Las Vegas. Sin Metropolis. The leisure capital of the world. It doesn’t matter what identify you utilize to discuss with Nevada’s most well-known (infamous?) metropolis, one factor’s for sure: There’s a lot to do — and spend cash on — in Las Vegas.
They are saying what occurs in Vegas stays in Vegas. However should you’re blowing via your financial savings and racking up debt to remain at luxurious resorts, dine at high-end eating places, see headlining performers at exhibits and gamble till the solar comes up — your monetary woes will comply with you dwelling.
This has all the time been the hazard of a Vegas journey, even earlier than record-setting inflation — and now it’s even simpler to overspend within the present financial local weather.
However should you play your playing cards proper, you’ll be able to take pleasure in fabulous Las Vegas with out having to empty your pockets. Listed here are a number of dozen free issues to do in Las Vegas.
34 Free Issues to Do in Las Vegas
Whether or not you’re making an attempt to economize on trip otherwise you’re a Las Vegas resident searching for some low-budget leisure, attempt these 34 free issues to do.
Should-See Leisure on the Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is a 24-hour, neon-lit get together. It covers a stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard south of the town limits, lined with resorts, casinos and performing venues.
1. The Fabulous Las Vegas Signal
At first of The Strip, you’ll see the iconic sign that reads: Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada. A photograph of your self underneath this 25-foot-tall signal is a vacationer’s greatest free memento.
There’s free parking on the Las Vegas signal. Nevertheless, should you don’t have a automotive, there are methods to stand up and down the Strip with out paying for a trip share or strolling within the desert warmth. There are free trams run by choose casinos which take you from Mandalay Bay to the Excalibur by way of the Luxor, from Park MGM to the Bellagio by way of the Aria and from the Mirage to Treasure Island.
2. Avenue Performers on the Strip
There’s no telling what you may see or who you’ll run into whereas strolling up and down The Strip. Avenue performers, often known as buskers, costume as Elvis, Spiderman, Mickey Mouse and every other character you’ll be able to think about. You may do a double take when what you thought was a statue begins to maneuver.
Whereas a busker’s act is technically a free present, observe that avenue performers do work for ideas.
3. Bellagio Fountain Present
The Bellagio Lodge & On line casino boasts one of many tallest fountains on the earth. Each day you’ll see the fountains come to life with a water present synchronized to music.
The Bellagio Fountain Show happens each half-hour from 3 p.m. to eight p.m. (or from midday to eight p.m. on weekends and holidays). From 8 p.m. to midnight, the Bellagio Fountain Present runs each quarter-hour.
4. The Volcano at The Mirage
Warmth up your nights by visiting the well-known volcano show at The Mirage. Witness explosions of flames and hearth balls choreographed to a soundtrack by Mickey Hart of The Grateful Useless and Indian composer and tabla virtuoso Zakir Hussain.
The Volcano at The Mirage erupts nightly at 8 p.m., 9 p.m., 10 p.m. and 11 p.m.
Getty Photographs
5. Paris Las Vegas
Transport your self to France by visiting replicas of the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas. This lodge and on line casino has nice photograph ops so that you can add to the ‘Gram.
From sundown to midnight every day, Paris Las Vegas hosts an Eiffel Tower light show each half hour.
Additionally make sure that to catch the dueling pianos at the Napoleon Lounge every day at 5 p.m.
6. The Mild Reveals at Grand Bazaar Retailers
Each day, the Grand Bazaar Shops by Bally’s places on a lightweight present set to music.
Don’t fear about lacking out on the motion. The present occurs each quarter-hour from nightfall to about midnight Sunday to Thursday. On Fridays and Saturdays, the sunshine exhibits run from nightfall till almost 1 a.m.
7. Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian Resort
You don’t should e-book a visit to Italy to witness St. Mark’s Sq. in Venice. That’s, should you’re okay with a reproduction.
The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian are modeled after St. Mark’s Sq. and are full of upscale outlets and eating places. You may even take a gondola trip alongside the resort’s indoor canals to journey via the purchasing middle.
On the Grand Canal Shoppes, you’re additionally prone to spot roaming avenue performers singing, juggling, strolling on stilts or performing as dwelling statues.
