October 15, 2024 The Newspaper Serving LGBT Los Angeles

TRAVEL REVIEW: LGBTQ+ Family Vacation: Holiday Edition – Las Vegas

This column is the second in a reoccurring series about LGBTQ+ family travel. For a preview of this travel column, CLICK HERE.

Wasn’t it just Thanksgiving last week? Somehow, Christmas is nigh and my family is franticly preparing for C-Day. We are staying put in Long Beach this holiday, but for those traveling to big cities with their little ones, here’s a quick review of how “LGBTQ+ Family Vacation Takes on Las Vegas” went for my family during Thanksgiving. 

10 Things We Loved and Hated About a Holiday in Las Vegas 

1. WE LOVED – There were so many family-friendly options we were able to find in the day! There’s more to Las Vegas that “Hangover”-style debauchery, and I think we found the jackpot. 

Madame Tussauds Wax Museum.

2. WE LOVED – For example, Madame Tussauds Wax Museum. Have you ever been to a wax museum? It is such a fun experience! Have you ever taken a child to one? Even better! Our 8-year-old was absolutely delighted, trying to recognize the dozens of celebrities and mimicking their poses. It was a cool and interactive way to spend the afternoon! 

3. WE LOVED – All that MGM had to offer the whole family. From all the rides at the Adventuredome, to Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at The Mirage, to the Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay, it was enough to keep our family busy for several days. 

Dessert at STK

4. WE LOVED – All the Food! For foodies like my partner and I, Vegas is a great food destination – and the holidays are no exception. We had a prix fix dinner at STK in the Cosmopolitan hotel. Let me tell you, they pulled out all the stops! Our dessert was lit on fire, people! Does it get any more lit than that?

5. WE LOVED – There’s so much to do off the Strip.We were able to take a local bus from our hotel to both the Smith Center to watch “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”  and to the Discovery Children’s Museum right next door. The Museum might have been our daughter’s favorite part of the trip — she’s already asking when we can go back. 

6. WE HATED – I know it wouldn’t quite be Vegas without all the cigarette smoke, but this was by far the most unpleasant adjustment for the trip. Even family hotels reeked of stale smoke. Our daughter began holding her breath trough the casino portions of hotels. Not the most fun. 

7. WE HATED – This probably goes without being said, but as soon as the sun goes down on on the Strip, the daytime family-friendliness quickly recedes too. Be advised. 

Madame Tussauds Wax Museum.

8. WE HATED – Where did all my gambling money go?! You sneak off to the slots inside the White Castle – of all places – for literally five minutes, and suddenly all your pocket money is gone. Oh, well – such is Vegas. 

9. WE HATED – We thought we were being clever by avoiding the peak season of Sin City, but as it turns out, SO MANY other people had the same idea. Everything was so crowded, all the time. So hang on tight to your little ones and be ready to do some expert stroller weaving. 

10. WE HATED – Going back to reality is always a mixed bag. Yes, we couldn’t wait to see our kitties and sleep in our own beds, but are you ever really ready to face the daily grind again? Until the next LGBTQ+ Family Vacation it is!  

This column is the first in a reoccurring series about LGBTQ+ family travel. For more information, please email amy@thepridela.com

Related Posts

Suspect Pleads Guilty in Scheme to Sell Stolen Warhol Artwork in Beverly Hills Auction House

October 1, 2024

October 1, 2024

The Warhol Print Was Originally Sold by a West Hollywood Gallery  Brian Alec Light, 58, of Hudson, Ohio, is expected...

Santa Monica Artist Dave Quick’s “Return from the Burn” Exhibition to Open at Bergamot’s Lois Lambert Gallery

July 10, 2024

July 10, 2024

Pre-Burning Man Showcase Features Kinetic Art and Sculptures Coated with Playa Dust, Opens July 13 With upwards of 80,000 attendees,...

Film Review: Down Low

July 30, 2023

July 30, 2023

FILM REVIEWDOWN LOWRated R90 MinutesReleased March 11, 2023 By Dolores Quintana “Down Low” is funny. It’s a lean 90 minutes...

Film Review: The People’s Joker

July 23, 2023

July 23, 2023

FILM REVIEWThe People’s JokerUnrated92 MinutesReleased September 13, 2022 (Toronto Film Festival) By Dolores Quintana “The People’s Joker” is a heartfelt...

The Problem with Pride Outfits and How You Can Change It

February 20, 2023

February 20, 2023

Since pride month’s official declaration in 1999, we’re reminded every June of how far America has come following New York...

Happening Now: West Hollywood’s LGBTQ+ Arts Festival

May 23, 2022

May 23, 2022

By Susan Payne Happening now through the end of June, WeHo Pride LGBTQ Arts Festival celebrates the artistic contributions of...

WeHo Premieres the ‘Moving Image Media Art’ Exhibition Series

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

The City of West Hollywood announces the premiere of the Moving Image Media Art (MIMA) program and the worldwide debut...

2022 ‘WeHo Reads’ Series Celebrates the ‘Road to Joy’

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

The City of West Hollywood invites community members to celebrate literature and local authors with its 2022 WeHo Reads literary...

MJ Rodriguez, 1st Openly Transgender Actress to Win Golden Globe

January 18, 2022

January 18, 2022

Michaela Jae “MJ” Rodriguez has made history by becoming the first openly transgender person to win a Golden Globe.  The...

LGBTQ Haven in Long Beach

January 18, 2022

January 18, 2022

Long Beach is quickly becoming more and more of a safe haven for LGBTQ individuals with its queer spaces exploding...

WeHo Rings In New Year With Virtual Drug and Alcohol-Free Annual #BOOM! Event

January 6, 2022

January 6, 2022

The City of West Hollywood rung in the New Year with a virtual drug and alcohol-free annual #BOOM! Event.  This...

LACMA Spotlights Queer Black Artists & Subjects

December 7, 2021

December 7, 2021

“The Obama Portraits Tour” and “Black American Portraits” exhibits at LACMA not only celebrate portraiture, but also queer Black artists...

Pride Poets’ Corner: Featuring Corey Saucier & the Dirge for 24 Hour Fitness

December 7, 2021

December 7, 2021

On November 30, 2020, the 24 Hour Fitness location in West Hollywood, which had been in the community for 25...

WeHo’s 31st Annual Toy & Food Drive

November 30, 2021

November 30, 2021

The City of West Hollywood and the West Hollywood Sheriff’s Station are partnering to help give back to those in...

Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Culinary Arts Program Served Hundreds For Thanksgiving Holiday

November 30, 2021

November 30, 2021

The Los Angeles LGBT Center Culinary Arts program served nearly 900 people Thanksgiving meals making it the largest undertaking so...