family restrooms - Go Anyway Travel Blog

Our Adventures with a Baby Turned Toddler at Aquariums Across the U.S.

What we loved, and what was missing, on several family visits to the aquarium

Some babies love puppies. Others love teddy bears. But for our baby girl, it’s all about fishies. It’s hard to say why she’s so delighted by shiny scales and flippy fins, but we’re pretty sure our family trips had something to do with it. Before she turned one, we visited three aquariums and several zoos, and we’ve kept that up as she nears her second birthday. With each aquarium, I’ve done my best to scope out amenities and evaluate our experience. That said, some of our adventures pre-date this blog, which means a few details are missing. I plan to update these details as we return to the aquariums in the Midwest (near our home base), and add new details as we visit more. Here’s what I’ve gathered so far.

St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station

We visited our first aquarium as a family, the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station, when our daughter was about seven months old. She was too young to appreciate everything, but she was definitely enthralled by the movement of the small, tropical fish in their tanks. As a mom, I’m always on the lookout for a spark in my daughter’s eye — a sign that something has caught her fancy. This was especially true before she started gesturing and talking. The fish at the St. Louis Aquarium definitely created a spark, and that spark inspired several more aquarium journeys to come. Here’s a rundown of our time at the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station:

What We Liked: This aquarium was just right for our family, in terms of size and scope. It wasn’t too big, and it wasn’t too small. You won’t find larger animals, like dolphins and seals, but you will find sharks and other ocean wildlife. We also enjoyed the unique entrance — a simulated train ride, in keeping with the “Union Station” theme. Lastly, the parking here was a plus. It was paid parking, but we easily found a spot close to the door.

What We Didn’t Like: We’re a family of vegetarians, and the menu at the nearby 1894 Cafe wasn’t great. There was an alternative, the Soda Fountain, but the wait was much too long without a reservation. If you’re looking for on-site options beyond concession basics, I would recommend making a reservation at the Soda Fountain.

Baby/Toddler-Friendliness: The inspiration for this blog hadn’t yet hit for this visit, so some details are a bit fuzzy. That said, the aquarium’s website specifically mentions a private nursing room located in the women’s restroom on the first floor. I know I pumped during our visit, and I don’t remember running into any trouble. Likewise, I don’t remember any trouble changing diapers. After I pumped, we took turns baby-wearing using our Infantino convertible carrier. This allowed our daughter to face forward and see all the fishies. I’m sure we also brought our stroller along. The aquarium’s website recommends leaving strollers behind, but they aren’t prohibited.

Favorite Animal: I’m a sucker for an octopus (suction cup pun entirely intended), and the octopus at this aquarium was in full splendor! Think Ursula from the Little Mermaid, but bright pink — quite a creature to behold.

Clearwater Marine Aquarium

The Clearwater Marine Aquarium, located in Clearwater, Florida, was part of our daughter’s first big adventure traveling by air and seeing the ocean. She was roughly nine months old. During this visit, we noticed that she was particularly enchanted by the Clownfish, and that proclivity hasn’t gone away. We’re definitely a “Finding Nemo” family, at this point. Here are the details about our aquarium visit in Clearwater:

Parking: The roadway from our hotel on Clearwater Beach to the aquarium was a bit congested, but once we arrived on site, parking was straightforward. There was a fee, but it wasn’t outrageous.

What We Liked: As a Midwesterner, I always appreciate the spacious, open-air vibe that accompanies so many coastal attractions. This was no exception. The fresh air was nice, but there were also spots to duck indoors for some air-conditioning. Turtles are a favorite of mine, so I especially enjoyed Turtle Cove.

What We Didn’t Like: This is one of the largest aquariums we’ve visited, but from my perspective, the variety of animals didn’t live up to its size. I enjoyed the spaciousness, but some of the space seemed under-utilized. This could just mean the aquarium has room to grow, and I’m all for ensuring the animals have enough space. Overall, this complaint wasn’t a major factor in our experience. I’ll go into more detail about baby-friendly amenities below.

Baby/Toddler-Friendliness: I emailed ahead of time to ask about family restrooms and nursing spaces. Someone replied right away to let me know about two family restrooms on the third level of the aquarium. However, there is no dedicated nursing space. I don’t remember running into any trouble pumping or changing our daughter’s diaper, but as with Union Station, I wasn’t yet tracking details for my blog. I do recall that we had no trouble navigating with a stroller, although we used our Infantino carrier throughout most of our visit, so our daughter could see everything. Aside from the lack of a nursing room, this aquarium met our needs.

Favorite Animal: Along with the turtles, the standout exhibit for us was, of course, the Clownfish! I just re-watched the video we took of our daughter reaching out excitedly toward the tank, and it was definitely a magical moment. To this day, she gets excited when she spots clownfish pictures or toys.

Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay

The Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay, located inside the Mandalay Bay resort along the Las Vegas Strip, was full of surprises. You can read all about our experience at Mandalay Bay and across the Las Vegas Strip in an earlier blog post, but I’ll mention some highlights here:

Parking: There was a large parking garage on site, and it was pretty straightforward. We walked to a lot of destinations along the Strip, but we did end up driving to Mandalay Bay. That said, you might want to consider walking, if you’re staying at a nearby resort.

What We Liked: This aquarium had a surprisingly wide variety of animals for its size and location! I was expecting something small and basic, but I feel like our experience was more or less on par with other aquariums we’ve visited. Piranhas are just one example of the unique animals you’ll find.