8. Style Present Mall
Fashion Show Las Vegas is a purchasing vacation spot on The Strip with greater than 250 shops and eateries. It hosts common pop-up runway exhibits with stay music which might be utterly free to spectators.
Low cost eats could be had on the mall: Each day via Jan. 1, 2023, guests can rating Free Eats at the food court and the Capital One Cafe presents $1 handcrafted drinks each Friday, Saturday and Sunday within the month of August.
Relying on if you go to, you may additionally see an artwork exhibit or two at this style present mall.
9. The Lake of Desires at Wynn Las Vegas
Each evening, the Wynn holds a lightweight and sound present referred to as the Lake of Dreams, which options big puppets, hundreds of LED lights and a 90-foot waterfall over the lake. The free exhibits run each half hour beginning at nightfall.
10. The Discussion board Retailers at Caesars Palace
In case you take pleasure in historical Roman structure, make your manner over to The Discussion board Retailers at Caesars Palace. It’s dwelling to over 160 outlets and eating places, however should you don’t really feel like spending cash, you’ll be able to all the time simply take within the views when you window store and other people watch. The ceiling even adjustments colours all through the day.
The Discussion board is understood for its common Fall of Atlantis Show — a free attraction that tells the legendary story of the town of Atlantis via animatronics. It shut down for a number of years in the course of the pandemic however is open as soon as once more, with showtimes each half hour from midday to eight p.m. The present is closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
11. The Rainstorm Present on the Miracle Mile Retailers
It’s not usually you’ll come throughout a rainstorm within the desert.
The Miracle Mile Retailers, an indoor purchasing middle, has a free rainstorm attraction full with fog, altering sky colours, thunder, lightning and rain. The exhibits are held hourly from 10 a.m to 11 p.m. Monday via Thursday and each half hour from 10 a.m to 11 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
12. Mild Present at The LINQ Promenade + Expertise
Big ferris wheels could be anticipated in massive tourist-y cities, and Las Vegas is not any exception. The LINQ Promenade + Experience is dwelling to the 550-foot-tall High Roller observation wheel, which is featured in its free nightly gentle present. Rides aren’t free, however the wheel which is featured in its free nightly gentle present.
As well as, The LINQ Promenade + Expertise can also be an amazing spot to see 3D murals and free stay leisure.
Photograph courtesy of Circus Circus
13. Circus Acts at Circus Circus
See trapeze artists, jugglers, clowns, acrobats and extra carry out every day on the middle stage of the Carnival Halfway at Circus Circus.
These free circus performances begin at 1:30 p.m. Monday via Thursday and 11:30 a.m. Friday via Sunday.
Enjoyable Off the Strip
Whereas there’s loads of motion alongside Las Vegas Boulevard, there’s no scarcity of free leisure off the Strip.
14. Fremont Avenue Expertise
Fremont Street Experience is a hub for leisure, sights and eating in downtown Las Vegas.
Each evening beginning at 6 p.m., you’ll be able to take pleasure in free stay music. Each hour from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. is the Viva Vision light show. Viva Imaginative and prescient is claimed to be the world’s largest video display measuring at 1,375 ft lengthy and 90 ft broad.
One other notable Fremont Avenue Expertise occasion is the Downtown Rocks Free Concert Series. On choose Saturdays via Nov. 19 you’ll be able to catch free exhibits from chart-topping acts like Stone Temple Pilots, X Ambassadors and the Nitty Gritty Grime Band.
15. Gold and Silver Pawn Store
Go to the place the place The Historical past Channel’s Pawn Stars is filmed.
Gold and Silver Pawn Shop is situated on Las Vegas Boulevard simply north of the Strip. The hours to browse the showroom are 10 a.m. to five:30 p.m. every day, however there’s additionally a 24-hour window for pawn/purchase transactions.
Preserve a watch out for movie star sightings! Gold and Silver Pawn Store ceaselessly hosts autograph signings with among the stars from the fact present.
16. Hand of Religion on the Golden Nugget
Overlook the on line casino jackpots. The true treasure is a 61-pound nugget of gold on show within the foyer of the GoldenNugget Las Vegas.
Known as the Hand of Faith, this gold nugget is claimed to be the largest in existence. It was found in 1980 in Australia and was later offered to the Golden Nugget for over $1 million.
