teenagers in vegas
 

Planning a Western jaunt in a few weeks - first stop Las Vegas. We will be travelling with two teenage boys, and want to plan our few days in Vegas accordingly. What is our best bet in terms of hotel and "must dos" for our few days in Las Vegas?

We were there with a teen in March. <BR>Stayed at NYNY, rode their coaster which she loved and their arcade is first rate.. We were disappointed in the pool area, other pools are more elaborate. <BR>Went to the Strasphere tower and show there, American Superstars which is pop based and a lot of fun. <BR>Go to Mirage and see the white tiger display and their elaborate casino/lobby area. <BR>Take them to Bellagio conservatory. <BR>We also Saw O, we enjoyed both shows. <BR>Go see the free pirate ship battle at treasure Island, the fountains at Bellagio. <BR>I would try to stay in one of the newer properties mid or south strip, avoid the older hotel properties that appeal to the older crowd. Mandalay Bay has a great pool area. <BR>

Just know that the teens will not be allowed to stop in the casinos let alone gamble. That's sometimes a big frustration for them. There are actually security people who will stop them and ask for picture I.D. to prove they are over 21.

I was in Vegas last Sept and being a teenager at heart (it's only 2 yrs since i was one anyway!) i'm sure your boy's will love the indoor theme park at Circus Circus (if they are young teenagers maybe some of the rides might be off limits) and the impressive Wet n' Wild water park on Las Vegas Blvd (near the Sahara i seem to recall). I remember talking to a 15 yr old boy who had been to an amusement park at the MGM Grand and he was fairly gushing over it, tho' I didn't see it myself to recommend it. There is also Lied Discovery Childrens museum on Las Vegas Bvld, but again I didn't go there. Enjoy the trip!

if your boys like sports and you have a car. check and see if the minor league baseball team is playing while you are there. I think they are called the las vegas stars. we went last summer with our sports loving teenage daughter, we had a really good time and I don't even like baseball. <BR> <BR>Tropicana is a cheaper hotel and it has a nice pool area. MGM has a beach area and the Mandalay has a beautiful brand new beach, but a pricey property.

There is also a NASCAR/? simulator race in the Sahara Hotel. It is a hike from the main drag in vegas but my husband and teenagers loved it. The cars have hydraulics and provide the feeling of driving a race car. At the end of the race, a printout of the results vs. other drivers is given to the participants.

The roller coaster at the Sahara is pretty cool too. Our kids loved it. Also, it's the least expensive buffet on the Strip. Food not spectacular, but not bad.

We took our thirteen year old daughter to Vegas last year. We stayed at the Mirage and saw The White Tiger Show. You get some seating preference if you stay at the hotel, but our seats were not very good. We all thought the show was kind of a snozz. They have a great buffet with incredible variety. The pool area is very nice, but in July, it was so hot that only mad dogs and small children were around the pool. You can't use it at night, they want you to gamble. <BR>The basic problem is that you can't go outside in the summer, and what's inside is by and large off limits to children. <BR>I recently asked my daughter if she wanted to go back, it was a resounding no. <BR>The one good thing are price. We paid $75 per night for what in any other major metropolitan area would cost at least $200. The rates tend to be much lower mid-week. And if you stick to the buffets, you can eat so practically nothing.

I took my rather unenthused son to Vegas and made him sit through the "O" Show (it's from the same people who produce the Cirque du Soliel show). <BR>He loved it, and we did too.