What We Didn’t Like: I really don’t have any complaints about the aquarium itself, aside from the lack of baby-friendly amenities that I’ll describe below. The price of admission is a bit high ($29 to $36 for adults as of May 2024, depending on whether you want a timed ticket). This is on par with other aquariums, but those other aquariums usually offer hands-on activities for kids or other auxiliary experiences that were mostly absent at this location.

Baby/Toddler-Friendliness: Mandalay Bay Resort offers very few baby-friendly amenities. There is one restroom on-site at the aquarium with a changing table, so I would recommend taking advantage of it. Aside from this restroom, I confirmed in 2023 that there are not any family restrooms or public lactation spaces on site at the resort. This aquarium is also more compact than others, so it’s slightly harder to navigate with a stroller, but we didn’t run into much trouble. As with the other two aquariums I’ve mentioned, we carried our daughter forward-facing in our Infantino carrier to make sure she could see!

Favorite Animal: I was quite surprised and pleased to see a Komodo Dragon! You don’t find these giant lizards at most aquariums. I love reptiles, so I definitely paused to admire this unique specimen.

National Mississippi River Museum & Aquarium

Our daughter usually prefers Clownfish, but this Lionfish at the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium definitely won a place in her heart!

The National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium is located right in our home state of Iowa, along the Mississippi River in Dubuque. Iowa lacks the variety of exciting attractions you might find in a more populated state, so this aquarium is definitely a standout. My husband and I visited several times before our daughter was born, and we took her for the first time as a toddler just a few weeks ago, in May of 2024. We enjoyed an outstanding visit, even on a rainy day! Here are the details:

Parking: There’s plenty of free parking right on site. We’ve never run into any trouble finding a spot. Arguably, the parking situation is better here than at any other aquarium we’ve visited.

What We Liked: There are two distinct sections focused on freshwater and saltwater creatures. Between them, you can duck outside and visit the raptors that are housed on-site. There’s also a maker space for kids and some surrounding, hands-on exhibits located to the left of the entrance in the freshwater half of the aquarium. Generally, I appreciate this set up. Our daughter enjoyed the hands-on exhibits, which included a variety of science-oriented activities, and the toys in the maker space. She also loved the fish tanks that were on her level. When we entered, she walked straight up to the first tank she saw and stared in awe for almost ten minutes, pointing excitedly at the freshwater fish.

What We Didn’t Like: My only complaint on our last visit was the rain. Obviously, the aquarium can’t control that! However, there are a few outdoor exhibits that we missed, including the birds (which are among my favorites). It’s also worth noting that you won’t find any larger animals at this aquarium, like seals or dolphins. But this makes sense at a Midwest aquarium, particularly one that’s focused on the nearby river.

Favorite Animal: Our daughter’s newest discovery on this trip was the Lionfish! When we visited the gift shop at the end (I’m a sucker for gift shops), I gave her a choice between a stuffed Clownfish — her standby favorite — and a stuffed Lionfish. She chose the latter, and she’s still excited to play with him at home!

That’s all, for now! I plan to update this post periodically, so keep an eye out!

How to Fly with a Baby and Avoid the Mistakes I Made

The phrase “arrive early” has a whole new meaning.

It was a nightmare scenario. I was tucked away in a lactation space at the airport, a few minutes into pumping breastmilk for my daughter, when it happened. In the past, when I heard names called over the intercom, I would think: I’m sure glad that’s not me. This time, it was.

In this moment, I concentrated all my emotional energy to avoid dissolving into a puddle of pure anxiety. I knew I needed just a couple more minutes to finish up and avoid pumping again mid-flight. The plane wouldn’t leave without me that quickly, right? In my panic, I wasn’t so sure.

As I took those extra minutes, I could hear the buzz of constant new texts from my husband, but I didn’t have a spare hand, or spare time, to read them. Then, they called my name again. Around that time, I decided to call it good. I pulled my shirt over my head and dashed to my gate. I made it just in time, but we had the honor of being the very last passengers to board, carrying our bulky bags all the way to the back.

In this scenario, a variety of things went wrong, but the biggest factors were bad memory and timing. This was the first time my husband and I had flown in more than three years, thanks to Covid-19. I had simply forgotten an important detail: boarding happens about a half hour before departure. This was also the first time we had flown with a baby, and the first time we had flown while I was pumping breastmilk. These factors combined to create a whirlwind of chaos.

To add insult to injury, I had proven my husband right, at least in one regard. He initially thought flying with a baby had “bad idea” written all over it. He didn’t want us to be the conspicuous family creating trouble for the other passengers. Whoops.

My husband’s fear was certainly valid, but I also felt strongly about ensuring our daughter had the opportunity travel far and wide. Afterall, among brains of all ages, babies’ stand perhaps the greatest chance of benefiting profoundly from travel. Babies’ brains are highly flexible and receptive to novelty, and their interactions with other people and the world are the building blocks that shape their continued brain growth. From that perspective, babies are among the most important passengers, developing by leaps and bounds with every new trip — even if they get a bit fussy and noisy.

To work through our anxieties ahead of time, we considered a litany of nerve-racking questions. What if she cries the entire time? What if we need to change her diaper? What if she refuses to eat? What if our stroller gets lost or damaged? Should we buy her a seat? And if we do, how can we be sure our carrier will fit? These answers came eventually, through research and experience, including the one at the nexus of it all: will it be worth it? Even as I scrambled to my gate, pumping supplies in hand, I knew my answer was “yes”. My husband came around on this, too.

Now, as we prepare for our daughter’s first trip to Disney World, I’m revisiting our previous learning. I’ve summarized this learning in a convenient list of travel tips to help you fly with a baby and reduce your planning stress. After Disney, I’ll have a new set of learning when it comes to flying with a toddler. For now, here’s what we learned flying as a family from Des Moines, Iowa, to Clearwater Florida and Las Vegas, Nevada.

