Las Vegas has been likened to a playground for adults. And it certainly seems like that when you see limos cruise by with scantily-clad people chugging down bottles of champagne from the rooftop. I guess that you could say that Las Vegas encourages adults to go wild. Of course, almost everything comes with an outrageous price in Las Vegas. With… Continue Reading→ The post 20 Best Free Things To Do in Las Vegas appeared first on Hungry Huy.
Las Vegas has been likened to a playground for adults. And it certainly seems like that when you see limos cruise by with scantily-clad people chugging down bottles of champagne from the rooftop. I guess that you could say that Las Vegas encourages adults to go wild. Of course, almost everything comes with an outrageous price in Las Vegas. With all the money plonked down, you’d never think inflation was a problem for most people.
But I love Las Vegas for all its extremes, and what I’ve discovered is that there’s surprisingly a lot you can do without spending a cent. There are so many things to do and see for free, you could plan your trip around these fun freebies, almost all of which are family-friendly and great for kids and adults alike. Below is my list – in no particular order – of the best free things to do in Las Vegas.
Make sure to see my other Vegas posts too:
- Best restaurants in Las Vegas on the strip
- Best off-strip restaurants in Las Vegas
- Best breakfas spots in Las Vegas on and off the strip
- Best things to do in Las Vegas (includes paid activities)
1. Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens (on the strip)
The Bellagio Hotel is not usually known for its freebies (if they even exist at all). But its charming conservatory and botanical gardens is totally free for anyone, non-guests included, and one of the few Las Vegas attractions that locals love. Inspired by Parisian Art Nouveau, the spacious 50-foot high conservatory hosts five different themed horticulture shows throughout the year.
You might catch a garden out of Alice in Wonderland or on another visit, step into a pastoral setting inspired by The Hobbit. Each themed display has 10,000 flowers, which the gardeners switch out – amazingly – every two weeks with fresh ones.
Address: Bellagio Hotel, 3600 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Website
2. Tour Ethel M Chocolate Factory & Cactus Garden (Henderson)
Approximately a 15-minute drive east from the Strip, the Ethel M Chocolate Factory is located in Henderson and offers two free self-guided tours, each offering a different experience. Ethel M is famous for its handmade, hand-dipped gourmet chocolates, and you can tour the factory to see how its chocolatiers create every piece of chocolate before it’s boxed (and sold in the gift shop).
The other free tour is the 3-acre cactus garden that features over 300 species of cacti and succulents. You can take your time strolling through the garden, and during the holidays, a million lights illuminate the plants.
Address: 2 Cactus Garden Dr, Henderson, NV 89014
Website
3. Flamingo Wildlife Habitat (on the strip)
Located on The Strip
On the grounds of The Flamingo Casino is a four-acre wildlife habitat that’s a delightful escape from the crowds and traffic on the Strip. Although the casino is closed, the habitat is still open daily from 7 a.m.- 8 p.m. This free family-friendly habitat lets you get up close to Chilean flamingos and other exotic birds. The exhibit is open air, which allows local birds to visit and even mate, but it can be extremely hot during the summer.
The habitat also has streams and waterfalls, where you can catch sight of huge sturgeon and koi, and turtles. The habitat is certified by the Zoological Association of America and is noted for its humane treatment of injured birds rescued from the wild, particularly its two brown pelicans.
Address: The Flamingo Casino, 3555 South Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV 89109
4. Lake of Dreams at the Wynn (on the strip)
The Lake of Dreams at the Wynn is an amazing free live-action show with breathtaking lighting and sound effects and music. The star of the show is the 90-foot waterfall onto which 3D images are projected and from which fantastical creatures emerge. Although the seating around the three-acre lake is attached to two restaurants, you don’t need to have dinner to view the show.
The show was upgraded technologically in 2020 so that the special effects – including a flying astronaut – appear up close to spectators. The best viewing is from the restaurants, but you can also enjoy the show from the Bar Parasol and the Overlook Lounge. Shows begin at dusk and play continuously until 11:30 p.m.
Address: Wynn Hotel, 3131 Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Website
5. Play retro arcade games at Pinball Hall of Fame (on the strip)
Across from the Mandalay Bay Casino and Hotel is the unique Pinball Hall of Fame. Created by the Pinball Collectors Club, the exhibit holds the world’s largest collection of pinball machines dating from the 1950s to present day. The machines have all been restored to tip-top condition and are continually repaired by volunteers.
Admission is free, but if you want to play one of your favorites, it will only cost a quarter (50 cents for newer machines). The revenue from the machines goes to the upkeep of the facility. The arcade also has some nice period touches, like vintage candy machines and a change-making machine salvaged from the Golden Nugget Casino’s trash bin.
