Why I'll Never Take My Kids To Vegas

Disclaimer! OK, technically two of my children have been to Las Vegas for a wedding, but they were 3 and 1 and hardly remember it.  But I digress........

My husband and I visit Vegas regularly as our little "getaway" (CLICK HERE for my post last week on the recap for my husband's birthday). We gamble, we lay in the sun, we eat fabulous food.  We love it, but, of course, Las Vegas does have it's "darker side".  And that darker side is certainly not hiding.  So, it puzzles me when I see families bringing their children to Las Vegas.  

I can maybe understand it....a little.  Vegas is making an effort to actually appeal to families!  The pools are fantastic.  There are amusement park rides (the roller coaster at New York, New York, the park at Circus Circus, a new ferris wheel going in behind the Flamingo).  Elmo and Sponge Bob are as common as Jack Sparrow along the Strip.  There are dolphins at the Mirage and lions at MGM.  I think the Excalibur was built for kids, because I am not sure what adults actually choose to go here alone.  

But the main focus still is gambling, live shows for adults, and what I will call adult activities (whether that be drinking, clubbing, or...well, I will let you use your imagination here!).  If you've ever tried to navigate with kids in a casino, I do not recommend it!  The security is strict about them wandering on any part of the "casino floor" and I am being honest when I say that it's a royal pain to get through it with children.  If you're walking along the Strip, how do you explain the billboard trucks going by with barely clothed women?  The cards handed out at every corner with the same women?  The insanely large drinks that everyone is walking around with?  Would my children really be able to separate me not approving of these things yet still loving Vegas at the same time?

If you head downtown, it is quite a cast of characters on Fremont Street.  Here you will see women barely dressed, hoping for tourists to grab a$$ a photo op and leave a tip.  There's lot of severely intoxicated people walking around.  While I am certainly not in the mind set to shelter my children, it just doesn't seem appropriate to take them here.  I would spend the entire trip coaching and explaining all of this to my kids.....and that's not the reason I go to Vegas.  

So, you might ask why would I go to such a place to begin with? Trust me, I ask myself this occasionally. Las Vegas, for me, is the town you hate to love and love to hate.  Like anything, though, you make your choices and pull from it what you want.  We enjoy gambling, we enjoy a nice pool and sunshine, we enjoy shopping, we people watch at Strip-side restaurants.  But the kids are not coming with us anytime soon.  I'll save their vacation time for Grandma & Grandpa's house and Disneyland.

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Las Vegas Recap : Brian Turns 40

Fun times in Vegas last week!  What was meant to be a complete surprise turned into a modified surprise for my husband's 40th birthday.  It really could not have turned out better.  

We live in Oregon, so Vegas has always been a nice getaway for us.  It's a non-stop flight, it's warm, we love gambling, I love shopping....it's a win-win.  Scheduling with my husband's job and obligations as mayor got a little complicated as I was planning the trip, so I did have to tell him where we were going and the exact time and dates.  But no worries....that left many surprises to be had.

His Best Friend Joined Us.  One of my husband's best friends from high school and his wife were able to join us.  We checked in and I casually said that I was starving and we should go to the cafe to grab lunch (we were staying at the Palazzo).  His friend was there to greet us.  We had fabulous beniets...our first time having them.  They are the most delectable French pastry and I am not sure what took me so long to discover them!

We Partied Like Rock Stars.  Well, if you call dancing, air guitaring, and doing shots to 80's music videos at the Bourbon Room at The Venetian, then yes, we partied like rock stars. 

We Rented A Cabana.  We splurged and lined up a cabana.  We really did feel like some of the "special people", if only for a day.  

We Golfed.  My husband is a budding golfer.  His friend and wife are more experienced and helped me line up 18 holes at the Las Vegas National Golf Club.  Wow, we had a great time....and my husband golfed pretty well.  If it wasn't for the PGA-level golfers getting perturbed that we were golfing too slow, it would have been a perfect day.

We Ate Ridiculously Expensive Steak.  Well, I didn't, as you know I am a vegetarian. But my husband loves steak.  Dining is Vegas is expensive already....then you choose Carnevino, Mario Batali's restaurant at the Palazzo and well,  you indulge for one special celebration.  It looks like my husband enjoyed it?

Throw in some fun gambling, a jaunt downtown, and some other good meals, and you've got a memorable 40th birthday in Vegas.  It's one for the memory books.

Look for my follow-up next week:  Why I Will Never Take My Kids To Vegas

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Let's Go To Vegas!

As this post is published, my husband and I are enjoying day 2 in Las Vegas.  Vegas is our stomping ground. It's relatively close for a quick getaway.  The weather is always perfect for poolside lounging.  We love to gamble.  It's the perfect spot for us to get a little time to ourselves (although we miss our chillins' like crazy!). We are blessed and so lucky to be able to do such a trip and to have some incredible babysitters who take care of our children while we are away.  

This trip is extra special; it's my husband's 40th birthday.  The trip was meant to be completely under wraps and a surprise, but it got a little complicated with work and his obligations as mayor.  So, I had to spill....a little.  But elements of the trip are a surprise, so be sure to stay tuned to my social media (particularly Instagram) for all the unfolding!

I'll give you a walk down memory lane from our past trips.....and I'll have a recap next week on the blog.

If you like what you're reading, I invite you to follow my blog.  Cheers!