Best Things to Do in Las Vegas 2026: Free, Paid and Outdoors

Las Vegas is far more than a casino floor. Within a few miles you can watch free light shows, see a Cirque du Soleil production, walk through a neon sign graveyard, ride a zip line under a video canopy, and still have time to drive out to red sandstone canyons the same afternoon.

This guide is organised by category rather than ranked, because the best choice depends on your budget, your group and the season. Prices and hours were checked on each attraction's own website in September 2026; they change, so confirm before you go. A few long-standing favourites are gone: The Mirage and its volcano closed in 2024, and the Tropicana has been demolished, so older lists that include them are out of date.

Quick Picks for a First Visit

With two or three days, a sensible first trip is one evening on the Strip for the free sights, one evening downtown, one show, and a half-day outside the city at Red Rock or Hoover Dam.

Free Attractions

Some of the most memorable things in Vegas cost nothing. For a longer list, see our free things to do in Las Vegas guide.

Bellagio Fountains and Conservatory

The fountain show on Bellagio's lake is choreographed to music and repeats through the afternoon and evening, more often after dark. Stand along the Strip-side railing, or watch from the bridge between Bellagio and Caesars Palace. Inside, the Conservatory & Botanical Gardens changes its floral display with the seasons and is free to walk through. Bellagio sets the show times, so check its website for the current schedule.

Fremont Street Experience

Downtown's pedestrian mall sits under a giant video canopy that plays light-and-music shows through the evening. Fremont Street Experience says it puts on free concerts across three stages every night, and walking in costs nothing. It is a looser, cheaper and more old-school scene than the Strip. Our Fremont Street guide covers the casinos and bars.

Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign

The 1959 sign stands in the median of Las Vegas Boulevard at the south end of the Strip, with a small parking lot beside it. Go early in the morning to avoid the queue for photos. The Pinball Hall of Fame (below) is right across the road, so the two pair well.

Seven Magic Mountains

Ugo Rondinone's seven towers of fluorescent-painted boulders stand in the desert near Jean Dry Lake, about ten miles south of Las Vegas off I-15. The artwork's site says it is open with no reservations needed. There is no shade and no water, so go early or late in summer.

Hotel Walk-Throughs

Walking the Strip at night is an attraction in itself. Resort interiors are free to explore: the canals and painted sky of the Venetian's Grand Canal Shoppes, the gardens and lobby at Wynn, and the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace. Riding a Venetian gondola costs money, but watching them does not.

Shows and Entertainment

Cirque du Soleil currently runs four shows in Las Vegas: "O" at Bellagio, KÀ at MGM Grand, Mystère at Treasure Island and Michael Jackson ONE at Mandalay Bay, with starting prices on Cirque's site from $69 (KÀ) to $125 ("O"). Our Cirque du Soleil guide compares them in detail. The Beatles LOVE closed with The Mirage in July 2024.

Sphere

Sphere, the giant LED-covered venue next to The Venetian, is visible from much of the city at night for free. Inside, it hosts The Wizard of Oz at Sphere, an immersive version of the film with 4D effects, plus concert residencies. Its site lists acts including the Eagles, the Backstreet Boys and Metallica; dates and prices change, so check Sphere's calendar.

Magic, comedy and headliners

Beyond Cirque, Vegas has long-running magic shows, comedy clubs and rotating concert residencies at venues such as the Colosseum at Caesars Palace and Dolby Live at Park MGM. Residency line-ups change often, so look at the venue's calendar rather than a list. See our Las Vegas shows guide and how to get cheaper show tickets.

Museums and Only-in-Vegas Attractions

Neon Museum

The Neon Museum at 770 Las Vegas Blvd. North keeps retired casino and motel signs in its outdoor "Boneyard". From September to May it opens 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. (last entry 10 p.m.); in June to August it opens 8 p.m. to midnight. In September 2026 its site listed 2026 daytime admission (3 to 5 p.m.) from $25 and evening admission from $35. Add-on 45-minute guided experiences include a History Tour, a Movies Tour and the evening Brilliant! audiovisual show. Book online; evening slots are the most popular.

