My family's traveled to 44 states, but no place has wowed us as much as this Southwestern city
As a travel writer and mom, many people ask me about the best place to take kids on vacation.
After visiting 44 states and more than two dozen countries with my son and husband, my answer is still always Las Vegas.
Although Sin City has a distinctively grown-up reputation, the abundance of over-the-top experiences found in this Southwestern hot spot also makes it an ideal spot to take kids of all ages.
My tween has been numerous times over the years, and he's always asking to go back. Plus, our whole family enjoys it.
Here's why we love it so much and think it's a great travel destination for families.
Vegas' themed resorts are a feast for the senses
On a recent trip to Nevada, we got a room at the Paris Las Vegas for just under $100 a night. Fortunately, I've found that deals on opulent accommodations like these aren't hard to come by in Vegas, especially when traveling during the offseason.
Plus, we later got upgraded to a 1,000-square-foot suite complete with epic views of the Sphere entertainment arena and its fun projections. Even my tween was impressed.
No matter where we stay, we love walking along the Strip and exploring the fun, elaborately themed resorts in Las Vegas.
Whether we're riding the roller coaster at New York-New York Hotel, eating at the epic Caesars Palace buffets, or watching the Bellagio fountain show, we never run out of fun things to do at these mega-hotels.
There's a wide variety of immersive experiences and shows
Vegas is widely known as the "Entertainment Capital of the World," and the city's ever-evolving array of shows and experiences means that there's always something new to discover.
We've loved the jaw-dropping acrobatics of Cirque du Soleil, the head-scratching magic tricks of Penn & Teller, and the awe-inspiring interactive art installations at Meow Wolf's Omega Mart.
As my son grows and his tastes and interests change, we can continue to explore even more of the city's varied offerings. It's refreshing to have a vacation destination with so many options for fun.
It's easy to take day trips from downtown to nearby desert landscapes
The glitz and glamour of neon lights is exciting, but we don't have to go far to get away from the bustling city.
As a family, we've made unforgettable memories exploring the colorful towers of Seven Magic Mountains, which are about 25 minutes from downtown Vegas.
We've also had fun hiking in the otherworldly Valley of Fire State Park that's just about an hour from the Strip.
Vegas is also conveniently located near several otherworldly landmarks and parks.
Our family has made a day trip out of the two-hour drive from Vegas to California's Death Valley National Park.
Plus, we've driven two hours from Vegas to Utah's Zion National Park, passing magnificent red-rock canyons and snowy sandstone cliffs along the way. As avid road trippers, there are few drives we've taken that rival this one in terms of epic scenery.
Exploring these remote desert landscapes makes us feel like we're worlds away from the big city — but we can still easily enjoy Vegas' award-winning food and resorts at the end of the night.
Luckily, our flights to Vegas are pretty cheap
Fortunately, nonstop flights from our home in Orlando to Las Vegas are both plentiful and affordable. I've seen round-trip flights on discount carriers like Spirit and Frontier go for as little as $120.
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