Las Vegas - Top free and cheap activities in
Las Vegas

April 26, 2007

Anyone who's been to Las Vegas lately knows that Vegas is no longer the city of cheap hotels, cheap drinks and cheap buffets. Over the last decade, Vegas has transformed itself into a destination that boasts world class hotels, restaurants and enterainment. Along with this world class reputation comes some pretty hefty world class prices. But a trip to Las Vegas doesn't have to empty your bank account. Here is a list of some of the best free and low cost entertainment options that Vegas has to offer.
Note: if you want to see everything in one day, plan your route ahead of time. Hotels in Vegas so big that walking to the next hotel can take more time than you'd think.

Bellagio Fountains

The Fountains at Bellagio have to be #1 on our list. Sited in an eight-acre lake in front of the Bellagio Hotel, a beautiful, Italian themed hotel situated pretty much in the center of the Las Vegas Strip, the fountains are choreographed to different musical numbers. Each performance of the fountains lasts for one song and the show times are:

The best place to watch the fountains is probably on Las Vegas Boulevard in front of the Bellagio, only because you can get the best view of the whole lake and can see all of the fountain dimensions as they perform their show. You can watch a video of the Bellagio fountains to get an idea of the show, but the video isn't able to convey thegrandeur and elegance of the shows. So if you don't see any other shows in Las Vegas, make sure you go and see the Bellagio fountains!

 

Bellagio Lobby, Botanical Gardens and Chocolate

While you're at the Bellagio Hotel, take a stroll through the lobby. The ceiling is adorned with 2,000 hand-blown glass flowers called the Fiori di Como, created by world-renowned artist, Dale Chihuly. The colors and shapes of the flowers create a cascading ceiling that is sure to impress you

Continue on through the lobby and at the far end you'll enter the Conservatory & Botanical Gardens. The display changes thoughout the year, so you'll be treated to a different environment depending on when you visit. The diplays are made with thousands of flowers of all different shapes and colors. In winter the garden has 12 foot tall polar bears, in the fall months reds and browns are everywhere, and other times of the year bring giant ladybugs to the gardens, enticing you to soak up the frangrances, colors and textures of the Bellagio Botanical Gardens.

But wait! Just around the corner from the botanical gardens is the Jean Phillipe Patisserie. Have a look, smell and taste of their incredible selection of sweet & savory items, but most of all, check out the World's Tallest and Largest Volume Chocolate Fountain. Close to two tons of chocolate circulate around this cascading chocolate fall. Its really very impressive and worth a picture or two.

Siren's of TI

Three hotels north of Bellagio is Treasure Island, the pirate themed hotel. Treasure Island also has water in front of it, but this time the water is much smaller and has 2 full size pirate ships in it. TI changed its pirate show a few years back, so gone is the more traditional pirate battle and in its place is a more provocative, adult oriented show with lots of great singing and dancing. A wayward sailor is lured to an old pirate ship by the Siren's of TI and his mates try to rescue him. One of the pirate ships actually moves through the water, and a battle ensues with some very impressive pyrotechnics making for quite an ending. Make sure you don't miss what happens to the sailors' ship at the end

The Sirens' show is on nightly at 7:00 p.m., 8:30 p.m., 10:00 p.m., and 11:30 p.m. in Sirens' Cove at the front entrance of Treasure Island Hotel and Casino.

White Tigers at The Mirage

The White Tigers of Siegfried & Roy can be seen at the Mirage Hotel. The Secret Garden is where you can pay to see them, but you can see them for free at the South Entrance to the hotel, just up the walking sidewalk. The Tigers are not always on display, so go by and find out when they will be there, and plan a return visit. Majestic and beautiful, the White Tigers rare and not a sight you'll want to miss. Find out more about the White Tigers.

Mirage Volcano

Located in front of the Mirage Hotel, right on Las Vegas Boulevard, is the Mirage Volcano. At the top of each hour, from 7:00pm to midnight, the volcano erupts with flames shooting into the sky and the earth shaking. The tranquil waterfall you can see during the day becomes a spectalur stream of molten lava. Find out more about the Mirage Volcano.

Venetian Hotel & Grand Canal Shops

The Ventian Hotel is located across the street from the Mirage. The entrance is made up of scaled down versions of the Doge's Palace, the Bridge of Sighs (in Venice the brige connects the courts to the prison), St. Mark's Square Tower and the Rialto Bridge across the Grand Canal. The attention to detail is spectacular. One newspaper article wrote that some art historians from Italy had visited the hotel and were amazed at the attention to detail that had gone into the building of these models. Inside the hotel on the second floor, just behind the beautiful arches, you will find a spectacular ceiling of gold and art. While you are marvelling at the beauty its hard to believe you're not standing inside a palace in Italy.

Gondolas line the canal in front of the Venetian. And yes, they are real. You can have your very own gondola ride that begins outside and meanders down the canal, taking you inside the hotel and along the Grand Canal Shops. Some of the Gondoliers even sing beautiful opera to you while you are enjoying your ride. Don't be surprised to be the center of attention on your ride, as the Canal Shops are often full of people enjoying a leisurely stroll through Venice. Many of the restaurants line the canal, and feature great food and drink. It not hard to burn a couple of hours enjoying the ambience of 'outdoor' dining inside. And don't leave before you find the main square of the Canal shops. With restaurants lining the square, gelato stands and artists, it's a little slice of Italy, where performers in costume can often be found entertaining the crowds.

 

Imperial Palace Dealertainers

Want to see a celebrity while you're in Vegas? Then head to the Imperial Palace and find the Dealertainers. The Dealertainers are casino dealers who are also impersonators. They not only deal cards, but they step back from the tables and belt out their hits throughout the night. You'll be entertained by the likes of Michael Jackson, Gwen Steffani, Elvis and Billy Idol. The Dealertainers perform daily from noon until 4am.

Dueling Pianos at Paris Hotel