Address: 4925 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas, NV 89119
Website
6. Take selfies at the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign (south strip)
A must-see for first time visitors to Las Vegas is the iconic “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign,” located on the southern part of the Strip, near Mandalay Bay and the Pinball Hall of Fame. Installed in 1959, the 25-foot tall sign is best viewed at night when it’s lit. The front of the sign gets the most screen time, but the back “Drive Carefully, Come Back Soon” is also great for photos.
Designed by Betty Willis, a Western Neon employee, who gifted the sign to Las Vegas, it was recently designated as a historic landmark. After a number of deaths by pedestrians taking selfies, a pedestrian walkway, a parking lot and a drop-off spot for buses and limousines were added.
Address: 5100 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89119
Website
7. Watch the Fountains at Bellagio light & water show (on the strip)
One of the most beautiful free attractions in Las Vegas are the fountains in front of the Bellagio. The fountains shoot up to 46 feet from the 8.5-acre lake and have been synchronized to lights and music of 30 songs sung by Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, and, of course, Elvis.
Crowds tend to gather around the lake, so the best viewing is directly across the Strip either at Mon Ami Gabi, the French bistro at the Paris casino, or on a pedestrian bridge that connects the Paris to the Bellagio. The short shows run every half-hour daily between 3 p.m.-8 p.m. Be aware that every November until 2033, Formula One Grand Prix erects bleachers in front of the fountains.
Address: Bellagio Hotel, 3600 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Website (for showtimes)
8. Viva Vision: Fremont Street Experience (downtown)
This area of downtown is one of my favorite places to stop by when I’m in town. Fremont street is always jam-packed with visitors, music, and action. It has a relaxed feel to vegas you don’t see on the main parts of the strip, which can be a nice change of pace sometimes. It’s overall more casual, more filled with people hanging out, bar-hopping and casually casino hopping, or enjoying street entertainment. To paint a clearer picture of what you’re getting into, Fremont street is less filled with suits and fancy dresses ready to head out to fancy dinners or clubs (which are things I enjoy too!).
At night, the famous pedestrian mall on Fremont Street explodes with the mind-boggling audio-visual displays of Viva Vision, created by DJ Steve Aoki. Suspended 90 feet up, Viva Vision is a 1400-foot LED canopy, the largest in the world, with nightly shows featuring psychedelic lights, ever-shifting visuals, and videos pulsating to the music of Shakira, Stone Temple Pilots, and Katy Perry, among others. Each of the nine shows runs between six and seven minutes and plays on the hour until midnight.
Address: 425 Fremont St, Las Vegas, NV 89101
Website
9. The Fall of Atlantis Fountain Show at Caesars Palace (on the strip)
The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace is hardly a bargain-shopper’s paradise. It’s home to most of the world’s premiere shops for fashion and jewelry. The Forum Shops are certainly lots of fun for window shopping, but one of the great freebies you’ll happen upon is The Fall of Atlantis, a spectacular special effects and fire and water show.
The show tells the story of the destruction of Atlantis, using bombastic music, surreal lighting, and animatronic statues. It’s a bit corny and talky, but the show climaxes with Atlantis sinking in flames. The shows run most days from noon to 8 p.m. and are definitely worth a visit.
Address: Caesars Palace, 3500 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Website
10. Walk through Downtown Container Park (downtown)
Despite its name, the Downtown Container Park isn’t a place to tour a bunch of boxes. It’s an outdoor mall – located on Fremont Street – that’s home to offbeat retail shops (actually constructed from shipping containers), eclectic eating shops, and a large lawn area, where you can attend concerts, build Lego dinosaurs, play giant checkers, and take yoga classes.
A main – and free – attraction is Mantis, a 40-foot tall, 30-foot wide sculpture and official mascot of the Downtown Container Park. She (yes, Mantis is female) awakens each night at sunset to the tribal beats of a drum ceremony and throughout the night, shoots six-story-high flames into the air.
Address: 707 Fremont St, Las Vegas, NV 89101
Website
11. Enjoy the scenery at The Grand Canal Shoppes (on the strip)
Located on The Strip
Without doubt, the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian Resort is the most beautiful shopping district in Las Vegas. Take the down elevator at the adjacent Palazzo parking garage to access the shops, and you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into St. Mark’s Square in Venice.
Exquisitely decorated Italianate buildings house the luxury stores and restaurants (which are actually quite good and not outrageously priced), and the Grand Canal runs a quarter mile through the center of the 875,000 square-foot venue.
Gondolas meander through the Canal and emerge in the lagoon outside the resort. They’re pricey, but you can stroll for free and enjoy the sights and sounds of Venice.
Address: The Venetian Hotel, 3377 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Website
12. Window shopping at The Shops at Crystals (mid-strip)
There are plenty of luxury-brand shops in Las Vegas, but The Shops at Crystals takes the luxury-shopping experience to a higher level. This gorgeously designed indoor mall houses 60 high-end stores selling the world’s top designer fashion and jewelry. So why is The Shops at Crystals on our freebie list? First, if you’re strolling the Strip during the day, the mall is a wonderful escape from the blistering heat.
