The 11 Best Free Shows And Attractions in Las Vegas

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So, you want to have that Vegas experience you often see in movies and TV shows without breaking the bank?

As you know, Las Vegas is where the parties never end, and the stakes are always high, especially when you’ve just gambled away your plane ticket back home with the roll of a dice! Ouch!

The only catch is that these often cost quite a pretty penny.

However, I’m here to share a little secret with you. Among all the gambling and parties, Las Vegas is also full of freebies. I’m not talking about cheap attractions that aren’t worth paying to see. I’m talking about quality, free Las Vegas shows that surpass those offered in most major cities around the world.

So here, I’m going to share with you my 11 favorite free shows in Las Vegas. 

Yes, this is completely FREE entertainment.

Last time I went to Las Vegas, I made it my mission to find as many free and low-cost shows/attractions as I could find. 

Some days, I barely spent any money on entertainment (gambling…that’s a different story).

In this guide to free Las Vegas attractions, you’ll find:

• Live circus performances
• Fun and exciting hotel attractions
• Free, family-friendly shows
• Real mermaids swimming in an aquarium (OK, maybe not real…but you get it)
• A free wildlife exhibit with exotic animals
• Some of the best photo opportunities for social media

Ready to have fun on the Las Vegas Strip for next to nothing?

Let’s see Sin City the cheap way.

Quick Overview: My Favorite Free Las Vegas Shows

The best free things to do in Downtown Las Vegas are:

• The Best Free Nightlife Attraction – The Circus Circus Show: The world’s largest permanent circus.
• The Best Free Family Activity – The Flamingo Wildlife Habitat: A free animal exhibit smack dab in the middle of the strip.
• The Best Free Visual Attraction – The Las Vegas Sphere: A giant orb that is one of the world’s newest major wonders.
• The Best Free Couple’s Activity – The Ethel M Chocolate Factory Tour: Nothing is more romantic than free chocolate samples. Fight me. lol
• The Best Free Photo Opportunity – The Bellagio Fountains: A Vegas staple, and probably the most famous photo opportunity in the United States. This is a must see.

The Best Free Shows in Las Vegas Ranked

1.  The Bellagio Fountains

Overview

The Bellagio Fountains might be the #1 attraction in all of Las Vegas

They’ve been called “the most ambitious, choreographically complex water feature ever conceived”.

I have to agree. As soon as I got out of my hotel, I made a b-line to snap a photo here.

This 8.5-acre re-creation of Lake Como, Italy is everything it’s cracked up to be and more – especially on a sunny Vegas afternoon.

The cool thing is that you don’t even have to stay at the hotel to see the show. It’s 100% open to the public. Show up any time to snap one of the best photos you’ll ever take.

What You’ll See Here

Picture this…

1,200+ dancing fountains shooting illuminated water almost 500 feet in the air as thousands of people are screaming and snapping photos.

Sound amazing? It really is. No trip to Vegas would be complete without seeing it.

The water shimmies, twirls, and spins in perfect sync with whichever song is playing (which can be anything from Broadway to Opera classics).

I recommend going at night to see the illuminated water in its full glory and get the best view of the Eiffel Tower across the road at the Paris Hotel. 

Pro Tip: While at the Bellagio Hotel, I highly recommend checking out the Botanical Gardens at the Bellagio Conservatory. They’re located to the right of the hotel lobby.

2.  The Circus Circus Act

Overview

The world’s largest daily circus is an absolute must-see for everyone. It’s perfect for families, couples, and small friend groups.

It’s got tons of awesome circus acts like jugglers, unicyclists, acrobats, aerialists, and balancing acts. And it’s all free to attend right at the Carnival Midway in the Circus Circus Hotel.

The best thing is that each show has a different troupe of performers per each 10-minute show. So, if you’re spending a decent time at the hotel, you could see a different show each hour!

Pro Tip: The stands start to fill up about 15 minutes beforehand. If you miss out on a seat, I suggest you grab a drink (No free drinks, though) and stand on the other side of the stage or near the fishing game that juts out from the midway.

What You’ll See Here

A fun, entertaining, and exciting show suitable for all ages.

There’s also a lot to do outside of the show. The Carnival Midway has over 200 games to play, so you’ll never get bored. You’ll have something to do all night while watching your free show.

3.  The Fremont Street Experience

Overview

Fremont Street is the second most famous street in all of Las Vegas. It’s an absolute must-see for anyone that’s into glamor, live music, street performers, and old Vegas vibes.

Where else on Earth can you go down a water slide through a 200,000-gallon shark tank AND zip line 850 feet down the street as the crowds scream at you? It’s so much fun!

Aside from that, it’s one of the best nightlife spots for taking a stroll if you’re into glittering lights, free street shows, Las Vegas history, and people watching.

The reason that the Fremont Street Experience is one of the best free Las Vegas shows is that it’s a massive pedestrian mall with tons of cool things to do. You can walk around for hours and never get bored.

