Las Vegas can drain a wallet fast, but some of its best moments cost nothing. I drive the Strip every night, and these are the free stops my riders love most, plus a few locals’ secrets. Show times change, so check before you go.
Key Takeaways
- Best free show: the Fountains of Bellagio. Shows run every 15 minutes from 8 p.m. to midnight.
- Best free night out: Fremont Street Experience downtown, with the Viva Vision light canopy and live music stages.
- Best free photo: the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign at the south end of the Strip. Go early to skip the line.
Free on the Strip
- Fountains of Bellagio. Water, music and light on the lake in front of Bellagio. Shows run every 30 minutes in the afternoon and every 15 minutes from 8 p.m. to midnight, or until 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
- Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens. A giant indoor garden that changes five times a year, open around the clock. Walk next door to the patisserie to see the chocolate fountain.
.jpg){kind=link}
- Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign. The 1959 neon icon at the south end of the Strip has a small parking lot. Early morning has the shortest line.
- Flamingo Wildlife Habitat. Chilean flamingos, pelicans, koi and turtles in a garden behind the Flamingo. It’s open roughly 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., with free keeper talks.
- Lake of Dreams at Wynn. A light-and-music show over a lake and waterfall, every 30 minutes at night.
- Circus acts at Circus Circus. Acrobats and jugglers perform on the Midway stage on the second floor throughout the day.
- The Atlantis show at the Forum Shops. An animatronic show inside Caesars Palace, usually on the hour from noon. It’s usually dark on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
- Eiffel Tower light show. Paris Las Vegas lights up its tower every 30 minutes from sunset to midnight. Watch it from across the street at Bellagio.
- Miracle Mile rainstorm. An indoor “rainstorm” every half hour inside the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood.
- LINQ Promenade. Street performers, live music and a light show at the foot of the High Roller.
- M&M’s World and the Coca-Cola Store. Both are free to walk through, next to MGM Grand.
- The Sphere. You don’t need a ticket to see the giant LED exterior light up after dark. The best views are from the Wynn and Venetian side.
- Free trams. Trams connect Aria, Bellagio and Vdara, and Mandalay Bay, Luxor and Excalibur, which saves your feet in the heat.
Free Downtown
- Fremont Street Experience. The Viva Vision light show plays on a five-block canopy every hour at night, with free concerts on three stages.
- Golden Nugget’s Hand of Faith and The Tank. See a 61-pound gold nugget in the lobby, then watch sharks through the glass of the pool’s aquarium.
- Downtown Container Park. Shops and a playground built from shipping containers, with a fire-breathing praying mantis out front.
- Arts District murals. Walk the 18b Arts District for murals, including the “Greetings from Las Vegas” wall at Main Street and Colorado Avenue.
Free Off the Strip
- Seven Magic Mountains. Seven stacked towers of neon-colored boulders in the desert, about 25 minutes south of the Strip off I-15. Go at sunrise or sunset.
- Ethel M Chocolates and Cactus Garden. Watch the chocolate being made, then walk a three-acre cactus garden in Henderson. It’s lit up for the holidays.
- Pinball Hall of Fame. Free to enter, near the south end of the Strip. Most games cost 25 to 50 cents.
- AREA15. Walking into the immersive art complex is free. Reserve a free entry pass online.
- Pawn Stars shop. The Gold & Silver Pawn Shop from the TV show is free to visit, roughly 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
- Clark County Wetlands Park. Free trails, birds and a nature center on the east side of the valley.
- Hoover Dam. Walking the dam and the bypass bridge is free. Parking and tours cost extra.
- Calico Basin. The fee-free edge of Red Rock Canyon, with a boardwalk and short hikes to red sandstone.
The Driver’s Tips
- Plan a free night: Bellagio fountains, then the Conservatory, then walk to the Flamingo habitat and the LINQ Promenade. It’s all within about a mile.
- Downtown is cheaper. After Fremont Street, check our food deals for $4 happy hours a block away.
- Want a paid tour too? See our Tours & Things To Do page for the Grand Canyon, helicopter rides and Hoover Dam tours.
- Getting around: the Strip looks walkable, but it’s four miles long. Use the free trams, or ask your driver for the fastest drop-off spot.
Sources
Hours and show schedules change. Check with each venue before you go. Photos via Wikimedia Commons under the licenses shown.