Don’t Disregard Advice to Leave Early

Given my track record, it seems appropriate to start here. Looking back on my mistakes, I think a good rule of thumb is to consider how early you would arrive at the airport before kids and add at least 45 minutes. At some airports, this might mean arriving almost 3 hours early. For us, in Iowa, that looks more like 2 or 2.5 hours before departure. This extra time allows you to breastfeed or pump in peace, change a diaper, and handle extra shenanigans while going through security (more on that below).

Buy Baby or Toddler a Seat

This may be an unpopular opinion, but we opted to buy a seat for our daughter on both trips we took during her first year. Why? Because the FAA recommends it as the safest option. Her seat also came with the benefit of an extra personal item and carry-on luggage, space we needed to pack breastfeeding supplies, diapers, and other necessities. Financially, it definitely wasn’t easy to see our travel cost increase by a third. But the safety factor outweighed our wallet. Be sure to locate the sticker that certifies your seat is approved for use on an aircraft. Airline personnel will check for this when you board.

Pay Extra for Seats Together

I wish this advice wasn’t necessary, but it’s often the only way to guarantee side-by-side seats. Based on my research, most airlines will prioritize seating children and parents in the same row together. But only four provide a guarantee, according to the U.S. Dept. of Transportation’s dashboard. These airlines are Alaska, American, Frontier, and Jet Blue. The Biden Administration has urged Congress to take action on this issue, but Congress hasn’t acted so far. To save money, we usually fly with Allegiant, and we pay the fee to avoid uncertainty and anxiety. Allegiant is usually the most cost-effective option, even with the fee factored in. But it’s always worth comparing with the four airlines listed above.

Prepare for Scrutiny

When we first traveled with breastmilk, formula, and baby food pouches, I felt underprepared for the extra fuss I would face in security. These items are subject to scrutiny, and this will often take extra time. Security usually pulls me aside to scan the items, and they don’t always communicate well about what they’re doing. In one case, it looked like they planned to put something in one of my bottles. Of course, they didn’t. But communication would have helped assuage that fear. Hopefully, these notes will help you mentally prepare.

Pack Efficiently and Shop on Arrival

Consider buying diapers and baby food at your destination, rather than bringing them. You’d be amazed how much space diapers take up! This step will also cut down on the scrutiny at the airport. And it may go without saying, but your hands will be full. So much fuller than they were pre-baby. For us, moving from point A to point B with everyone’s carry-on bag, the stroller, the diaper bag, my pumping supplies, my purse and, of course, the baby, was a constant struggle. I recommend using either a backpack-style diaper bag (this is the one I have) or a backpack as a carry-on, so you’re able to haul at least one bag hands-free.

Scope out Lactation Spaces

When it comes to pumping on the go, Mamava Pods are a game changer. They provide a private space for either breastfeeding or pumping. Before you head to the airport, download the Mamava app and familiarize yourself with lactation spaces on-site. Mamava will list the location of their pods, which are convenient and wonderful, as well as other spaces. I was pumping in a Mamava Pod the very moment my name was called over the intercom. Luckily, the pod was located just a short stroll (or, in my case, dash) from my gate. Aside from Mamava pods, I’ve always found either a nursing room or a family restroom at the airports I’ve visited post-baby.

Change Diapers Before and After

This may go without saying, but if your flight is short enough, do your best to avoid an in-flight diaper change. So far, we’ve avoided them altogether. If this ever changes, you’ll be the first to know how it goes.

Bottle Feed During Takeoff

If you’re bottle feeding, offer a bottle during takeoff to help alleviate pressure in baby’s ears. The bottle might also help calm anxiety and keep crying to a minimum. And it’s one less thing to worry about in the scramble at the airport before you board. I went into each of our flights with low expectations about how much milk our baby might drink. She was a picky eater during her first year. But her appetite surprised me. Looking back, I think feeding her in her familiar car seat actually helped.

Bring a New Toy

This tip, which I picked up from the blog Baby Can Travel, worked for us, at least temporarily. Our daughter handled flying pretty well, but we did have a crying spell on our first flight out of Des Moines. The novelty of a new toy distracted her for awhile, although she did eventually lose interest. We opted for a toy cell phone, since she’s obsessed with trying to grab ours, and I think this helped prolong her fascination. When she started fussing again, scrolling through pictures on the real phone finally calmed her down.

Gate Check Your Stroller

With Allegiant, there’s no fee to check or gate check a stroller. And gate checking is faster than traditional checking. You’ll bring the stroller right up to the gate, ask them to gate check it, and pick it up right after you exit the plane. The downside is the risk of damage compared with properly checking. To avert this risk, we bought an extra sturdy gate check bag. Be warned that we did have a bit of trouble finding a bag that would fit our Evenflo Pivot Xpand Stroller. This one worked, just barely. For Disney, we’re traveling with just an umbrella stroller. This will help us pack lighter, but we’ll need to carry her car seat separately. We’ll see how it goes and report back!

Family Amenities and Princess Diana are Highlights at Shops at Crystals

Family restrooms and changing stations are available, but you might need help finding them

Family Restrooms: Yes (6)
Diaper Changing Stations: Yes (1)
Lactation Space: No
Stroller-Friendly: Yes
Overall Child-Friendly: Somewhat
Time Spent: 2-3 hours

When I dreamt up this blog, the goal was to help others learn from my experiences — even the embarrassing ones. In this case, the embarrassment comes in after the fact. As my family bounced in and out of The Shops at Crystals during a busy day of sightseeing, we struggled to locate a family restroom or diaper changing station for our 10-month-old daughter. As it turns out, the answer was obvious: We should have looked at a map.