17. Sundown Stampede
Sundown Stampede is a every day laser gentle present at Mystic Falls Park, situated inside Sam’s City Lodge and Playing Corridor. It options music and dancing animatronic animals. The present takes place at 6 p.m., 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 4 p.m., 6 p.m., 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
When the present isn’t operating, you’ll be able to stroll via Mystic Falls Park and observe the bushes and water options in the course of the on line casino.
Household-Pleasant Sights
Lower your expenses when the complete household is exploring Las Vegas. Listed here are some free issues to do this children will love.
18. Hershey’s Chocolate World
This flagship retailer within the New York-New York Lodge and On line casino options over 800 Hershey’s sweets and candies. There are whole partitions showcasing flavors of Hershey’s Kisses and Jolly Ranchers.
When you’re at Hershey’s Chocolate World, make sure that to cease for a photograph op on the sculpture of the Statue of Liberty created from almost 800 lbs of chocolate. The children may have enjoyable starring in a mock TV industrial for Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
19. Hoover Dam
Your children could have discovered concerning the Hoover Dam at school, however right here’s a possibility to see it stay and in individual in your Vegas trip.
The Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge stretches throughout the Colorado River the place Nevada and Arizona meet and offers you nice views of the Hoover Dam. You may park free of charge on the foot of the bridge and stroll throughout.
The bridge is a 37-mile drive from Las Vegas, however shut sufficient that you just’ll wish to take the journey.
20. Ethel M Chocolate Manufacturing unit and Cactus Backyard
Positioned in Henderson, Nevada, only a quick drive from Las Vegas is a candy and prickly attraction — the Ethel M Chocolate Factory and Cactus Garden.
You may take a self-guided manufacturing unit tour and witness how the chocolate, fillings and pecan brittle are made.
Then meander outdoors to take a look at the 3-acre cactus backyard, which incorporates greater than 300 species of cacti, succulents, desert bushes and shrubs.
In the course of the holidays, the Ethel M Chocolate Manufacturing unit and Cactus Backyard is embellished with over 1 million lights.
21. Las Vegas Coca-Cola Retailer
The Las Vegas Coca-Cola Store is situated on the Strip near the MGM Grand and New York-New York Lodge and On line casino.
Followers of the long-lasting beverage model can make the most of photograph ops subsequent to an enormous glass Coke bottle or subsequent to the Coca-Cola polar bear.
22. M&M’s Retailer
If in case you have the willpower to not purchase all of the M&M’s you see, a visit to the Las Vegas M&M store is a candy free attraction.
Your children can see mascots, take images with life-size M&M’s character shows and watch a free 3D film. They’ll additionally take a look at a reproduction of NASCAR driver Kyle Busch’s M&M’s sponsored race automotive.
23. Bob Baskin Park
It will possibly get into the three-digit temperatures in the course of the summer season in Las Vegas. Settle down with the household on the Bob Baskin Park splash pad, which is free to go to.
The park, situated west of Las Vegas Boulevard, additionally features a playground, tennis courts, jogging tracks and picnic areas.
24. Kids’s Memorial Park
The children can get their power out at Children’s Memorial Park. There’s a playground, curler hockey rink, tennis courts, volleyball courts, bocce courts and extra.
The park is situated about quarter-hour away from The Strip.
For Artwork Lovers
Past all the flowery venues promoting tickets at high greenback, you will discover quite a lot of artwork in Las Vegas that received’t price you something.
The comet Neowise is seen within the night sky above the paintings titled “Seven Magic Mountains” by artist Ugo Rondinone at Seven Magic Mountains. John Locher/AP Photograph
25. Seven Magic Mountains
The Seven Magic Mountains is a large-scale public artwork set up set towards the backdrop of the Las Vegas desert. It featured seven towers of stacked boulders painted in brilliant neon colours. The colourful totem poles measure greater than 30 ft tall.
Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone created the artwork set up again in 2016, initially as a brief exhibition. Resulting from its reputation, it has caught round. The Seven Magic Mountains are situated about 10 miles south of the Strip.
