Your family will love the light and water show the Bellagio puts on at its famous fountains. The fountains at the Bellagio are one of the most iconic pieces of Vegas imagery, and your trip won't be complete without stopping by to see the mastery. The choreographed fountain show comes with a dash of popular music. The best part? Watching the fountains is free. During the afternoon the show starts every half-hour; between 8 p.m. and midnight, it's every 15 minutes.
As long as you and your travel buddies or family members aren't afraid of heights, you'll want to ride Big Shot at the Stratosphere Tower while you're in Vegas. The ride starts atop an observation deck that's more than 900 feet in the air. It takes you up 160 feet at 45 mph, offering you a thrilling ride and gorgeous views of Vegas and the surrounding valley. Older kids will love riding, but you must be at least 48 inches tall. The observation deck itself is family-friendly and worth a visit by itself.
Even if you're not gambling, no trip to Vegas is complete without at least walking through the Venetian. Take an indoor or an outdoor gondola ride at the Venetian on the strip. The gondolas come authentic from Venice, and the scenery transports you to an Italian paradise within the walls of this Vegas hotel. Outdoor rides happen seasonally when the weather is good; indoor rides happen year-round, every day of the week. To hop on a gondola seating four people, it's $29 per person.
Your family can easily make a gigantic indoor amusement park on one of your Nevada family day trips. The Circus Circus hotel and casino offers the Adventuredome, a 5-acre indoor amusement park the whole family will love. A few of the rides require riders to be at least 48 inches tall, but the park is full of rides appropriate for families and smaller children, too. Circus Circus is on the strip just a few blocks away from the Venetian, so driving there will be simple if you're staying within the city.