Cheap and Free Things to Do In Las Vegas

I visit Vegas several times per year and I'm always looking for cool things that don't cost a ton of money. Although it seems like the city has really gone up in price, there are still a lot of things you can do that keep money in your pocket for more important things, like gambling and eating. Of course, things are changing all the time, so one year you go and find stuff and the next time it may be gone. Here are some of my favorite free and cheap Vegas finds.

Downtown artwork

Downtown used to be a place you went to save a bunch of money, but not to do fun stuff or be safe, but the City of Vegas is changing all that, especially by beautifying the area. Now downtown is the cool place to be, and it's much quieter than The Strip. The city has commissioned local artists to beautify the area, and they are doing an amazing job.

Bellagio Fountains

The classic Bellagio Fountains is probably on everyone's list. They start during the day if you're visiting on a weekend, but they're a fun way to see a free show and take a break when walking down the strip

Bellagio Conservatory

One of my favorite places in Vegas is the Bellagio Conservatory. It is changed every season, so it's likely to be different each time you visit. This time we were there it was a shipwreck. They create a ton of stuff out of fresh flowers and it always smells lovely. This is coming from someone who's pretty much allergic to everything. The air is always fresh and there's no sneezing or eye watering. The Conservatory is open 24/7, so you can always fit it into your visit. {You can also go around the corner and see the world's largest chocolate fountain in front of Jean Phillipe's.}

Wynn fountain and waterfall

I like the Bellagio Fountains, but it's always crowded and hard to see and you have to wait for certain showtimes. The Wynn has a fountain show (albeit much smaller) that runs 24-hours a day and there are no large crowds you need to compete with for pictures/videos. You can stop at any time of the day or night and watch the fountain waters dance...and if you head around the corner, you can see the awesome waterfall. It's a great place to grab a selfie for your Instagram.

Encore indoor garden

Okay, you all know that I will hit up the Bellagio Conservatory each and every trip to Vegas, but it's not the only indoor garden around. The Mirage has a rainforest, the Palazzo has a floral lobby, and the Encore has a totally unexpected walkway lined with trees and floral sculptures. 

If you want to see a fantastic water show, you'll have get a seat at their bar or outdoor restaurant. After dark, they have a water wall that comes alive with fountains and projected images. It's not free, but it is if you plan to take there anyway. We'll definitely be doing that on a future trip.

Downtown Container Park

I've talked about the container park before. It's basically an outdoor shopping center with tiny shops made from old shipping containers. There are restaurants, an arcade, a salon, a wedding "chapel", a large playground, and a fake grassy area where you can stake a spot on to watch a free movie on certain days.

After 9pm, the Container Park is 21+. You don't have to go in to enjoy the large metal mantis out front that spews fire. Every 15 minutes or so, music will start and the mantis rocks in time with it and also fire shoots out of its antennae. It's a fantastic light show and totally free. You'll also find the Dome here, which also used to be a Burning Man installation, but is now a mini theater.

The Dome LV

This year they have added a brand new attraction to downtown. The dome that was already a staple at the Container Park has been turned into a mini theater. Of course we had to try it out. They do light shows throughout the day with different themes. We sat in on the U2 show and were the only ones in there. 

While you can get an hour show for around $12 a person, if you book your shows online, you pay less. They even have a meal and show option that's only $15 per person, which is a fantastic deal in my opinion.

Two things I'll tell you: 

1. If it's really hot outside, the temperature inside won't be much better. I would wait until it's dark to hit a show. It felt like we were in an oven, despite the fact that they have "air conditioning" in there. The air doesn't move at all, so it doesn't make a noticeable difference, except that the sun isn't beating down on you.
2. If you get motion sickness, maybe skip this, as it can be very disorienting and make you feel like you're spinning through space at times.

Pinball Hall of Fame

This can be as cheap or as expensive as you like. The PHoF is full of vintage and retro pinball machines, with a few other games mixed in for fun. I think the most recent machine I saw in there was Terminator. I love this place, because machines are either one or two quarters (there are a LOT of 25 cent ones). You can stay for an hour or more on just $5, so it's a fun way to spend time and appreciate some games you either never saw or miss from the past. 

Each machine has a sign on it that tells you when it hit the market, which company designed it and a bit of history behind the concept. It's really interesting and easy to lose yourself here for hours at a time. It's a bit off The Strip and looks pretty shady from the outside, but don't let the building fool you. Inside is huge entertainment.

M&M World

If you love M&Ms, this is a fun place to visit. There are multiple floors of all the colored candies, artwork, clothing and other products, and even a free movie featuring your favorite M&M guys (and lady).  

photo by Eric

Coca-Cola World

I didn't get to go to this last year, but Eric went and you can taste test some of the Coke products sold around the world. You can also browse and buy tons of amazing products and clothing. 

