20 June 2019

Five Fun Things to do in Las Vegas (besides Gambling)


Las Vegas might be known as the gambling capital of the world but despite its reputation, “Sin City” is filled with exciting activities that can appeal to everyone – not just gamblers or party-goers.

Vegas is one of those places I've seen so many times in movies and I had always wanted to see it for myself, even though I have absolutely no interest in gambling.

I spent four nights there and I had a really enjoyable time. I could have easily stayed double that because of the vast number of cool things to do not just in Las Vegas but in the area.

Of course, there is so much more to do than just what I've mentioned here but these are what I personally enjoyed doing that I highly recommend. If you're venturing out to the desert any time soon, here are five things to do in Vegas outside of the casinos.


1. Explore The Strip


You can spend days exploring the exciting four-mile-long Strip, viewing the magnificent hotels and being transported around the world. You can visit the Pyramids, the canals of Venice, the Eiffel Tower, Trevi Fountain and the Brooklyn Bridge, just to name a few.

If you can't afford to stay in one of the lavish hotels (I stayed in an Airbnb off The Strip – much more affordable), you can still have a great time wandering through them. A few of my favourite hotels you should check out include:

The Bellagio – see their famous fountain show, the Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, and the world's largest chocolate fountain that's also inside.

The Cosmopolitan – one of the newest hotels, see a dazzling three-story chandelier and eat at the popular Eggslut (totally worth the long wait in line).

New York New York – ride a roller coaster inside, need I say more.

Caesars Palace – especially if you're a fan of The Hangover movie.

Flamingo Las Vegas – see real live flamingos.

The Venetian – if you haven't yet been to Italy you can enjoy a gondola ride right here.

Paris Las Vegas – for an Eiffel Tower experience with great views of The Strip.


Be sure to walk The Strip at night as well, the lights are stunning and the buildings transform, giving you a totally different experience.

Fremont Street is definitely worth spending a few hours at too, even if only to people-watch and observe the weird and wonderful. You can even go for a zip ride over it for a dose of adrenalin.


2. Do a day trip to Hoover Dam & Grand Canyon


Okay, Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon are not actually in Las Vegas but when you’re only a few hours away it would be a missed opportunity not to see them.

Hoover Dam is one of the world’s most impressive engineering marvels and the Grand Canyon is one of the most iconic natural features and they are absolutely incredible to see in real life.

There are plenty of options to get there from Las Vegas, including full day tours, shuttle buses, self-driving and even flying over via helicopter.

I did a 12-hour West Rim tour with Grand Canyon Destinations which I highly enjoyed. It included a stop at Hoover Dam, a nice packed lunch, hotel pickup and drop off and over four hours at the Grand Canyon which was plenty of time to make the most out of it.


3. See a show


A Vegas experience wouldn't be complete without seeing a show and there are so many amazing ones to choose from. There is pretty much every genre of entertainment you could think of including music, theatre, comedy, magic, ventriloquism, dance – you name it, they’ve got it.

I saw Cirque du Soleil's water show "O" which was absolutely phenomenal and worth every penny. Be sure to book well in advance if you want a decent seat.

If you’re tight on cash, consider the free daily shows at the Circus Circus Hotel and Treasure Island. Just make sure to watch out for pickpockets, especially at Treasure Island.


4. Do a delicious foodie tour


Something that totally surprised me about Las Vegas is the epic foodie scene it has. While researching 'top things to do,' Taste Buzz Food Tours was at the top of the list and intrigued, I wanted to know more. 

It promised a culinary adventure to discover the best food on The Strip as well as showing you around some of the top must-see places – which is perfect for first-timers like myself.

It delivered exactly that and I absolutely loved the three-hour tour, it was full to the brim with delicious food and some incredible sights that I would have never found on my own.



5. Do an E-bike tour of the Red Rocks


Did you know less than half an hour away from The Strip is Red Rock Canyon, estimated to be almost 200 million years old? It's definitely worth seeing and a fun way to do just that is by E-bike.

I had an absolute blast doing EZ Ride LV's self-guided electric bike tour of the Red Rocks. It's another top-rated activity I found by research. The route is an easy one-way 13-mile road and the views in every direction are incredible.

It was my first time riding an E-Bike and I loved it. It was great to get out and do something physical among such stunning scenery (and work off that previous food tour!).


Pin it! :)

Other fun things to do that I've heard about but didn't get the chance to do myself include visiting Old/Downtown Las Vegas, Neon Museum, Seven Magic Mountains, race car driving, pool parties, desert ATV tours and Welcome to Las Vegas sign.

Do you have any other recommendations to add to this list? Let me know in the comments below.

Check out what else I got up to on my USA trip last year here.

Happy Travels,
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1 comment

  1. I had no idea there was so much to do. Would make for quite a fun weekend trip!

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