what happens in Vegas, is a family-thing

 

words JEMMA SAMALA GAFFORD

 

A little girl playing in the pool slowly glides over to her Dad; all giggly, delighted when he pulls out a wet dollar bill from his pocket to dry before placing a bet at the poolside blackjack table. Ahhh, memories. Whose memories? Mine. My parents took us girls everywhere, including Las Vegas. I loved Vegas as a kid, as a single adult, as a married couple B.C. (before children), and absolutely as a family. Yes, we take our kids to Vegas, and they love it. When my older son was just a toddler, we visited Vegas during Halloween, and we dressed him up in a homemade Elvis costume (that was when I still had time to do such creative things). Now, our kids enjoy the Strip's bright lights, kids' gaming and the sprawling resorts. We recently took a multi-generational family trip to Vegas, which included my Dad, Papa Elmer, who started the family vacation tradition. Vegas has something for everyone. My husband is the gambler and golfer. He looks for casinos that have decent racing and sports books. I'm the spa person. The kids want the cool pool and game rooms. We all like luxury accommodations, eating out and occasional shopping.

 

the comforts of home

For our most recent Vegas visit, we stayed at the Trump International Hotel & Tower (http://www.trumplasvegashotel.com/). If you want to stay at a luxury resort, don't like walking through smoke-filled casinos on the way to your room, while enjoying the comforts of home, the Trump is for you. The Trump does not have a casino, but it's not a big deal, as the Wynn's casino is just a block away. What we appreciated the most was that our luxurious accommodations included a full kitchen, since all suites were originally designed as condos. So, when we wanted to stay in and relax, we could toast a bagel for breakfast, microwave some popcorn while watching a movie, or eat leftovers for dinner (just like home). The Trump has a contemporary pool (with air-conditioned cabanas), a workout room and a restaurant. And for the shoppers in the family, the Fashion Show mall is just across the street. (Our kids enjoyed the mall's food court.)

 

The Spa at Trump offers wonderful treatments to help parents reenergize themselves. I liked that they had co-ed lounges and private couples wet rooms! Special teen spa services are also available. A plus is that the concierge desk is top-notch at the Trump, providing informational suggestions, happily obtaining reservations and making your stay one to remember. The Trump treats you like a special family guest.