Pallazzo lobby & atrium

Like the Bellagio, there are flowers everywhere, including masquerade women. The atrium is just the tip of the iceberg. Make your way into the Canal Shoppes to see the magnificent waterfall and other landscapes. There's a spectacular bridge on display with fountain. 

Aria lobby & water wall

The lobby is beautiful and has some fun art including floral clouds. Out front is a wall that creates a waterfall when water is pumped over it in different ways. There is also a fun multi-colored fountain and these amazing pigeon chairs to wait for your valet (or just enjoy being next to the water wall).

Flamingo's flamingo habitat

This seems to be a little known and underrated attraction to anyone not staying at the hotel. It's a little difficult to find, but if you follow the signs and go out to what looks like the pool, you're there. There are more than flamingos, too. There are storks, turtles, ducks, koi, waterfalls and a cute flamingo fountain. 

Obviously, there are plenty of other cool things to do in Sin City. There's really something for everyone. You may like the craze of Fremont Street, the free circus acts at Circus Circus, the piles of candy at Hershey Chocolate World, the big crowds at the Mirage for the nightly volcano show or the mermaid brunch at the Silverado. These are just some of my favorite ways to save money in town, while I splurge on some delicious cuisine and gamble in between. 

What are your favorite things to do in Vegas? 

6 Reasons To Choose a Vacation Rental

As a timeshare owner, I've gotten used to having a larger space to crash in when I vacation. Unfortunately, I can't always get into a timeshare property, or there aren't any where I'm going. Usually, I check out Airbnb {<--use that link for $40 off!}. There's a time and a place to opt for a hotel, but as a budget traveler, being able to save money on food and saving my sanity by not being in everyone's pocket 24/7 is very important. Here are my 6 reasons to choose a vacation rental.

You get a kitchen

This means you can cook your own meals! Now, keep in mind, I don't go on vacation to cook, especially since cool new foods are the best part of traveling to me. I do, however, hate getting up super early, so I tend to load up on breakfast foods. This allows me to spend a little more time in bed, plus I save money on morning dining. We usually spend at least one dinner in, either making something easy or eating leftovers, which we were able to bring back, because we have a fridge and an oven.

In many rentals we've stayed in, they've also included grills, so we could BBQ if we wanted. This is great if you are traveling in the warmer months. If you travel with kids, having a place to prepare and store foods can be imperative for your sanity and saving money.

You (generally) have a separate bedroom

Listen, I don't need to have a different room with a bed, but it's nice. I'll settle for separate, defined spaces, just so I can get away from my travelmate(s) for a minute. I adore my husband, but we don't always want to be in each other's faces. A hotel room normally has a bed and one chair. If you're lucky, you get a tiny table or a desk. Even if you bring back leftovers, you can't really sit anywhere comfortable. If you have to do work or just want to play on your laptop, there's not a good place to do that either. 

I don't always go to bed at the same time as people I travel with. It's nice to have a table where I can type away, a couch to relax on, a bed for sleeping purposes that doesn't also double as a terrible chair, or a room where I can just hang out alone in that isn't the bathroom. 

You can choose your amenities

I have a small list of must-haves when I travel: WiFi, TV, a shower (if I'm traveling to Europe where not all places have one), and laundry facilities. I get these things in a timeshare property, but I can also choose these things specifically when searching for a vacation rental. For example, we're going to Edinburgh and London in the fall and I want to pack light. Because of this, it's especially helpful to have access to a washer and dryer. I've had to go to the laundromat in the past and while it wasn't the most annoying thing, it cost quite a bit in London. 

You can choose your price range

Sure, you can do this with hotels, but for the same price, you can search for a vacation rental that is in a location desirable to you, plus includes all the amenities you hope to get in a place to stay. If you can get all this for the same price or a little more, you're still saving money on baggage fees, food, laundry, and possibly entertainment, because you have room to spread out and play games and/or watch movies.

You can feel at home

This is the number one reason I enjoy a vacation rental over a hotel. Feeling weirdly displaced when you travel is hard. I like to feel like my space has a home. I don't need a maid to come in and clean up after me every day. I want my space to feel cozy and comfy and lived in. I can make a rental feel like my home until I leave. I can spread out my stuff, not worry about anyone coming in to clean (where I have to clear up things before I leave each morning). 

Having what equates to a small home or apartment makes me feel like I'm a traveler instead of a tourist. Like I'm living like a local. Some come with free parking, some are in buildings with extra security, some have pools or gyms. The best part is that if you don't want these things, you rent a different place and don't pay for them, unlike when you stay in a hotel that offers them for everyone.

You have a true local on-call

One thing you usually don't think about is having someone you can contact for an inside look at your destination. Yes, there's the front desk or concierge at a hotel, but when you rent from a local, it's easy to pick their brain to find out where they like to go and what they'd recommend seeing to an out-of-towner. They probably aren't rich and they certainly don't get kick-backs for pointing you in the direction of an activity or restaurant. Some live steps away or welcome calls/texts or leave detailed folders with all the cool stuff for you to peruse. I always get awesome suggestions this way. 

