- 34 Free Things to Do in Las Vegas
- Must-See Entertainment on the Las Vegas Strip
- Fun Off the Strip
- Family-Friendly Attractions
- For Art Lovers
- For Animal and Nature Lovers
Las Vegas. Sin City. The world’s entertainment hub. Whatever label you prefer for Nevada’s most renowned (and perhaps infamous) metropolis, one thing remains clear: there’s an abundance to experience — and spend money on — in Las Vegas.
They say what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. But if you’re draining your savings and piling on debt to splurge at opulent resorts, indulge at pricey restaurants, catch big-name shows and gamble until dawn — those money problems will follow you home.
This has always been the risk of a Vegas getaway, even before inflation surged — and now it’s easier than ever to overspend in today’s economy.
However, if you make smart choices, you can savor the best of Las Vegas without emptying your bank account. Below are dozens of complimentary activities to enjoy in Las Vegas.
34 Free Things to Do in Las Vegas
Whether you’re cutting costs on a vacation or you live in Las Vegas and want inexpensive entertainment, check out these 34 no-cost things to do.
Must-See Entertainment on the Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip is a 24-hour, neon-drenched celebration. Stretching along Las Vegas Boulevard, it’s lined with resorts, casinos and performance venues.
1. The Famous Las Vegas Sign
At the beginning of The Strip you’ll find the famous sign that proclaims: Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada. A selfie beneath this 25-foot-tall landmark is a traveler’s top free keepsake.
There’s complimentary parking at the Las Vegas sign. If you don’t have a car, don’t worry — there are free transit options that help you get up and down the Strip without paying for rideshares or trekking in the desert heat. Several casinos operate free trams linking Mandalay Bay with Excalibur via the Luxor, Park MGM with the Bellagio via Aria, and the Mirage with Treasure Island.
2. Buskers on the Strip
Walking the Strip means you never know what you’ll encounter. Street performers, or buskers, appear as Elvis, Spiderman, Mickey Mouse and countless other characters. You may even think a statue is still — until it suddenly moves.
Although busking is essentially a free spectacle, remember performers typically rely on tips.
3. Bellagio Fountain Performance
Bellagio Hotel & Casino is home to one of the world’s tallest fountain displays. Daily, you can watch the fountains perform a water ballet choreographed to music.
The Bellagio Fountain Show runs every 30 minutes from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. (noon to 8 p.m. on weekends and holidays). From 8 p.m. to midnight, shows occur every 15 minutes.
4. The Mirage Volcano
Turn up the heat with the renowned volcano spectacle at The Mirage. Watch bursts of flame and fireballs synchronized to a soundtrack by Mickey Hart of The Grateful Dead and tabla master Zakir Hussain.
The Volcano at The Mirage erupts nightly at 8 p.m., 9 p.m., 10 p.m. and 11 p.m.
Getty Images
5. Paris Las Vegas
Feel transported to France by checking out replicas of the Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas. The resort offers plenty of photo-worthy spots for your social feed.
From sunset until midnight each day, Paris Las Vegas presents an Eiffel Tower light display every 30 minutes.
Also catch the dueling pianos at Napoleon Lounge daily at 5 p.m.
6. Light Shows at Grand Bazaar Shops
Daily, the Grand Bazaar Shops adjacent to Bally’s stages a musical light show.
Don’t worry about the timing — the presentation repeats every 15 minutes from dusk until roughly midnight Sunday through Thursday, and from dusk until near 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
7. Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian Resort
No trip to Venice required — unless you mind a replica.
The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian emulate St. Mark’s Square and house upscale retailers and eateries. You can even ride a gondola along indoor canals that wind through the mall.
Roaming performers — singers, jugglers, stilt walkers and living statues — often entertain visitors at the Grand Canal Shoppes.
8. Fashion Show Mall
Fashion Show Las Vegas is a Strip shopping hub with over 250 stores and dining options. It frequently hosts complimentary pop-up runway shows with live music.
Budget-friendly bites are available: at times the mall offers promotions like Free Eats at the food court, and special deals have appeared at spots such as the Capital One Cafe.
Depending on your timing, you might also find rotating art installations.
9. The Lake of Dreams at Wynn Las Vegas
Each night, the Wynn stages a light-and-sound spectacle called the Lake of Dreams, featuring giant puppets, thousands of LEDs and a dramatic 90-foot waterfall. The free presentations begin at dusk and run every half hour.
10. The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace
If Roman-style architecture appeals to you, visit The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. With more than 160 stores and restaurants, you can window shop and take in the scenery without spending a dime. The ceiling even shifts colors throughout the day.
