30 Insanely Cheap Things to do in Vegas Besides Gambling
Las Vegas is a gambler’s paradise located in the middle of the desert. But what is there to do if you don’t gamble? Do not worry! Luckily, there are plenty of free or insanely cheap things to do in Vegas besides gambling.
I love Las Vegas! I have been going to Vegas since I was old enough to gamble, which in the United States is 21 years old. I often visit with my husband or on a girls trip to Vegas at least two or three times a year. Vegas is my happy place, where I go to relax, have fun, and gamble.
But boy, has it changed. The cheap Vegas that included buffets for less than $10 and pool cabana rentals for $100 is a thing of the past.
Fortunately, there are still some inexpensive things to do in Las Vegas besides gambling.
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How Do I Get to Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada, also known as Sin City, is located in the southwest United States in the Mojave Desert.
It is most convenient to fly into McCarran International Airport and venture just three miles away to the Las Vegas Strip.
Parking is no longer free at most casinos, so I recommend you take a ride share or taxi to your hotel, assuming you are staying on The Strip or Downtown.
The Strip has rows of glamorous resorts, outstanding restaurants, neon lights, and anything your heart desires. It’s pedestrian-friendly and within walking distance to many free attractions.
Downtown has a different vibe than The Strip. It’s “Old Vegas,” but in a revived way. It is also pedestrian-friendly and has many things to see and do.
Vegas is no longer stacked with cheap attractions, but that’s why you have me. I’ll help you find free or cheap non gambling activities in Las Vegas when you visit on a budget or need or want a break from the casinos.
RELATED POST: Plan the Ultimate Girls Trip to Vegas, including where to stay and the best things to do with your besties.
Cheap Things to do in Vegas with Family of all Ages
Take a Picture at the Las Vegas Sign
- Location: 5200 Las Vegas Blvd South
- Hours: Open 24 hours, seven days a week
- Cost: FREE
If this is the first time you visit Las Vegas, head to the famous Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign at the end of the strip past the Mandalay Bay Casino.
Situated in the middle of the street, visitors can pull into a car park to see the Las Vegas sign and take a picture. The sign is a popular spot, so get there early if you don’t want to wait.
Walk Through the Casinos and Shopping Malls
- Location: All along The Strip
- Hours: Open 24 hours, seven days a week
- Cost: FREE
You don’t have to gamble to visit the casinos. The casinos have invested millions of dollars in creating elaborate spaces to entice visitors to the Strip. I find something new in the casinos every time I visit.
Visit places like the Luxor Hotel & Casino, designed to mimic an Egyptian pyramid, or Paris Las Vegas, which includes a replica of the Eiffel Tower.
Walk through The Cosmopolitan, and find the “secret pizza” place. You won’t find it listed in any directory, but trust me, it does exist! Have a drink at the three-level Chandelier Bar, and check out the retro artwork.
Head to the Wynn Las Vegas and enjoy the waterfall at the entrance, the floral carousel, and the brightly colored lobby. At night, watch the free show, albeit a short show, Lake of Dreams, just off the lobby.
RELATED POST: Stop at The Wicked Spoon buffet in The Cosmopolitan for a fabulous brunch.
Check out Excalibur and the New York New York Hotel & Casino for kid-friendly hotels. Both of these hotels have fun areas for the kids to play, plus you can see replicas of the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State Building.
If you walk through the casinos with kids, they cannot stop on the casino floor, so you will have to keep moving.
Watch a Dive-In Movie
- Location: Cosmopolitan Hotel & Casino – Boulevard Pool
- Hours: Monday – Doors open at 7:00 PM; the movie starts at 8:00 PM
- Cost: $15 for non-hotel guests; Complimentary for hotel guests
After dark, the Cosmopolitan Hotel pool becomes a dive-in movie theater. A giant movie screen above the Las Vegas Strip shows popular movies each Monday night. You can swim and enjoy the pool while watching your favorite classic movie or blockbuster hit.
The movie titles change each Monday night.
Get Lunch and Three Cocktails for $15 at the Miracle Mile
- Location: Ocean One Grille at The Miracle Mile Shops
- Hours: 7:30 AM – 11:00 PM
- Cost: Entrees $4.99; cocktails 3 for 1 – $10
You may not be surprised to learn that Las Vegas has some mega shopping malls.
Don’t overlook the malls when you look for things to do in Las Vegas besides gambling. Places like the Fashion Show Mall, the Miracle Mile, and Grand Bazaar Shops offer amazing window shopping with their own entertainment and cheap or free attractions inside.