A follow-up inquiry with The Shops at Crystals, a luxury shopping center located beside the Aria Resort and Casino, revealed there are no less than six family restrooms on site, as well as a single diaper-changing station on the second level, located near the Tourbillon boutique. Although I didn’t end up using any of these amenities, they’re all identified on the shopping center’s map. This situation made it difficult to place The Shops at Crystals in my ranking of baby-friendly spots in Las Vegas. For reasons that I’ll clarify below, I decided on a dead-center spot at number seven.

You might be wondering how we missed so many helpful amenities. I think there’s an important takeaway in the answer. Although I spent hours researching family restrooms and lactation spaces along the Las Vegas Strip, it just wasn’t possible to catch every relevant detail from afar. There are always post-arrival surprises. For that reason, it’s important to think on your feet and adjust your assumptions accordingly.

In this case, the faulty assumption I made was that Aria and Shops at Crystals were essentially one-in-the-same and didn’t require separate research. Looking back, I actually wish I had relied on my research a little less when we arrived in Vegas. I wish I had checked more property maps on the ground and asked for help more often when I was having trouble.

This learning holds true across multiple locations in downtown Las Vegas. My follow-up research revealed an array of family restrooms and diaper changing stations that I missed. By circling back to double check, I hope I’ll be able to help others more easily find what I missed.

Aside from the amenities we missed, we enjoyed our quick stop at the Shops at Crystals. The property was multi-level, but the elevators weren’t hard to locate. The space was fairly easy to traverse with a stroller. Our primary focus was Princess Diana & The Royals: The Exhibition, located on the third floor. My husband carried our daughter in our Infantino Flip 4-in-1 Convertible Baby Carrier throughout the exhibit, a system that worked well and allowed her to take in the sights alongside the big people. Mother and daughter alike were dazzled by the Barbie-sized replicas of Diana’s most recognizable ensembles.

The Diana exhibit was child-friendly, and it’s currently located beside two other family-friendly exhibits: one focused on Van Gogh and another on Disney animation. However, the rest of the shopping center definitely leans in a more adult direction. This isn’t your standard, midwestern mall with a sticky play area and aromatic pretzel stand. Instead of JC Penney and Forever 21, you’ll find Gucci, Chanel, and Versace. “Luxury” is an accurate term, and the cost of luxury is less child-friendliness. Now that my husband and I have graduated from baby parenting to toddler parenting, I look back on all the expensive merchandise we casually strolled past, and a retroactive panic attack starts brewing.

So, my ranking takes into consideration several factors that balance each other out. The Shops at Crystals offers a strikingly high number of family restrooms, compared with other destinations along the Strip. However, I had trouble finding them and didn’t end up using them, which means I can’t describe what they were like inside.

There was a a diaper-changing station available, but from what I understand, there is just one on site. It seems odd that there wouldn’t be stations in all the family restrooms. In terms of the vibe, there were a few child-friendly exhibits, but the shopping center overall wasn’t especially child-friendly.

That said, I definitely think the Diana exhibit is worth a stop. And it might be a good idea to take advantage of the changing station and family restrooms, since you can’t count on them elsewhere. If you end up scoping them out and learn anything interesting, let me know!

Family Restrooms A Near Miss at Luxor in Las Vegas

Sometimes a locked restroom feels worse than no restroom at all.

Family Restrooms: Yes
Diaper Changing Stations: Yes
Lactation Space: No
Stroller-Friendly: Somewhat
Overall Child-Friendly: Somewhat
Time Spent: 1-2 hours

This stop came so close to meeting our minimum needs while traveling with a baby in Las Vegas. After we had trouble locating family restrooms at several hotels along the Las Vegas Strip, during our trip in May of 2023, we were thrilled to finally track one down near the food court at Luxor Las Vegas. But the restroom was inaccessible, and our happiness short-lived. This almost-but-not-quite situation does Luxor no favors in our ranking of baby-friendly spots in Las Vegas. Since we weren’t able to use the family restroom we found, and nothing else about this spot is especially child-friendly, I’m ranking this stop at #10.

We discovered this restroom during a quick pit stop for lunch. Before we sat down to eat, I was hoping we could use the space to pump and change our 10-month-old baby’s diaper. In vain, we tracked down multiple hotel and food court employees who did their best to help us unlock the space. It turns out, the restroom was out of order, which meant it was entirely off-limits.

In my frustration, this is where I finally decided I was done pumping in bathroom stalls and would, instead, try pumping in the spacious area around the sinks. Looking back, I wish I had done this more often, when I wasn’t able to find a private space. I felt a little self-conscious, and I had some trouble discreetly positioning my nursing cover, but otherwise, I didn’t run into any issues.

Our trouble locating elevators across the Las Vegas Strip became a running joke between my husband and I, and this sign at Luxor summed the joke up nicely.

Aside from the family restroom fiasco, things were fairly smooth at Luxor. We easily found a diaper changing station. I made a follow-up inquiry with Luxor’s hotel group, MGM Resorts, after we returned home, and I confirmed that there is at least one family restroom available, and that multiple changing stations can be found, although there is no public lactation space on site. I asked for a few more details, and I’ll be sure to update this post if I hear back.