26. Downtown Container Park
Downtown Container Park is a Las Vegas purchasing and eating vacation spot that stands out attributable to the truth that its companies are housed in recycled transport containers. In case you don’t wish to spend your cash on meals or retail, there’s additionally public artwork installations and a stage free of charge concert events and performances.
In case you’ve acquired little ones with you, take a look at the playground within the courtyard free of charge household enjoyable.
27. Downtown Arts District
This pocket of Las Vegas is an artwork lover’s dream with 18 blocks of galleries, museums and artwork outlets.
The Arts Factory is likely one of the hubs, the place you’ll be able to take a look at work from dozens of artists. On the primary Friday of each month, a free block get together is held within the Downtown Arts District.
28. Downtown Artwork Murals
All through downtown Las Vegas, you’ll discover greater than 30 murals created by artists from across the globe.
Many are created in the course of the metropolis’s annual Life Is Beautiful competition, the place tickets run over $100. Nevertheless, you’ll be able to take your personal self-guided strolling tour when the competition isn’t taking place and snap images of all the road artwork you discover.
29. Bliss Dance at The Park
Positioned on the intersection of New York-New York, Park MGM and the T-Cell Enviornment is an out of doors leisure area merely referred to as The Park.
There you’ll discover the Bliss Dance public artwork set up, a 40-foot-tall sculpture of a lady dancing. It was created by artist Marco Cochrane, who was impressed by his first expertise at Burning Man. Try The Park at evening to see Bliss Dance all lit up.
30. Marjorie Barrick Museum of Artwork
The Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art is situated on the campus of the College of Nevada — Las Vegas and is a part of the college’s School of High-quality Arts. With a mission to grant everybody entry to the humanities, the museum doesn’t cost for admission to view exhibitions or attend workshops, lectures and group occasions.
This artwork museum options trendy and up to date items from various artists. Twice a yr, it hosts group artwork days that includes stay music, performances, storytelling and hands-on workshops.
For Animal and Nature Lovers
Discover the good outdoor and take a look at native and unique vegetation and animals within the midst of the bustling metropolis.
Photograph courtesy of Tory Kooyman/MGM Resorts Worldwide
31. Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
Contained in the Bellagio is a 14,000-square-foot botanical backyard that adjustments floral shows with the seasons. The resort’s horticulture employees makes use of hundreds of flowers and vegetation to create distinctive preparations for spring, summer season, fall and autumn — and a particular show for Lunar New Yr.
Resulting from its often-changing nature, that is one attraction you’ll be able to come again to a number of occasions a yr.
The Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is open 24 hours a day.
32. Flamingo Wildlife Habitat
On the Las Vegas Flamingo Lodge and On line casino, you’ll get the chance to identify its namesake together with many different unique wildlife. The Flamingo Wildlife Habitat is dwelling to flamingos, parrots, turtles, koi fish, swans and extra.
It additionally boasts a tropical backyard setting that features waterfalls and meandering streams. Free every day Keeper Talks at 8 a.m. and a couple of p.m. are an opportunity to be taught extra concerning the habitat.
The Flamingo Wildlife Habitat is open from 7 a.m. to eight p.m. every day.
33. Silverton On line casino Lodge Aquarium
In case you like tropical fish, make sure that to go to the Silverton Casino Hotel Aquarium. The 117,000-gallon reef aquarium is dwelling to hundreds of tropical fish plus a number of species of stingrays and sharks.
There are every day, interactive stingray feeding exhibits, and also you may catch a mermaid swimming via the aquarium should you go to Thursday via Sunday. The Silverton On line casino Lodge Aquarium is an off-the-Strip attraction. The on line casino was previously Boomtown Las Vegas.
Along with the principle aquarium, there are two jellyfish tanks. The on-site Bass Professional Retailers contains extra water options and aquariums with koi fish, trout, catfish, bass, turtles, geese and extra.
34. Clark County Wetlands Park
Get your steps in strolling the paths at Wetlands Park in Clark County. There are paved and unpaved trails — excellent for jogging, biking or canine strolling.
On the Wetlands Park Nature Center, you’ll be able to take a look at artwork and historical past reveals, which educate guests concerning the habitats and wildlife within the park. There’s additionally an indoor space with tables and chairs to take pleasure in a packed picnic lunch.
Nicole Dow was a former senior author at The PNW.