What are your favorite reasons to choose a rental over a hotel?

How I'm Packing for Vegas

The Travel Goods Show is coming up next month and I'm already packed. Yes, it's four weeks away, but you know by now that I never wait until the last minute to do such things. I have packing down to a science now, so here's how I packed for four days in Vegas:

The bag

I often come back home with a whole bag full of freebies and/or review items, and sometimes a brand new suitcase, so bringing a rolly bag when I might end up with a second one is out. Bringing a shoulder bag is nice, but if I don't end up with a rolly bag, then I have two shoulder bags to figure out how to juggle, so this time I opted for a slim backpack from Timbuk2.

With a small backpack, it's easy to navigate everywhere, I still have my hands free if I have to drag a rolling bag or carry my spare tote and I can shove my small purse in my tote as well, so I'm still only carrying two bags on the plane, one of which fits under the seat. My goal is to not pay baggage fees unless I absolutely have to.

This new backpack is meant for a laptop, so it's padded and has different compartments. It gives me less width in the main compartment though, so I can't over pack.

My laptop

Usually I take my laptop on trips with me to work when I have downtime. It's a monster seventeen inches, because I like a big screen and a separate number pad. This makes it a little difficult to find a bag that it fits in. I do t always bring it on short trips with me, but last year I only took my iPad mini and a keyboard and I really couldn't get any good work done. 

I'll also be flying back through Seattle and taking the train home from there to save money, so that should be a good set up as a little office for those 3+ hours.

My electronics

We've already discussed my honkin' huge laptop. I also bring along my iPad mini, because it's good for games and videos and reading on the plane and in bed. I can also do quick photo editing.

Of course my phone is coming with me. It doubles as a camera, notebook, and distraction if I'm waiting for things. And I keep a large battery backup for long days.

I need to bring charging cables for all these things, plus I always travel with a small power strip, because I like to plug everything in in the same space in my room. That way I know where everything is and I don't forget anything when I leave. It has 3 USB ports and a regular outlet. It's perfect when I travel by myself. (It doesn't look like it's available anymore, but I've used the one above for travel and at home.)

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A post shared by Shereen Travels Cheap (@srayle) on Jan 16, 2019 at 10:36am PST

My clothes

I'll be going from cool weather to (hopefully) warmer weather on this trip, but the nights might be chilly. I'm a big believer in layering, so I'm wearing a pair of dark stretchy jeans that are also appropriate for everything else, meaning I can straight from the airport to breakfast to the convention center. On top I'm wearing a basic tee and a cardigan and then I'll have my coat if it's needed. I'll also be wearing walking shoes on the plane.

In my bag, I've packed 4 tops that all work with my cardigan and a pair of nice sandals. My color scheme this trip is blue, black and gray, so everything mixes and matches well.

I'm not doing socks, but I always get cold in my room, so I've packed a small pair of slippers. And , as always, I'm bringing my Happyluxe wrap just in case I need a spare layer or want a blanket for the plane or my room.

Of course I have pajamas: a t-shirt and a pair of joggers. I needed a backup pair of pants in case I needed to run and do some laundry out in public. And then undies and an extra bra.

All of my clothes are rolled up in two very small packing cubes and I've added a packing zipper bag (like a Space bag) in case I'm in need of a little extra space on my way home.

My toiletries

Since most of my time will be spent at the show or with friends (or on the plane/train), I don't really need much. I've packed sample sizes of my favorite makeup, will use my compact powder in my purse, and am only taking some sample size shampoo and conditioner packets. I've got a tiny pot of dry shampoo for days my hair needs a bit more help.

I've opted to save my biggest space for allegy meds and other necessities that cost a fortune if I need to buy them, like Emergen-C, and a bigger tube of sunscreen.

Because I've got TSA precheck, I don't have to separate my liquids and use yet another bag. This in itself is a small win.

Miscellaneous

I'm always hungry when I'm on the move, so I've packed enough snacks for travel days and an emergency ration or two in my purse for convention days.

Last, but not least, I have a small box of spare business cards and a puzzle book, because you never know and sometimes you don't want to stare at a screen.

For some of you, this will seem like way too little for 4 days, but I don't want to bring a bigger bag that I have to lug around. For others of you, this may seem like more than I need and I salute you. I'm not going to do laundry if I don't necessarily have to, which is why I brought two extra tops. If it's super warm, I want to be able to have a second shoe option that allow my feet to breathe. I know I probably don't need my laptop, iPad and phone, but the smaller two both fit in my small handbag, so I don't feel like I'm wasting space I need for other things that are important.

What are your favorite ways to pack light?


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