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Free Las Vegas By Katie Howell Photo by Will van Overbeek
The Mix Lounge Mandalay Bay charges no cover from 5 to 10 p.m. nightly.
mid all the high rollers and glitz of the Las Vegas Strip are a surprising number of things to do that won't cost you a thing. The casinos alone are a sensory tour de force, with lights, fountains, shows, and music—much of it free. Use this guide to explore some of the other no-cost opportunities in Vegas and save your money for the blackjack table.
Las Vegas's downtown Arts District is filled with cultural activities. ArtAbout is a monthly street festival that brings together artists, street performers, a farmers market, kids' activities like a Ferris wheel, concerts at night, and movie showings. The festival takes place on the third Saturday of each month from 2 to 10 p.m. The Arts Factory is home to many artists' studios and galleries. These are free and open to the public during ArtAbout, and many are open on weekdays as well. The Arts Factory is one of many places open during First Friday, a street festival held in the Arts District on the first Friday night of each month from 6 until 10 p.m. Bands perform in the streets, galleries are open to all, artists display their works, children draw on the sidewalks with chalk, and street performers entertain. The city provides free rides on city buses between all First Friday stops.
The Las Vegas Jazz Society provides some of its concerts free of charge on Sundays at 2 p.m. Check the schedule to find out the location and which concerts are free.
Attractions:
Stop in at the Don Pablo Cigar Company and watch workers roll cigars by hand. Open Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-6 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
To satisfy your sweet tooth, Ethel M Chocolate Factory offers free self-guided tours of the chocolate factory and access to wander the botanical cactus gardens located on site. Open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Ethel M Chocolate Factory is located in Henderson, Nevada, about 15 minutes away from the Las Vegas Strip by car.
Fremont Street in downtown Las Vegas is home to many of the original casinos in the city, and it's also home to the Fremont Street Experience, a seven-block, open-air pedestrian mall featuring daily shows and concerts and the nightly "Viva Vision" with big-screen films shown to all using 12 million LED bulbs and sound. Shows are every night from dusk until midnight.
The Hawaiian Marketplace features daily animatronic bird shows and Hawaiian dancers. The birds sing, dance, and tell Hawaiian folklore stories at 1 and 3 p.m. Friday-Tuesday, and the Hawaiian dancers perform daily between 4 and 9 p.m.
Yucca Mountain Science Center provides information on the Yucca Mountain Repository, the radioactive waste depository located in the Nevada desert 100 miles (161 kilometers) northwest of the city. It offers exhibits, videos, and interactive displays about the site and general information about disposing of radioactive waste and its effect on people and the environment.
A shrine to M&M's candy, M&M's World features exhibits like an M&M's color mood analyzer, a replica of the M&M's NASCAR race car, and a 3D movie. Occasionally, the store in M&M's World will hand out free samples of new products.
Las Vegas's casinos are a spectacle in themselves, and just wandering through them can provide hours of entertainment. On your wanderings, be sure to check out these free attractions inside.
The Bellagio'sConservatory and Botanical Gardens showcase an elaborate display of exotic plants and flowers. Open 24 hours daily. Also stop by the Chocolate Fountain to view the 27-foot-tall (8-meter) cascade of liquid chocolate located in the Jean-Philippe Patisserie inside the Bellagio. Open Sunday-Thursday 7 a.m.-11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday 7 a.m.-midnight.
The Flamingo is home to no shortage of its namesake birds. Walk along the streams of Flamingo's Wildlife Habitat to see flamingoes, swans, and other animals not native to desert Nevada.
The world's largest gold nugget on public display, the Hand of Faith, is inside the lobby of the Golden Nugget. While there, also view a collection of unique gold nuggets from Alaska.
TheAuto Collections, the world's largest collection of antique, muscle, and special-interest cars, is attached to the Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino. Admission to view the collection is free with the coupon that is often passed out in front of the casino or printable here. Open 9:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. daily.
