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10 Free Things to Do in Las Vegas

January 27th, 2012

Tushar Mathur

It’s easy to spend money in Las Vegas. Whether you’re gambling away your cash at one of the city’s many casinos, drinking and dancing the night away at a club or taking in a Cirque Du Soleil show, you’re likely to return home with a much lighter wallet. However, Las Vegas is home to more great free attractions than the vast majority of other cities. The giant casino resorts are happy to lay on lavish entertainment to draw in guests, as they know the extra revenue from Blackjack tables and slot machines will more than cover the cost.

You don’t have to play the casino owners’ game. With hotels rooms in Las Vegas also being subsidised by gambling, it’s possible to have a great time in the city on a tiny budget. Here are 10 completely free activities to get you started.

10. Viva Vision at the Fremont Street Experience

Head to downtown Las Vegas, and you’ll find the sprawling, five-block Fremont Street Experience. As well as being home to a huge number of retail outlets, the pedestrian mall also hosts daily concerts and performances. The headline attraction, though, is the Viva Vision light and sound show. This sees a canopy of more than 12 million LED lights illuminate the area, accompanied by 220 speakers blasting out 550,000 watts of sound. In a move that doesn’t often happen elsewhere in Vegas, all of the buildings underneath the canopy turn off their lights for the start of the shows, which take place several times after dusk each night.

9. Wild Life Habitat at Flamingo Las Vegas

Flamingo Las Vegas is one of the oldest hotel-casinos on the Strip, having first opened in 1946. Hidden away amidst the neon lights surrounding it is a delightful outdoor wild life habitat, which houses a variety of exotic birds. As you’d expect, flamingos feature heavily, but a number of other species are also on display. The habitat itself features waterfalls, streams, grassy area and trees, which come as a welcome sight in the desert surroundings of Vegas.

8. Sirens of Treasure Island

The free Sirens of Treasure Island show, which is performed nightly outside of the Treasure Island Resort and Casino, will not be to everyone’s taste. Even if muscle-bound pirates and scantily clad sirens are not your thing, it’s worth checking the show out if only to chuckle at the excesses of Las Vegas. The plot, such as it is, is ludicrous, but hang around for the set piece moment in which an enormous pirate ship emerges and a cannon battle breaks out.

7. Fall of Atlantis at Caesar’s Palace

An indoor shopping mall isn’t the place you’d expect learn about Greek and Roman mythology, but the Fall of Atlantis show at Caesar’s Palace offers you the chance to do just that. From 11am onwards, hourly performances center around an impressive fountain. Animatronic statues play the roles of King Atlas and his son and daughter, who fight bitterly over who should take over the rule of Atlantis. A spectacular array of fire and water effects liven up the show, and it’s worth arriving early to grab a good spot. Afterwards, be sure to check out the 50,000-gallon saltwater aquarium behind the fountains, which houses more than 100 species of fish.

6. The Circus at Circus Circus

Living up to its name, Circus Circus is home to what it bills as “the world’s largest permanent circus”. Performances take place every day between 11am and midnight, and feature a variety of classic acts such as jugglers, clowns and trapeze artists. When the show finishes, take a look at the Adventuredome indoor theme park. The rides aren’t free, but it’s fun to explore anyway.

5. Volcano Eruption at the Mirage

A major refurbishment in 2008 breathed new life into the volcano that sits in front of the Mirage hotel and casino. Hourly “eruptions” take place every evening until midnight, with a variety of impressive fire, water and gas effects being used to create an impressive spectacle. The show is accompanied by the sound of real volcano eruptions, although the pina colada fragrance that’s added to the natural gas is slightly less authentic!

4. Explore “Paris”

Las Vegas is home to a number of artificial recreations of real-world cities, including the Venetian and New York-New York. The best, though, is the Paris, which sits at the heart of the Strip. Although you’ll have to pay to catch a lift to the top of the mock Eiffel Tower, wandering around the ground-level streets is free. There, you’ll see a variety of recognizable landmarks, including the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe and the Paris Opera House. For the most bizarre experience, go the casino early or late, where you’ll find that it’s still daytime in Paris.

3. The “Welcome to Las Vegas” Sign

One of Las Vegas’ most enduring icons, the “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign was first installed by Betty Willis and Ted Rogich in 1959. Since then, it has welcomed travellers to the city, as well as featuring in numerous movies and TV shows. A free parking area is located close to the sign at the south end of the Strip, allowing you to stop for the obligatory photo opportunity. Like everything else in Vegas, the sign is lit up at night.

2. Ethel M Chocolate Factory Tour

Located in nearby Henderson, the Ethel M Chocolate Factory is well worth the diversion. A working factory owned by Mars Incorporated, it produces a range of well-known brands including M&Ms and Mars Bars, as well as Ethel’s Chocolate. Visitors can take a free self-guided tour of the plant, offering them the chance to learn about the production process. As you tuck into your free sample after the tour, be sure to explore the Botanical Cactus Garden, which houses over 300 species of desert plants.

1. Fountains of Bellagio at the Bellagio

Arguably Las Vegas’ most famous and popular attraction, the Fountains of Bellagio show has drawn large crowds its debut in 1998. The enormous artificial lake that sits in front of the Bellagio comes to life during the performances, which feature a huge number of powerful fountains. Best of all, it’s possible to stand for hours gazing at the beautiful effects, as the fountains perform different displays to a variety of songs throughout the afternoon and evening. The show cost an estimated $40 million to install, but you can enjoy it completely free-of-charge.

With Las Vegas’ casinos increasingly battling each other for gambling business, there are literally dozens of other free attractions on offer in the city. Whether you’re on a limited budget, or just all spent out, you need never be bored.