Spoiler alert: There are many free things to do in Las Vegas! You can always take advantage of the amazing sightseeing and people watching, but be sure to make time to explore these equally fun options.
The Aquarium
Head over to the Silverton Casino Hotel for a chance to see mythical mermaids in real life. Free, interactive mermaid swims take place several times throughout the day from Thursday to Sunday in a 117,000-gallon aquarium complete with tropical fish.
The Arts Factory
Located in the Arts District, The Arts Factory is where you can go to see a wide variety of art at no cost. A collection of individual artists, galleries and shops, consider this a contemporary art museum with so much more than paintings and sculptures.
Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens
With five rotating displays throughout the year, the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Garden is a free attraction you can return to again and again. The 14,000-square-foot indoor space is filled with ever-changing floral shows that take botanicals to imaginative heights.
Coca-Cola Store Las Vegas
Bring the whole family to the two-story Coca-Cola Store and be immersed in all things cola. The giant, glass Coke bottle outside and the Coca-Cola Bear inside both make for fun photo-ops that you can snap on your phone or pay a little extra for a printed and branded photo with the bear.
Downtown Art Murals
Get some free culture on the streets of Downtown Las Vegas. More than 30 vibrant murals – dubbed the Downtown Art Murals – were created by internationally known artists and have been featured at the Life Is Beautiful festival. Make sure to check out the first 100% solar-powered art mural on Seventh Street, which produces power that not only lights the installation, but also creates energy for the city.
Ethel M Chocolates & Cactus Garden
Take a short drive to Henderson for the very worthy treat waiting for you at Ethel M Chocolates. Visitors can walk through the free, self-guided factory viewing aisle to see chocolatiers and machines at work. Perhaps even more impressive is the largest botanical cactus garden in Nevada – don’t miss it during the holiday season when it’s decked out in more than 1 million colorful twinkling lights.
Downtown Container Park
A hub for off-Strip shopping, dining and entertainment, the Downtown Container Park is where you can experience a different side of the city. The open-air, multilevel complex features businesses housed in recycled shipping containers that open up to a courtyard with an impressive playground and stage for free concerts and performances.
Flamingo Wildlife Habitat
Nature aficionados and kids will love the Flamingo Wildlife Habitat at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino. The lush outdoor space within the hotel grounds features a flock of Chilean flamingos along with parrots available for pictures, and multiple water features with waterfalls, turtles, koi fish, swans, ducks, and more. Watch the habitats’ two brown pelicans get fed at 8:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily.
The Forum Shops at Caesars Palace
Get a taste of the high life at The Forum Shops at Caesars, an indoor mall within Caesars Palace where you can window shop top luxury brands. You’ll be transported to another world as you walk the opulent setting featuring Roman architectural details such as marble columns, statues, fountains, and a barrel-vaulted ceiling that changes colors just like the sky. Don’t miss the Fall of Atlantis show every hour beginning at 11 a.m.
Hand of Faith
Wonder awaits around every corner in Vegas, and the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino is no exception. Stop by to see the Hand of Faith, a 61-pound nugget of gold that is the largest in existence.
Lake of Dreams at Wynn Las Vegas
Enjoy complimentary entertainment every night at the Wynn via the Lake of Dreams, a spectacle of lights and sound using the lake’s 20,000 square feet of surface and a 40-foot waterfall to serve as the visual focal point for giant puppets and massive robots – and a 23-foot head that emerges from the water.
Fremont Street Experience
Spanning five blocks in Downtown Las Vegas, Fremont Street Experience is where you can see bands and DJs perform for free and take in an epic light show on the world’s largest video screen, Viva Vision. The Downtown Rocks free concert series August calendar is an ode to the ’90s and early 2000s with performances by Collective Soul, Buckcherry, Cheap Trick and The Wallflowers.
The LINQ Promenade + Experience
Beyond the High Roller, the highest observation wheel in the world, The LINQ Promenade + Experience has plenty more to see and do. Stroll along the promenade and step into 3-D murals for a mind-bending photo, catch the choreographed light show that spans several promenade features, and watch the free live entertainment taking place most nights.
Live Runway Shows at Fashion Show Mall
If you’ve never seen a live fashion show before, Fashion Show Mall is the place to do so absolutely gratis. The mega mall on the Strip hosts regularly occurring fashions shows on a retractable runway that rises from the ground.
M&M’s World
Step into the colorful word of candy-coated chocolate at M&M’s World, where you can explore four levels of the beloved treat, snap pictures with the many life-size M&M’s character displays, interact with the occasional mascot and, best of all, watch the free 3-D movie.
Seven Magic Mountains
Located about 10 miles south of The Strip, you can’t miss the towering totems painted neon colors juxtaposed by the contrasting backdrop of the Las Vegas desert. Seven Magic Mountains, an exhibit created by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone, is a visually stunning representation of the presence of color and expression in the desert and a great setting for an Instagram Story.
Streetmosphere at the Grand Canal Shoppes
Singers, jugglers, stilt walkers, and living statues make up Streetmosphere at the Grand Canal Shoppes in The Venetian Resort. The roaming street performers and scheduled performances blend right in with the recreation of St. Mark’s Square in Venice of which the high-end shopping center is modeled after.
Studio 71
Disco and neon collide at Studio 71 at Plaza Las Vegas in the heart of Downtown Las Vegas. The perfect photo op for anyone looking to add serious color and nostalgia to their Instagram page, Studio 71 pays tribute to the early years of the Plaza’s existence with LED backdrops and ’70s-style swagger.
Sunset Stampede
Off-Strip entertainment can be found five times a day at Sam’s Town Hotel and Gambling Hall. Inside the hotel is a 10-story atrium housing Mystic Falls Park where a waterfall and surrounding greenery are the stage for Sunset Stampede, a show of water, lasers, lights, sounds and animatronics animals.
The Park
Take a walk in The Park and experience all the expansive outdoor dining and entertainment the district has to offer. Located between New York-New York and Park MGM, you’ll find loads of casual restaurants and bars, live bands, special events and stunning art sculptures. Grab a drink at Sake Rok and a sweet treat at the Hello Kitty pop-up restaurant, then meander between the water walls and snap a perfectly situated selfie with the 40-foot-tall sculpture, Bliss Dance.
The Volcano at The Mirage
Flames, smoke, water and urgent drumbeats combine to form the multiple nightly eruptions of The Volcano at The Mirage. The free show has been shooting fire into the sky for 30 years and is a Las Vegas favorite.
Welcome to Las Vegas Sign
Whether you stop by the Welcome to Las Vegas sign when you first arrive, during your visit, or on your way home, this is a must-stop photo op. If you’ve visited in the past, you’ll enjoy the now safer, easier access to the sign with dedicated parking and crosswalks. Get those smiles and funny poses ready!