I can’t say which trip we found out about Ocean One Grille at the Miracle Mile Shops, but we have eaten here several times. Almost every entree on the menu is $4.99.
Suppose you want a three-egg omelet with potatoes and toast, $4.99. Do you want a half-pound sirloin burger? That will be $4.99.
When you add the three-for-one cocktail offer for $10, you have a complete meal with drinks in Vegas for $15. That’s a deal!
See the Atlantis Show at The Forum Shops
- Location: The Forum Shops at Ceasar’s Palace Hotel & Casino
- Hours: Thursday – Monday every hour at the top of the hour beginning at noon through 8:00 PM.
- Cost: FREE
Ceasar’s Palace Hotel and Casino features over 160 stores known as The Forum Shops.
Besides shopping, The Forum Shops has a free show called The Atlantis Show. You can find the attraction at the Strip and Flamingo Road intersection inside The Forum Shops at Ceasar. Look for nine-foot-tall Roman statues in the middle of the mall.
Visit a Giant Shark Aquarium
- Location: Mandalay Bay – 3950 S Las Vegas Blvd.
- Hours: Daily 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM; last entry at 5:00 PM
- Cost: $29 – $50 depending on the ticket package you choose; Book your tickets in advance with a timed entry; This attraction is popular.
There are many cool things to see at the Shark Reef Aquarium in Mandalay Bay. With over 1,300,000 gallons of water, it is one of the largest in North America.
You will view a variety of sharks, a komodo dragon, crocodiles, snakes, and over 2,000 other animals.
Feel like you are walking underwater as you glide through the aquarium tunnel. At the “shipwreck,” view sharks of all types. Then, finally, a virtual reality experience in The Undersea Explorer theater will immerse you in a simulated ocean experience, including a shark dive and an encounter with humpback whales.
See a Volcano Erupt
- Location: The Mirage Hotel & Casino – 3400 S Las Vegas Blvd
- Hours: Monday – Sunday every hour on the hour beginning at 8:00 PM – 11 PM daily
- Cost: FREE
Reading a post about cheap things to do in Las Vegas besides gambling, you might be surprised to see a volcano eruption show up on the list.
Why is there a volcano in the middle of the desert?
The Mirage Hotel and Casino built an erupting volcano as part of its attraction on the Strip. The volcano replica erupts daily with real fire and explosions. Enjoy the show at the main entrance as it explodes to a soundtrack by The Grateful Dead.
This may be your last chance to see the volcano on The Strip. Rumor has it that it will be replaced by a Hard Rock hotel soon.
Ride a Roller Coaster
- Location: New York New York Hotel & Casino
- Hours: Mon. – Thurs. 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM; Fri. – Sun. 11:00 AM – midnight
- Cost: Daytime $19; Evening $23 – Check Groupon for coupons; ask for Military/First Responder discount
The Big Apple Roller Coaster at one of the kid-friendly hotels New York New York, is not your ordinary roller coaster. This roller coaster zooms you over the Las Vegas Strip at 67 mph. For a unique experience and one of the many fun things to do in New York New York, reserve your time for a ride on the Big Apple.
Ask about The Central Park Pack, which includes a roller coaster ride and other arcade extras.
Watch the Eiffel Tower Illuminate
- Location: Paris Hotel & Casino
- Hours: Every 30 minutes from sunset to midnight
- Cost: FREE
You may not be in Paris, but you will feel like you are there when you experience the Eiffel Tower Light Show.
The replica Eiffel Tower sits directly in front of the Paris Hotel & Casino. You can view both the Eiffel Tower and the Bellagio fountains if you time it just right, as the Paris hotel is across the street from Bellagio.
Marvel at the Bellagio Fountain Show
- Location: Bellagio Hotel and Casino – 3600 Las Vegas Blvd.
- Hours: Mon. – Fri: The show takes place every 30 minutes from 3:00-8:00 PM; every 15 min. from 8:00 to midnight; Sat, Sun. & holidays: every 30 minutes from noon to 8:00 PM and every 15 min. from 8 PM to midnight
- Cost: FREE
The Bellagio Las Vegas is located in the middle of the strip. You can’t miss it. The hotel has a massive lake at its entrance.
The lake turns into an over-the-top, interactive water display with lights and fountains that dance to choreographed music at times listed above. Outdoor speakers located along the strip only enhance the experience.
The best place to view the show is from the balconies along the casino’s side. Elevated walkways take you to the entrance as you enter from the Strip.
You get a bird’s eye view and fewer crowds if you stop halfway up. A plus in the summer is the cool misting spray you’ll receive from the misters hanging along the edge.
Make sure to visit in the daytime and the evening for a totally different experience.
