Ever thought about taking those babies to Vegas with you? Well, it is actually doable and it is actually still fun!
This year, with a fallen through baby sitter arrangement and the fact that my son Hayes has started getting noticed, we thought, why not? Why not load them up, put them on the plane and start letting them become well-traveled? We love being with our kids anyways and it’s extremely hard to have fun questioning if they are safe or not anyways.
So, we did it. Plus, we did it successfully with only a few minor hiccups.
In order to make your future trip to the National Finals Rodeo easy and just as successful, I’ve made a list of places to go and things to do with your kids while there enjoying the bright lights and rodeo festivities!
The first thing you should do, is plan ahead. Plan out your itinerary, whether you stick to it completely or not. Having an idea will help because NFR time in Vegas is overwhelming, especially if you have never been.
After the itinerary is complete and you’ve managed to arrive in Las Vegas, it’s time to hit the street (literally) and have some fun. This list is activities we did this past year (2021) WITH OUR KIDS! If you’re a drinker, don’t worry, it’s acceptable to push a stroller and have a drink or two. Just be safe and smart!
1. Shopping
Shopping is one of the main attractions during the NFR and there are tons of kids running around. People literally won’t blink an eye at you and your little one. A few of the main places to shop are Mandalay Bay Roper Cowboy Christmas, Las Vegas Convention Center Cowboy Christmas, and South Point Cinch Western Gift Show. How do you get there? Well, you can walk depending on where you stay, you can take a Taxi (you don’t need Car Seats in Vegas to use Public Transportation), or you can use the Monorail Train (which can easily accommodate a stroller).
2. Rodeo
If you don’t go to the rodeo, what are you even doing reading this? Just kidding. It can be expensive and if you don’t want to pay for Tickets, there are viewing parties. The Silverton Casino viewing party is FAMILY FRIENDLY. It’s purposely planned for you and your kids to enjoy! However, I strongly recommend purchasing tickets to take your kiddos for a once in a lifetime experience. We didn’t take the boys this year, but we will when they are both a little older and can remember going. 
3. Shark Aquarium
At Mandalay Bay there is an aquarium that is cool for parents and kids. It features all sorts of seas animals but the main attraction is the Sharks. Although, not huge Great Whites, they are big and definitely made me jump. Hayes still has not quit talking about them and Hyatt was fascinated with the walk through tunnel!
4. M&M World + Hershey Factory
We only made it to the three story leveled M&M building (actually maybe 4) filled with candy overflowing. One story has an entire wall of every color of chocolate you can think of. Another floor has a race car, mural wall and shopping. This place is every kids dream.
5. Siegfried and Roy’s Secret Garden Sanctuary.
Our absolute favorite place we’ve gone and got each year is the secret lion and dolphin garden. It’s secret, because it’s all the way in the back of the Mirage hotel and it’s easy to overlook. Once you go out the doors you have to walk down a long path to even get to the sanctuary. The lions are then past the dolphin pools which are first up. Let’s just say, if you’re an animal lover you’ll have just as much fun as your children. The dolphin underwater viewing area is my personal choice to be!
6. Rainforest Café
We have one of these here in Texas, but we decided to wait to take our boys until we went to the Finals Rodeo. Hayes loved it and the the life-like animals. Hyatt didn’t mind the loud noises, which was good. The food was actually really good, too!
7. Fashion Shows
Fashion shows are so fun and if you’re their for the fashion like I enjoy, these shows are very entertaining. Depending on the location, it may be 21+ only. However, most places (in our experience anyways) kindly set up a table right outside the venue, so I could work and Matt could hang with the boys. In the case it didn’t work out, All hotels are friendly and don’t mind you waking your children through out. Some good shows to attend are Western Runway, Denim & Velvet, and the Boot Barn runway shows.
So, are you READY to head out to the bright lights? I hope you use this list and reach out if you need any help planning your own trip. Kids can go and can be entertained, don’t doubt your parenting skills momma!
Please share for others.
XOXO
Unbranded Hippie