Las Vegas is one of the top vacation destinations for a reason. It’s exciting! There is so much to see and do that you could vacation there for a week and not come close to seeing half of what you had planned to see. In addition to the beautiful weather and the incredible landscapes of Las Vegas, there is pretty much anything you would like, 24 hours a day, seven days a week! Sure, there are a lot of things to do in Las Vegas that come at a heavy price. Some show tickets can be as high as two to three hundred dollars! There are five star restaurants and ultra-popular clubs where you will fork over a pretty penny to take part. Not to mention the gambling where a naive’ tourist can blow their entire vacation budget in one day if they aren’t careful. But happily, there is plenty to see and in Vegas and not pay a penny! These are my top five favorites.
1. Pawnstars: How often do you get to visit the set of an actual TV show? And not just any show. The number one rated cable show on television. The “Gold and Silver Pawn Shop” is located right on Las Vegas Blvd between the strip and downtown. Here’s your chance to tour the store where Rick, Big Hoss, the Old man and Chumlee film their hit TV show “Pawnstars.” There is parking available on both side of the store and you will usually find a line outside to get in for a visit. Happily, the staff has installed misters along the walkway to cool their visitors off as they wait in line in the hot Nevada sun. If you are a regular viewer of the show, it’s great fun to go inside and see all of the interesting items on display. And if you’re lucky, you will also get to say hello to one of the stars of the show! And it’s all free!
2. Mirage Volcano. Right in the middle of the strip in front of the Mirage Hotel and Casino, you can watch a fabulous volcano simulation featuring lots of fire, smoke and noise…and it’s all set to music! It’s a traffic stopper every time and goes off every hour on the hour from 6pm-11pm.. Great video and photo opportunity.
3. The Fountains of Bellagio. Located right on the strip in front of the Bellagio Hotel and Casino. the musical water fountains are a sight to be hold. The 40 million dollar water show features over a thousand water emitting devices on an 8.5 acre lake. Some of the blast of water shooting well over 400 feet into the air. Mixed in with the amazing dancing waters is more then 30 different songs rotated daily. So you can see the show again and again and have the experience be different every time! The shows vary in hours but in the evening you can expect a show every 15 minutes…and it’s all free!
4. The Forum Shops at Caesars. Plan on easily spending a couple hours at this amazing indoor venue attached to Caesars Palace. To call The Forum Shops a mall would be doing it an injustice. You have never seen anything like this! There are an incredible number of the most prestigious stores you will find anywhere in the world. And it’s fun to window shop among all of the decadence and elegance. Near the front of the shops at the entrance off of the strip, there is an amazing lobby area that includes fountains, paintings, sculptures and circular escalators! Inside you will find three other amazing fountains, each with different features.
5.The Downtown Laser show. Downtown Las Vegas has made a big comeback. Left in the dust by the strip many years ago, people are going back now and it’s mainly due to the overhead roof that went up over the main street that features a variety of incredible laser shows nightly. On top of that, there is usually a live band playing, quite often a mainstream act that you can enjoy for free as well. Couple that with a large number of whacky characters walking around that you can take your picture with (for a tip) and you have a truly fun and free experience waiting for you. Free tip: Park in the Golden Nugget indoor parking garage. You will get three hours free parking when you validate your parking inside the Golden Nugget!
