13 Best Family Things to Do in Las Vegas

M&M’s World is where you can find hundreds of candies and souvenirs of the iconic brand. Located in Showcase Mall, the 4-storey candy store features a My M&M's station that personalises your candy with a custom message for a few dollars. Next to it is a 3D theatre, where you get to watch a 10-minute film titled I Left My M in Vegas for free. The ground floor of M&M’s World displays a variety of memorabilia for sale, from luggage, shirts, and keychains to laptop covers, board games, and Frisbees.

Cirque du Soleil is a legendary acrobatic troupe that perform numerous shows in Las Vegas, but O is perhaps the most remarkable. The special stage in the Bellagio transforms into a 1.5-million-gallon swimming pool in an instant, changing the performance from one of breathtaking acrobatics to a display of synchronised swimming. Featuring 85 extremely talented performers, some of whom are former Olympic athletes, it’s a very memorable show.

Madame Tussauds Las Vegas features 8 exhibition rooms filled with more than 100 lifelike figures of various icons. Located in front of the Venetian, this renowned wax museum is where you can pose with your favourite Marvel characters, such as Spiderman and The Hulk. Afterwards, enjoy a thrilling cinematic experience at the Marvel Super Heroes 4D theatre. It also has a room dedicated to famous Las Vegas residents, including Elvis, Celine Dion, and magician duo Siegfried and Roy.

Ethel M Chocolates Factory, located in Henderson, is a gourmet chocolate brand dating back to 1981. You get to enjoy a free self-guided tour of the premise, which features dozens of tanks filled with 20,000 to 35,000 gallons of pure chocolate. Ethel M Chocolates Factory offers daily tasting classes, where you get to sample 4 types of premium chocolate for about $15. Each session takes about 30 minutes, and is available every 2 hours from 10am onwards. The factory also has a Botanical Cactus Garden, which contains 300 types of cacti and succulents.

GameWorks is one of the largest arcade centres in the USA, featuring over 200 games, an 8-lane bowling alley, and 60 online gaming computers. Parent may feel nostalgic can play retro games such as Pacman, Donkey Kong Jr. and Asteroids, while the little ones can enjoy the Dark Ride XD, a multi-sensory adventure ride with real-time 7D graphics, motion, light, and sound. You even get to redeem prizes by collecting tickets won through playing these games.

Streetmosphere is a selection of theatrical performances that take place every day at the Venetian’s Grand Canal Shoppes. You get to see stilt walkers, jugglers, and dancers in elaborate costumes at St. Mark's Square from noon till evening, and enjoy classical opera between 6.30pm and 8pm. Living statues can be found throughout the emporium, ready to surprise unsuspecting people from time to time. The Venetian is also renowned for its miniature canals, so hop on a gondola for a ride after enjoying the Streetmosphere.

The Big Apple Coaster is a thrilling rollercoaster located at the New York-New York Hotel and Casino. A popular attraction among thrill seekers, the ride features a heartline twist and dive manoeuvre and travels up to 67 miles per hour. For an added rush of adrenaline, the Virtual Reality Experience incorporates the use of VR headsets, with riders taking on the role of a scientist pursuing an escaped alien. Tickets cost $15 and $8 per subsequent ride, while the Virtual Reality Experience is priced at $20.

CSI: The Experience is an interactive games centre at MGM Grand. It offers fans of the popular TV series a chance to become real crime scene investigators for the day. Solve the murder cases by watching videos that feature real-life forensic experts and characters from CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, as well as performing tests at the state-of-the-art crime lab. An official CSI diploma will be given once you’re able to identify the murderer. Due to the rather morbid setting, CSI: The Experience is suitable for visitors over the age of 12.

A helicopter ride to the Grand Canyon is a worthwhile expense when you’re in Las Vegas, as you get to soar over the iconic canyon and its epic surroundings. The tour typically takes place in the morning so that you can enjoy the best view of this natural wonder. Aside from the Grand Canyon, you also get to see other landmarks from a bird’s eye view, including the Hoover Dam, Mojave Desert, Lake Mead, and the famous Las Vegas Strip.

Big Shot is a tower ride built on the top of The Strat Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. When it opened in 1996, it was the world’s highest amusement ride measured from ground level. It has since been surpassed by a taller ride in China. Its acceleration is pneumatically powered, enabling it to travel upwards at speeds of around 45 mph, which generates up to 4 Gs of force.

Sixteen riders are catapulted upwards from a platform 921 ft in the air to a height of 1,081 ft. It descends rapidly and then shoots upwards again accompanied by a cacophony of joyful screams.

X-Scream is a thrilling ride in Las Vegas with a motion that mimics a seesaw, known in the US as a teeter-totter. You’ll find it on the roof of The Strat Hotel and Casino, 866 ft above the pavement. Though the track looks similar to that of a rollercoaster, it pivots to create both horizontal and vertical motion.

Each car is propelled forward at high speed off the edge of the building. Riders dangle weightlessly high above the Las Vegas Strip until they travel backwards to do it all over again. It feels like you might fall right over the edge, so expect plenty of screams from fellow riders.

Las Vegas Mini Grand Prix Family Fun Center is a must-visit for families. This isn’t your average go-karting venue. The massive park features 4 Grand Prix tracks, amusements rides, an arcade, and a pizzeria. Both kids and adults can take part in all the activities, so parents and the young-at-heart can join in the fun too.

Rent out a party room at the Family Fun Center for a birthday that won’t soon be forgotten. Go-karting also makes a fun date night. Looking for something more affordable than seeing Cirque du Soleil on the strip? The Family Fun Center arcade is free to enter, and go-karting tickets are reasonably priced.