10 of the BEST Free Things To Do In Las Vegas with Kids!

Truth be told, Las Vegas is no longer the budget friendly vacation it used to be. On our last trip we got a ridiculously good deal on our hotel and airfare, and food, transportation and activities still really added up. The good news is that there are still quite a few really cool and FREE things to do in Las Vegas with kids, it just takes a little planning ahead. We have the master list here of all the best free things to do with kids in Las Vegas to help you do that!

It may come as a surprise, but there are actually quite a few things to do in Las Vegas for free, more than I would have anticipated. In fact it has taken we a handful of week long trips there, just to discover what we have on this list now.

There are a number of hotel attractions that are fun for kids, and completely free to you. You will find everything from gardens to animals and waterfalls, and it will cost you nothing! Hotels are often being renovated in this area though, so be sure to check the current offerings at the time of your visit. Here are some of my favorites to visit with my kids in Las Vegas.

Whether it is a family vacation spread out over a week, or you are there for a long weekend of sports tournaments, there is something to fit into everyones schedule here. If you are looking for more ideas beyond free, we also have a large list of all our favorite Things To Do In Las Vegas with Kids with lots more ideas too!

Another money saving tip I like to use, is to check Groupon for restaurant/ food deals on the strip, in case you will want to feed the kids while out on one of these adventures.

Walking through the Wynn, Las Vegas

Tour the Hotels in Las Vegas

Before we get into our list of all of the free things you can do in Las Vegas, we should mention that the hotels themselves are a sight to be seen. So many of them are themed so well, and are grand. If it almost like traveling to little mini cities when you tour each hotel, and then eat at one of their restaurants or check out their shoppes and exhibits. So picking a few hotels that are themed around something that interests your family, and being sure to walk through and explore them, is an activity in and of itself.

A couple of highlights if you just want to pick a few:

The New York New York (grab a slice of pizza in Times Square food court area, or walk across the Brooklyn bridge)
The Paris (get a photo in front of the eiffel tower, and grab some freshly baked french baguettes)
The Wynn had some pretty displays when we visited.

I really enjoyed the Hilton Grand Vacation Club on the Las Vegas Strip, for the pool, security, spacious rooms and more!

In addition to touring the hotels, one of my very favorite things to do for free with my family in Vegas, is enjoy some pool time. If you are the same way, you will want to consider the pools of the hotels on the Las Vegas strip, when determining where to stay as well.

Free Transportation Options in Las Vegas

Plus, there are a few free transportation options in the heart of the Las Vegas strip that will make getting to and from the hotels, and the attractions we list below, a little easier. Other than these options, your best bet with kids is probably to Uber it. First check out the free transporation options, and once you have mapped out where you want to visit, see how far these will get you.

Vegas Tram Map – This tram route will take you from the Excalibur to Luxor to Mandalay Bay and back (but there is no Luxor stop on the way back, so you will have to loop back around to get back there).
Aria Express Tram – This tram will take you from the Park MGM to Aria to Bellagio and back.
Las Vegas Tram Station at Mirage – this tram will take you from the Mirage to Treasure Island and back.
- Note that the Hard Rock has bought out the Mirage, and I have not heard any word of if there will be an impact to the tram – so double check on that for your trip dates.

One more thing to note about free transportation options in Las Vegas is that many of the hotels (especially those sitting off the strip) offer free shuttle service. Some of them even open theirs up to people not staying at their resort if you are a rewards member with them (and that is generally free to sign up for), so do a little research on shuttles in your area, once you know where you are staying, to see if anything else might work for you.

List of the 10 BEST Free Things to Do in Las Vegas with Kids

Outside of just randomly touring hotels like we mentioned above (as fun as that is), here are some specific free things to do with kids in Las Vegas that you will want to add to your schedule while visiting.

Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens

The Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens (in the Bellagio Hotel) is one of my favorite free spots to visit, and it is completely free to tour. I love is that it completely changes themes seasonally, so we continue to visit it everytime we go back, and get to see something new each time.

If you love gardens it is a must see, but it is even great for those that would not normally go on a garden tour, as they do it in a way that it is really an art exhibit too. For example, one year we went and it was Hello Kitty themed.

Plus, just tell the kids there are lots of great selfie spots to get them excited!

Extra Tip – If you are in the Bellagio to check out this amazing Chocolate fountain at Bellagio, which has the claim of being the Worlds Largest Chocolate Fountain. I am not sure I would make a trip out here just for this fountain, but I would definitely take the kids to check it out if I am in the area.

