Las Vegas, traditionally known for being an adult playground, is surprisingly family friendly. Many of their hotel-casinos offer an array of activities and services for children – some in order to distract children from their parents, others in order to help families capitalize on quality time. Either way, you'll probably want to take advantage of both! While most of the larger casinos have some degree of entertainment for kids, there are a few casinos that really set, then surpass the standards. Here are the best:

The MGM Grand

Ah, the MGM. I remember going there with my family in 1995. I was 8 and very disappointed to hear we had to forgo the luxury of staying there since the rooms were booked until 1999. Still, there was no shortage of things to do. My brothers and I scoured the children's area and played a variety of enticing midway and arcade games. I also recall being wooed by the bright lights of the slots on the casino floor and being promptly escorted out by the staff. Job well done, I suppose. I've been back since and have noticed a lion habitat on the casino's west perimeter, as well as pools and a full-day care facility, in case parents want some time when they don't have to worry about their children having run-ins with security.

Luxor Hotel & Casino

As luck would have it, I didn't have the opportunity to visit the Luxor as a child, but have visited with children. On a bachelorette. Yeah, not exactly ideal. However, this lack of ideal situation made all of us gals particularly grateful for the venue's bevy of kid friendly amenities. Unfortunately, the Luxor does not offer childcare. Thankfully for us the kids we were with were pre-to-early-teen and were fine to explore together while we hit up the casino. The Luxor has a 2-story arcade, which was by far the group's favourite, as well as an IMAX theatre. Another plus: When feeding time came around, we were thrilled to realize the dining was good, varied and relatively inexpensive. We didn't have to hit up multiple restaurants to satisfy the fickle taste buds of the kiddies.

New York New York

Almost just like the real New York, but catering to those who don't want to get lost – which is just the first reason this venue is a great pick for families. Like the Luxor, there is no daycare, but the casino is encompassed by a giant roller-coaster which is always a point of fascination with kids. What's more, their food court is well-priced, compact, and basically one of the best for kids in Las Vegas. The arcade is one of the city's biggest and can easily keep kids busy for hours. The complex is also right across the street from the movie theatres at the showcase mall and the Excalibur, which leads me to...

The Excalibur

The medieval and magical ambience of Excalibur makes it a favourite amongst children – and a lot of adults actually. This is the one casino where I see almost as many adults in the arcade as on the gaming floor. The main draw at the arcade is the games, since the prizes are super easy to win. Chances are your kids (or you) will walk away with something cool. Like the other kid-friendly casinos, Excalibur also offers budget friendly but tasty food options. In fact, Excalibur is one of the more economically appealing Las Vegas destinations in general. Unfortunately, there is no daycare.

Mandalay Bay

Ok, so this destination is not for the faint of wallet, but is worth every penny if you want to experience luxury without Las Vegas cheese. It offers incredibly spacious rooms, a shark reef (featuring exotic and dangerous predators), a wave pool, a lazy river and an 11-acre tropical beach. In other words, hours of fun. What this venue lacks is childcare and a wide-spread of kid-friendly eats. Still, if your brood cannot find anything they fancy there, you can hop a tram that will have you at the more varied dining options of the Luxor of Excalibur in no time.

While all of these venues are the best hotel/casinos for kids, keep in mind my MGM experience was not unique. Children are welcomed into the general hotel/resorts but these venues exist primarily to house casinos and as such, anyone under the age of 21 is by no means permitted on the casino floor.

- Patricia Lang, Tower Gaming Media Room Manager