We made use of Luxor’s elevators to navigate with our Evenflo Pivot Xpand Stroller and ran into our favorite sign, which read “This is Not an Elevator”. The sign did a great job illustrating the circuitous nature of the Las Vegas Strip for families with babies, a circumstance that certainly isn’t limited to Luxor. Otherwise, Luxor didn’t stand out much in terms of its child-friendliness or lack thereof.

If your adventures in Las Vegas take your family through Luxor, I would definitely recommend checking out the family restroom and changing stations. You won’t find them everywhere. We hope this eventually changes for traveling parents in the future. As things stand, hopefully your experience is a bit smoother than ours.

What Works, and What Doesn’t, for Families at the Big Apple of Las Vegas

Fun amenities outweigh the practical ones

Family Restrooms: Yes
Diaper Changing Stations: Yes
Lactation Space: None
Stroller-Friendly: Somewhat
Overall Child-Friendly: Yes
Time Spent: 2-3 hours

If you read my first post in this blog, you’ll recall an awkward but funny scene: Me, huddled in a nursing cover at the New York-New York Las Vegas Hotel and Casino, pumping in the restroom alongside the showgirls. As it turns out, I could have avoided this scene altogether by locating an elusive family restroom on site that I missed. Instead, I used this opportunity to stop tucking myself away in bathroom stalls and try pumping more openly. For better or worse, this experience is emblazoned among my strongest memories of Las Vegas’ Big Apple.

Most downtown Las Vegas hotels have fairly large restrooms with long rows of sinks, which provide enough space to set up a portable pump — in my case, the Medela Pump in Style. This set up is what I tried at New York-New York, with relative success. I ran into a bit of trouble getting my nursing cover in place discreetly, but once I got situated, I quickly realized the sinks were preferable to a stall in terms of spaciousness and cleanliness. I was also pleasantly surprised by the flood of positive comments I received from other women. My self-consciousness gradually receded with each new comment.

A family restroom still would have been better, in my opinion, and a follow-up inquiry with the MGM Hotel Group confirmed that there is at least one on site. But, since my family wasn’t able to find or use it, I’m listing New York-New York at #9 in my ranking of baby-friendly spots in Las Vegas.

Through my follow-up inquiry, I also confirmed that New York-New York has at least one diaper changing station but no public lactation space. We did locate and use a changing station, although I recall checking more than one restroom to find it. Across the Las Vegas Strip, we never did locate any public lactation spaces, although we certainly didn’t stop everywhere. In the future, it would be great to see more public lactation spaces across the Strip and more clear signage to guide families to existing amenities.

I sent a couple more questions to the MGM Hotel Group about the number and location of family restrooms and changing stations at New York-New York, but I haven’t heard back yet. If I do, I’ll be sure to update this post.

This area in New York-New York was a great spot to enjoy coffee and pastries in the morning!

Aside from the restrooms, New York-New York was about as child-friendly as a casino can be. Like Paris Las Vegas, there’s a Disney vibe that I enjoyed. The decor evoked a picturesque, bustling city with vendors hawking hotdogs, coffee, and even custom s’mores near Hershey’s Chocolate World, which were delicious. For older children, New York-New York also features The Big Apple Coaster, a visible feature along the Vegas skyline.

One of our favorite family features was the arcade near the entrance to the coaster. We walked past several arcades in downtown Vegas that turned out to be duds, but this one had a wide variety of games. It’s worth noting that Excalibur also has a great “Fun Dungeon”.

As with many other downtown locations, New York-New York required plenty of ups and downs in the elevator, as we met up with family and navigated with a stroller. Baby-wearing is definitely an option worth considering, depending on your plans throughout the day. We opted for a stroller, because we had a full day with multiple stops planned. For us, baby-wearing would make more sense during an isolated, fully air-conditioned outing to a single resort.

All-in-all, I think New York-New York is a fun choice for families, especially compared with other casinos that lack child-friendly attractions. If I could do our visit over again, I would ask for help locating the family restroom, or restrooms, that I missed. The missing pieces for me are more practical family amenities and more information about the amenities that are available.

Timing is Key with a Baby at the Harry Reid Airport

Don’t leave security before visiting the pods!

Family Restrooms: Yes (11)
Diaper Changing Stations: Yes
Lactation Space: Yes (3)
Stroller-Friendly: No
Overall Child-Friendly: Somewhat
Time Spent: 1-1.5 hours each way

On paper, the airport stops that bookended our family trip to Las Vegas look like a dream. The Harry Reid International Airport offers many dedicated spaces to nurse, pump, and change diapers — a rarity in Las Vegas. So, why am I listing our experience in the mid range of my ranking of baby-friendly spots in Las Vegas (at #8, to be specific)? Allow me to explain.

I’ll be the first to say that user error was a factor in the trouble we encountered. I spent hours preparing for our family trip to Vegas in May of 2023, but, as I’ve mentioned in other posts, preparation has its limits. There was one key detail that eluded me throughout my planning: the specific location of the airport’s Mamava Pods.

If you’re familiar with Mamava Pods, you know these magical spaces can be life savers at the airport. These pods offer a small, private area specifically for nursing and pumping. You can use the Mamava app to locate them and even check to see if they’re occupied. And I did use the map. The trouble was that I couldn’t quite tell whether they were located inside or outside of security.

In the end, I made the inaccurate assumption that I would find a pod in both areas. All three of the airport’s Mamava Pods were, in fact, located inside security. On our way into Vegas, we were in a hurry to make sure our beloved Baby Bjorn Travel Crib survived its journey among the checked luggage, and I missed my chance to use the pods entirely.