Have you ever wanted to give Hollywood television executives a piece of your mind? Get your chance at the CBS Television City Research Center, located in the MGM Grand. Visitors watch programming from Viacom networks and offer their opinions afterward. The MGM Grand is also home to the LionHabitat, which features some of the casino's 31 lions. Sometimes you can see a feeding or demonstration. Open daily from 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
If the MGM Grand's lions weren't enough, head over to the Mirage to see theWhite Tiger Habitat. The Mirage's lush habitat is home to Siegfried and Roy's famous white tigers.
Gilley's Saloon in the New Frontier is the place to try your hand at country line-dancing with the free dance lessons that are offered Thursday-Saturday nights at 8:30 p.m. and Sundays at 4 p.m. in the bar.
The Silverton is home to more than 4,000 tropical fish in a huge, 117,000-gallon saltwater aquarium. Watch one of the interactive feeding shows at 1:30, 4:30, or 7:30 p.m. daily.
Preview new slot machines, movies, and television shows or taste-test new products at the Las Vegas Preview Studios located inside the Venetian. While you're in the Venetian, be sure to see living statues, gondolas, street performers, and music inside the courtyard of the Grand Canal Shoppes. The Gondolier March takes place daily at 9:45 a.m. and 4:15 p.m., and the street performers entertain daily from 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
If you've never played blackjack before or you need to brush up on your roulette skills before hitting the tables, take advantage of some of the free gaming lessons offered at most of Las Vegas's casinos.
Aladdin/Planet Hollywood offers lessons Monday through Friday. Try blackjack at 10 a.m., craps at 11 a.m., roulette at 12:30 p.m., and pai gow or baccarat at 1:15 p.m. All lessons take place on the main casino floor.
Boulder Station provides daily free Texas hold 'em poker lessons at 2 p.m. in the Poker Room.
Circus Circus offers blackjack, roulette, and craps lessons at 10:30, 11, and 11:30 a.m. respectively. All lessons are offered Monday-Friday and take place on the main casino floor.
Excalibur offers roulette, blackjack, and craps lessons daily at 11 a.m., 11:30 a.m., and noon on the casino floor.
Flamingo is a great place to try your hand at craps. Lessons take place every day at 11 a.m. in the dice pit.
Gold Coast provides free craps lessons Friday-Sunday at 11:30 a.m. on the main casino floor.
Golden Nugget offers many free gaming lessons for you to try. Seven-card stud is offered at 10 a.m., pai gow at 10:30, craps and let it ride at 11, roulette at 11:30, and blackjack at noon. All the table games are offered daily on the main casino floor. In addition, Golden Nugget offers Texas hold 'em lessons Monday-Friday at 10 a.m. in the Poker Room.
The Imperial Palace also offers many opportunities to perfect your game. Visit the game tables on the casino floor for lessons in blackjack at 9 a.m. Monday-Friday, roulette at 10 a.m. Monday-Friday, and craps at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 11 a.m. Friday. Also take advantage of the Texas hold 'em lessons offered at 7 and 11 a.m. daily in the Poker Room.
Luxor provides free poker lessons at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. daily in the Poker Room.
Visit Palace Station to try the poker lessons offered at 11 a.m. Wednesday-Friday in the Poker Room.
The Palms offers free table games lessons on weekdays. Visit the tables on the main casino floor to find out times and locations. If you prefer poker, try the freeTexas hold'em lessons held at noon on weekdays in the Poker Room.
Stratosphere provides craps and roulette lessons at 10:30 a.m. daily on the main casino floor.
Sunset Station in Henderson, Nevada, is the place to go for poker lessons offered at 2 p.m. on Sundays or 11 a.m. on Mondays in the Poker Room.
Or visit North Las Vegas's Texas Station for the craps lessons offered Fridays and Saturdays at 6:30 p.m. in the pit.
Tropicana offers craps at 10 a.m., roulette at 10:30, blackjack at 10:45, and specialty games at 11, Wednesday-Saturday. All of Tropicana's free gaming lessons are located on the main casino floor.
The Venetian also offers free lessons Monday-Friday. Learn how to play craps at 11 a.m. or 5 p.m., roulette at noon, or blackjack at 12:15 p.m. All lessons take place at the gaming tables next to the casino cage.
