Tag: stroller-friendly

Disney100 Offers a Museum Vibe, Minus the Boredom, Plus a Little Disney Magic

While not quite linear, our visit with a toddler worked out well

Mathematically, Des Moines, Iowa, might not be the precise spot in the continental U.S. that’s furthest from both Disney parks. But it sure feels like it. So, after our family trip to Walt Disney World in March, I was thrilled to see Disney100: The Exhibition pop up in nearby Kansas City. Although this experience does not include rides, character greetings, or pin trading, it does offer one important element: Disney magic.

My husband and I made the three-ish-hour drive down to Disney100 in late June. We spent a single night at the Home2 Suites downtown and re-visited the Kansas City Zoo & Aquarium the next day. Disney100 is located at Union Station, a spot that’s familiar after a previous visit to Science City at Union Station. Disney100 is also a pretty manageable attraction, time-wise, so we made sure to swing through Science City again.

The Disney exhibition starts off with a strong dose of atmosphere in the form of glittery lights and a chance to pose with “Goofy” (a statue) before setting off on the tour. As with any Disney experience, we joined a small line that was queued behind the previous tour group, but our wait was less than 10 minutes. From there, we watched short video that introduced the exhibit and provided some history about Disney and its founder, Walt Disney.

I’ll be the first to say that Disney’s history is not my niche. I’m fully aware that Disney’s past encompasses a range of problematic elements, including some very racist themes and scenes in movies. I don’t embrace Disney as a perfect company — far from it — and I’m not particularly fond of Walt Disney as a person, despite any lack of clarity about his beliefs. As with many fans, my love of Disney comes from an amorphous place of nostalgia and comfort that isn’t entirely rational and consistent. I carry and constantly re-explore the contradictions and nuances inherent in my fandom. I think it’s the only wise way to be a fan.

All of that is to say that I’m not one to cheer when Walt’s face pops up on the screen. For that reason, I worried that this attraction might not be for me. But when the video ended and we moved along to the interactive, museum-style exhibits that followed, I definitely found myself engaged alongside our daughter. There was a heavy focus on intriguing artifacts from movie sets and Disney parks, rather than Walt Disney’s biography, and it was fun peeking around each corner to see if any of my favorites might be highlighted (many were).

Our daughter was too young to appreciate the history or novelty, but she wasn’t too young to recognize some of the movies, or to stop and pose with the character statues placed here and there throughout the attraction. I will flag that visiting with a nearly-two-year old meant that only one of us was engaged in a traditional and orderly museum experience at any given moment. The other was inevitably chasing our daughter from statue to exhibit, with no particular rhyme or reason.

As evidenced by the chasing, we did not use our stroller much during our Disney100 experience, but we did bring it along. We had no trouble navigating through the exhibit with it. We took turns toddler wrangling, and for me, the opportunity to watch her excitement play out was worth skipping some placards. If you’re visiting with a toddler, I would recommend planning for a casual visit. If you want a more thorough and immersive experience, you might want to line up a sitter.

And if you’re looking for a sense of what to expect: A few of my favorite items were Giselle’s dress from the movie “Enchanted”, the Lumier and Cogsworth production models from the live-action “Beauty and the Beast”, the glass slipper from the live-action “Cinderella”, and a couple different “Little Mermaid” items. You’ll also find several Star Wars and Marvel exhibits.

Finally, Disney100 provided a rare opportunity for Disney fans of the Midwest: A chance to wear our Minnie ears! My daughter and I both wore a pair for at least part of the experience, and we walked away with some great pictures.

If you’re looking for food in the immediate area, note that there are a few options right on site at Union Station. There are a couple sit-down restaurants, a coffee shop, a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, and some grab-and-go options. We were running late and ended up grabbing and going. The food wasn’t spectacular, but it was fresh and decent, which isn’t a bad review for prepared food we snagged from a cooler.

This exhibition is unique, and it travels from city to city. For now, it’s parked in Kansas City until September 2, according to the Union Station website. I don’t see an announcement about its next destination, but in the past, it has stopped through Philadelphia, Munich, Chicago, and London.

For us, Disney100 was definitely worth the 3-hour drive and overnight trip. The fact that it was located in Union Station gave us the chance to soak in some Disney at a destination we had already planned to revisit. Whether you visit alongside young children or line up a babysitter, I view it as a fun, doable option.

Fremont Street: A Stop to Avoid With a Baby in Vegas

It’s a concentrated shot of Vegas nightlife. Keyword: Adult.