What You’ll See Here

The best things to see at the Fremont Street Experience are:

• The SlotZilla Zipline (Rapel 850 feet down Fremont Street at 77 feet in the air!)
• The Golden Nugget Casino’s 200-gallon shark tank and water slide
• The world’s largest LED canopy 
• The Viva Vision light show
• The Neon Museum (A free museum with old signs from Las Vegas hotels)

Haven’t had enough of the freebies yet? The Fremont Street Experience also hosts free concerts as a part of their Downtown Rocks and Free Fridays series. Keep an eye on their website to see if any of the announced acts align with your Las Vegas trip.

4. The Sphere

Overview

It’s one part TV. One part billboard. And one part 18,000-seat entertainment venue.

There’s one thing for sure, though – the Sphere is not actually a sphere at all. 

It’s more like half a sphere. 

Imagine if you chopped a cantaloupe in half and picked out the seeds, then let U2 play a concert inside with $1,500 tickets.

Jokes aside, the Sphere is one of Las Vegas’ newest and most immersive attractions, and is 100% worth the visit.

Half the plane was talking about the sphere as we flew into Vegas. The other half was wishing they would shut up about it.

You do have to book a ticket to go inside, but I was in awe just standing outside and looking at this thing. It looks like the Death Star! 

What You’ll See Here

The Sphere is 366 feet (112 m) high and 516 feet (157 m) wide, making it one of the largest “spherical” (cough) buildings in the world.

It’s a spectacle just sitting outside and watching it change designs.

Inside is a massive auditorium for concerts, conferences, and art exhibitions.

The 18,600-seat auditorium has incredible video and audio capabilities. It’s got a 16K resolution wraparound interior LED screen, speakers with beamforming and wave field synthesis technologies, and 4D physical effects.

The Sphere also hosts an exclusive 50-minute-long ‘Postcard from Earth’ movie directed by Darren Aronofsky (the Oscar-nominated director behind films like Black Swan, Mother, and The Whale).

Just remember that you’ll need to book your tickets for The Sphere Experience tickets well in advance.

5.  The Silverton Casino Aquarium & Mermaid Swims

Overview

The Silverton Casino Aquarium is one of the best family-friendly things to do in Las Vegas, especially for exotic wildlife lovers. It was even voted one of the best shows in Vegas by Las Vegas Review and Journal.

Every half hour or so, acrobatic mermaids swim with nearly 5,000 exotic fish in a 117,000-gallon tank. Marine life species include: sharks, stingrays, parrotfish, angelfish, and other cool sea life. Your kids will love interacting with the mermaids (they blow everyone bubble kisses, which gave me a chuckle).

I suspect that the mermaids aren’t real, though. I definitely saw one using SCUBA gear to breathe underwater. 

Pro Tip: Stick around for the stingray feedings every day at 1:30pm and 4:00pm. The staff will even take questions from the guests about aquatic life. It was actually really interesting.

What You’ll See Here

I pretty much covered everything above already. 

The Silverton Hotel isn’t much to write home about, but the mermaid show is worth the trip alone. Make sure to catch the free shuttle from the Las Vegas Strip. It’s only about 5 miles.

If you’re into outdoorsy stuff, there’s even a Bass Pro Shop right next door.

6. Fall of Atlantis at Caesars’ Forums Shops

Overview

Imagine talking statues with 400 moving parts recounting the epic fall of Atlantis.

Now imagine that one of those statues is wielding a flaming sword while doing it.

That, and it’s all FREE.

I don’t know about you, but I love the idea of statues throwing fireballs at each other.

Every hour on the hour from 12:00 noon to 8:00PM, the King of Atlantis has to decide who will rule the island nation. Spoiler alert! The whole country sinks below the water. It’s kind of like the Titanic, just no Leonardo DiCaprio.

The Fall of Atlantis Show is a spectacle that’s a lot more entertaining than you might think. The costumes are by the same designers from Pirates of the Caribbean and Thor. I personally love those movies a lot more than I let on, so that was huge for me.

What You’ll See Here

Aside from “just” the animatronic statues with fireballs, there’s a ton more to do at Caesars Palace. 

The Forum has 160 specialty restaurants, shops, and other attractions for adults and kids. Plus, Caesars has one of the most famous spas in all of Vegas. It’s not free but it’s awesome.

Definitely worth getting a massage and escaping the 100-degree heat for a while, though.

7. Lake of Dreams at the Wynn Las Vegas

Overview

The Lake of Dreams show is an immersive experience that’s a bit like Cirque Du Soleil.

It combines elements of magic, puppetry, lights, film, dance, and music to create a truly surreal experience. And it all takes place across a massive 3-acre lake with 5,500 LED lights and a 90-foot waterfall.

It’s 30 minutes of spellbinding visuals, singing frogs, emojis, and dancers doing…well, I’m not sure what exactly is going on here. But I like it.

Long story short, it’s pretty dang cool.

If you’re into magic performances, musicals, or theater of any kind, this is a must-see.

NOTE: This is available only to hotel guests. The Wynn Hotel is one of the nicest in all of Las Vegas, though. Definitely worth every penny.