After a long day of gaming, you'll be ready for a break and some entertainment. And you don't even have to leave the casino property to find some great free shows. Step outside of Bally's to see the light, water, and sound show held every 20 minutes nightly after dusk. The show takes place on Las Vegas Boulevard just outside the hotel entrance.
Viva Las Vegas Elvis-style at Barbary Coast. See long-time Elvis impersonator, Pete Vallee, perform at one of the afternoon shows offered at 2:30 p.m. on Mondays or 3 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.
Immortalized in the remake of Ocean's 11, the Fountains of Bellagio are a quarter mile (0.4 kilometers) of water, light, and music visible on the Las Vegas Strip outside of the Bellagio hotel. Shows occur every half hour from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. and every 15 minutes from 8 p.m. until midnight.
Caesars Palace's version of the water show uses lifelike animatronic figures to act out the myth of Atlantis in the Fall of Atlantis Fountain Show. The shows take place every hour from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and until 11 p.m. on weekends. After the show, check out the 50,000-gallon saltwater aquarium behind the fountains that is home to more than 100 species of fish.
The world's largest permanent circus performs daily at Circus Circus. Different acts such as flying trapezes, jugglers on stilts, clowns, and contortionists take place every day from 11 a.m. to midnight.
Head over to Mandalay Bay to see the exotic birds show and tell, where expert bird handlers show the birds to visitors and answer questions about them. Demonstrations take place every day except Tuesday at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 4 p.m. in the lobby next to the aquarium.
A nightly display of fire, smoke, and "lava" shoots out of the 54-foot-tall (16.5-meter)volcano in front of the Mirage. Shows occur nightly on the hour beginning at 7 p.m. in the spring, 8 in the summer, and 6 in the winter. The last show is at midnight.
See re-creations of some of Paris's greatest landmarks right on the Las Vegas Strip. Replicas of Parisian landmarks like the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, Louvre, Paris Opera House, and Hotel de Ville are all at Paris casino. Mimes and other performers also wander the grounds offering free performances.
If you missed Mardi Gras or Carnevale this year, Las Vegas's Rio casino gives you a chance to participate in a re-creation of the world's biggest party. Watch Masquerade Show in the Sky to see the masks, beads, and excitement of Brazil's Carnaval. Shows occur seven times daily at 3, 4, 5, 6:30, 7:30, 8:30, and 9:30 p.m. and last about 15 minutes each.
Watch Sam's Town'sSunset Stampede, a water, laser, and music show that takes place daily at 2, 6, 8, and 10 p.m. in Mystic Falls Park in the casino.
Play the Free Pull giant slot machine in front of the Tropicana for a chance to win tickets to an afternoon magic show. If you don't win the tickets, chances are you'll win something else like a deck of cards, dining discounts, or maybe a Mustang convertible.
The days of the Rat Pack members mingling with guests after their casino lounge performances are gone, but you can still find some great live music free in the casinos:
The Casino Lounge in Barbary Coast offers various acts every night except Mondays.
Visit the Bellagio'sBaccarat Barfor some piano music or hear some of the various performers at Fontana Bar. Baccarat Bar is open 24 hours a day, and Fontana Bar opens at 5 each evening.
The Flamingo's Caribbean-themed Margaritaville is a great place to hear live music, which usually starts around 10 p.m.
Revelers tend to dance the night away at Harrah'sCarnaval Court Bar and Grill. The bar opens at noon, but the music doesn't usually start until the evenings. Or become part of the show at Harrah'sPiano Bar for the dueling pianos show at 9 p.m. nightly. Also at Harrah's, be sure to check out the nightly music at the Range Steakhouse Lounge. The lounge opens at 5:30 p.m. Or head over to the country-themed I Love This Bar and Grillfor live music Wednesday-Sunday by Las Vegas local, Tony Marques. The music starts at 9 p.m.
The Bar at Times Square inside New York-New York casino gives you the chance to witness a live juke box with its dueling pianos show. Head over at 8 p.m. Monday-Wednesday for the free show. Thursday-Sunday shows cost $15-20 per person.