The Bellagio Fountain Show

The Bellagio fountain show is one of the most famous free exhibits in Vegas, and definitely worth seeing. It sits right out in front of the Bellagio hotel (so great to check out before or after the Bellagio gardens mentioned above). The shows start at 3:30 during weekdays and noon on the weekends, so you can enjoy it from day into evening times. They are more specatacular at night, but still a great show for the kids to watch if you are only comfortable taking them out in the day.

Mirage Aquarium and Volcano

These are really two things, but since the Mirage has been bought out and it looks like these exhibits might be going away in a year or so, we thought it made sense to include them as one.

The Mirage Volcano sits outside and “erupts” in the evenings. For now, it sounds like it is set to continue erupting each evening at 7 pm, 8 pm, 9 pm, 10 pm, and 11 pm. So be sure to plan a visit if you will be there in 2023, before this one goes away (it has been a staple on the strip for as long as I can remember).

If you plan to watch the volcano erupt, be sure to head inside too to check out their huge aquarium, that sits just inside behind the check in desk. It is a 20,000-gallon saltwater tank with a coral reef that includes around 450 fish from 85 different species!

Note that the Hard Rock has bought out the Mirage, and it sounds like eventually the volcano will be replaced with the giant hard rock signature guitar. Last I heard the volcano is scheduled to erupt nightly through 2023, but double check on that for your trip dates.

Flamingo Hotel Outdoor Wildlife Habitat

This one is fun because it is a place to see wildlife for free. It is an area within the Flamingo hotel grounds where real life flamingos roam freely in their Wildlife Habitat. It is not huge (mainly flanks a walkway through their gardens, but it was still fun for a visit. That picture above is from our visit, so it is very much what you can expect to see (and you might spot fish in the ponds too while checking out the flamingos).

We did stay at the hotel right behind here one year (no casino and family friendly, but it did give us access to the Flamingo hotel easily). One thing I will note, is that we did nickname this are “weed alley”. There was a strong scent at all times when we walked through, so that is something of note before deciding to visit with the kids. It was fun to watch the flamingos though (but a bit stinky :-)).

The Fall of Atlantis Show at Caesar’s Mall Forum Shops

This show sits over by Cheesecake Factory, runs at the top of the hour Thursday through Monday from 12pm to 8pm. You will witness statues coming to life in this show set to water and music displays. It is a short show, but still something to do for free, and it is in the forum shops, so lots more to explore there as well.

I think the Forum shops are worth a visit period, as it is one of the coolest malls I have been too, where day turns to night and night to day, with their indoor sky. If you do head here, one of our go to spots is Carmines. It is an Italian eatery that serves food family style. They said each plate feeds 2-3 people, but 3 of us ate off one family style pasta dish and had left overs to take home (we are not huge eaters though). They serve free bread baskets with it, so it is a super way to stretch your budget in this area for a sit down meal.

Free Circus Acts at Circus Circus

Sit down and enjoy a free circus performance throughout the day. These are a great way to rest after hanging out at their arcades. Plus, they vary the acts, so you might want to plan to see more than one of them. See performances starting at 1:30 p.m. Monday – Thursday and 11:30 a.m. Friday – Sunday. Be sure to check out the current schedule of free circus acts at Circus Circus before heading out on your trip.

Harbor Rainstorm at Miracle Mile Mall

Adjacent to Planet Hollywood, you will find the Miracle Mile Mall shops. On the top of the hour Mondays, Thursdays, and every half hour on the weekends including Fridays they run their Harbor rainstorm show. You will find it over on the southside of the mall (near Ocean One) in the middle of the mall. It lasts around 5 minutes, and you will hear some thunder and then honestly it was really just a mist falling and a little more – so not super impressive but bring some change to throw in and let the kids enjoy it. Younger kids can find it fun, and it does cool you off with the mist. Plus, it is a great excuse to get out and check this mall out too.

To make up for the fact that the show is small, I always use it as an excuse to head here because the Miracle Mile also has a couple of my very favorite budget friendly spots to eat on the strip. There are a handful here, but three of my favorites are:

Ocean One Bar & Grille – head in for lunch where everything on the menu is $5.99! Yes, you read that right, but expect a wait at this spot for those prices. They also offer 3 for 1 ($12 total) cocktail drinks all day long. And you will find $5.99 options on the breakfast menu too. This place has been packed everytime I have gone by.

