Traveling to Las Vegas can be very economical as it is one of the cheapest cities to visit; Here you can stay, eat and sightsee without spending much, especially when compared to any other destination in the USA; Entry to all casinos is free, regardless of whether or not you are staying at the hotel; And to attract more visitors, and perhaps potential gamblers, many casinos have free attractions, allowing tourists to entertain themselves for days without having to pay anything extra;
FREE TOURS IN LAS VEGAS
STRIP
1 – Meet and take a photo next to the famous “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign on Las Vegas Boulevard (south of the Mandalay Bay casino hotel).
2 – Almost opposite the welcome sign is the Harley Davidson store, which has large letters on its façade, forming the name of the store and the city; The place was chosen as a favorite for photos between the letters (or sitting on them); At night, the façade is specially illuminated, giving a colorful charm to the videos and photos taken there;
3 – Take a stroll along the Strip, the name by which the avenue where the city’s main casinos are located is known. Remember that at night the neon lights stand out and highlight this beautiful avenue!
4 – Circulate among the gaming machines in the casinos, seeing real players in action and familiarizing yourself with the music and atmosphere that have made the city famous; Remember that under-21s are not allowed near the games!
5 – Visit the four floors of the M&M’s store, with chocolates, toys, objects, a NASCAR race car and the most colorful and tasty wall in town;
6 – Also see the 3D movie at the M&M’s cinema; Enjoy an exciting confetti adventure in the movie “I left my M in Vegas”, where Red and Yellow try to recover the “M” they lost in a game of roulette; The free movie lasts an average of 10 minutes and runs throughout the day;
7 – Enter the Coca-Cola store and learn a little more about the history of the world’s best-selling soft drink! Take a look at the clothes, decorative objects, furniture and various items sold under this famous brand;
8 – Do you like motorcycles? The Harley Davidson store and restaurant will be a sure stop.The Harley Davidson store and restaurant will be a sure stop. The store front has a huge motorcycle that seems to come out of the walls; In addition to some models of motorcycles in front of the site, there is a garden on the sidewalk with a tree sculpted in the shape of these famous motorcycles;
BELLAGIO
9 – Watch at least one performance of the water dance in front of the Bellagio. To the sound of famous music, the water moves and seems to dance; The show takes place in front of the casino and at night some lighting effects enhance the beauty of the spectacle; Monday to Friday: every 30 minutes between 3pm and 8pm; every 15 minutes between 8pm and midnight; On Saturdays and Sundays the performances start at 12 noon;
10 – Be enchanted by the beautiful Bellagio Garden, periodically redecorated using natural flowers and plants to create beautiful scenery! Also see the glass sculpture Fiori di Como, displayed in the hotel lobby. Open 24 hours;
CAESAR’S PALACE
11 – Get to know the ancient Roman Empire on a tour of Caesar’s Palace. The wealth of detail and the beauty of the buildings is impressive! See the statues, the pillars, the replica of the Coliseum, the luxury and detail present in each location. At the hotel’s main entrance there are always limousines, Ferraris, Mercedes and other cars belonging to the hotel’s clients; Take a complete tour, including the exterior and interior of the casino;
12 – Stroll through the region’s most imposing mall: the Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace. The decor was based on the ancient Roman Empire and brings together beauty, luxury and grandeur; Don’t miss the curving escalator and the shopping center’s inner streets, which are lined with the world’s most famous brands;
13 – Watch the show “Fall of Atlantis“, which tells of the sibling rivalry that led to the fall of Atlantis, a famous city in Roman mythology. The show takes place every hour between 10:00 and 23:00 (Fridays and Saturdays until midnight) at the Forum Shops – Caesar’s Palace.
CIRCUS CIRCUS
14 – Watch a typical circus performance with trapeze artists, jugglers and clowns at the Circus Circus Hotel & Casino. The shows are varied and each performance lasts an average of 10 minutes; It takes place daily at 30-minute intervals between 11am and midnight.
DOWNTOWN LAS VEGAS
15 – Check out the more stripped-down side of Vegas on a visit to the old part of town, known as Downtown Las Vegas. Here you’ll find the oldest casinos that gave rise to Vegas’ history and fame; There are many street performers and the famous light, color and sound show at the Fremont Street Experience, which takes place every hour after dark until midnight;
16 – Did you know that Las Vegas has a bathroom of historical importance? Visit the piece of the Berlin Wall in the men’s restroom of the Main Street Station Hotel and Casino Las Vegas (exclusively for men, of course!). Open 24 hours;
17 – See the largest gold nugget on display in the world: Golden Nugget Casino, Downtown Las Vegas.
