9 Things to Do in Vegas Other Than Gambling

Las Vegas and gambling are about as inextricably linked as it gets. If you don’t like risking your money on games of chance, Vegas might not be on your travel radar, but it should be. There are so many things to do in Vegas that have nothing to do with gambling and everything to do with fun, food, amazing views, and, in one case, an out-of-this-world art experience. Here are 9 things to do in Vegas that will always make you feel like a winner.

Fountains of Bellagio

You’ve probably seen the iconic Bellagio fountains in a movie or TV show set in Las Vegas. The show spans more than 1,000 feet on the lake outside the Bellagio’s main entrance and employs over 1,200 fountains capable of shooting water as high as 460 feet. The fountain show, which is enhanced with music and lights, is free to watch and plays multiple times per day.

The Neon Museum

Walking through the Neon Museum’s hundreds of vintage neon signs is like stepping back in time to yesteryear Las Vegas. Signs that once illuminated the Vegas strip now reside in the Neon Boneyard, an outdoor art gallery, and even if you’re not into gambling, you’ll probably recognize a few things. There are self-guided guided tours available during the day, as well as guided nighttime tours and a multi-sensory nighttime show that uses lights and music to bring the signs to life.

Eiffel Tower Viewing Deck

The Eiffel Tower Viewing Deck at the Paris Las Vegas is another option for getting a bird’s-eye view of the glittering lights that adorn seemingly every inch of Sin City. An elevator takes you 46 stories up to the viewing deck, which offers panoramic views of the nearby casinos as well as the desert and mountains in the distance. On the 11th floor, there’s also a restaurant serving French cuisine and a free light show every evening that doesn’t require you to leave the building.

FlyOver Las Vegas

While the rest of your group is gambling, you can use your money to fly over the Grand Canyon, Mojave Desert, and Zion National Park without ever leaving Vegas. FlyOver Las Vegas is an immersive flight experience that places you in a seat facing a 52-foot-wide spherical screen that completely surrounds your field of vision. When your “flight” begins, your seat rises into the air as you soar above the West’s natural wonders.

Gondola Ride at the Venetian Resort

The Venetian Resort Las Vegas feels like a centuries-old floating city in northern Italy, both inside and out. Instead of spending your day on the casino floor, you can spend it in a Venetian gondola traversing the resort’s Grand Canal. Choose between an indoor or outdoor ride guided by a singing gondolier. The Gondolier March–a tradition in which the gondoliers sing in unison while marching along the indoor canal to mark their arrival for a day of ferrying and serenading guests–takes place twice a day.

Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart

To call Omega Mart an immersive art experience is an understatement. It’s more like a surreal, psychedelic, interactive grocery store from another dimension. The shelves are stocked with food items that are a spoof of what you’d find in your local supermarket, freezer case doors open to reveal secret passageways, and there’s even a multi-story playground where kids of all ages can climb and slide to their hearts’ content. Tickets must be purchased in advance, and a specific date and time must be selected.

The High Roller at the LINQ

The best way to see more of Vegas than the inside of a casino is from 550 feet above the strip. The High Roller is referred to as a “observation wheel” rather than a ferris wheel because it combines the best features of a high-flying ferris wheel and a scenic gondola ride. The entire journey takes about 30 minutes and each gondola is temperature controlled. You can purchase a “Happy Half-Hour” ticket, which includes an open bar and a bartender for the duration of your journey, in addition to regular admission tickets. Even if you buy your tickets ahead of time, lines can be long, so factor that into the time you set aside to enjoy the experience.

The Big Apple Coaster at New York-New York Hotel and Casino

In Las Vegas, you can see and do almost anything, including ride a roller coaster that twists, turns, and loops around the New York-New York Hotel and Casino. The Big Apple Coaster is no child’s play–it reaches speeds of up to 67 miles per hour, barrels through multiple inversions, and climbs to a height of 203 feet. Purchase your tickets ahead of time to avoid long lines and bring your best smile for the on-ride photo.

The Golden Tiki

The Golden Tiki, located just off the strip, is an authentic tiki bar that serves tropical cocktails and island-inspired eats in an elaborately themed setting. The decor is kitschy and just a tad risque (OK, erotic wallpaper and phallic door handles are more than a “tad” risque, but they’re only in the bathrooms), with just the right amount of sensory overload. Your bartender can light your drink on fire with a shot of 151 proof rum for a small fee, or you can purchase your cocktail in a souvenir tiki mug that you can proudly display in your home. You must be 21 or older to visit, and reservations for table seating are recommended, but there is open seating at the bar.

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