8. The Flamingo Wildlife Habitat

Overview

The Flamingo Wildlife Habitat is an awesome family-friendly escape of the madness of Las Vegas located right at the Flamingo Hotel (surprise!!!).

The garden is right in the middle of the bustling Las Vegas Strip and often surprises unsuspecting visitors. It’s an idyllic and tranquil 4-acre garden complete with meandering streams, waterfalls, exotic birds, and even turtles.

As soon as you enter, you’ll feel a sense of calm and tranquility you can’t find in most places (especially not for free). And since it’s 4-acres, you can spend most of the afternoon wandering around without spending a dime.

What You’ll See Here

This place is basically a large open air zoo exhibit at the Flamingo Hotel. Feel free to check out the:

• Flamingos
• Fish
• Turtles
• Koi
• Pelicans
• Ducks
• Swans

And since the garden is lush and full of animals, it’s a great place for a Las Vegas photo op.

Pro Tip: Keeper Talks – educational talks about the animals – take place every day at 8:30 AM and 2:00 PM. Best to show up slightly beforehand to get a look at the garden before the animal keepers start their presentations.

9. The Ethel M Chocolate Factory Tour 

Overview

The Ethel M. Chocolate Factory tour is an up close and personal look at how these world-famous chocolates are made. This is one of the best Las Vegas attractions for couples and families alike.

During your self-guided tour, you’ll see chocolatiers making each chocolate and hand-packing them right on the factory floor.

Forrest Mars Sr. opened the factory in 1981 and named it in honor of his mother. They still use the same recipe that she used in her kitchen all those years ago.

But let’s get real here. The only legit reason for going to the factory is for the free samples. There are plenty of them. There’s a tasty treat waiting around every corner.

What You’ll See Here

Aside from the free samples and tour of the factory, there are also chocolate tastings, wine tastings, and even Nevada’s largest cactus garden.

I really can’t think of any way to make the cactus garden thing exciting. They’re just cactuses. Cacti? I’m not sure what’s correct there.

The Cactus Garden Cafe has amazing milkshakes. They’re worth the trip alone.

10. Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign

Overview

The most iconic road sign on Planet Earth.

Each year, millions of people flock to the Las Vegas sign just to snap a photo next to it. It was even officially added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009.

The sign used to be on a median on the city’s outskirts, but it’s now surrounded by hotels and other attractions.

The famous neon sign was designed by Betty Willis in 1959. Since then, it has welcomed millions of visitors to Las Vegas annually. 

Don’t miss taking a selfie there!

And yes, you’ll need some patience as many people want to take their selfies and photos there. I recommend going either early in the morning or late in the evening.

Or, do as I’ve done before… if you have the time, go at different times of the day to get it with sunlight, during the sunset, and at night!

11. Fashion Shows at Fashion Show Mall

Overview

Fashion Show Mall is a massive 2-million square foot retail mall full of famous brands, chic clothes, and free fashion shows. You’ll feel like you’re in the heart of New York City rather than the desert.

This free Las Vegas Attraction is perfect for anyone who loves shopping, wandering malls, snapping fashion photos, or just admiring living art.

It’s basically a New York Fashion Week show, except it’s happening every weekend.

The cool thing about this free attraction is that you could literally spend an entire day doing it. You can check out the shows, snap photos with the models, then spend the rest of the day wandering from store to store.

And don’t worry, there are shops for men, too. It’s definitely a thing couples can do together.

What You’ll See Here

NYC-style fashion shows with LED lights, pumping music, fancy lighting, and special effects.

That, plus 250+ shops, including names like Macy’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Nordstrom, and Dillard’s.

Best Free Shows in Las Vegas: Bonus Mentions 

• The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian Hotel: One of the nicest hotels on the Las Vegas Strip. You can ride a gondola through the casino shops. What’s better than that?
• Mandalay Bay Beach: This one is only open to guests of the hotel, but it’s worth booking a hotel room just for this experience.
• MGM Grand Art Work: The whole casino is basically a contemporary art museum. It’s free to wander around and check out amazing artwork.
• T-Mobile Area: One of the nicest arenas in the entire city, and home to the Las Vegas Golden Knights of the NHL.
• The Downtown Container Park: Container Park is a weird collection of shipping containers all turned into an open-air shopping and dining center. Downtown Container Park is definitely one of the strangest attractions in the entire city, but definitely worth a visit.

Want to see even more shows in Vegas? Check out these top shows, including Cirque du Soleil, world-renowned magicians, and more.

You can also head to Vegas.com to see more shows, concerts, tours, accommodations, and pretty much everything Vegas!

Lastly, I’ve also included this handy map below to help you find the location of all the free shows mentioned above.

The Best Free Las Vegas Shows: What’s Next?

Looking for more things to do on your Vegas vacation?

Check out some of my other resources here:

• The best ATV tours near Las Vegas
• 14 Romantic things to do in Las Vegas
• Best Neighborhoods in Las Vegas
• 10 Affordable Luxury Suites in Las Vegas

Images 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, and 11 from Flickr Creative Commons. The Sphere Image from Wikipedia Creative Commons.