When people think of Las Vegas, they usually think of gambling, gambling, and more gambling. It would seem that a stay in the self-proclaimed "most exciting city on Earth" is either a ticket to massive earnings or massive debt, but really, there are plenty of ways to enjoy Las Vegas without gambling, and on the cheap, too. And by cheap, I mean free!
If you're a fan of simply seeing things, then you're in for a real visual treat on the Strip, or as I like to call it, "Excitement Central." You don't have to stay at a hotel to enjoy all the amazing sights and sounds they have to offer. Most of them have their own motifs, from the soaring skyscrapers of New York to the flowing canals of the Venetian. Several of the hotels have free attractions inside them, from animatronic statues of Greek gods in Caesar's Palace to living marionettes in the Venetian.
Bellagio Fountain: Have you ever seen water dance? Add that to your list of life accomplishments after visiting the giant water pool in front of the Bellagio hotel. To think all it takes to make an amazing show is underwater lights, water jets, and some mainstream music! Streams of water blast out of the pool and swirl around in mesmerizing patterns. Watch them twist delicately to soft music, or whip wildly to rock music. It's especially a treat if you watch it from an aerial view, particularly when water jets blast from one end of the pool to another. The show generally goes off every 15 minutes. I'd recommend waiting for nightfall; while the show certainly is interesting day or night, seeing it at night just makes it seem like a much more meaningful experience.
The Sirens of TI: Nothing quite like sirens vs. pirates. Follow the sexy sirens as they do what they do best - try to lure a group of renegade pirates into their cove. The end result is a sizzling party on the high seas. This show in front of the Treasure Island hotel does come across as rather corny, but, as with a lot of Vegas, I'd say it's more about the eye candy than it is about any meaningful story. As a free show, the people behind it have a lot more leeway when it comes to cancelling shows, and often do so when the weather isn't up to snuff. In fact, I missed out on the show because the wind was slightly blowing. Feel free to check it out, but don't get your hopes up about seeing it, because you never know from time to time whether you will be able to or not.
The Volcano: In front of the Mirage hotel rests a dormant volcano. Dormant, that is, until the night falls. Then, the tranquil mountain bellows water and smoke into the air. "Big deal," you may say. I thought the same thing when I first heard about it...but then the fire began blasting out. After a minute or two, jets of fire begin flying into the air. It was then I realized this wasn't some boring little water show; I could feel the heat blazing on me each time fire shot into the air. One of my favorite free shows in Vegas. If you're walking down the strip close to the top of the hour, take a quick break to check it out.
The Freemont Street Experience: In order to get more people into the "less-exciting-than-the-Strip" downtown area, the Freemont Street Experience was born. Full to the brim with glitz and tinsel, this exciting street features a variety of different things. Street performers range from spray artists to piano players to saxophone players. The five city blocks are covered with a giant canopy with over 2 million lights, and when the night hits, you can view a light show on the ceiling every hour on the hour. It lasts a few minutes and is usually pretty forgettable, but a nice free distraction.
There's a lot more free attractions if you know where to look, ranging from aquariums to dueling piano players. Really, there's no limit to all the free things you can find, and it'd take pages and pages to discuss the wide variety of them. Next time you're in Vegas, take a look around; you never know what you'll end up seeing!
Source: Associated Content
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