20 Things To Do In Las Vegas Besides Gambling

This post was most recently updated on August 20th, 2021

If you mention the city of Las Vegas to anyone, the first thing that probably comes to mind are the casinos. Although the casinos have been the biggest draw to Vegas for years, there are plenty of other things to do in Las Vegas besides gambling.

Not being big gamblers ourselves, we wanted to see what else Las Vegas had to offer. With our 3 days in the city, we discovered some very unique and definitely Vegas style things to do. For more on our trip click here.

Vegas Towers

For an amazing view of the Las Vegas landscape, take a ride up the Strat tower near the end of the strip. The Stratosphere Tower at 1149 feet has the highest observation deck in the United States.

1. The Strat

There’s also an award winning restaurant in the Skypod called Top Of The World which slowly revolves as you eat. Or one floor up in the observation deck, grab a drink at the 107 Skylounge Bar.

2. Eiffel Tower Experience

Although the Strat has the best view in Las Vegas, another option is the Eiffel Tower experience at the Paris Hotel and Casino. Since you’re right in the heart of the strip, you’ll get a more up close view of the bustling street from 46 stories up. And the glass elevator will make you feel like you’re on a ride with Willy Wonka.

For an even better view, book a romantic dinner at the Eiffel Tower restaurant at night and see the city lit up, plus get an amazing view of the Bellagio Fountains.

Rides In Las Vegas

For an adrenaline rush, the Strat offers Skyjump which is bungee jumping over the side of the tower. Or X-Scream where you roll down a track similar to a roller coaster and rock back and forth on the end.

3. X-Scream

Also at the Strat is Insanity the trill ride. A giant claw like machine spins you out and around the side of the Stratosphere Tower over 866 feet in the air.

4. Insanity

If your looking for a more slower paced ride, try the High Roller Observation Wheel at the Linq. This is the largest observation wheel in the world and takes roughly 30 minutes for a complete rotation. Surprisingly up to 40 people can fit in one pod.

5. High Roller Observation Wheel

The Big Apple coaster at New York New York Hotel and Casino twists and turns through a Manhattan skyline view in this 3 minute ride. You also have the option of a virtual reality experience on the coaster for $5 more.

6. The Big Apple Coaster

Not into heights? Take a romantic ride on a gondola at the Venetian. You have the choice of either an indoor or outdoor ride. The indoor is a longer ride at 15 minutes.

7. Gondola Ride

8. Flamingo Wildlife Habitat

For something free to do in Las Vegas, take a walk through the Flamingo Hotel and Casino to the beautiful, lush gardens located just out the back doors of the casino.

This habitat is also home to some ducks, pelicans, swans, koi fish, and some turtles. Every day at 8:30 and 2 pm you can watch the pelican feedings.

9. Shopping In Las Vegas

No matter what you’re looking for, you can probably find it in Las Vegas. Everything from high end shops to your popular every day stores are located in Las Vegas. If outlet shopping is your thing, there’s both a north and south outlet mall you could spend hours at.

For more luxury brands check out the Grand Canal Shoppes located inside the Venetian Hotel and Casino. Or the popular Fashion Show Mall which carries your typical mall stores. On the weekends at the Fashion Mall they host different fashion shows where you can buy the pieces from the show the same day.

10. Las Vegas Entertainment

You can’t go to Las Vegas without at least taking in a few shows. The performances change all the time, and the variety of entertainment is never ending. Definitely something for everyone!

11. Madame Tussauds

Madame Tussauds is a wax museum located in the Venetian. Here you can get your picture taken with plenty of sports figures, musicians, actors, and other famous people. The Hangover Bar is also inside if you want to grab a drink.

12. Las Vegas Pool Parties

Las Vegas has plenty of beach clubs to spend the day at. One of the best pool parties is at The Cromwell. Located 11 stories up from the strip is Drai’s Beach Club. Fridays to Sundays is the day to come for live entertainment.

13. Exotic Car Rentals

Ever dream of driving a Ferrari, Lamborghini, or maybe an Aston Martin? Las Vegas is the place where you can make that happen. Choose your dream car, and go for a spin up and down the strip. Rentals available for a few hours to 24 hours or more.

14. Fremont Street Las Vegas

A few miles north of the strip is where old downtown Las Vegas is located. Also home to the Golden Gate Hotel, the first hotel on Fremont Street. This is where you’ll find cheaper food, buskers, and an interesting array of other characters in the street with an anything goes party type atmosphere.

You can’t miss the Fremont Street Canopy while you’re there. It’s a 90 foot LED lit canopy occupying 4 blocks. Every night at dusk, a huge light and sound show is displayed in the ceiling of the canopy.

15. The Mob Museum

This museum not only takes an in depth look at the history of Las Vegas and how it came to be run by the mob, but also a look at organized crime then and now. Walking along the 3 floors you’ll see plenty of artifacts from different mafia crimes and the jails they stayed in, as well as wax figures of the most famous mob men.

For part of your tour you’ll be sitting in the historic court room where the hearing took place in 1950 for the mobs involvement in the Las Vegas Casinos. The court room has since been restored to look exactly like it did at that hearing.

16. Pawn Shop Las Vegas NV

If you’ve ever watched the Pawn Stars TV show, you might want to check out their Gold and Silver Pawn shop. But if you’re interested in seeing some of the stars you’ll have more luck finding them at Rick’s restaurant next door on the weekends. Or at Chumlee’s candy store beside the restaurant.

17. Las Vegas Wedding Chapels

What’s one of the most popular things to do in Las Vegas besides gambling? Getting married of course! There are around 50 different wedding chapels to choose from. And with around 300 weddings performed each day, it’s no wonder Las Vegas is called the marriage capital of the world.

18. Bellagio Fountain Show

Every day you can watch the spectacular light and water show at the Bellagio Fountains. The dancing fountains are choreographed to different types of music and are free to view. Come after dusk for the best lighting display.

19. Las Vegas Sporting Events

If you love sports, there are plenty of Vegas sports to keep you happy. Starting with the Vegas Golden Knights hockey team who play at the T-Mobile Arena.

For football they’ve got the Las Vegas Raiders who will soon be playing at the brand new Allegiant Stadium. Plus there’s also the Las Vegas Aces women’s basketball team, or every month you can catch a scheduled UFC fight.

20. Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Catch a Nascar race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway if you happen to be there at the right time. If not, try the Nascar Racing Experience and drive your own Nascar race car around the track by yourself.