Tour the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens
- Location: Bellagio Hotel and Casino lobby past the check-in desk – 3600 Las Vegas Blvd.
- Hours: Open 24 hours, seven days a week
- Cost: FREE
The Bellagio is my absolute favorite casino to visit. Seeing the Conservatory is one of the best free things to do in Las Vegas besides gambling.
When you enter the Bellagio lobby, look up to see the largest glass sculpture in the world, the “Fiori di Como.” Created by artist Dale Chihuly, who has an entire collection in Seattle at the Chihuly Garden and Glass, the colorful glass is a masterpiece in artistry.
Don’t leave the Bellagio without walking into the lobby to see the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. Beautiful flowers and displays adorn this area of the hotel.
Each season, a new and wonderful theme is revealed. Flowers, water features, and music add whimsy to the exhibit.
TRIP TIP: Go early in the morning or late at night for fewer crowds. You can see the details up close and take better pictures.
The displays are changed seasonally. “Dark Days” allow the horticulturists to change the design. Unfortunately, the Conservatory will be closed on these dates.
See the World’s Largest Chocolate Fountain
- Location: Bellagio Hotel and Casino hotel lobby past the Conservatory – Bellagio Patisserie
- Hours: Open 24 hours, seven days a week
- Cost: FREE
The world’s largest chocolate fountain is located at the Bellagio. Take a look for yourself.
Once you leave the Conservatory, walk a little further to the left, away from the Lobby.
The most majestic sight is a 27-foot masterpiece of cascading chocolate.
Unfortunately, it is a visual experience only. But, if you are a chocolate lover like myself, the smell alone will make your day.
Ride an Elevated Tram
- Location: Various
- Hours: Various
- Cost: FREE – $13
On a map, everything in Las Vegas looks easily walkable. However, the distance from casino to casino is quite deceiving. With the addition of trams and monorails, transportation throughout the Vegas Strip is convenient and, in many cases, free.
Riding a tram, especially in the summer when temperatures can exceed 100 degrees, is a nice feature the casinos provide.
There are three free trams on the west side of The Strip. The first one connects Mandalay Bay to Luxor to Excalibur. The second free tram connects Bellagio, CityCenter, and Park MGM, while the third free tram connects The Mirage and Treasure Island.
If you want to venture further down the Strip, there is a Las Vegas tram with seven stops on the east side, but the cost is $13 for a one-day pass.
You can visit the Monorails & Trams page for more detailed information about tram stops.
See the Flamingos at The Flamingo Wildlife Habitat
- Location: Flamingo Hilton Hotel – Level L of the hotel
- Hours: Monday – Sunday, 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Cost: FREE
The Flamingo Hilton is one of the oldest hotels on the Strip.
Inside, you will find a four-acre garden with waterfalls, streams, birds, and fish. The special attraction here, though, is the Chilean flamingos. Take a stroll through the Flamingo Hilton when you are looking for things to do in Las Vegas besides gambling.
Animal keepers give special talks about wildlife daily at 8:30 AM and 2:00 PM.
Cheap Things to Do in Vegas Besides Gambling for Couples
Sing Along at a Dueling Piano Bar
- Location: New York, New York Hotel & Casino
- Hours: Nightly
- Cost: Entrance fee begins at $25.
Don’t miss the number one dueling piano show in Vegas at the Bar at Times Square in the New York, New York Hotel & Casino.
You can pay the $25 entrance fee to go in and have a drink. However, you can also listen to the show for free from outside the bar if you gamble in the area.
Get Serenaded by a Gondolier
- Location: Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian
- Hours: Twice daily – 9:45 AM and 4:20 AM
- Cost: The gondola ride begins at $35.
Believe it or not, authentic gondola rides can be purchased at The Venetian Resort & Casino’s Grand Canal Shoppes. The gondola rides operate both indoors and outdoors.
Be on the lookout for the gondoliers participating in The Gondolier March when you visit. The march signals the arrival of a new group of gondoliers. They march along the canal, sing in unison, and fill the Shoppes with their voices.
Make it a complete date by including a ticket to Madame Tussauds Las Vegas, also located at The Venetian.
While in the area, head towards the Palazzo entrance in the Grand Canal Shoppes to look for the LOVE art installation and waterfall atrium. Twelve-foot, red steel letters spell out LOVE. The art installation makes for a great place to get a picture.
Enjoy the Sunset from the Top of the Eiffel Tower
- Location: Paris Hotel & Casino
- Hours: Thurs. – Mon. 3:00 PM – 10:00 PM
- Cost: around $30
The Eiffel Tower in Las Vegas is only half the authentic version in France. Nonetheless, the views of Las Vegas are still spectacular.
