Kids and parents will love Las Vegas' 10Best family-friendly hotels

New York-New York brings the Big Apple to Las Vegas, with a mash-up of New York skyline icons, along with scaled-down replicas of the Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge. The Big Apple Roller Coaster speeds thrill-seekers through loops and rolls around the hotel, and the arcade offers an array of games to challenge your skills. The standard guest rooms come with a king or two queen beds and sleep up to five (with a crib or rollaway). Adjoining or adjacent rooms are also available. Suites offer more space, but not all styles are family-friendly as some of them feature a large whirlpool tub in the room. The New York-New York is in a prime location for exploring some of the Strip's more kid-friendly attractions, with the Excalibur-Luxor-Mandalay Bay complex right across the street. Families will also find numerous choices for restaurants in the area.

The Green Valley Ranch Resort (commonly referred to as GVR) isn't actually in Las Vegas--it's in Henderson, and it's just a short drive east of the Strip. GVR comes with all the things you'd normally find at a Las Vegas resort: comfortable and well-designed rooms, a great pool, casino, restaurants, a spa and entertainment, but it's not as crowded or as busy as a hotel located on the Strip. Right next door to GVR, shoppers can stroll through The District, a mixed-use shopping plaza with retailers like West Elm and Charming Charlie, along with a large selection of restaurants. Lake Mead and Hoover Dam are only a short drive away, making it a good choice if you're planning excursions in that area.

It's hard to imagine a giant castle being anything other than kid-friendly, and the Excalibur Hotel Casino doesn't want to disappoint you. Budget-friendly prices are a positive point for parents, and an abundance of turrets and King Arthur inspired-design will especially appeal to younger children. Rooms feature one or two beds, and suites are also available. A midway-style arcade houses carnival games, and the Tournament of Kings lets kids do one of those things they enjoy the most: eat with their hands. Combine an absence of silverware with jousting, and you've got a hit. Kids of all ages can enjoy imagining that they've been swept away to a land of knights and ladies, although the big kids may also want to enjoy some time in the casino, testing their skills against Lady Luck.

A few blocks west of the Las Vegas Strip, you'll find a hotel that caters to both visitors and locals. The Orleans knows that people are looking for good deals and offers rooms, food and entertainment at budget prices. Before booking, check their website first for great deals and packages. In addition to basic rooms at wallet-friendly prices, families can enjoy onsite amenities like bowling alleys, an arcade, movie theaters, and childcare for kids from 3 to 12 years of age. The expansive buffet gives you an all-you-can-eat option that won't break your budget. You'll be just a few blocks off the Strip, but The Orleans offers a shuttle to the Strip with a drop-off at the Fashion Show Mall.

Technically, Mandalay Bay is one hotel, but the large, South Pacific-themed property is also an anchor for the Four Seasons and Delano, both of which connect seamlessly to Mandalay. A tram connects Mandalay to Luxor and Excalibur, giving families easy access to those properties as well. Room quality, amenities and customer service are excellent throughout the hotel, which offers a variety of rooms and suites. Families will appreciate the large rooms and the abundance of restaurants and kid-friendly attractions, like the Shark Reef and one of the Strip's most popular pool areas (which comes complete with a lazy river). Rooms with views of the Strip will keep you busy snapping photos through the floor-to-ceiling windows--just remember to turn off your flash for a reflection-free shot of the glittering neon below.

Located away from the Strip in the western part of Las Vegas, the Red Rock Resort gives families an alternative to the busy Strip. This resort offers both a casino and nearby activities you can do with the kids, like hiking or biking in Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, or exploring nearby parks. The hotel also has movie theaters, a bowling alley and a pool. Standard rooms sleep four and suites are available. A surplus of nearby restaurants gives families plenty of options for pizza and burgers, and the Feast Buffet gives an on-site dining option with unlimited amounts of everything from sushi to dessert. The new Downtown Summerlin mixed-use complex is right next door and offers a large shopping mall, a plush movie theater and several restaurants.

The Mirage might be best-known for its volcano, but it's also an upscale hotel in the heart of the Strip. At the hotel, families can check out Sigfried and Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat, the expansive (and photo-worthy) pool and, of course, the volcano. The Mirage is also home to Cirque du Soleil's LOVE, which showcases The Beatles' music. It's open to guests over five, although those under 18 must have an adult with them. A wealth of other attractions along the Strip are also just a short walk away. The Mirage offers a variety of room sizes and styles, including suites. Standard rooms can sleep up to four with two queen beds. Several restaurants are located here, and if you'd rather not go out, there's 24-hour room service.

The Venetian is an all-suites hotel featuring 4,027 spacious suites ranging in size from 650 square feet to 10,000 feet and boasting such luxurious in-room amenities as all-marble bathrooms with 17-inch LCD HD televisions, Roman tubs and separate glass-enclosed showers and safes large enough to hold a laptop computer. Families will appreciate the spacious rooms and onsite options for food and entertainment. The Venetian is home to several acclaimed restaurants, which range from informal to fine dining. The Grand Canal Shoppes and Madame Tussauds are fun for everyone in the family, and The Venetian's location on the Strip puts it within easy walking distance of a host of kid-friendly attractions and activities.

The Treasure Island, known as the TI, is located in a great spot on the Strip, close to a host of kid-friendly things to do. It still has traces of its original pirate theme, although subdued. While the old pirate show is now gone, families will appreciate the CVS that's been built in front of the hotel, and the kids will enjoy the Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N. The TI's deluxe rooms have one king or two queen-sized beds, and most suites have a king-sized bed and room for a rollaway bed or crib, plus two bathrooms. Rooms come with a small refrigerator and 24-hour room service is available, plus each floor has ice and vending machines. WiFi is included in the resort fee. The TI has a nice selection of restaurants, and its Cirque du Soleil show, Mystére, is a thrilling spectacle the whole family will enjoy.

The Four Seasons Hotel, which sits on the same property as Mandalay Bay, is an upscale hotel with roomy accommodations and plenty of amenities. Technically, it's on the Strip, but its private entrance is tucked away from Las Vegas Boulevard. The elegant property has a pleasant and calm "almost on the Strip" feeling. The Four Seasons doesn't have gaming, but Mandalay Bay's casino is only a short stroll away. Four Seasons' guests enjoy access to all of Mandalay's amenities, including the popular pool area. Who can resist a lazy river, sandy beach, and a wave pool? Numerous restaurants on the grounds give parents an abundance of dining choices. The Shark Reef Aquarium and close proximity to kid-friendly hotels like Luxor and Excalibur (a shuttle runs between the three properties) make the Four Seasons a first-class Las Vegas family hotel.