Once we realized our mistake, a helpful employee directed us to a family restroom, but it was both difficult to locate and locked, which meant we had to track someone down to unlock it. When we finally made our way in, we did find the bare essentials we needed: a sink, toilet, and changing station. The space worked, but it was arduous to gain access.

The map on the Harry Reid Airport’s website is a little unclear about the total number of family restrooms on site, but no matter how you count, there are plenty of them. Had we known, we would have bypassed the locked one altogether. I found 11 that were specifically labeled as family restrooms. This map also shows the location of the Mamava Pods.

After our experience flying into Vegas, you would think I managed to finally use a pod on our way back home. But you would be wrong. The ones located closest to our gate were continually occupied, so I ended up using a family restroom again. This worked just fine, but it was a bummer to miss out on the pods during both legs. I always hate occupying family restrooms for 20 minutes straight in a crowded area where changing stations are at a premium.

In terms of stroller-friendliness, we had no trouble navigating the airport itself. The trouble started when we went to pick up our rental car. When we booked in advance, I came away with the notion that on-site pick-up would be available. In truth, there is no on-site rental car pick-up at the Harry Reid International Airport. No matter which service you choose, you must take an airport shuttle to get there. For a family traveling with suitcases, pumping supplies, a diaper bag, a stroller, and a car seat, it was not a smooth or easy process to get loaded on the bus. Fortunately, a kind employee let us bypass the long line and helped us get situated.

Overall, the pros and cons at this airport present quite the contrast. I appreciated the Mamava Pods, the family restrooms, and the friendly employees who helped us along the way. But Mamava Pods on both sides of security would have helped quite a bit. Most of all, on-site rental car would have made a huge difference. More clear information about both circumstances would have also helped, although I mostly blame myself for missing the location of the pods.

My #8 ranking says less about the airport compared with other amenities in Vegas — by that measure, it would come out on top — and more about our experience compared with other airports. Hopefully, this post will help you prepare in ways I didn’t.

Paris Las Vegas: A Dreamy Excursion, Until You Need a Place to Pump

Thank goodness for purse hooks…

Family Restrooms: Unsure
Diaper Changing Stations: Yes
Lactation Space: Unsure
Stroller-Friendly: Somewhat
Overall Child-Friendly: Somewhat
Time Spent: 2-3 hours

Picture a pair of wide-open shutters looking out on winding, cobblestone streets. In the distance, you see cafes and famous wonders like the Moulin Rouge, the Sacre Coeur, and the Chat Noir. Ok, well, that’s actually a memory of Montmartre with my husband, years before our 10-month-old daughter was born. But our visit to Paris Las Vegas last May really did conjure that amazing adventure from six years prior. To me, it felt like Disney meets Paris: a combination of two mismatched destinations that I love.

It’s also a combination that creates a fairly family-friendly environment outside the casino floor. The downside? We had trouble locating family-friendly amenities, like a public lactation space or family restroom. For this reason, it ranks at #11 in my ranking of baby-friendly locations in Las Vegas.

Our family of three passed through Paris Las Vegas before joining my extended family for dinner at Alexxa’s, located within the resort. This kept us there for a while. In order to follow my pumping schedule, I resorted to a tactic that I’ve reluctantly used only when necessary: pumping in a bathroom stall. We couldn’t find a private place for me to pump, and I wasn’t yet brave enough to pump along the restroom sinks.

Just a day or two later, I gave the sink method a try. Although it wasn’t very private or easy to keep my nursing cover in place, this tactic felt more comfortable and sanitary. Looking back, I wish I had avoided more bathroom stalls and pumped at the sinks instead.

At Paris, pumping in a stall felt like my best option. When we returned from our trip, I did reach out to inquire about any family restrooms we may have missed. So far, I haven’t heard back. However, my inquiries to other resorts have yielded surprising results. There are family restrooms we failed to find in several locations, and Paris Las Vegas could be one of these spots. If there is one, though, it wasn’t easy for us to find.

As far as the bathroom stalls go, the ones at Paris Las Vegas weren’t the worst I’ve encountered. There was much more elbow room than usual, and, importantly, there was a flat toilet paper dispenser and a purse hook. If you find yourself pumping in a stall, for whatever reason, these details make all the difference. I’ve used the flat dispensers as a spot to set up my portable, Medela Pump in Style pump. It’s also a great spot to set your phone, as you track the time or watch the latest series you’re binging (for me, it was a rewatch of The Magicians). The purse hook is where you’ll hang your pumping bag, providing a hands-free way to carefully sift through supplies without dropping anything on the dirty bathroom floor.

*This was the view we encountered outside the small “patisserie” where we stopped for pastries, a bottle of water, and a chance to give our daughter her bottle.*

I hope I’ve made it clear that stall pumping isn’t my favorite, but at Paris Las Vegas, I was able to accomplish the task without too much fuss. Twenty minutes later, I changed our daughter’s diaper in a different restroom near the lobby. Not all the restrooms have changing tables, but we didn’t have too much trouble tracking one down.

I’m curious whether Paris Las Vegas has aligned with a relatively new law in Nevada that requires new buildings to have at least one changing table accessible to men and women. There are exceptions, and Paris Las Vegas opened its doors long before the law passed. But I’m encouraged to see Nevada moving in this direction. The changing table we located at Paris was in the women’s restroom, but we didn’t check all the restrooms on site. If anyone tracks down a changing table in a men’s restroom there, please feel free to reach out and let me know. Overall, I hope to see more changes across the Strip to help families access lactation spaces and family restrooms.