With your ticket to The Eiffel Tower viewing deck, you will rise 46 stories and see 360 degree views. It is an unforgettable way to see the sunset, and the sparkling city lights illuminate the sky.
Ride the Tallest Observation Wheel in North America
- Location: The Linq Promenade – High Roller
- Hours: Monday – Sunday 2:00 PM – midnight
- Cost: starting at $27
When looking for things to do in Las Vegas besides gambling, look no further than The Linq Promenade. The Promenade is an open-air shopping center off the Strip between The Linq Hotel and The Flamingo Las Vegas.
You will find restaurants, bars, and fun shops like I Love Sugar and Welcome to Las Vegas here.
On the Promenade, you will also find The High Roller observation wheel, North America’s tallest.
Enclosed, air-conditioned pods make a complete circle in 30 minutes giving its riders unlimited views of Las Vegas.
Ticket prices vary based on the time of day you choose to ride. There are also happy half-hour tickets which include unlimited drinks during your thirty-minute ride.
Cheap Things to Do in Las Vegas Besides Gambling for Adults Over 21
Be a Television Influencer at CBS Television City Research Center
- Location: MGM Grand Hotel
- Hours: Monday – Sunday, 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM
- Cost: FREE
Are you a fan of television shows? Then this is just for you!
At the CBS Television City Research Center, visitors are asked to watch a show or commercial or view a website and then give their feedback by completing a survey.
Your opinions could decide what the next big hit on TV might be.
Go Behind the Scenes of a Las Vegas Show
- Location: The Mirage Hotel & Casino – 3400 S Las Vegas Blvd
- Hours: Fridays at 1:00 PM
- Cost: FREE
If you visit the Mirage to see the volcano on a Friday, head over to The Beatles, Love box office, or the Mirage Concierge by 1:00 p.m. for the Magical Technical Tour. This tour will take you behind the scenes of the famous Cirque du Soleil show for an up-close look at the lighting, props, and costumes.
Experience an Oxygen Bar
- Location: Breathe Oxygen Bar – Multiple locations along The Strip
- Hours: Mon.-Wed. 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM; Thurs. – Sun. 10:00 AM – midnight
- Cost: $35 for 20 minutes (check for Groupon or online for coupons)
When you visit Las Vegas, you will see many oxygen bars set up in the Casinos and along the Strip. An oxygen bar is a set of bar stools hooked up to colored vials of bubbly water. For the longest time, I never gave them much thought.
That was until my brother-in-law had us all stop for a session one trip. These things are amazing. Because Las Vegas is in the desert, the air is very dry. The oxygen helps relieve headaches and helps with the dreaded hangover.
Oxygen bars provide 90% pure oxygen distilled in water. Guests are provided with personal tubes to breathe in the oxygen and a scalp massage while they relax and let the oxygen work its magic.
View a Fine Art Collection
- Location: ARIA Hotel & Casino – The Concierge
- Hours: Daily
- Cost: FREE Walking Tour
Some people might be surprised to find that seeing expensive art is on my list of cheap things to do in Las Vegas besides gambling. However, the ARIA Hotel and Casino has an extensive art collection of world-famous artists, sculptors, and painters.
Visit the Concierge in the hotel lobby to ask about the free walking tour to view the eclectic collection throughout the casino and shops.
Look for frequent pop-ups of interactive art displays, such as this exhibit with virtual avatars at the entrance.
Another ARIA-sponsored art exhibit is located just ten miles south of Las Vegas.
A Swiss artist, Ugo Rondinone, created this public art installation called the Seven Magic Mountains. These brightly colored boulders over 30 feet high are spectacular to see against the baron desert background.
Cheap Things to Do in Vegas Besides Gambling in Downtown
Visit the Mob Museum
- Location: Downtown Vegas near Fremont Street
- Hours: Daily 9 AM – 9 PM
- Cost: Begins at $34.95
The Mob Museum in Las Vegas is a super cool spot for adults!
It’s not your usual museum. It’s all about the history of famous gangsters and the police who tried to catch them. You’ll see real stories about people like Al Capone.
The museum is in a neat old building that used to be a courthouse. Inside, you can watch films and see secret gadgets that gangsters and cops used.
It’s a different way to have fun in Vegas besides gamble.
See the Viva Vision Light Show
- Location: Downtown Vegas on Fremont Street
- Hours: Monday – Sunday every hour on the hour beginning at 6:00 PM through 2:00 AM daily
- Click here for the complete schedule
- Cost: FREE
The Viva Vision Light Show is a free show like no other. A screen with thousands of lights extends along the top of the enclosed Fremont Street, stretching over 1200 feet long and 90 feet wide.