The Mob Museum

The National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, at 300 Stewart Avenue a short walk from Fremont Street, covers the mob's history in Las Vegas and the effort to fight it. It opens daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and the museum says buying online saves up to 20%. The Underground, a Prohibition-themed speakeasy and distillery in the basement, stays open later. Allow two to three hours.

Omega Mart at AREA15

Meow Wolf's Omega Mart looks like a strange supermarket, but its freezers and shelves lead into an interconnected maze of rooms and a mystery you can follow as far as you like. It is inside AREA15 at 3215 S. Rancho Drive, just west of the Strip across I-15. Meow Wolf says all ages are welcome and there is no time limit once you are in; under-21s may be asked to leave AREA15 after 10 p.m. Check ticket prices on Meow Wolf's site.

Pinball Hall of Fame

A nonprofit collection of playable pinball and arcade machines at 4925 Las Vegas Blvd. South, across from the Welcome sign. It moved there in April 2021 into a 25,000-square-foot building, twice the size of its old home. It opens 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Older machines cost 25 cents a game and 1990s machines 50 cents.

More ideas: our Las Vegas museums guide.

Thrill Rides and Adventures

SlotZilla at Fremont Street

SlotZilla launches riders from a giant slot machine down Fremont Street beneath the canopy. There are two versions:

• Zipline: seated, from 77 feet, three blocks. From $49 Monday to Thursday, $55 Friday to Sunday. Weight 50 to 300 lbs.
• Zoomline: lying face down "like a superhero", from 11 stories, five blocks. From $69 Monday to Thursday, $75 Friday to Sunday. Weight 80 to 300 lbs.

It opens at noon and runs until 1 a.m. Monday to Wednesday and 2 a.m. Thursday to Sunday. Riders 13 and under must be with someone 13 or older. Ride after dark to see the canopy lit up.

SkyJump at The STRAT

SkyJump is a controlled descent from the 108th floor of The STRAT tower, 855 feet up; the resort says it holds a Guinness World Record as the highest commercial decelerator descent. In September 2026 a basic jump cost $139.99 Monday to Thursday and $169.99 Friday to Sunday, with photo and video packages extra and a $99.99 rate for hotel guests and Nevada locals. You must be 14 or older (under-18s need a parent's consent), at least 52 inches tall and no more than 265 lbs. Allow 35 to 45 minutes. The tower also has the Big Shot and X-Scream rides and an observation deck.

High Roller

The observation wheel at The LINQ gives a slow, enclosed circuit with views over the whole Strip, and is most popular around sunset. Some tickets include an open bar for guests 21 and over. Prices vary by time of day, so check Caesars' High Roller page when you book.

For more adrenaline, see our zip lines and adventure guide and helicopter tours guide.

Day Trips and the Outdoors

The desert around Las Vegas is some of the most striking scenery in the Southwest, and three classic trips take half a day or less. A rental car makes all of them easier; tours run to each as well.

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

About 20 miles west of the Strip, Red Rock's 13-mile one-way Scenic Drive passes red and cream sandstone cliffs, with nine stops, trailheads and overlooks. Entry is $20 per car or truck, $10 per motorcycle, $8 per bicycle and $5 on foot. From October 1 to May 31 you need a timed-entry reservation on Recreation.gov to drive the loop between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. The drive opens at 6 a.m.; closing time varies by month, from 5 p.m. in winter to 8 p.m. from April to September. See our Red Rock Canyon guide.

Valley of Fire State Park

Nevada's Valley of Fire, established in 1935, is about an hour northeast of the city, with brilliant red Aztec sandstone and petroglyphs. It opens daily from sunrise to sunset. Entry is $10 for a Nevada vehicle and $15 for an out-of-state one. Two things catch visitors out:

• Summer trail closures: many trails, including the Fire Wave/Seven Wonders loop and the White Domes loop, close every year from May 15 to September 30 because of heat emergencies.
• December closure: the whole park closes for maintenance from December 1 to 14.

More in our Valley of Fire guide.