At Alexxa’s, we were a bit nervous about setting our stroller aside in the lobby during dinner, but there was no way it would fit near the table. In the end, the arrangement worked out fine. There weren’t many vegetarian options to choose from on the menu, but the appetizers were delicious, and the view from our patio table was spectacular. Our daughter slowly worked on a bottle as we ate and chatted. Throughout the trip, she took most of her bottles on the go in her stroller or with us at restaurants, alongside the solid food we prepared at our hotel, the Desert Rose.

All in all, I wish I could rank Paris Las Vegas higher, because I enjoyed our time there. It was one of my favorite stops. But my ranking is focused on amenities for families and babies, and the overall experience is just one factor. In this case, the lack of adequate pumping space created significant hassle and discomfort. If you’re making a tour of the Strip, I would definitely recommend stopping at Paris Las Vegas. Just be prepared, or face the dreaded stall.

The Cosmopolitan: Exciting Vibe? Yes! Baby-Friendly? No.

Context is everything.

Family Restrooms: Yes
Diaper Changing Stations: Yes
Lactation Space: No
Stroller-Friendly: Somewhat
Overall Child-Friendly: No
Time Spent: 1-2 hours

My candid review of The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas can only begin with a telling argument between my husband and me. He hated the fact that we were crowded into a tiny casino restroom, caring for our 10-month-old baby in a space much more well-suited to nightlife. I did too. But was I grateful, in the moment, that we found a private space at all.

As it turns out, had we looked a bit harder, we would have found a space much more suitable: a family restroom. Our search, during a family trip we took in May of 2023, turned up several gender-neutral restrooms, and we finally opted to use one of these as a private spot to pump. My husband came in with me to offer a second pair of hands, which helps as a strategy to keep things as sanitary as possible.

When we returned from our trip, I made a follow-up inquiry with the MGM Hotel Group, which includes the Cosmopolitan. I learned that there is at least one family restroom with a diaper-changing station on site. I reached out to ask about the location, but I haven’t heard back. If I do, I’ll be sure to update this post. In the meantime, if anyone finds it, please feel free to reach out.

In my post-travel research overall, I’ve learned that many places we visited had more family amenities than we realized. Surely, user error played a role in our failure to locate them. But I think it’s also important to consider findability, especially since some amenities were clearly labeled and convenient. For that reason, along with overall tone, I’ve ranked the Cosmopolitan toward the bottom of my ranking of baby-friendly attractions in Las Vegas, at #12.

Now is a great time for a reminder that this review of the Cosmopolitan is based primarily on our experience there with our 10-month-old daughter. Which is to say, an experience that doesn’t capture the resort’s main audience. We made it work, but I wouldn’t recommend the Cosmopolitan for pumping or breastfeeding in private. There is no public lactation space on site. The family restroom might be an ok spot to pump, but it’s hard for me to say without seeing inside. It would be great to see more lactation spaces all along the Strip, as well as more guidance to help families locate the existing amenities.

If you are planning to pump on the go, at the Cosmopolitan or otherwise, you’ll need the right equipment. I picked the Medela Pump in Style breast pump specifically because it comes with a battery pack, tote bag, and mini-cooler, making it portable and perfect for travel. There was no need to find an outlet, as long as I kept my pump charged. My insurance doesn’t cover any wearable breast pumps, like the Elvie or Willow Go, but I’m very curious about them. If they’re effective, they certainly would have made a huge difference on our trip.

Our family travels with the Medela Pump in Style breast pump, the tote bag and mini-cooler it comes with, and a backpack-style diaper bag, among other necessary supplies.

As for moving through the Cosmopolitan with a stroller, we encountered many ups and downs, literally. We took our Evenflo Pivot Xpand Stroller with us throughout our trip, and I’m glad we did. We were able to easily transfer our daughter from rental car to stroller, and the storage space at the bottom was indispensable, considering all the pumping supplies I was carrying. The downside was the number of elevators. At the Cosmopolitan, we zigged and zagged, searching for appropriate restrooms and elevators to get us where we needed to be.

The Cosmopolitan does look like an exciting place to stay with friends, or as a couple. It advertises itself as a luxury resort, and the advertising isn’t wrong. I enjoyed the quirky, colorful vibe. We encountered lots of edgy, Alice-in-Wonderland-esque decor and plenty of modern, pink elements, all of which align with my personal aesthetic. This stop also came with a fun mystery: the hunt for Secret Pizza, a hidden restaurant that offers a variety of large, cheesy slices. We found it, and the pizza was delicious.

That said, it was obvious from the get-go that this resort’s draw wasn’t its baby-friendliness. My best advice is to move through quickly, or plan to visit while baby is with a sitter. In our case, we celebrated the gender-neutral restroom and our well-sleuthed pizza, and then we moved along to the next stop.

Recharge With Amazing Tacos After Pumping at Tacotarian

Tacos at your table after pumping: need I say more?

Family Restrooms: No
Diaper Changing Stations: Yes
Lactation Space: None
Stroller-Friendly: Yes
Overall Child-Friendly: Yes
Time Spent: 1 hour

It might seem odd to include a taco restaurant in my ranking of baby-friendly spots in Las Vegas. But if you know me, maybe it doesn’t seem odd at all. In all seriousness, Tacotarian offers more than just a great bite to eat. They came to our rescue a couple of times during our family trip. They provided a boost of family-friendly vibes precisely when I needed them, along with private restrooms and delicious vegetarian food. That’s why Tacotarian earns a number-six ranking in my list.

Tacotarian was our first stop after arriving in Las Vegas in May of 2023, as my husband and I (mostly me) faced some early-trip jitters about navigating Vegas with our 10-month-old daughter. Nothing in the area looked particularly family-oriented or baby-friendly. But when we walked into Tacotarian, I started to feel better. Granted, Mexican food tends to have that effect on me in a variety of contexts.

