seriously, there is lots to do in Vegas as you mentioned.
- Shopping, Many of the major casinos (Caesars, Venetian, Aladdin) have huge shopping malls attached to them. I don't know if I'd say they were reasonable priced.
- Pools are great to hang out in if you are going in warm weather.
- You do not need and probably wouldn't want a car in Vegas
- Many clean shows (comedy, magic)
- Hundreds of restaurants from $$$$$ to McDonalds.

The problem with Vegas and underage folks is that if you want to gamble at all they cannot be with you. Vegas is not a place I would let a 14 yr old run around on her own. You would be with your daughter the whole time and as long as you know that then you'll be fine.

Go to the concierge desk, they should have a list of tours.

Did you look into the Valley of Fire tour? It's spectacular!

I agree with everything that saps said, especially the last paragraph. Saps did neglect to mention the pornographic cards, pamphlets, brochures and solicitations being handed out on the strip to all passers by.

Most of these fine examples of printed material end up on the sidewalks, streets, curbs, etc. for anyone of any age to pick up and peruse.

placeu makes a good point. Since I don't go to Las Vegas with children I never really think about them but on almost every corner of the strip are folks (mostly of hispanic descent) passing out porno to everybody (moms,dads,kids,old,young). They slap their legs or arms with their brochures to get your attention and by the time you realize it there is a picture of a naked woman in your face.

They are not a reason to not go just be aware and maybe mention them to your daughter. They are not pushy. They just stick their hands out and people take what they have. Ignore them and don't even bother saying no thanks.

The best place to stay is in the middle of the strip, approximately Caesar or Flamingo, depends on the budget.

There is a bus running along the strip. You can buy a 24 hour pass.

My 14 year old daughter and I went to Las Vegas for 3 nights and had a blast. We went shopping at all the different hotels in the daytime and went to a different show each evening. We saw Hairspray, Mamma Mia and a PG rated hypnotist show (wouldn't recommend the last one) We stayed at the Alladin, ate dinner at the Bellagio, the Venetian and had room service the other night. One day we took a bus to an outlet mall, a complete waste of time. Merchandise was old and tired. We never saw any porn pamphlets and were not accosted in any way. Obviously I wouldn't let her run around Las Vegas or any other city on her own at 14. We rode in a hummer limo to the airport and another one to fashion square mall since the cab lines were so long on those occasions. We had a great girly weekend, no sex, no drugs, no drinking,no gambling, even in Las Vegas!

My 14 year old daughter has been to Vegas with us twice--once last month and once the summer before. She had a blast! The porn slappers don't hand out cards to kids/younger teens--I really wouldn't worry about that. Honestly, on our 10 or so trips to Vegas, I've never seen them hand out a card to kids--am sure it's happened but all I'm saying is that we haven't seen it and our two teens have never been handed a card. Unless a child is extremely sheltered, skin will not be a shock to them--am thinking they've seen 'the real world' on tv and movies, much as I hate to admit it (and yes, I would say I'm a pretty conservative, semi-strict mom).

This year we stayed at the Venetian. Last year we stayed at TheHotel. We liked the Venetian because of its close proximity to the Fashion Show Mall--kitty corner across the street. It's a shopping haven for teen girls! Last year she loved the Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace--a little more $$$, though :-)

Shows we've seen (and loved) with the kids are Mystere, Blue Man Group and Mamma Mia. Also saw Penn and Teller last year but the kids gave that a yawn (so did we).

We've eaten at both the seafood buffet at Rio and the Treasure Island buffet. My daughter is not a big eater so she could have cared less--her 17 year old brother, on the other hand, was in heaven.

On both trips, we did a lot of the free sightseeing on the strip (the kids were quite embarrassed when their mother started crying at the Bellagio fountains--they're so moving, I couldn't help it).

A spa treatment at your hotel would be a great treat and a nice mom/daughter memory. Have a great trip and let us know what you decide.

Last Christmas, I was in Vegas with my friend and her 13 year old daughter (first time to the strip!). We had a great time shopping and taking in all the free shows along the strip. Ate ourselves silly, shopped some more, rode some paid rides.

since it was their first real time experiencing Vegas, as I drove them from the airport to the hotel I gave the daughter a brief history of the town as well as some current perspectives (why is it called sin city? why are there so many wedding chapels?) so that it would be semi-educational as well.

The porn distributors never bothered us. My friend, however, thought some of the signs were hilarious and even made her daughter take a picture with the Frontier's "Cold beers - Dirty girls" sign in back. Needless to say, her daughter was mortified! And then they sent the photo to her grandmother as a joke.

My parents used to take me as a kid, and now I'm happy to share the experience with others. It's not all smut, drinking, and gambling!

The porn slappers can't legally hand her literature, and evidently that's strictly enforced, because we've never seen it happen. But, I think you should warn her about them. On our last trip, DD (15 then), thanked us that we'd told her about them, or she said that they would have "freaked her out."

Our DD loved the shopping most of all! :) Enjoy your trip!

I think that Phantom of the Opera is playing there now too. And depending on when you are going, there is usually some pretty good visiting entertainment.

We usually stay at the Monte Carlo, very reasonable, not real smokey, kind of a smaller hotel that doesn't parade you through a mile of casino to get to your elevator. It has a food court. Their Italian restaurant is very good. Great breadsticks, and you can order off the menu if buffet dining is not your style. Very good pool also. Last time we stayed there they gave us a room with a view of the Bellagio fountains. You can't hear them, but you can see them.

The Ceasers Forum shops and the new forum shops are a great place to "window" shop. And Fashion Show has a Neiman Marcus, good place for lunch with their yummy popovers.

When you go out, you can order them a virgin cocktail. Teens really like that. Take lots of money. Teens go through it like water, LOL...