MSM Linzy’s Adventures in Travel is a monthly column in Single Parent Magazine (SPM). Michelle Linzy (SPM’s editorial Director and owner), Sierra (her oldest daughter), and Milan (her youngest daughter), will travel to different places in the world and give single parents the important information they need to make informed decisions about their future travel plans. Their goal is to provide our followers with single parent, family-friendly vacations. Michelle: Las Vegas has always had the nickname “Sin City,” and most people think that Las Vegas is really not a good choice when choosing places to take their children. I disagree. Las Vegas has changed a lot since my father took my brother and me years ago. Gone are the days of the 99 cents, all-you-can-eat-buffets. They have been replaced with high priced buffets that can make your wallet so light that you feel as though you have been a victim of a professional pickpocket, with the only difference being that you actually handed the pickpocket the wallet and told them that they had permission to rob you. Fortunately, there are ways to get around this.
The airport is very close to the Las Vegas Strip, and we usually take a van taxi to our hotel. The girls and I always rent a car, but not from the airport. Renting a car from the airport is usually more expensive, that’s why I always bring my laptop with me so I can have the ability to make cheaper online reservations for just about anything we need including car rental. Most hotels have wireless internet that you have access to with the password the hotel will give you. After you get your rental car, you have a whole new Las Vegas to experience, beginning with the Las Vegas library. The library is farther south down Las Vegas Boulevard and they do let people from out of town have a library card. The girls and I have been known to spend hours there playing on the computers, listening to story telling, reading and the best thing ever… renting movies. That was completely unexpected, but it allowed us to watch movies on the laptop anytime we wanted. Also, at the library, you can get lots of information on where things are located from the librarians and the people using the library.
Farther south of the Las Vegas strip are average-priced restaurants like Chili’s, Outback etc. There are a variety of food places including Subway, Starbucks (reasonably priced) and anything else you can think of to eat at normal everyday prices. Also, there are grocery stores for any items that you may have forgotten. These same items can be anywhere from three to four times more expensive in the hotel gift shops. Souvenirs can also be purchased for a reasonable price from these stores as well.
If you love shopping or just want to browse, there is a huge mall south of the Las Vegas Strip and it has every store you would find in any other major mall.
One of our favorite hotels, which is very far south of the Las Vegas Strip, is called South Point Hotel and Spa. South Point Hotel and Spa is a relatively new hotel, but an absolute must if you are looking for some serious family fun. This hotel has a 64-lane bowling center with state of the art equipment and a huge bingo hall with individual computer systems/laptops that will keep track of your uploaded Bingo packet. There is a 16-screen movie theatre complex, a 400-seat showroom, equestrian center, casino and spa.
Further north along the Las Vegas Strip, you will find numerous hotels. Circus Circus is a hotel that has a casino on the bottom floor. It also has an arcade, carnival games and circus acts every half hour. The majority of hotels have themes, for example, Luxor is a hotel where everything is designed to look Egyptian. Excalibur has a medieval theme, Caesars Place looks like a Roman Coliseum, and the Paris hotel has a French interior with the Eiffel tower on the outside. You can walk down the Las Vegas Strip and experience all the different hotels and get a good workout without realizing it. Lots of hotels have amusements parks or arcades and there is a variety of things to do that will fit every budget.
Depending on how much time you have, you can always go to a timeshare presentation. They say it takes about two hours, but that is not usually accurate unless you have a plan set in motion before you sign up. Timeshare presentations will usually feed you and your little ones, but be aware that they will not begin until you and your kids finish eating. After the timeshare presentations you are usually offered “gifts” at the end of the presentation, which can help with your budget. We have been given a four day three night stay at Excalibur and a vacation we could use at a later date (we ended up going on a cruise and stayed at a really nice hotel in Ft. Lauderdale for our summer vacation.) Fun hint: take the kids, because it is easier to make the presentation shorter when the kids are misbehaving. Also, realize that they will try to pressure you into purchasing and the price seems to go down the more you refuse. Just remember, it is their job to make you feel like you are the worst parent in the world for not purchasing this for the children and their children in the future, but it is your decision and after three hours, you have definitely earned the “gift(s)”.
Las Vegas can be so much fun and there are a variety of things to do for everyone. Don’t forget to go to the M&M and the Coca-Cola store. Viva Las Vegas! Don’t forget that what happens in Vegas…
Bon Voyage!
Michelle, Sierra and Milan Linzy