In this case, my relief was compounded by the two gender-neutral, single-user bathrooms we found, as well as the welcoming ambiance. We visited the location on Casino Center Blvd., and, while there was no dedicated lactation space, I was able to pump there without too much fuss.

I came prepared with the Medela Pump in Style breast pump, a choice I made during pregnancy. This pump comes with a battery pack, tote bag, and mini-cooler, making it portable and perfect for travel. Using these features, I found plenty of space in the Tacotarian restroom to set up a makeshift pumping station. Both restrooms were clean and pleasant.

My Medela Pump in Style pump came with the black and gray tote bag pictured here, and it has definitely come in handy!

When we returned home, I realized my memory was a bit fuzzy about the diaper changing stations. This trip inspired my blog, so I didn’t have all my ducks in a row yet while we were in Vegas. To fill in the gaps, I’ve been making direct inquiries, including an inquiry with Tacotarian. They confirmed that there is a changing table on site, in line with a relatively new law in Nevada that requires new buildings to have at least one changing table accessible to men and women.

Outside the restrooms, the atmosphere at Tacotarian was family-friendly, including a small gift shop that sold a couple children’s items. The menu focused on vegetarian food, which was a wonderful change of pace from the cuisine I’m used to as a vegetarian in Iowa. I ordered several different tacos and liked everything I tried, although I surprised myself by preferring the basic “Gabacho” with Beyond Beef. The extra calories you burn while pumping breast milk can mean great things when it comes to maximizing taco consumption.

If you find yourself in the vicinity of a Tacotarian during your stay, I would definitely recommend stopping in, whether you’re hungry, seeking a family-friendly refuge, or both. There are four locations across the Las Vegas metro area, and they also have a new location in San Diego, CA. If you’re reading, Tacotarian, we would love to see a location all the way over in Iowa!

Surprising Creatures and Familiar ‘Fishies’ at Mandalay Bay’s Aquarium

The variety of interesting animals makes up for the elusive amenities

Family Restrooms: No
Diaper Changing Stations: Yes
Lactation Space: No
Stroller-Friendly: Yes
Overall Child-Friendly: Yes
Time Spent: Roughly 2 hours

Wildlife might be hard to spot in an arid, urban place like Las Vegas. But at the Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay, you’ll encounter animals both familiar and peculiar. I was tempted to review the aquarium on its own, rather than lumping it in with the less baby-friendly Mandalay Bay Resort, where it’s located. But, since you can’t extricate one from the other, a side-by-side review makes the most sense. With everything taken into account, this stop on our family trip clocks in at #5 in my ranking of baby-friendly spots in Las Vegas.

As long as you plan diaper changes and feedings carefully, the Aquarium at Mandalay Bay is a stop you don’t want to miss. It’s family-friendly, with a surprising variety of creatures. The trouble we ran into during our trip in May of 2023 involved finding a changing table outside the aquarium and a lack of family restrooms and lactation spaces. Planning ahead will help you avoid these obstacles.

Since our family of three was traveling with a group of extended family, all with different priorities, we almost skipped this stop. But I’m so glad we didn’t. Our 10-month-old daughter loved every minute, and it definitely exceeded my expectations. We encountered surprises ranging from a Komodo Dragon to an octopus to a tank of piranhas, along with plenty of familiar favorites, like tropical fish, sharks, and turtles.

Our family, parents and baby alike, could stare at the octopus tank for hours. We were thrilled to find one at the Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay!

Our daughter has grown to love “fishies” and aquariums. We made a point of visiting several before she turned one, and her passion even inspired us to throw her an undersea-themed birthday party. It would be hard to pick favorites among the aquariums we visited, but this one stood out in terms of its unique animals and its size relative to its context. We expected a quick walkthrough with the basics, but that was not the case. At the same time, it wasn’t too big to manage.

This is another spot where we appreciated our Infantino Flip 4-in-1 Convertible Baby Carrier. A stroller would work fine (we brought ours along to stow our diaper bag and my pumping supplies), but our daughter appreciated the opportunity to see the animals up close. She’s been known to reach out and try to grab the fish!

I’m an animal lover, and I have a special place in my heart for creepy crawlies, including reptiles of all kinds. This giant Komodo Dragon was my favorite animal encounter at the Shark Reef and Aquarium at Mandalay Bay Resort.

All of that said, we never did find a diaper changing station outside the aquarium — and we regrettably passed up our chance to use that one. This changing table is located en route inside the aquarium. A helpful employee actually pulled us aside to let us know about it. At the time, we didn’t need it. But, knowing what I know now, I would recommend taking the opportunity, especially if you plan to spend more time at the resort beyond the aquarium.

To be fair, we did not check every restroom on site. I didn’t have this blog in mind yet, and we didn’t want to waste our time ducking in and out of restrooms. After checking a few, we moved on to the next stop.

Before we left, I called the resort and confirmed that there aren’t any family restrooms or public lactation spaces at Mandalay Bay. We planned around this disappointing circumstance, and I didn’t try to pump while we were there. For this reason, I didn’t get a close look at the restrooms with this purpose in mind.

Next door, the Luxor does have a family restroom, although it was closed when we visited. Luxor also has changing stations in at least some of the men’s and women’s restrooms. If the Luxor is the next stop on your list, it might be worth waiting.

All-in-all, if you come to Mandalay Bay prepared and stay for a short time, this Vegas stop is both doable and lovable. Scope out your favorite animal, and take the opportunity to let your little one discover theirs.