Las Vegas isn’t the bargain destination it once was, but there are still plenty of fun things to do there for free. Casinos that offered free parking, cheap buffets, and penny slots are a thing of the past. Although not everything is cheap these days, drinks, meals, and resort fees are more pricey than ever.
Even on a tighter budget, Sin City offers a handful of free entertainment activities, so visitors and locals alike can enjoy the city without breaking the bank. So, do some frugal exploring and see what all the fuss is about in Las Vegas without breaking the bank.
Pinball Hall of Fame
Among the many museums that contribute to Las Vegas’s delightful weirdness is the Pinball Hall of Fame. In 2021, it relocated to a bigger spot on the Strip and now occupies a whopping 25,000 square feet, including old pinball machines (and the occasional arcade game). This is the world’s biggest collection of pinball machines from the great eras of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Everyone can get in for free, however, you can play any machine for either 25 or 50 cents. Plus, all of the collected coins go straight to charity because the museum is non-profit.
See Mermaids at Silverton Aquarium.
The Silverton casino’s 117,000-gallon aquarium is home to a diverse array of tropical fish, stingrays, and sharks. From Thursday through Sunday, you may enjoy interactive mermaid performances all day long. If you’re feeling really frisky, you can always drop a question or two to a marine biologist during your frequent feedings or sign up for mermaid lessons.
The Parisian Lights
There are more than five thousand tons of steel that go into the 541-foot-tall replica of the Eiffel Tower at the Paris casino. From sunset till midnight, every half an hour, the outside puts on a dazzling light show. A vibrant sight in the middle of the Strip skyline, the timing harmonizes with the fountain shown across the street at the Bellagio.
Be astounded by Bellagio’s Fountains
When picturing Las Vegas, the Fountains of Bellagio are among the most recognizable sights. Using 4,500 lights, over 1,200 nozzles will shoot water into the air as you gather around the enormous lake in front of the resort. The musical selections for each show featured the works of artists such as Celine Dion, Frank Sinatra, and Andrea Bocelli. Typically, shows run every half hour during the day and every fifteen minutes at night; however, they are subject to cancellation in the event of severe weather.
Crawl the Streets of Strip Art
Among the many attractions of the CityCenter complex is its extensive art collection. Stop by the Richard MacDonald and Elena Bulatova galleries on your way to the Aria, where you can see excellent art installations all across the resort. Rose, the chatbot concierge at the adjacent Cosmopolitan Hotel, leads guests on a self-guided art tour. The artwork, which includes digital pillars by the check-in lobby, murals in the parking garage, and gigantic shoe sculptures near the casino, frequently and brilliantly combines tech and pop culture.