Sure, Las Vegas has gotten dinged in recent years for $26 bottles of water, $24 nachos with barely a handful of chips and sky-high resort fees.
But worry not, you can still have big fun on a little budget here with a bevy of free activities and adventures. You just have to know where to look for them — wait, no you don’t, because we’ve done it for you.
From scenic hikes to casino art walks, storied blues clubs to belly-busting burger challenges, here’s your ultimate guide to having a blast in Vegas for approximately zero dollars.
Blue comedy, no green
The list of big-name comedians who’ve guested at the South Point’s proudly potty-mouthed weekly comedy series, “Dirty at 12:30,” is (expletive) impressive: Joey Diaz, the late Ralphie May, Brad Williams, Roy Wood Jr., Christopher Titus, Joe Rogan, Carlos Mencia (bet those last two didn’t stop by on the same night) and plenty more. Hosted by the high-energy, sharp-tongued Gabe Lopez, the show starts at 12:30 a.m. Friday nights (technically Saturday morning). Get there early for the pregame party, which begins around 10:30 p.m., to secure a seat and flock with your fellow dirty birds.
Get down, downtown
Any proper night out in a 24-hour city like Vegas has to go hard until pancake time. Downtown techno and house music hot spot/after-hours club Bauhaus Vegas is the place to dance until (near) dawn, soundtracked by notable DJ-producers like Markus Schulz, Felix Da Housecat, Gene Farris and more. Most shows are free if you RSVP in advance at bauhauslv.com and get there before midnight. Up the street, indie dance club Oddfellows boasts a variety of themed nights with no cover, featuring everything from pop to nu metal, emo to ’80s jams in an industrial, playfully sinister, dancehall-of-the-damned atmosphere. And if your boogie shoes are still laced up, head to Bizarre Bar in the nearby Arts District, which hosts some of the city’s best goth, Latin, disco and emo dance parties with no cover in a far-out setting that could double as a surrealist art gallery.
No-cost cabaret
Is it possible to see a Moulin Rouge-style cabaret show on the Strip for no dough? Yes, you can-can. On Friday and Saturday nights at Paris Las Vegas’ Le Cabaret Lounge, swoon to a pair of high-stepping, lavishly costumed dance productions. First, “La Femme” (9 and 10 p.m.) brings a frolicsome, pink-hued “Emily in Paris” vibe to the stage. Later, things get a sultrier during the playfully seductive “The Red Show” (11 p.m. and midnight)
— Jason Bracelin
Hiking
Vegas is much, much more than an empty desert, and we have hundreds of hiking and nature trails to prove it. Check out these out-and-back routes: In the summer, visit Fletcher Canyon at Mount Charleston for cooler weather and the sweet scent of pines (3.8 miles, 948 feet of elevation gain); in the fall, return to the mountain for Cathedral Rock and the best views of changing autumn leaves (2.9 miles, 944 feet of elevation gain); in winter, enjoy Lake Mead’s sweeping vistas along the Historic Railroad Tunnel Trail (7.5 miles; free when parking off Lakeshore Road just after Alan Bible Visitor Center Road); and in spring, head out to Red Rock Canyon for the First Creek Canyon trail (4 miles, 446 feet of elevation gain) to soak in the desert sun and potentially see ephemeral waterfalls.
Art galleries
There is always something incredible to see at any of the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District’s branches. Each one regularly shows local artists, visiting artists, photo galleries, installations and just about anything else you can dream of. Did we mention it costs $0 to visit? The Sahara West Library is the crème de la crème, featuring the largest gallery space, but each branch serves as a cultural cornerstone in our community. Find current exhibits and reception information at thelibrarydistrict.org.
Museum
Did you know admission to the Clark County Museum is free? Take the kids, or go on your own or with friends, to soak in a little history of the place we call home. Indoors, find exhibits on Indigenous history, mining, gaming and the natural world, and outside, check out displays on everything from the railway to nature trails. Don’t skip Heritage Street, featuring restored historic buildings that depict daily life in different decades. The museum, 1830 S. Boulder Highway in Henderson, is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily (closed on certain holidays).
— Kristen Di Chiara
Speakeasy
The Mob Museum, 300 Stewart Ave., is a must-see for any Vegas tourist. Great for locals, too, especially those who are hosting tourists. Downstairs, you’ll find the classically appointed, no-cover, live music haunt The Underground speakeasy. Club favorite Jennifer Keith, former “America’s Got Talent” champ Michael Grimm and jazz trio Coco & The Sidecars fill out the month. Michael Ross Nugent, Amanda King, Mimi & The Rivieras, Red Penny Arcade and Cheyenne Adams also grace the cozy venue. Custom cocktails and light bites are on the late-night menu. No ticket to the Mob Museum is required for speakeasy admission. The entrance is on the back side of the building, down the stairs; nab the password from the Mob Museum website or Instagram page (though they will let you in anyway). Hours are 8 p.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays and 7 to 11 p.m. Sundays.