18 – Take a photo with 1 million dollars at Binion’s Casino; The money is real and is displayed in a glass pyramid; You must be over 21 to have your photo taken; Available daily from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
EXCALIBUR
19 – Explore a medieval castle in the middle of the Strip. Take photos and feel like you’re there at the time of the medieval knights, the wizard Merlin, the court jester and everything that was characteristic of that era; At night the castle is illuminated and looks even more beautiful!
FLAMINGO
20 – Stroll through the woods, listen to the sound of the many waterfalls and see flamingos and other birds at the Habitat of the Flamingo Las Vegas Casino Hotel; Take the opportunity to visit the chapel and the bandstand, which are the setting for many weddings there!
HARRAH’S
21 – Watch a show by “Big Elvis”, an Elvis Presley cover who is hundreds of kilos heavier than the star and has a voice that will surprise you! Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 14:00, 15:30 and 17:00;
LUXOR
22 – Go back in time and visit the Egyptian world of ancient history; Explore the outside of the casino, take a photo next to the replica of the Sphinx and the many typical Egyptian statues in the Luxor casino; Also explore the interior of the casino, observing the internal structure of a pyramid and the various details for the Egyptian characterization of the place;
23 – At dusk, check out the world’s largest floodlight at the top of Luxor; It is said that the beam of light emitted can be seen from space;
MANDALAY BAY
24 – Take a stroll around Mandalay Bay, checking out the tropical touch to the hotel-casino’s décor. Discover the wave pool, which at short intervals produces waves between 2 and 4 meters high; The sensation is so real that surfing championships occasionally take place there;
MGM GRAND
25 – See the largest bronze statue in the world, a large lion that is always present at the beginning of MGM (Metro Goldwyn Mayer). This statue is outside the main entrance to the MGM Grand Casino Hotel.
26 – Live as if you worked at a major television station and decide which programs would be put on or taken off the air, setting up your own schedule; The attraction can also offer tests for commercials, websites and technology-based products; Visit the CBS Television City Research Center, located next to the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino pool. Daily, from 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
MIRAGE
27 – Explore the hotel starting with the lobby, where a giant saltwater aquarium occupies one wall and entertains guests, staff and visitors.
28 – Be enchanted by the theater entrance to The Beatles – LOVE. A walkway of lights and colors represents some of the magic that this famous English group has spread around the world; Don’t forget to take a picture of yourself jumping like the image of the Beatles at the bottom of the corridor.
29 – Witness a volcanic eruption in front of the Mirage, where the giant volcano spouts flames and smoke every day in front of thousands of spectators (it happens every hour after dark and lasts until 11pm);
MONTE CARLO
30 – Watch the Blue Man Group parade at the Monte Carlo Casino, where a colorful doll Blue Man and other performers make their way through the casino entertaining people on the way and making noise with some of the tube equipment and colors used during the show. Daily!
31 – At the main entrance to the lobby of the hotel, take a photo with a perfect reproduction of the three blue men from the Blue Man Group. You can also take a stroll through the casino and see Minus 5 from the outside, the ice bar where the temperature is always -5ºC;
NEW YORK NEW YORK
32 – Take a tour of New York without leaving the Strip. The hotel’s façade is based on the Manhattan skyline. There is also a tank representing the port New York HarborThere are also replicas of important landmarks such as the Brooklyn Bridge, the Soldiers and Sailors Monument, the Whitney Museum of American Art, Grand Central Terminal and many other well-known structures.
33 – Discover the city’s newest chocolate store. Opened in 2014, Hershey’s Chocolate World is a two-story store located outside New York New York. Among the brand’s many chocolates and products, the store has an 800-pound replica of the Statue of Liberty sculpted in milk chocolate and a replica of the Empire State Building made from 1.800 chocolate bars. Open from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
PARIS
34 – Visit the Paris Las Vegas casino and see reproductions of the Eiffel Tower, Arc Triumph and French streets, with shops and restaurants that bring a European atmosphere right in the middle of bustling Las Vegas.
PLANET HOLLYWOOD
35 – Discover the Wall of Fame at the Planet Hollywood, where many famous people have left their handprints and signatures etched in glass and displayed on the casino’s entrance wall. 36 – Stroll around Planet Hollywood and see the contrast between the modernity of Hollywood and the antiquity of Arabia. Before it was bought and renovated to house Planet Hollywood, the site was home to the Alladin Casino, which had an Arab world theme. Even though it has been renovated, the interior of the casino still preserves some of the original buildings, where you can take a stroll through Arabia and get to know the local architecture; 37 – It may be difficult to rain in the desert, but those who want to hear thunder and see rain falling can check out this phenomenon daily at the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood, between 10:00 and 23:00. (Every exact hour from Monday to Thursday; every 30 minutes from Friday to Sunday).