The Forum is famous for its Fall of Atlantis Show — a free animatronic spectacle that relays the Atlantis legend. After a pandemic pause it’s resumed, with performances every half hour from noon to 8 p.m., closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
11. Rainstorm Show at Miracle Mile Shops
Spotting a rainstorm in the desert is a novelty.
The Miracle Mile Shops feature a free indoor rainstorm attraction complete with fog, shifting skies, thunder, lightning and rain. Shows run hourly from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday–Thursday and every half hour 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on weekends.
12. Light Show at The LINQ Promenade + Experience
Large observation wheels are common in major tourist cities, and Las Vegas is no different. The LINQ Promenade + Experience hosts the 550-foot High Roller, which features in a free nightly light display. While riding the wheel costs money, the show itself is complimentary.
The LINQ Promenade also showcases 3D murals and free live performances.
Photo courtesy of Circus Circus
13. Circus Performances at Circus Circus
Witness trapeze artists, jugglers, clowns and acrobats each day on the Carnival Midway’s central stage at Circus Circus.
These complimentary circus shows begin at 1:30 p.m. Monday–Thursday and at 11:30 a.m. Friday–Sunday.
Fun Off the Strip
Though the Strip offers plenty of action, there’s no shortage of cost-free entertainment off the main boulevard.
14. Fremont Street Experience
Fremont Street Experience is a downtown Las Vegas hub for attractions, food and live entertainment.
Starting at 6 p.m. nightly you can enjoy free live music. From 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. hourly you can see the Viva Vision light extravaganza, billed as the world’s largest video screen at 1,375 feet long and 90 feet wide.
Fremont also hosts the Downtown Rocks Free Concert Series, where select Saturdays feature free performances by well-known acts through mid-November.
15. Gold and Silver Pawn Shop
Stop by the location made famous by the History Channel’s Pawn Stars.
Gold and Silver Pawn Shop sits on Las Vegas Boulevard just north of the Strip. Showroom hours are typically 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, though pawn transactions are available 24 hours.
Keep an eye out for celebrity appearances — the shop often hosts autograph sessions with reality-TV personalities.
16. Hand of Faith at the Golden Nugget
Forget slot payouts. The real spectacle is a 61-pound gold nugget displayed in the Golden Nugget Las Vegas lobby.
Known as the Hand of Faith, it’s reputedly the largest gold nugget on display. Discovered in Australia in 1980, it later sold to the Golden Nugget for over $1 million.
17. Sunset Stampede
Sunset Stampede is a laser-and-light production at Mystic Falls Park inside Sam’s Town Hotel and Gambling Hall, featuring music and animated animal figures. Shows run at 6 p.m., 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. Monday–Thursday and at 4 p.m., 6 p.m., 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. on weekends.
When shows aren’t scheduled, the park’s walking paths, trees and water features are open to explore.
Family-Friendly Attractions
Keep the whole family entertained in Las Vegas without overspending. Here are free options kids will enjoy.
18. Hershey’s Chocolate World
This flagship shop at New York-New York Hotel and Casino stocks more than 800 Hershey’s chocolates and candy varieties. Walls display assortments of Hershey’s Kisses and Jolly Ranchers.
At Hershey’s Chocolate World you can pose beside a Statue of Liberty sculpture made from nearly 800 pounds of chocolate, and kids can star in a mock commercial for Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
19. Hoover Dam
Your children may have studied the Hoover Dam in class, but seeing it in person on a Vegas excursion is memorable.
The Mike O’Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge spans the Colorado River near the Nevada–Arizona border and offers excellent viewpoints of the Hoover Dam. You can park for free at the bridge approach and walk across.
The bridge is about a 37-mile drive from Las Vegas, yet it’s an easy day trip.
20. Ethel M Chocolate Factory and Cactus Garden
Located in Henderson just outside Las Vegas, the Ethel M Chocolate Factory and Cactus Garden is both sweet and scenic.
Take a self-guided tour to see how chocolates, fillings and pecan brittle are made, then stroll the 3-acre cactus garden with over 300 species of cacti, succulents, trees and shrubs.
During the holidays the grounds are illuminated with over a million lights.
21. Las Vegas Coca-Cola Store
The Las Vegas Coca-Cola Store near the MGM Grand and New York-New York offers photo spots like a giant Coke bottle and the Coca-Cola polar bear.
22. M&M’s Store
If you can resist buying every candy piece, a visit to the Las Vegas M&M’s store is a tasty free stop.
