You love Vegas but you’re not much of a gambler. We got you.
Las Vegas attracted more than 42 million visitors in 2018 and many sources list it as the third or fourth most popular tourist attraction in the world…
Sin City, as Las Vegas is often nicknamed, is of course known for its large number of casinos offering world-class gambling. Las Vegas also has a lot to offer tourists who are not really interested in spending hours and hours in dark, overly air-conditioned casinos.
From world-class dining to a helicopter ride or driving in a super-fast fancy car. It’s all possible in Las Vegas!
Las Vegas definitely is a city that never sleeps. Not only will you find people gambling any time of day, or night, but you can also always find something else to keep you entertained in Las Vegas.
Table of Contents
Things to Do in Las Vegas Besides Gambling
Top Las Vegas Attractions
The Strip is the one part of Las Vegas you can’t miss on a first visit here.
If you don’t like walking or if it’s just too hot (you are in the desert after all!) ask your hotel for available shuttles or take a tram or the monorail to get from one hotel to the next. Or take the Big Bus Tour that takes you on a ride and tour guide to point out some of the most iconic sites and history of the Las Vegas Strip.
Visit a Different Country Without Leaving the City
Well, not really of course but their attempts to recreate Venice in Hotel Venetian, Paris in Paris Las Vegas and New York in New York New York are all worth a visit!
Stop outside the Bellagio to watch their impressive fountain show. Every half-hour between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., and every 15 minutes from then until midnight, an 8.5-acre lake in the middle of the desert explodes with 1,214 spritzers shooting water up to 460 feet in the air — the water rockets and dances, perfectly choreographed to different songs.
Best Buffets, Shopping and Shows in Las Vegas
Besides gambling what Las Vegas is world-famous for are its endless buffets, it’s good shopping, its impressive shows and of course its nightlife.
Buffets in Las Vegas
Every hotel seems to offer a buffet for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s hard to find out which one is the best but many votes seem to go to the Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace.
Le Village Buffet at hotel Paris, not only because as a European I was desperately craving quality European food after several months in the US but also because of its nice ambiance, trying to make you feel as if you are having dinner (or breakfast, or lunch) in an ancient Parisian neighborhood.
Shopping in Las Vegas
Most hotels on The Strip offer a selection of shops that can keep you entertained for quite a while. But, some of the best shopping on The Strip is allegedly found at The Forum Shops, part of the Ceasars Palace hotel, the Via Bellagio Promenade inside the Bellagio hotel, the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Palazzo inside the Venetian hotel and, if you really have money to spend, check out the designer stores and the Wynn Las Vegas.
Shows & Nightlife in Las Vegas
Shows are also offered by most casinos, with Cirque du Soleil, offered in several hotels, which is one of the most famous options.
Google Maps is Your Best Friend in Las Vegas
Use Google if you want to find deals on show tickets. Just open up the Google Maps App on your phone and you’ll see the Events icon for shows and concerts in your area. or otherwise, just ask your hotel to see what they offer.
Since Las Vegas is a city that never sleeps you really don’t have to worry about having to go to sleep before the sun comes up. From exclusive private clubs to trendy bars and happening nightclubs, you can find them all in Las Vegas.
Helicopter Rides Over The Las Vegas Strip
For the best view of The Strip, you have to fly over it!
This helicopter flight at night over Las Vegas is an absolutely unique experience. If I had to pick just one thing to do in Vegas other than gambling it would probably be this!
Fremont Street Downtown Las Vegas
If you’ve had enough of The Strip for the day, go to Downtown Las Vegas and its Fremont East District. Each summer, Fremont East hosts a series of free concerts.
Downtown’s vibrant restaurant and bar scene make Fremont East a great way to spend an evening on the town in Las Vegas.
Some best bets for restaurants are Therapy and Le Thai, and as far as bars go no visit to Fremont East would be complete without a stop at Commonwealth or the Atomic Liqueur bar.
Drive in a Lamborghini and a Ferrari on The Strip
Fast, shiny cars are a huge attraction in Las Vegas. So what better place than Vegas to drive an expensive supercar!
At the Formula One-inspired racetrack you can take the wheel of both a Ferrari 488GTB and a Lamborghini Huracán Performante.
Hot Air Balloon Flight at Sunrise
If you can manage to get up early enough this is a great way to see a different side of Las Vegas!
Watch the sunrise over the city and its desert surroundings and celebrate with a champagne toast.
Have a Drink With a Mermaid at Silverton Casino
In Las Vegas, you will definitely find some of the strangest things you have ever seen and that includes a mermaid bar… Located at the Silverton Casino.
This bar with an 117000-gallon aquarium has been named the best free attraction in Las Vegas.
Sip on a cocktail in the company of silver-finned fish-women, before moving on to other oddities in the city of lights
Foodie Heaven Kobe Beef & Rare Lobster Tastings
Wynn Hotel Las Vegas is one of the rare locations in the USA where you can get certified authentic Kobe beef. And besides Kobe, they serve another premium real Japanese wagyu along with the finest quality U.S. and Australian beef.
Best of all, they offer tasting plates to compare. If you love food and unique dining experiences, this is definitely recommended.
At its Lakeside restaurant, Wynn takes the same tact with rare breed lobsters, offering a range that includes not only the common Maine variety but also the Scottish (or Brittany) Blue, Moroccan Pink, South Australian spiny lobsters, California Rock lobsters, and even the very rare Juan Fernandez lobster, found in only one spot in Chile.
SlotZilla Zip Lines on Fremont Street
This $11 million attraction fits the “it could only happen in Vegas” theme perfectly.
The zipline launches from an 11-story, 120-foot high takeoff platform designed as a giant slot machine with two different launch levels.
That’s just the beginning: SlotZilla is set at one end of the pedestrianized Fremont Street Experience and riders on the higher level – the “Zoomline” – are shot out of SlotZilla at 35MPH using a first-of-its-kind propulsion launch system that lets them soar the entire length of the Fremont Street Experience, over a quarter of a mile.
Container Park Downtown Las Vegas
Container Park is on the east side of Fremont Street just past El Cortez. It’s a must-see attraction that is great for families during the day and early evening. At night the party gets started with the Preying Mantis art car that shoots fire out from its antenna as it plays to popular music. Kids jungle gym in the middle of the park with plenty of weekend activities for the whole family.
Record-Breaking Thrill Rides in Las Vegas
The main destination for thrill-ride junkies is The Adventuredome at Circus Circus, which features the world’s only indoor double-loop, double-corkscrew roller coaster, The 55MPH Canyon Blaster.
At the other end of The Strip, The Roller Coaster at New York-New York drops from 203-feet at a speed of 67MPH, and this indoor/outdoor 3½-minute adrenaline rush takes riders through a novel 180-degree twist and dive maneuver.
Lastly, the sky-high Stratosphere has Newly rebranded as (Strat) offers four high-altitude outdoor thrill rides of its own, including the newest, SkyJump, a controlled free fall – from 108-floors up! The rooftop Insanity puts riders through 3-Gs of terror, the X-Scream is a teeter-totter suspended 866-feet above the sidewalk, and Big Shot is a 4-G vertical catapult that takes riders to 1,081-feet above the Strip. They offer Free Parking if your driving in or renting a car.
Take a Day Trip From Las Vegas
You can book fun day trips from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon, to Hoover Dam, or to Antelope Canyon.
Or check out this tour to Zion and Bryce Canyons, this ATV tour in Eldorado canyon or what about a kayak tour?
These day trips are a great change from Las Vegas and an easy way to see a bit more of the area.
And this is only a selection of the crazy things to do in Vegas other than gambling!