The lights illuminate the entire sky when the show begins, and the music roars. Each hour of the night features a different display with a different artist’s music.
Thousands of people will tilt their heads upward during this incredible spectacle for six to eight minutes. It’s an experience people of all ages enjoy.
Dance to Live Music at Downtown Rocks
- Location: Downtown Vegas on Fremont Street
- Hours: Nightly, beginning at 6:00 PM
- Cost: FREE
As part of the Fremont Street Experience, Downtown Rocks is a free concert event that happens nightly, beginning at 6 p.m. A huge variety of acts are scheduled to appeal to all music lovers. See the complete schedule to find out who’s playing when you are there.
Visit the Neon Museum
- Location: 770 Las Vegas Blvd. North
- Hours: Daily 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM for a self-guided tour; open until midnight with a tour
- Cost: $20 for self-guided; $28 for 45 minutes tour
Another unique thing to do in Vegas besides gambling is to visit The Neon Museum. The Neon Museum has claimed over 150 neon signs from Vegas’s past, providing visitors with a unique way of learning about Las Vegas’s history.
Guests can take a self-guided tour through the museum’s Main Boneyard to explore relics that have found a new home.
For an even more magical experience, take a night tour when the neon signs glow.
See a Million Dollar Golden Nugget
- Location: Golden Nugget Resort & Casino
- Hours: 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- Cost: FREE
See the “Hand of Faith” on display in the Golden Nugget lobby. The “Hand of Faith” is the second-largest gold nugget found in the World by an Australian in 1980. He sold it to the Golden Nugget for a million dollars.Watch a Fire Breathing Mantis
- Location: Downtown Container Park
- Hours: Every day at sundown
- Cost: FREE
The Downtown Container Park is an open-air shopping center of industrial shipping containers repurposed into stores. This unique park features shopping, restaurants, a playground, and a live music venue. Located just five minutes from The Golden Nugget, guests can gather at sundown to see the 40-foot-tall metal praying mantis awoken by a drum ceremony, only to shoot flames over six stories high.
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Cheap Things to Do in Las Vegas Besides Gambling Outside the City Limits
Las Vegas is so much more than casinos and flashy hotels. Consider taking a popular day trip when looking for things to do in Las Vegas besides gambling.
Visit Red Rock Canyon
- Location: Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area – 3205 State Highway 159, Las Vegas, NV 89161
- Hours: Hours can vary; scenic drive times – 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (timed entry)
- Cost: personal vehicle $15; tour prices vary
Red Rock Canyon is an outdoor recreational area just seventeen miles west of Las Vegas.
It has picture-perfect scenery and landscapes, hiking trails, picnic areas, and much more.
If you have a car, you can explore on your own. But, you can also take a tour from Las Vegas where the guide will ensure you have the perfect day.
Visit the Hoover Dam
- Location: Hoover Dam, 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas
- Hours: Daily 5:00 AM – 9:00 PM
- Cost: Visitor Center tickets $10; Tour prices vary
Plan a visit to the Hoover Dam and learn about its construction and history. Take fabulous photos of this masterpiece.
If you choose to visit on your own, three tours are available: a self-guided tour, a power plant tour, and a guided dam tour.
When visiting the Hoover Dam, you can see and cross the Mike O’Callaghan Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, which connects Arizona and Nevada.
The bridge is named after O’Callaghan, a former Nevada Governor, and Tillman, a former Arizona Cardinal NFL player who was killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan.
Take a Guided Tour to Grand Canyon National Park
Visiting the Grand Canyon South Rim makes an awesome day trip when you are looking for things to do in Las Vegas without gambling.
It’s about a 4-hour drive, but totally worth it.
The South Rim is the most famous part of the Grand Canyon and is open all year. You’ll see amazing views that look like they’re from another world. There are easy walking paths and spots to take great photos. You can also learn about the history of the canyon at the visitor centers.
It’s a peaceful break from the bright lights of Vegas and a chance to see one of the coolest natural wonders!
In Summary
In conclusion, Las Vegas has so much more to offer than just gambling.
There’s something for everyone, from exploring the enormous and extravagant casinos to taking in the breathtaking views at the Grand Canyon South Rim.
You can learn cool history, see amazing natural sights, and enjoy fun activities away from the casino buzz. These adventures show a different side of Vegas that’s just as exciting.
The next time you’re in Vegas, remember that there’s a whole world of fun waiting beyond the slot machines and poker tables!