But what makes this fun is that The Shops at Crystals is often empty of patrons, and the stores are dying for customers. You could walk into the Tom Ford store and be surrounded by two or three attendants, who treat you like a billionaire. Sample colognes, or try on the latest, and you won’t be pressured to buy.
Address: 3720 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89158
Website
13. Stroll through Le Boulevard at Paris Las Vegas (on the strip)
Not as grand as The Forum Shops or The Grand Canal Shoppes, Le Boulevard at the Paris Las Vegas has its own charms. If you’ve never been to the Paris Hotel, it’s definitely worth a visit. With the Eiffel Tower overhead as you walk in, you emerge into the casino, beneath the lower arches of the Eiffel Tower and are surrounded by adorable shops and bistros in a 19th-century Paris setting that perpetually glows beneath twinkling stars at twilight.
The cobblestone streets of Le Boulevard wind around the casino, where you can stroll leisurely while sipping cafe au lait and nippling on a fresh-baked croissant. One of the best French restaurants outside of Paris – Mon Ami Gabi – is also there and worth the splurge.
Address: Paris Hotel, 3655 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Website
14. Get a taste of New York City at New York New York (on the strip)
You could plan a whole trip to Las Vegas just sightseeing the interiors of the many themed casinos. New York New York Casino takes it a step further with its iconic exterior that recreates the famous skyline and landmarks of Manhattan. (Fun fact: New York New York’s Statue of Liberty is the image on the Statue of Liberty Forever Stamp.)
Inside, you’ll find streets that evoke New York City’s neighborhoods, like Greenwich Village, Times Square, and Coney Island. The streets are lined with notable New York eateries (Nathan’s Hot Dogs) and trendy shops. Naturally, these recreations are cleaned-up and Disneyfied, so you can take in the sights without worrying that your pocket will get picked.
Address: New York-New York Hotel, 3790 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Website
15. ARIA Fine Art Collection (on the strip)
https://aria.mgmresorts.com/en/amenities/aria-fine-art-collection.html
Integrated into the public spaces of the ARIA Resort and Casino is an amazing collection of artwork and installations that anyone can view for free. Running the gamut from portraiture to sculpture to architectural art, the Fine Art Collection features the works of international artists. (If you’re a Christopher Walken fan, track down his portrait painted by Julian Schnabel.)
The art encompasses a variety of materials and styles that you won’t see anywhere else. The ARIA also hires artists to redesign its main lobby annually, and the current design, called “The North Star,” is breathtaking.
Address: 3730 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89158
Website
16. The Trams / Aria Express (on the strip)
The gigantic scale of the Strip’s casinos creates the optical illusion that you could easily walk from one to another. In reality, the distance between casinos can take you 40 minutes, which isn’t fun under the blazing sun.
There are three free independently operated monorails that connect many resorts. (A tram operated by the city of Las Vegas on the eastern Strip isn’t free.) With a little walking between stops, you can ride the tram to traverse the four miles of the Strip from Mandalay Bay (the southern tip) to Treasure Island (the northern tip) completely free.
17. M&M’s Las Vegas (on the strip)
Adjacent to the MGM Grand is M&M’s Las Vegas, the four-story showplace and marketplace for anything M&M. With wall-to-wall memorabilia and photo ops galore, this is the place for M&M fans. With a huge selection of regular and specialty M&M’s in a wide palette of colors, M&M’s Las Vegas is fun for a stroll. There’s no admission, but the chocolate aroma permeating the place will probably compel you to buy a bag or two.
Address: 3785 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109
18. Hershey’s Chocolate World (on the strip)
Another hot spot for chocoholics is Hershey’s Chocolate World, located in New York-New York. There isn’t as much to see here as there is at M&M’s Las Vegas, but one unusual centerpiece that’s primed for selfies is the Statue of Liberty carved out of 900 pounds of chocolate. Also the store has many different Hershey’s flavors that can’t be purchased anywhere else. Since it’s free, it’s worth a peek.
Address: New York-New York Hotel 3790 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109
19. Las Vegas Walk of Stars (on the strip)
Less known than the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the Las Vegas Walk of Stars honors the celebrity performers who made Las Vegas legendary. Wayne Newton received the first star in 2004, and today, there are over 100 stars on the walk. There are three main sidewalk locations where you can find the stars dedicated to your favorite celebrities: Paris Las Vegas, the Flamingo, and MGM Grand.
20. Music Performances at First Friday Las Vegas (Arts District)
On the first Friday of every month, an arts festival fills 18 street blocks in the downtown Las Vegas Arts District. It’s like a huge block party with free concerts, art displays, and performances that are dedicated to a theme. Local artists and vendors line the sidewalks, exhibiting paintings, sculpture, and handmade crafts and jewelry. The Arts District is located near Fremont Street, and because of the crowds, parking is virtually nonexistent. But there are several public transport options available.
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