Kids can meet mascots, pose with life-size M&M characters, view a free 3D film and see a replica of NASCAR driver Kyle Busch’s M&M’s race car.
23. Bob Baskin Park
Summers in Las Vegas can soar into triple digits. Cool off with family at the Bob Baskin Park splash pad, which is free to use.
The park, west of Las Vegas Boulevard, also includes a playground, tennis courts, jogging paths and picnic areas.
24. Children’s Memorial Park
Let kids burn off energy at Children’s Memorial Park. Amenities include a playground, roller-hockey rink, tennis and volleyball courts, bocce and more.
The park lies about 15 minutes from the Strip.
For Art Lovers
Beyond ticketed shows and pricey galleries, Las Vegas offers diverse art you can enjoy for free.
The comet Neowise is seen in the evening sky above the artwork titled “Seven Magic Mountains” by artist Ugo Rondinone at Seven Magic Mountains. John Locher/AP Photo
25. Seven Magic Mountains
Seven Magic Mountains is a large public-art installation set against the desert, featuring seven stacks of neon-painted boulders. The vibrant totems reach more than 30 feet tall.
Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone installed the piece in 2016 as a temporary exhibit; its popularity led to an extended presence. The site is roughly 10 miles south of the Strip.
26. Downtown Container Park
Downtown Container Park is a distinct shopping and dining area made from repurposed shipping containers. If you’d rather not spend, the park includes public art and a stage for free concerts and performances.
Families will appreciate the courtyard playground for complimentary kid-friendly fun.
27. Downtown Arts District
This district is an art enthusiast’s paradise with 18 blocks of galleries, museums and studios.
The Arts Factory serves as a hub showcasing works by numerous artists. On the first Friday of each month the Downtown Arts District hosts a free block-party art walk.
28. Downtown Street Murals
Across downtown Las Vegas you’ll find more than 30 murals by international artists.
Many were created during the Life Is Beautiful festival, where paid tickets can be pricey, but you can take a free self-guided walking tour anytime to photograph the city’s street art.
29. Bliss Dance at The Park
At the junction of New York-New York, Park MGM and the T-Mobile Arena sits an outdoor gathering space called The Park.
Here you’ll find Bliss Dance, a 40-foot-tall sculpture of a dancing woman by Marco Cochrane, inspired by Burning Man. Visit after dark to see her illuminated.
30. Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art
The Marjorie Barrick Museum of Art on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus is part of the College of Fine Arts. Committed to accessible art, the museum offers free admission to exhibitions, workshops, lectures and community events.
The museum features modern and contemporary works by diverse artists and hosts community art days twice a year with performances, music and hands-on activities.
For Animal and Nature Lovers
Discover native and exotic plants and wildlife amid the urban bustle.
Photo courtesy of Tory Kooyman/MGM Resorts International
31. Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens
Inside the Bellagio lies a 14,000-square-foot botanical garden that rotates floral displays with the seasons. The horticulture team arranges thousands of flowers and plants to create distinctive scenes for spring, summer, fall and winter — and special displays for Lunar New Year.
Because the exhibits change often, it’s an attraction worth revisiting multiple times a year.
The Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is open 24 hours daily.
32. Flamingo Wildlife Habitat
At the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel and Casino, you can spot flamingos and other exotic animals. The Flamingo Wildlife Habitat houses flamingos, parrots, turtles, koi, swans and more.
The setting features a tropical garden with waterfalls and streams. Free Keeper Talks at 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. provide educational insights about the habitat.
The Flamingo Wildlife Habitat is open daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
33. Silverton Casino Hotel Aquarium
Aquarium enthusiasts should visit the Silverton Casino Hotel Aquarium. The 117,000-gallon reef home to thousands of tropical fish also includes stingrays and a few shark species.
Daily interactive stingray-feedings occur, and you may spot a mermaid swimming through the tank Thursday through Sunday. The Silverton is off the Strip and was formerly Boomtown Las Vegas.
Beyond the main aquarium there are two jellyfish tanks. Nearby Bass Pro Shops includes additional water features and tanks showcasing koi, trout, catfish, bass, turtles, ducks and more.
34. Clark County Wetlands Park
Stretch your legs on trails at Wetlands Park in Clark County. The park offers paved and unpaved routes ideal for jogging, biking or walking your dog.
At the Wetlands Park Nature Center you can explore exhibits about the park’s habitats and wildlife, and there’s an indoor area with seating for a packed lunch.
Alex Mercer was a former senior writer at Savinly.
