What makes a pool family-friendly in Las Vegas
Most Las Vegas resort pools are technically all-ages, but "technically" is doing a lot of work when the main pool has a DJ at noon and a bar doing shots. A genuinely family-friendly pool has a shallow or zero-entry area, shade you do not have to pay for, a quiet end away from the party deck, a snack option that is not $28, and a route from the elevator that does not cross a casino floor for ten minutes. It also helps if the resort has no dayclub, or the dayclub is well separated. Every pool below passes most of those tests. Note that all pools bar children from the adults-only sections and dayclubs without exception, and that most resorts require children to be supervised at all times.
For where to stay, our best family hotels guide covers the rooms; this page covers the pools. General planning for a family trip is in Las Vegas with kids.
Mandalay Bay Beach: the one to plan around
If children are the reason you are reading this, Mandalay Bay Beach is the answer. The wave pool has real surf sets that older kids love, a sandy beach entry that toddlers can paddle in, a lazy river that circles a good stretch of the complex, a separate family pool, and enough sand for buckets and spades. There are lifeguards, shaded areas, a beach-side café and sensible rules. Adults-only Moorea Beach Club and Daylight Beach Club are fenced off, so the party is audible but not visible. Access is for Mandalay Bay, Delano and Four Seasons guests; the Four Seasons has its own quieter pool too. Arrive at opening on weekends; the family sections fill first. Daybeds and cabanas here are worth considering for a family of four or more because they guarantee shade and a base.
MGM Grand Pool Complex
MGM Grand has a large multi-pool complex with a proper lazy river that is a favourite with families, plus several pools and a lot of deck. It is separate from Wet Republic, which is fenced and ticketed. The resort is enormous, so the walk to the pool is long, but the rooms are reasonably priced and there is a lot for kids nearby. Tube rentals for the river are extra; bring a refillable bottle. Guests of MGM Grand and Signature at MGM Grand have access, and Signature has its own quieter pools.
Golden Nugget Tank, Downtown
The Tank at Golden Nugget is a pool wrapped around a 200,000-gallon shark aquarium, with a three-storey waterslide that runs through a clear tube in the tank. Children think it is the best thing in Las Vegas and they are not wrong. It is smaller than the Strip complexes and gets busy on weekends, and Downtown is a different environment from the Strip after dark, but for a family staying Downtown or willing to spend a night there, this is the pool. Guests only; the slide has a height minimum. See our Downtown guide.
Resorts World
Resorts World's 5.5-acre complex has seven pools spread across the Hilton, Conrad and Crockfords towers, including a family pool with a zero-depth beach entry, a large main pool and an infinity pool overlooking the Strip. It is new, clean and well shaded, and the family pool is well away from AYU Dayclub. The Hilton tower is the family-friendly one for price; all three towers share the pools. The north Strip location is quiet, and Resorts World has a food hall that solves lunch cheaply.
Excalibur, Luxor and the budget south Strip
Excalibur has a large, simple pool complex with a shallow zone, a waterfall feature and plenty of space; it is not glamorous, but it is cheap, family-heavy and directly connected to the kid-friendly resort. Luxor's pool is big and plain and rarely crowded. Neither gives access to Mandalay Bay Beach despite the free tram, which surprises many families each year. If Mandalay Bay Beach is the goal, pay for Mandalay Bay; if a pool is just a pool, Excalibur is fine and hundreds of dollars cheaper over a week. Our cheap Strip hotels guide has the honest room notes.
Off-Strip and locals' resorts
Locals take their children to the off-Strip casino resorts for a reason: the pools are large, uncrowded and cheap to reach. Red Rock Resort in Summerlin has a sprawling backyard pool with a beach entry and a kids' area; Green Valley Ranch in Henderson has a resort-style deck with a sandy beach; M Resort has a big, quiet pool; Durango Resort is new and well designed. All have parking, cheaper rooms and family restaurants. The Strip is 20 to 30 minutes away by car. For a family with a rental car and no need to be on the Boulevard every night, this is the best value in Las Vegas. See off-Strip hotels.
Rules, ages and practical tips
- Swim diapers are required for infants at every resort and usually sold at the pool shop.
- Children cannot enter adults-only pools or dayclubs at any age; there is no "with a parent" exception.
- Floats and inflatables are often banned or restricted to small arm-bands; check the resort page.
- Shade is essential: a desert sun at midday will burn a child in twenty minutes. Budget for an umbrella chair or a daybed, or bring a pop-up shade if the resort allows it (most do not).
- Go early and take a midday break indoors; 9 to 11 am and 3 to 6 pm are the comfortable windows in summer.
- Bring water shoes; pool decks and sand can be dangerously hot.
- Pool hours are shorter than you think, usually 9 am to 6 pm; plan the evening elsewhere.
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