I’ll admit, exploring Old Town Las Vegas with kids was not top of my Vegas itinerary. Old Town and Fremont Street has a reputation for sleaziness. For stag dos and hedonism and yes, that side does exist but it is possible to avoid if you fancy a visit with kids. In fact the area has heaps to keep the little ones entertained and the vibe in some areas is positively creative.
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The Container Park, Old Town Las Vegas
The Downtown Container Park is a fantastic place to visit in Old Town Vegas with kids. It’s just a few blocks down from the Fremont Street experience so makes a great space to escape to when that gets too busy. The park is a relatively new retail space full of independent retail outlets and restaurants.
The main attraction for kids is the huge playground in the middle of the Container park. It’s open air and has a treasure island/Robinson Crusoe tree house vibe. There’s also a NEOS interactive physical education section. Piper spent a fantastic hour testing her reflexes and climbing on the equipment whilst we watched with a coffee. There are shaded areas which are much needed in the hot Nevada sunshine.
You can’t really miss the container park. Just look for the 55 foot Mantis located at its entrance. The Mantis was designed by Kirk Jellum in 2010 and took 3,000 hours to construct. The Mantis, which was originally seen at Burning Man festival comes alive as the sun sets by breathing fire to the sounds of the drum circle. This feature is currently switched off to discourage crowds due to current safety measures. Kids will love the statue with or without fire.
Kids are welcome in the Container Park until 9pm. After that it’s over 21s only. It’s totally free to enter.
Riding the Slotzilla with kids
This is one for the adventure loving kids out there. And obviously right up Pipers street! We visited Fremont Street twice during our trip to Las Vegas. After our first one she just wouldn’t stop talking about riding the zipwire. Obviously we had to return.
Being a slightly nervous mother at first I was reticent to let her ride the Slotzilla but we watched several other families have a go so I eventually let her go up with her Dad. And just look at her happy face once she’d come down!
There are two ziplines to choose from. The lower Zip-zilla zipline which is seven stories high or 77 feet and you ride seated. And the higher zoomline which is eleven stories or 114 feet high where you ride flat like a superhero. The second is much longer taking you a full five blocks through the air. If you’re riding with kids you’ll need to opt for the lower line – much to my relief! It took around 30 seconds from starting the ride to the landing pad.
The entrance to the slotzilla is a huge 12 story tower, designed to look like a massive slot machine. See what they did there?!
Tickets for the Zip-Zilla are $29 per person. You can purchase them online before you ride or at the ticket office near the entrance to the ride. Riders under 16 need to be accompanied by an adult. All riders need to be at least three and a half stone.
The Fremont Street Experience – Viva Vision
The Fremont Street Experience is a fabulous light show covering 1,375 feet and is the largest screen in the world. The screen is 90 feet high and covers a full four blocks.
The lights are set to music which you’re guaranteed to recognise. Kids will love watching, singing and dancing along.
The show is absolutely free to visit with each one lasting around six minutes. They happen all day but the featured shows begin at 6pm, running every hour, on the hour.
Kids will love watching the many street performers that take up residence under the light show. Some of them are actually really skillful and Piper loved having a boogie to some hip hop moves.
This is also a great place to visit if you’re after a bit of Vegas history. Some of the most famous, original casinos are located under the lit canopy. These include Binions, Four Queens and the Golden Nugget. These are not the fancy, modern casinos of the Las Vegas Strip further South. They are gritty and attract a different type of gambler. I don’t think they’re the most family friendly in Vegas but worth popping your head in the door for a quick look.
Is Fremont Street Kid Friendly
The whole area is pedestrianised meaning you don’t need to be constantly on the look out for cars. Although with the screen you’ll think its under cover but if you are visiting during rain, you’ll still get wet.
Honestly the area isn’t the most family friendly in Vegas, there are still plenty of rowdy groups and hard core drinkers and gamblers which will provide plenty to attract the kids attention (not in the most wholesome way). This is also where the crazy Heart Attack Grill is located. A very unique experience for grown ups but in no way family friendly. So don’t just pop into a restaurant with kids without doing your research first.
In fact there aren’t that many family friendly places to get food or drink in the Experience. All we could find were frozen cocktails and bottles of water. Head back to the strip or to the end of Fremont if you’re looking to eat.
I would definitely say yes to a visit to Fremont Street with kids. The light show is amazing and the zipline super fun. Just visit during the day and keep your wits about you.
Fremont Street experience age limit
Stricty there is no Fremont Street Experience age limit but I recommend visiting during the day and taking the opportunity to pop in when everyone else is sleeping off their hangover! On the first Friday of every month kids under 21 are not allowed on Fremont Street after 9pm. But I would recommend leaving before that on any night to be honest.
Explore the Urban Art
Old Town Vegas is the place to come if you like street art. Fremont Street is colourful but it’s just a short walk out towards the Container Park to see some real creative gems.
There are loads of pieces to spot and you could take an organised tour or simply keep your eyes open as you wander. These are just a few of my favourites.
Discovery Childrens Museum
For a more wholesome activity in Downtown Vegas try the Discovery Childrens Museum a wonderful interactive museum encouraging kids to learn through play. There’s a water zone, engineering experiments, Eco city and the Discovery Zone.
360 Promeade PlaceLas Vegas, NV 89106
The Neon Museum
This is my favourite museum in the whole of Vegas, if not the USA! It’s essentially an outdoor junkyard full of all the Vegas Signs not in use anymore. Some have been fully restored, some left to deteriorate to rust. The result is magnificent! You can read my full review of the Las Vegas Boneyard here.
770 Las Vegas Boulevard North
Las Vegas, NV 89101
What to avoid in Old Town Vegas with kids
The Fremont Street Experience has pretty much constant security patrols keeping the area safe for everyone. Should you run into any problems they will always be happy to help. That said I probably wouldn’t visit with kids into the evening not necessarily for safety concerns but because the clientele changes. It gets fully of party goers and conference attendees looking to let off steam. Having visited many times without kids whilst working this can be quite a fun atmosphere with plenty to see. Not so great for families.
The overall crime rate in Downtown Las Vegas is lower than the National average. The worst you may encounter is pickpocketing. Always carry your money, phone and cards close to your body, preferably in a money belt. As always just use some common sense. Keep a very close eye on your kids, don’t let them run off chasing the next colourful artwork. We didn’t feel unsafe walking around downtown during the day but I always recommend getting a registered taxi or Uber.
What are your favourite things to do in Old Town Vegas with kids? Let me know in the comments below.
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