THE QUAD
38 – Watch several Dealertainers, lightning shows by impersonators of various artists amidst the blackjack and roulette tables at The Quad. There are covers of Elvis, Madonna, Marilyn Monroe, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, Michael Jackson, Cher, Tina Turner, Rod Stewart and others. Daily, between 11:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
TREASURE ISLAND
39 – Watch Sirens of TI, the mermaid and pirate show that consists of a mixture of music, dancing, sword fights, pyrotechnics, special effects and beautiful characters; It is one of the most watched free shows in Las Vegas; Daily at 19:00, 20:30, 22:00 and 23:30 on Treasure Island.
VENETIAN/PALAZZO
40 – Take a stroll through Venice under an azure sky perfectly painted on the ceiling of The Venetian casino; Walking through this casino gives you the feeling of really being in Italy. To convey this reality, replicas of the original buildings were made, such as the piazza San Marco, the bridge of sighs, the fountain of wishes and gondola rides.
41 – Watch the Streetmosphere Show in The Piazza San Marco, with costumed characters and the sound of beautiful voices and performances. Daily at the Venetian from 6:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
42 – Still at the Venetian, watch the Carnevale de Venezia, a 15-minute production that includes Italian folk music and opera numbers. The artists are dressed appropriately and interact with the public. Daily at 12:00, 13:00, 14:00, 16:00, 17:00 and 18:00 in Piazza San Marco at the Venetian.
43 – Check out the perfection of the living statues along the Grand Canal Shoppes, specifically in Piazza San Marco and in front of Ann Taylor (at the Venetian casino). For a moment you’ll think they really are statues. Dressed and painted in a single color, the artists remain motionless for a long time, without smiling or reacting to the outside world;
WYNN/ENCORE
44 – Visit one of the most luxurious casinos in Vegas, where it is forbidden to enter with a stroller so as not to scratch the floor; Check out Wynn’s garden and the beautiful chandeliers scattered around.
45 – Watch the Lake of Dreams show, which takes place on Wynn’s artificial lake. The show is full of colors and effects that create a different look full of magic; It starts at dusk and takes place every 30 minutes until 00:30;
FORA DA STRIP
46 – The façade of the Hard Rock Hotel Casino already shows that this is the right place for young people; But it’s not just the huge guitar on its façade that inspires this musical style: the interior of the casino is decorated with items from almost every era of rock, from Kurt Cobain’s guitar to Britney Spears’ clothes;
47 – Watch The Masquerade Show in the Sky, no Hotel Cassino Rio, where small stages are superimposed in the air while the artists perform and throw carnival masks to the spectators. Regularly as 15:00, 16:00, 17:00, 18:30, 19:30, 20:30 and 21:30 hs.
48 – Witness the performance of a “real” mermaid; Every day, a swimmer dressed as a mermaid performs inside the giant saltwater aquarium of the Hotel Cassino Silverton. Thursdays at 2:15 p.m. and 8:45 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays at 2:15 p.m. and 9:45 p.m.; Sundays at 11:30 a.m. and 6:45 p.m.
49 – See the spectacle of water and laser beams in the Mystic ls Park to Cassino Sam’s Town, Las Vegas. Daily at 6pm, 8pm and 10pm;
50 – Take a tour of the neon museum and see the signs that have made Las Vegas history; The tours are free and take place daily, but must be booked in advance by calling +1 (702) 387-6366;
51 – Visit a chocolate factory and see how this delicious treat is made; An Ethel M Chocolate Factory currently makes chocolates M&M’s, among others; You can taste free samples of the chocolates; Open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The live production of the chocolates takes place from Monday to Friday, between 8:30 am and 4:30 pm;
52 – Stroll around Town Square, an open mall that looks like a stylish little town. With good stores, restaurants and the best movie theater in the region, this place is located south of the Las Vegas Boulevard, the city’s main street; In the playground area there is a green labyrinth where children love to play at finding their way out;
53 – Speaking of shopping, check out at least one of the outlets in Las Vegas, called Premium Outlet. Unless you can’t resist buying something, the tour is free and it’s worth seeing how much cheaper the brands are here;
NEAR LAS VEGAS
54 – If you’re in Las Vegas between December and March, take the opportunity to go for a walk in the snow; At the top of the Mt. Charleston there is a ski resort and in thiscanyon you can stop to play, make snowmen and have fun to your heart’s content!
55 – Just a few minutes from Las Vegas, discover the incredible Hoover Dam, a landmark of engineering in the 1930s and the setting for many films, including Superman.
56 – How about visiting a small town typical of the old west, totally uninhabited nowadays? Get to know Nelson, the ghost town full of culture!
Text: Luísa Marteleto
