Did you know Los Angeles and Las Vegas are just 4.5 hours away from each other? So, you might as well visit both. And you can most certainly have a good time in the city of angels and sin city with children. We did it with our 3-year-old and 5-month-old. Here’s the ultimate itinerary for visiting these two notorious cities with little ones in tow.

Day 1

Fly into Los Angeles and check in to your hotel. We stayed at the Millennium Hotel Biltmore: a luxurious hotel where many box office hits like Oceans 11, The Dark Night Rises and Ghostbusters were filmed. Built in 1923, the hotel is full of rich history (it hosted many monumental events such as the Oscars) yet is well kept and renovated. Our room was elegantly updated and clean. My only three complaints: the parking garage is small and the hotel room walls are thin. Lastly, no microwave in the room. Despite these small drawbacks, I’d certainly stay here again. We had breakfast at the hotel and did not regret paying the small fee, as the restaurant ambiance was lovely, the food was divine and it was nice not having to worry about what we’d eat for breakfast. With being said, there’s a Starbucks nearby.

If you arrive to Los Angeles with time to spare, take the short drive up to Griffith Park for some spectacular views and a close-up of the iconic Hollywood sign. They also offer kid-friendly activities like pony and train rides and even a zoo.

Day 2

Get up close and personal with some creatures of the past at the La Brea Tar Pits: a museum featuring Ice Age fossils found in the Los Angeles’s sticky tar. Walk outside the museum to see (and smell) the tar pits, and find statues of some of the extinct mammals once local to the area.

Inside the museum, discover fossil relics, watch real-life archaeologists work on their most recent tar pit discoveries and check out their gift shop.

Spend your afternoon on Hollywood Boulevard. Take a stroll on the Walk of Fame and shop to your heart’s content.

Day 3

Spend the day at Disneyland or Universal Studios. We chose Universal Studios, and I kind of regret our choice—not because Universal Studios isn’t worthy of a visit, but Disney probably would’ve been more age appropriate for our three-year-old. The vast majority of the rides he was too small for, and one of the few areas he could play in, the Super Silly Fun Land splash zone, required water shoes—a clothing item we didn’t think to bring.

Another mistake we made was going to Universal during everyone’s spring break. The en mass of people that packed the walkways and lengthened the wait lines to ungodly times ruined the experience a bit. Don’t make the same mistake we did. Go on a weekday and not a holiday or school break. Give yourself plenty of time for arriving to the park as well. There’s often a lot of highway traffic and parking can take a bit of time.

I chose Universal over Disney because I wanted my dinosaur-obsessed son to experience Jurassic World, and it did not disappoint. The interactive animatronic dinosaurs were fun to witness, and he enjoyed the dinosaur-themed kids park. I myself was awed by the Transformer animatronics. The massive robots were freakishly real and engaging as they interacted with park guests in humorous and in-character ways. Then there’s of course Harry Potter World which is simply magical. I never get over the feeling of drinking Butterbeer and sifting through the magical candy and wands in Hogsmeade. The rides are spectacular as well.

Even just walking from the parking lot of Universal to its entrance hits me with a wave of nostalgia and good vibes. I just love the shops, the big screen TV blasting out good music, and (of course) the iconic Universal Studios globe. But let’s be real, Disneyland is just as nostalgic, so you can’t go wrong with either choice…maybe even go to both?

Day 4

Drive through the Mojave Desert to reach your next destination: Las Vegas baby. Leave early in the morning to avoid traffic.

Before reaching your hotel in Vegas, let the kids release pent up energy at the Alicante Nature Discovery Park. The park was built with a whole lot of thought and effort from its fossil digging area to its ingeniously built jungle gym. Even the pond fits into the dinosaur theme with its cascading waterfall.

Check in to your hotel. I recommend staying at one of the flashy yet kid-friendly hotels on the Strip so you’re within walking distance of most noteworthy sites and attractions. The massive Mandalay Bay Hotel Las Vegas includes an aquarium and some of the best swimming pools in the US. The Flamingo also offers some pretty impressive pools and the Wildlife Habitat where you can walk amongst birds—flamingos included, of course.

Day 5

Walk the Strip. This can easily take up your whole day. There’s plenty of attractions to experience, and the best part is that most of it’s free. Marvel at the famous Bellagio Fountains, enjoy a gondola ride in the Venetian Resort and witness a volcano eruption at The Mirage.

If your kids are old enough to sit through a show, end the day with one of the many kid-friendly shows Las Vegas has to offer. Cirque du Soleil and Blue Man Group are two Vegas regulars worthy of seeing, but there are plenty more noteworthy shows worth experiencing as well. You can see what’s available and buy tickets at Vegas.com.

Day 6

Spend the day at Circus Circus. The casino and hotel are a bit dingy—and I personally find the rooms to be outdated—but its arcade, shows and indoor amusement park make it a great day trip for families. Walk past the smoky, adults only casino and up the spiral ramp to reach the kids arcade which also boasts a modest stage area for daily circus acts. The free shows occur every hour starting at 11:30 am until 11:30 pm. Marvel at Trapeze artists, admire juggling feats and laugh with clowns. The performances are short yet spectacular. Walk to the other side of the hotel to access The Adventuredome: Circus Circus’s indoor amusement park. The park offers rides for all ages including two thrilling roller coasters.

End the day with a visit to the iconic Las Vegas sign–the best place to take a family photo and encapsulate your family vacation.

Day 7

Spend your last few hours in Vegas crossing off the last of your bucket list activities before flying home.