Free Things To Do

Free Things To Do

Yes, Vegas brims with cash, glitz, and glamour, but that doesn't mean you can't find freebies or romp around the Strip and the downtown area without spending a dime.

Fremont Street Experience. The downtown casinos' answer to the spectacle of the Strip is the 90-foot-high arced canopy that covers the entire street. Every hour between sunset and midnight it comes alive as Viva Vision—an integrated video, graphics, and music show. Several different programs run each night at the top of the hour and contribute to a festive outside-in communal atmosphere that contrasts with the Strip's every-man-for-himself ethic. It's like a quarter-mile-long music video with a free neck-ache thrown in. But the price is right, and the kids will love it.

Watch a free show. You can easily spend $100 or more on even mediocre seats at a typical Vegas concert or big-name production, but several casinos offer fabulous, eye-catching extravaganzas that won't cost you a penny. There's the erupting volcano at the Mirage, which lights up after dark each night. At Treasure Island, watch the over-the-top Sirens of TI. And stand along the sidewalk by the lagoon at Bellagio to observe the graceful Fountains of Bellagio.

The New Old Downtown. The downtown casinos make no attempt to compete with the opulence of the Strip, but Fremont and connecting streets have a charm all their own. For cheapskate gamblers, browse through the Gamblers Bookstore and then take advantage of the free slot pulls and roulette spins offered at many of the downtown casinos. You can also view many of the Neon Museum's signs along Fremont as well. Head over to the emerging Downtown Arts District for some free gallery tours and special events.

Lion Habitat at the MGM Grand. Of the handful of free animal spectaculars around town, don't miss walking through the tunnel at MGM Grand, where beautiful lions saunter around.

Cruising the Strip. You haven't done Vegas if you haven't been caught—either intentionally or unwittingly—in the slow-mo weekend-night crawl of traffic down the sexy midsection of Las Vegas Boulevard (aka the Strip). You can handle the experience like a been-there local, or you can play the delighted tourist: relaxed, windows down, your heart and mind ready to engage in silly banter with the carload of players in the convertible one lane over. We suggest the latter, at least once. Just be mindful of all the pedestrians, who can crowd the crosswalks like belligerent cattle and are just as dazed as you are by the cacophony.

Go Casino-hopping. Casino-hopping is a classic way to see Las Vegas resorts, with a little shopping, gambling, and noshing along the way—and, of course, it's always good fun simply to ogle passersby. Because nearly all the most intriguing properties are right on the Strip, you don't need to map out where to go; just pop into the casinos you want to see. Keep in mind that you want to wear comfortable shoes (no heels!) to cover the considerable distances between properties, and use those handy indoor walkways that connect many of the casinos along the Strip to save time and trouble.