Paris casino is the place to enjoy the music and night air at the outdoor Le Cabaret or listen to some sultry jazz at Napoleon's. Napoleon's also offers dueling pianos at 9 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday.
Two bars at the Plaza Hotel and Casino offer live music. Visit the Omaha Lounge at 9 p.m. Thursday-Sunday for a variety of acts. Or try the Center Stage Lounge at 5 p.m. Thursday-Monday.
Look out over the casino floor at Addison's Lounge in the Rampart Casino at the Resort at Summerlin while listening to live music Friday and Saturday nights at 8. Also check out the nightly music at the Round Bar.
Roxy's in Sam's Town is a great place to see and hear a Las Vegas lounge act.
Stratosphere'sTop of the World Lounge allows you to overlook the city and listen to live jazz. Performances start at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, and Sunday and at 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Learn all about Las Vegas's history or the history of gaming and gambling at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas's Lied Library Special Collections. Special Collections are located on the third floor of the library on UNLV's main campus east of the Strip and are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday. It is closed on weekends.
The Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History offers impressive displays about the history of American Indian cultures in the southwestern United States, desert life, and the history of ancient Mexico. The museum is located on the University of Nevada-Las Vegas's campus east of the Strip and is open from 8 a.m. until 4:45 p.m. Monday-Friday and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. It is closed on Sunday.
Or if Americana/kitsch is more your thing, be sure to stop by the Neon Museum. This open-air museum is dedicated to preserving neon signs from Las Vegas's past. The organization restores the signs and has them displayed along Fremont Street. Follow the walking tour to see all the signs.
Food/Drink:
Take a free tour of Coffee Roasters of Las Vegas and receive some free coffee at the end. Stop by from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday or 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday for the tour and sample.
The MGM Grand provides free doughnuts to slot players in the mornings. And all the casinos will provide free drinks to players at the slot machines or tables.
Kids:
Stop by the Anderson Dairy for a freebarnyard tour of the dairy processing plant. The guided tour is complete with animatronic animals, farm scenery, and colored lights to explain the history of the dairy and of Las Vegas. Suitable for children aged 2-11, the tour must be scheduled in advance by calling +1 702 642 7507, extension 264. Afterwards, enjoy some free ice cream.
The Cambridge Community Center (3930 Cambridge Street; +1 702 455 7169) provides free movies and popcorn every Saturday afternoon. Showtimes are at 1 p.m., and children younger than 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
Outdoor:
Take a walk through theArboretum andXeric Garden on the University of Nevada-Las Vegas's campus, located east of the Strip. The Arboretum covers the entire 335-acre (135.5-hectare) campus, showcasing trees and plants native to the area. The Xeric Garden is a 1.5-acre (0.6-hectare) plot located at the entrance to the Marjorie Barrick Museum of Natural History and is designed to show how dry-climate plants and a water-efficient irrigation system can work together to create a attractive landscape while conserving water. Both plots are open to the public all the time.
An information center and nature preserve run by volunteers show visitors the importance of the local wetlands and the plants and animals that live there at the Clark County Wetlands Park. Enjoy the hiking trails, bird viewing blind, ponds, and scenic views in this 100-acre (40.5-hectare) wetlands park. The information center is open daily from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., and the preserve is open from dawn until dusk.
Dubbed one of the seven wonders of modern engineering and ranked as the second-highest dam in the United States, Hoover Dam is located about 30 miles (48 kilometers) southeast of Las Vegas on the Nevada-Arizona border and worth the 30-minute drive. Parking on the Arizona side of the structure is free, and you can walk across during daylight hours. Tours inside the power plant cost extra, but there is no charge to stop by the visitors center, which is open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Biking, hiking, camping, and climbing are just some of the popular activities offered at Red Rock Canyon National Preservation Area. It's free to visit the visitors center, scenic overlook, or to bike or hike into this conservation area located in the Mojave Desert just a few miles west of Las Vegas. The visitors center is open from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
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mid all the high rollers and glitz of the Las Vegas Strip are a surprising 