Hoover Dam

The dam on the Nevada-Arizona border is open daily from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., and walking across the top is free. Parking near the Visitor Center on the Nevada side is $10. The Bureau of Reclamation runs three tours:

• Self-guided Visitor Center: $15 (3 and under free), exhibits and an observation deck.
• Guided Powerplant Tour: adults $25, ages 4 to 16 $15; tunnels, a penstock viewing platform and generators.
• Guided Dam Tour: $40, sold on site only, first come first served; adds the inspection tunnels inside the dam.

The Visitor Center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Details and planning tips are in our Hoover Dam guide.

Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon is a long day from Las Vegas. The West Rim is the closest; the South Rim, inside Grand Canyon National Park, is further but has the classic views. Helicopter and plane tours shorten the trip. Compare the options in our Grand Canyon tours guide.

With Kids

Many Strip attractions welcome children, even though casino floors do not (under-21s may walk through but not linger or play).

• Adventuredome at Circus Circus: a 5-acre indoor amusement park, air-conditioned all year. The Canyon Blaster is a double-loop, double-corkscrew coaster (48-inch minimum). Hours are shorter midweek: noon to 7 p.m. Monday to Thursday, later at weekends.
• Mystère: the only Cirque show in Vegas open to all ages.
• Omega Mart: all ages, and older kids love the hunt for hidden doors.
• Pinball Hall of Fame: cheap, air-conditioned and fun for every generation.
• Hoover Dam: the Powerplant Tour has a child price and is stroller-accessible.
• Resort attractions: the aquarium at Mandalay Bay and the roller coaster at New York-New York are long-standing favourites; check each resort's site for current hours and prices.

More ideas in our Las Vegas with kids guide.

Food, Drink and Nightlife

Eating is one of the main reasons people come to Vegas, from buffets and celebrity-chef dining rooms on the Strip to the cheaper, excellent restaurants of Chinatown on Spring Mountain Road. Restaurants open and close quickly here, so rather than list them in a general guide, we keep them in dedicated ones:

• Las Vegas food guide for an overview of where and how to eat.
• Buffets guide and cheap eats guide.
• Cocktail bars, rooftop bars and nightclubs.

If you plan to gamble, you must be 21. Set a limit before you start and treat it as the cost of entertainment; our casino guide for beginners covers the games and etiquette.

Planning Tips

When to go

Spring and autumn are the most comfortable months for walking and hiking. Summer is extremely hot, which makes outdoor sights hard work in the middle of the day and closes many Valley of Fire trails. Big conventions and events push up hotel prices, so check the calendar before you pick dates; weekdays are usually cheaper than weekends.

Getting around

The Strip is about four miles long and resorts are further apart than they look, so walking between the north and south ends takes much longer than you expect. Ride-hailing, the Las Vegas Monorail on the east side of the Strip, the RTC's Deuce bus and the free trams between some resorts all help. See our Las Vegas transportation guide.

Save money

• Build days around the free sights, then add one or two paid highlights.
• Book online where it saves money: the Mob Museum offers up to 20% off online, and SkyJump and SlotZilla are cheaper Monday to Thursday.
• Check for resident or hotel-guest rates if you qualify (SkyJump has both).
• Resort fees and parking add up; our Vegas on a budget guide has more.

Stay safe in the heat

Carry water on any outdoor trip, start hikes early, and never rely on phone signal in the desert parks. Park rangers at Valley of Fire close summer trails precisely because heat emergencies were common.

Sample Itineraries

Two days, first visit

• Day 1: morning at the Welcome sign and Pinball Hall of Fame; afternoon by the pool; evening on the center Strip for the Bellagio fountains and Conservatory, then a Cirque show.
• Day 2: early drive to Red Rock Canyon (book timed entry in season); afternoon at the Mob Museum; evening at the Neon Museum and Fremont Street, with a SlotZilla ride.

Three or more days

• Add Hoover Dam in the morning, or Valley of Fire from October to mid-May when the trails are open.
• Spend an afternoon at Omega Mart, or see The Wizard of Oz at Sphere.
• Try an off-Strip dinner in Chinatown.

For more trip-planning help, read our first-timer's guide.