A week of Las Vegas fun with free and paying things to do besides drinking and gambling.
When you think of Las Vegas you probably associate it with gambling, strip clubs, drinking and partying. However, there’s more to Vegas and it could be a travel destination for people like me who are not necessarily into that side of Sin City.
Here are a few things you could do in Vegas both free and paid for.
Read until the end to see a visual recap of my trip. 😊
Hotels to visit:
Simply walking through hotels and admiring their uniqueness, aesthetic, and architecture is a great free activity in itself. Some of the additional activities within the hotel require a fee which I’ll specify further along. Be ready to walk a ton as these hotels are massive.
The Bellagio Hotel & Casino
Caesars Palace (the hotel is stunning)
The Flamingo Hotel & Casino
The Venetian Resort
The Palazzo at The Venetian Resort
The Mirage
Treasure Island
The STRAT Hotel, Casino & SkyPod
New York New York Hotel & Casino
Luxor Hotel & Casino
Excalibur Hotel & Casino
Paris Las Vegas
Wynn
Things to do: Exhibitions, shows, excursions, etc.
Free
Fountain Show (once during the day and once at night) at The Bellagio
Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens at The Bellagio (It changes each season)
World’s largest chocolate fountain at Bellagio Patisserie at The Bellagio
Wildlife Habitat at The Flamingo
Volcano Show at The Mirage
Circus acts at Circus Circus
The Atlantis Show at Caesars Palace
Walk through the Art District
Fremont District
Seven Magic Mountains
Walk The LINQ Promenade (There are a few more things to experience within The Promenade)
Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign
Walk The Strip
Visit different Wedding Chapels for the fun of it such as: The Little White Chapel and The Little Neon Chapel
Requires a Fee
Fantasy at Luxor Hotel & Casino
Mystere by Cirque Du Soleil at Treasure Island (Cirque Du Soleil has a variety of shows in different hotels)
Tournament of Kings at Excalibur Hotel & Casino
Jabbawockeez: Timeless 2022 at MGM Grand
Gondola Rides at The Venetian
Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay
The Neon Museum
Around the world experience at Coca-Cola Store (You taste sodas from different parts of the world)
Included with Go City pass
Highly recommend the Go City pass because it includes these and many other things to enjoy.
Banachek's mind games at The STRAT
STRAT SkyPod at The STRAT
Madame Tussauds Las Vegas at The Venetian
Illuminarium
The Mob Museum
Discovering King Tut's Tomb at Luxor Hotel
Real Bodies at Horseshoe Las Vegas
Hoover Dam
The Grand Canyon (Premium attraction, you can only choose one)
Emerald Cave kayak experience
Eiffel Tower Experience at Paris Las Vegas
High Roller Observation Wheel at The LINQ Promenade
Passes & Tickets:
You can purchase tickets for experiences within the hotels online or at their Box Office. There’s usually a line at the box office so online is your best bet, although be sure to check out the “Things to keep in mind” section below.
For experiences outside the hotel, you can purchase tickets online or at their location.
Go City passes can be purchased online. Be sure to download the app as your tickets will be there with easy access to be scanned and with a list of things your pass includes. This is great and saves you quite a bit of money depending on the things you want to do.
Accommodations:
We stayed at The LINQ Hotel & Casino. It’s a very centric location right on The Strip and at walking distance from a variety of hotels such as Caesars Palace, The Venetian, and Paris Las Vegas, etc. It’s relatively inexpensive and it’s also next to the LINQ Promenade. We didn’t go to Vegas to spend much time at the hotel so, in all honesty, we didn’t explore it that much, but the room was great; organized, clean which is a must for me, nice view, and the bed was really comfortable.
Things to keep in mind:
Each hotel has a designated Uber pick-up location which is different from the drop-off location. Make sure to locate the pick-up spot before requesting your Uber ride.
Some hotels have free parking, but others don’t. If it’s paid, the first hour is usually free. From then on, fees may start from $14. Keep in mind that parking lots are usually further away from the main entrance. Try to remember or snap a photo of where you park your car and near which entrance is at just so you don’t get lost.
If you purchase a Go City pass most attractions require you to print out the tickets at the box office of the hotel where they're taking place, even if the app doesn’t specify it for each attraction. Get there early as lines can get long.
From the free shows and attractions, each have their specific showtimes, so be sure to check out their schedule online so that you don’t miss it.
Vegas is expensive! Like most places, drinking and dining are the most expensive experiences.
There’s a lot of walking, even inside the hotels, so bring comfortable shoes even for fun nights out.
If you come during the winter and are not a friend to the cold, come prepare.
Beware of people offering you free things like tickets to shows or night club passes. Each hotel has a variety of professionals trying to sell you things, but you'll also encounter sellers along The Strip. Remember, nothing they offer is truly free!
Hotels have additional fees! When you book online you will get charged hotel fees and taxes, but read the fine print. Once you check in, chances are you'll pay for additional fees, which you probably didn't anticipate. Part of that is refundable, the other part isn't. In our case, it was like paying double what we originally paid for.
These are just a few things Vegas has to offer (and I consider it to be a lot). If you expand your research you'll find more. Plus, once you're there, you'll see billboards everywhere promoting other activities, shows, exhibitions, etc. So, choose whatever makes you heart contempt and have fun!
BONUS:
Before going on any trip, I usually like to get myself hyped up by watching movies associated with my destination. Here are a few I think are perfect for a Las Vegas Trip:
Viva Las Vegas
Elvis (Sadly, I didn’t see any Elvis impersonators)
Vegas Vacation
Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous
21
What Happens in Vegas
Last Vegas
Think Like a Man Too
The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas
Now You See Me