Nacho Daddys – you will find all kinds of nacho entrees, and starting at under $20 – and they are sharable sizes! We shared a plate between a few of us, and then got an app with it too, for an affordable meal.

Earl Of Sandwich – I like to visit these in various vacation spots as they have affordable breakfasts, and affordable sandwich and salad/soup options. After traveling for a bit, sometimes I crave something like this that is simple and easy. But the best part is that if you join their rewards club you should get a sign up bonus and birthday bonus and regular offers (the most recent being coupons for buy on get one for $1.99 sandwiches) so these might really help you save too.

Window Shopping & Visiting Fun Themed Stores

Vegas has some stores that are fun for kids too. These are fun to just go through, even if you are not buying, but you can also let your kids get a small bag of treats to make them even more fun, and it will not break the bank. A few of my kids favorites include:

The Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian is another fun area full of shops and more. You may likely even find many free live performances from “street performers” on these cobble stone canal streets each day. Part of it walks along a canal front where you can watch the gondola rides and more.

Ceasars Palace Forum Shops where night turns into day, and vice versa.

The Coca Cola Store Las Vegas, M&M Store, and Hersheys Chocolate Stores. I lump these together as they are all down by MGM area, and in walking distance of each other, making it easy to go from one to another.

CBS Television City Research Center

Ok, this is one that is on my list, but we have not been able to fit in yet – but I keep hearing about it. Tell us if you have done it before and what you thought. You get to test things out, including the latest high tek gear, and then provide feedback on shows and more.

The CBS Television City Research center is located in the MGM Grande Hotel, and is free to enter, no reservations required.

Selfie Scavenger Hunt

If you are traveling with tweens or teens this one is fun. Search up some great spots for selfies before you head out, and then put them on a list and turn it into a hunt to find the spots. Some ones my kids love include:

- The Las Vegas Sign (off the strip)
- The Graphiti stairs at the Fashion Show Mall

On the strip at night with all the lights in the background
The Selfie wall at the Linq mall entrance for the Flamingo
The Effiel Tower at the Paris
The Brooklyn Bridge at the New York New York
Area 51/Meow Wolf (off the strip)
Botanical Gardens at the Bellagio
Get in the Giant Princess Slipper at the Cosmopolitan
The Giant Coke Bottle in front of the Coca Cola store
In front of the Venetian Canal, and so many more!

Street Performances

When you walk up and down the strip, there will be street performers all day long. During the evenings though is when most of the best performances come out. All you have to do is walk up or down either side of the main strip area to find them. There are a couple of things to know about street performances on the Las Vegas strip, when looking for free things to do with kids in Las Vegas though:

a) these people are all doing this as their living, so they expect a tip from you (making it not exactly free any longer – but still a very affordable way to watch an act. You are not required to tip of course, but since this is how these folks make their living I have a hard time watching a show without tipping.

b) since most of the better ones are at night, that also means exposing your kids to other things that they may see on the strip at night. Check out our article on what to expect when visiting Vegas with kids to learn more about what that might be.

c) wether it is day or night, chances are some of the things you will run into out on the strip are men and women with lesser amounts of clothing on (and even Disney characters – but they expect to be paid if you take a picture with them), who are there for pictures. In my experience they have been very respectful in not approaching my kids, but they know who holds the purse strings so you may be approached in front of your kids mom adn dad. Again, check out the article we mention above so you will have a better idea of what you can expect your kids to be exposed to on the strip.

A Few More Ideas for Free Things To Do In Las Vegas with Kids – Off the Strip

Treehouse Park in the Container Park (off the strip in downtown Las Vegas)

If you plan to be in the downtown Las Vegas, and kids that enjoy parks, theTreehouse Park, in the Container Park is a fun one to add to your list. The Container park itself has restaurants and entertainment options too in an artsy feeling area.

Hiking & Exploring

If you want to get the kids out hiking and exploring, check out the Springs Preserve, where it is free to explore the outer areas and hike around with the kids, but it will require an entrance fee to enter. You can also look into Calico Basin Red Springs, which is the part of the Red Rock Canyon National Park that you don’t have to pay to get into (or if you have a 4th grader get a FREE National Parks Pass your family can use to get in to National Parks for free)!

Mermaid Show at the Silverton Hotel

This is another one of those spots I have not made it to yet, but keep hearing about it. We would love to hear what you thought if you have been.

10 of the BEST Free Things To Do In Las Vegas with Kids!