Stroller-Friendly: Somewhat
Access to Family Amenities: Limited
Overall Child-Friendly: No
Time Spent: 1 hour

I won’t mince words: the Fremont Street Experience is a stop that our family of three should have skipped. Picture, if you will, the most risque elements of the Las Vegas Strip condensed into a few, small blocks and turned up several degrees. The street is dense with cheap casinos, bars, and topless performers with whips. So, it should be clear why this destination earned the bottom spot in my ranking of baby-friendly spots in Las Vegas. 

My husband and I certainly aren’t prudish people. In our pre-baby days, we enjoyed wandering Duval Street in Key West and Montmartre in Paris. We’ve even seen a show at the original Moulin Rouge. That said, context matters. This wasn’t the vibe we were looking for in the company of our 10-month-old daughter and extended family. It’s true that our daughter was too young to know what she was seeing. But my husband and I felt highly conspicuous as one of very few families with small children in sight.

If you’re visiting Las Vegas as a couple, this stop might be worthwhile. There’s a beautiful lightshow overhead on a canopy screen, and the street performers definitely keep things interesting. But given our circumstances, we cut this stop short.

And our discomfort wasn’t the only one reason. I was also very skeptical about finding a decent spot to pump and change our daughter’s diaper. To be fair, I didn’t check inside any of the casinos. The atmosphere scared me off. The thick crowd also made it a bit difficult to navigate the area with a stroller — although it’s worth noting that, based on navigability alone, Fremont Street is actually slightly superior to the Las Vegas Strip. The space is smaller, with fewer elevators.

We did discover one silver lining: our favorite Vegas restaurant, Tacotarian, was located just around the corner (by car, not on foot). If you find yourself at Fremont Street looking for an escape route, this is a great place to refuel, pump in a pinch, change a diaper, and decompress. 

Going up? On the Las Vegas Strip, Sometimes You Have No Choice!

Can you say “elevators”?

Stroller-Friendly: No
Access to Family Amenities: Limited
Overall Child-Friendly: No
Time Spent: 6-8 hours

I’m not sure what I was expecting the first time our family set foot on the Las Vegas Strip, but one thing that didn’t come to mind was the elevators. The Strip is a multi-level affair, and it’s quite a trek, from one end to the other. During our family trip in May of 2023, we enjoyed taking in the vibrant mix of sights and sounds. But families traveling to Las Vegas with a baby, be warned: this won’t be a simple walk down the street. For that reason, I’m ranking the Strip toward the bottom of my ranking of baby-friendly spots in Las Vegas, at #13.

The best advice I can offer is to prepare, both mentally and physically, and know that it’s easy to wear yourself out in the heat. If you’re planning to pump and/or bottle feed along the way, be sure to choose a resort with a refrigerator and freezer, so you can pack baby’s milk on ice. And you will, of course, need some sort of portable pumping set up, like the Medela Pump in Style. My insurance covered this one, but I’m also curious about wearable breast pumps, like the Elvie or Willow Go.

Once you get on your way, hopping into resorts and restaurants is the best way to keep cool, and it’s likely what you already had planned. One helpful feature: Many of the resorts are connected indoors. In these cases, there’s no need to leave the air-conditioning at all.

But when you do need to venture out, be prepared for a bit of disorientation. Beyond the heat and the copious ups and downs, the route via elevator can become circuitous and confusing compared with the straightforward footpath. Keep an eye out for signs along the way. It’s clear that there are ways to minimize the number of elevator trips and street crossings, but even as a planning aficionado, I didn’t manage to solve this puzzle in advance.

It’s also difficult to choose between using a stroller and baby-wearing, as both involve pros and cons. Baby-wearing comes with the benefit of skipping the elevators and using the stairs. After nearly getting stuck in an old elevator in Paris, I’m not the world’s biggest elevator fan, so I can see the appeal of this option. The elevators along the strip are also far from clean and fresh.

That said, baby-wearing can become tiring very quickly. We ultimately opted to use our Evenflo Pivot Xpand Stroller. This helped prevent exhaustion and provided much-needed storage space underneath for my breastfeeding gear and our diaper bag. Our 10-month-old daughter was also free to doze uninterrupted by our movements when she needed a nap during long days of exploration.

Looking back, though, I do wish we had tried a hybrid option, alternating between our Infantino Flip 4-in-1 Convertible Baby Carrier and our stroller. Carrying a stroller up and down stairs isn’t exactly fun, but it’s more doable when baby isn’t inside.

Despite the indirect route, we were eventually able to access all the spots we set out to visit. The Strip certainly isn’t impossible for families with babies. It just takes a little extra footwork, navigation prowess, and energy. 

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.