The Fremont experience okay for children around 12 or not?
EssieJay asked:
I’m planning a trip to Las Vegas and people have recommended trying out the Fremont experience at night. I researched it a bit and saw that there’d be a lot of casinos around. I’m planning to go when it’s dark around the holiday season, possibly before New Years or on New Years Eve itself. My kid’s 12 and I was wondering if it was okay to bring her and if you think she’d have fun there.
I’m planning a trip to Las Vegas and people have recommended trying out the Fremont experience at night. I researched it a bit and saw that there’d be a lot of casinos around. I’m planning to go when it’s dark around the holiday season, possibly before New Years or on New Years Eve itself. My kid’s 12 and I was wondering if it was okay to bring her and if you think she’d have fun there.
Freemont experience is fine for any age but if you are worried about casinos, don’t go to Vegas. I would say Vegas is better in the summer for kids anyway….a lot of sun and pools. New Years is not “dark”. Huge for partying.
The Fremont Street Experience is a dome of entertainment, family entertainment, in a once street between the casinos. There is nothing else for a minor under 21 to do.
The show is awesome for a younger crowd. The most risque part is dancers that are costumed as “Vegas Show Dancers”. It would be considered pretty cool by 12 year old, I think.
If gambling and advertisements for escorts offend you, it might be best to not make the trip. The nickname “Sin City” is well deserved, although the Hotels have become very family oriented over the past few years.
My daughter is 12 and a few years ago she really enjoyed the light show on the canopy.
One thing about Las Vegas is down on the Strip (and now downtown, too) it’s never dark. You could sit outside a read a newspaper, SO many lights, it’s like daylight down there. As long as you and your kids aren’t in some dirty alley somewhere, it will be plenty light out.
There will be plenty of people down there with open bottles of alcohol, especially at New Years Eve. I personally never took my daughter down there THEN, but I think there are probably some kids down there. Just remember that it’s legal to walk around with a cup of alcohol down there and people are all buzzed out, even drunk — so there will be some silly and inappropriate behavior for a 12 year old to see. Not as bad as Mari Gras, though.
It will be fine, just keep an eye on her. It gets crowded. The show starts at dusk which at this time of year starts I think like 6 or 7pm. Plenty of souvenir shops down there.
You will find many children watching the light and sound shows on Fremont St. They do serve alcohol on the street in front of some of the casinos, but for the most part it isn’t a problem.
I think 12 to 14 or so is the minimum age for kids to get any enjoyment out of the Las Vegas tourist areas.
The Fremont Street Experience itself is like a shopping mall. Lots of security and no worries. BUT, the immediately surrounding areas are pretty sketchy. Not that any harm would come to your daughter but seeing filthy bums smoking crack might be upsetting. Stay on Fremont Street between Las Vegas Blvd. and Main Street. Park at a Fremont Street casino so you can exit into the casino then out the front door onto Fremont Street rather than parking a few blocks away.
If you are going to stay, I would suggest that you stay at the Golden Nugget. They have a full size aquarium in the swimming pool with 8 foot sharks. Any 12 year old would get a kick out of taking the water slide which goes right through the aquarium and the sharks.
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If you are going at night, then take a detour through the golden nugget and see the sharks. However, you can’t swim there if you are not a guest. The hourly overhead shows are fun, and they last about 5 minutes. They get slightly racier until the final one at midnight (only slightly racier, they go from G to PG, but not PG-13).
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Fremont street primarily caters to middle aged people and there are a lot of drunks and bums around the edges. You should stay close.
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I don’t think she would have fun for an entire evening. Kids like stores, and there are only souvenier shops, but no stores.
they will have a great time there.
Pretty sound advice you have gotten thus far. Let me add a caveat, though. It really makes a big difference what kind of child you have. If she is well behaved and appropriately matured you can have a great time. If the child is immature, childish and does not behave well, it is a nightmare. Las Vegas is geared towards adult entertainment and the needs of gamblers. That does not mean X-rated but that it is not particularly child accommodating.
If a child is mature enough to control themselves and not “act out”, run around and be an annoyance to others, they can have a very good time enjoying all the sights and sounds, events, shows, dining, shopping, exhibits and attractions. But no one is prepared to accommodate an out of control, whinny, obnoxious child.
Your daughter at 12 is at the point in life where she can go either way. If she is well behaved she will have a good time if not she and you will be miserable.
If you approach Las Vegas as an adventure it is really great. Take your time and really look at things. There is so much to see it is easy to miss a lot of stuff. These are some of the largest and most fantastic resort hotels in the world. Caesars Palace, for instance has nearly 5 thousand rooms. You could wander around inside Caesars for an entire day and not see everything there is to see. It even has a spiral escalator.
If you see people congregating in an area, some kind of show or event is probably about to start. Check it out. Here are some of the things my wife and I have seen just by looking around. Acrobats, Jugglers, an organ grinder with a trained monkey, musicians, magicians and animal acts.
The themed hotels are a lot of fun. The Luxor has the third largest and tallest atrium in the world. The Bellagio has a very beautiful flower display in its atrium. Paris has a one third scale Eiffel Tower, New York, New York has a Bowery neighborhood theme right down to steam escaping from the manhole covers just like in Manhattan. Look at all the details!
The Venetian has canals that run through it complete with gondolas and gondoliers singing Italian songs. The ceiling is a copy of the Sistine Chapel and is magnificent. The Mirage has a massive aquarium right behind the front desk in the lobby. Another massive aquarium is in Caesars Palace.
The Stratosphere has great and very scary thrill rides at the top of the tower. MGM Grand is so big the walk from the front door to the back is nearly a half mile. The Flamingo has a nature habitat in the rear that is free.
I hope this helps you enjoy your Vegas experience. Remember wear comfortable shoes! There is an enormous amount of walking involved. Oh, yes, and leave extra room in your suitcase when you pack for all the shopping. Caesars has over 300 shops, Planet Hollywood over 115 and most every hotel has shopping. If that isn’t enough shopping, there is always the Fashion Show Mall at mid Strip. It is that place that looks like a big flying saucer is landing on it.
There are places along the Strip called Tix4tonite that sell same day, half-price tickets for shows that are not sold out. One is right in front of the Fashion Show Mall another by the Big Coke bottle,
Good luck!
Merry Christmas!
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