Strip hideaways
Barbershop Cuts & Cocktails at The Cosmopolitan and Caspian’s Cocktails & Caviar at Caesars Palace are sister clubs operated by Clique Hospitality. Both places have “hidden” music club entrances, not hard to figure out but a fun lead-in to live music. Indie Florentino, Neon Knights, Justin Carder and Sailing Club (a yacht rock-themed set list) are in rotation at Caspian’s. Vegas rockers Mojo Juju, the 442s, Florentino, Neon Knights and live band Faded Karaoke pepper the schedule at Barbershop. No cover required at either place, but paid reservations available. Caspian’s speakeasy hours are 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily. Barbershop is open from 8 p.m. until close on Sundays through Wednesdays, 6 p.m. to close on Thursdays through Saturdays (“close” depends on the crowd, but in the 1 a.m. range).
Venerable blues club
The Sand Dollar Lounge, 3355 Spring Mountain Road, has been bringing the no-cover live blues (and more) since 1976. Vegas hospitality vet Anthony Jamison took over in 2015. The place has been refreshed with upgraded tech, and it still rocks with bands such as the improv All You Can Eat Orchestra, Stoney Curtis, Moanin’ Blacksnakes, Spectators, Bootylicious Deluxe, and the Pro Jam free-form showcase hosted by touring artist Rick Berthod. Shows are scheduled nightly (check thesanddollarlv.com site for intel).
— John Katsilometes
Fountains of Bellagio
No guide to the best free things in Las Vegas would be complete without this absolute treasure. The final scene of “Ocean’s Eleven” put the fountains on the map in 2001, just three years into their existence. They’ve gone on to become one of the defining images of Las Vegas. The free shows are brought to life by 4,792 lights, 213 speakers and 1,214 devices that can shoot water up to 460 feet in the air. The longest show? Frank Sinatra’s “Luck Be a Lady” from “Guys and Dolls,” which lasts 5 minutes, 14 seconds. The shortest? “Carol of the Bells,” which comes in at a mere 1 minute, 29 seconds.
Shelby Heritage Center
Carroll Shelby, the automotive legend portrayed by Matt Damon in 2019’s “Ford v Ferrari,” signed on in 1995 as the first tenant of the industrial park at the under-construction Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He maintained a presence in the valley until his death in 2012. The Shelby Heritage Center opened the following year at 6405 Ensworth St. The 15,000-square-foot venue hosts around two dozen Shelby vehicles, including racing and consumer cars, from throughout the decades as well as photo timelines of his career and successes. A trio of windows offers a look inside the 150,000-square-foot production facility. Paid guided tours are available daily, but you can walk around and see everything on your own for free.
Art walks
For a city without a proper art museum, Las Vegas has one of the greatest art collections in the world. Hundreds of millions of dollars of it, hailing from around the globe, is scattered throughout hotels and casinos on the Strip just waiting to be discovered. It can be found in lobbies, restaurants and out-of-the-way corners, indoors and outside. It might seem there’s no rhyme or reason, but the collections are meticulously curated. Some of the best places to simply wander include The Cosmopolitan, Wynn and Encore Las Vegas, Aria, Fontainebleau and Resorts World.
— Christopher Lawrence
Beast Burger Challenge
If you’ve got a big appetite and a strong stomach, you could eat for free at The Beast gastropub in Area15. Finish the namesake burger (2 pounds of beef, 1 pound of bacon, 1 pound of American cheese, fixings and house sauce on a King’s Hawaiian loaf), plus 1 pound of fries and a tower of onion rings, in 45 minutes or less, and the $88 meal is free. Details: area15.com.
Distillery Tours
The first Wednesday and Thursday of the month, Las Vegas Distillery, 7330 Eastgate Road, Suite 100, Henderson, offers free tours that feature a welcome cocktail, discussion of distilling history, exploration of raw materials and a guided walk-through of the production facility, including spirits distilling, aging and bottling. Booking/details: lasvegasdistillery.com.
Happy Hour Slices
From 4 to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, Good Pie, 1212 S. Main St., offers buy-one, get-one slices. The pizzeria was one of two in Vegas to make “Food Network’s Top 10” in an episode devoted to America’s best pizza restaurants. Good Pie is known for its accomplished renditions of pies ranging from Detroit to New York to grandma style. Visit goodpie.com.
— Johnathan L. Wright