The Unimpressed Teen

Why Las Vegas is Great for Teens (and the best places to go)

The place: Las Vegas, Nevada

Teen Testers: Boy, 11 • Boy, 13

Overall Verdict: “Can we go again—but next time can we gamble?“

What actually impressed them

• The Sphere (worth the hype)

• The over-the-top themed hotels (Venetian, New York-New York, Luxor, Paris, etc.)

• People-watching on the Strip (free entertainment)

• Massive arcades like Game Nest and Player 1

• All-you-can-eat buffets

• Roller coaster at New York-New York

• Zip line

• Personalized M&Ms at the M&M store

• The Bellagio fountains (we watched it over and over!)

What got an eye roll

• Walking. So. Much. Walking.

• The summer heat (brutal)

• Being too young for casinos (they really wanted to do the slot machines)

• Constant cigarette smoke inside casinos

• Being embarrassed (in front of Mom) seeing girls in stripper outfits posing for pictures.

Attention Span Check

High. There was always another hotel, attraction, or ridiculous thing to see just around the corner.

Phone Check

Phones came out mostly for photos and videos—not because they were bored.

Freedom Factor

Low. This is not a “go disappear for four hours” destination.

Parent Worth-It Meter

Worth it if: Your teen wants to go someplace that feels forbidden but is actually surprisingly not (at least during the day). Vegas is packed with surprisingly teen-friendly entertainment once you look beyond the casinos.

Skip it if: Your teen hates crowds, excessive walking, or sensory overload—or if you’re expecting a relaxing vacation. Though—hot tip—Lake Las Vegas is a great place to stay if you want to sleep somewhere away from the action and wakeup to a nice, quiet pool scene.

Recommended spots:

  • Bellagio Fountains – Free fountain show is better than World of Color at Disney
  • Fly LINQ Ziplines at the High Roller is just high enough to not stress Mom out but cool enough for teens to take on.
  • Cirque Du Soleil shows. I love them all. My kids saw KA and thought it was fun… though the Michael Jackson and Beatles-inspired shows are also great ones for teens.
  • The roller coaster at New York New York hotel
  • The High Roller ferris wheel is only mildly terrifying.
  • The M&M Store sells personalized M&Ms.
  • The Coca Cola store lets you sample strange flavors of Coca Cola from around the world.

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