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15 Fun and Low Cost Things to Do in Las Vegas On a Budget

You don’t have to be a high roller to visit Sin City. In fact, you can have a lot of fun in Las Vegas without spending too much money.

I’m sharing low-cost things to do and budget-friendly places to eat so that you can have extra money to splurge on bucket-list adventures while you are in town.

welcome to Las Vegas sign

Start your visit at the ” Welcome to Las Vegas ” Sign

5200 S Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas, NV

No visit to Las Vegas is complete without a visit to the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada sign located amongst the palm trees.

This is actually one of Vegas’ major attractions, so there is a small parking lot available for visitors. If you are lucky, you might be greeted by an Elvis who is known to frequent the area when you arrive.

welcome to Las Vegas sign

You might notice a line of people waiting to take a picture but if you move to the right side of the sign (off the turf) you can still get your picture without the wait or people in your shot.

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

Hike Red Rock Canyon

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area is located less than 30 minutes from downtown Las Vegas and I highly recommend planning a day trip to visit while you are in town.

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area Calico Trail

You can visit the park for a $20 admission fee per car/truck. If visiting on a holiday check their website for information on fee free days.

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

The Calico Tanks trail takes about 2 hours and is considered moderate to strenuous.

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

It’s the perfect blend of gorgeous scenery mixed with some challenging parts on the trail that will make you feel like a champion after you figure out how to get over them.

people hiking Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

The trail isn’t always marked clearly so expect that you might blaze your own trail at a few points along the way on accident.

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

Don’t worry, you will figure it out eventually and get back on track pretty easily.

woman at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

Once you get to the very top the views are totally worth every ounce of sweat.

sitting at the top of rocks at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

This is a great place to see the skyline of Las Vegas off in the distance.

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area Las Vegas

Make sure that you bring a backpack with water and sunscreen. You also want to wear shoes with good traction because the sandstone can get slick.

Sharky's Mexican Kitchen

Enjoy a Meal at Sharky’s Woodfired Mexican Grill

Sharky’s offers fresh and affordable menu items in a fast-casual environment.

Sharky's fish tacos

Sharky’s has two locations in Las Vegas conveniently located not too far from the entrance and exit of Red Rock Canyon. You can fuel up before your hike or reward yourself after.

Sharky's Las Vegas

Even though the environment is fast casual, the food quality is anything but. The menu items are made fresh to order with as many organic, natural, and locally-sourced items as possible.

gaucamole at Sharky's

Make sure that you order the guacamole and try the sangria or craft beer along with your tacos or burrito.

fish tacos at Sharky's

With menu items averaging around $10, you can enjoy a great meal without breaking the bank.

Fremont Street Experience Las Vegas

Explore the Fremont Street Experience

425 E Fremont St, Las Vegas, NV

There is a LOT to see and do on Fremont Street.

Fremont Street Experience Las Vegas

The people-watching alone is pretty fascinating and you will find live music throughout as you walk the street.

Fremont Street Experience Las Vegas at night

You can watch zipliners above you along with free entertainment, compliments of the Viva Vision light shows that happen hourly after 6pm.

Fremont Street Experience Las Vegas at night

Binions Casino Las Vegas

Free Slot Machine Pulls in Las Vegas

There are free slot machine pulls at Binion’s and Four Queens where guests could win up to $2500.

Downtown Container Park Las Vegas

Check out the Downtown Container Park

707 Fremont St, Las Vegas, NV

The Downtown Container Park is made up of over 40 shipping containers.

Downtown Container Park Las Vegas

A mix of stores, restaurants, bars, and entertainment, the Downtown Container Park is an interesting tourist attraction that has something for everyone.

Kids will enjoy being greeted by a 55-Foot Preying Mantis as they enter the open-air complex and have so much fun playing on the Tree House & Play Zone at the Container Park.

Downtown Container Park Las Vegas

The Container Park also offers free movie nights and other events to the public.

Downtown Container Park Las Vegas

Make sure that you go up a few floors to check out the shops and the great views.

street art Las Vegas

View the Street Art in Downtown Las Vegas

I LOVE street art and I try to find it whenever I visit a city.

street art Las Vegas

After a visit to the Container Park, you can take a self-guided Downtown Art Mural Tour.

street art Las Vegas

You will discover lots of different styles within a few block radius. Each corner is like discovering a new artistic treasure.

street art Las Vegas
street art Las Vegas
street art Las Vegas
street art Las Vegas

I had a hard time narrowing down my favorites so I’m sharing a lot of them so that you can see and appreciate the variety.

street art Las Vegas
street art Las Vegas

There is a high concentration of murals around 7th street and for a comprehensive guide to the street art click here. 

Esther's Kitchen Las Vegas

Enjoy a Happy Hour Dinner at Esther’s Kitchen

1130 S Casino Center Blvd #110, Las Vegas, NV 

drink at Esther's Kitchen Las Vegas

Purchase an alcoholic beverage and get half-priced pasta when you dine in and sit at the bar from 5-7 pm at Esther’s Kitchen.

This is a great deal because the pasta is already reasonably priced and the pasta and bread are all made in-house.

bread at Esther's Kitchen Las Vegas

Get the housemade sourdough bread with cultured butter and olive oil.

Trust me on this one!

pizza at Esther's Kitchen Las Vegas

The pizza made with a natural sourdough crust is also very good.

pasta at Esther's Kitchen Las Vegas

Basically carb up and know that you will end up walking it off in Vegas anyway. It’s totally worth it!

pasta at Esther's Kitchen Las Vegas

Esther’s Kitchen also sources its food as organically and locally as possible.

Esther's Kitchen Las Vegas

The staff at Esther’s will make you feel like family or an old friend that you have known for years.

The food will leave an impression that will last beyond your visit and trying to figure out how you can fit in another visit.

Silverton Casino Aquarium

Watch a Free Show at the Silverton Casino Aquarium

Visit a 117,000-gallon aquarium for free at the Silverton Casino Hotel and be on the lookout for a mermaid swim or dive show.

Silverton Casino Aquarium

At the aquarium, you will also see sharks, stingrays, and a variety of fish.

Silverton Casino Aquarium

Check out their schedule so that you can time your visit with a stingray feeding, dive show or mermaid swim.

Silverton Casino Aquarium

If you want a unique experience make sure that you check out the Mermaid Show

Large Coca Cola Bottle Sign Las Vegas

Sample Coca-Cola From Around the World

It might be a small world but when it comes to taste, Coca-Cola varies quite a bit depending on the country.

 Coca Cola store Las Vegas

For around $10 you can get a Coke Sampling tray with 16 flavors of Coca-Cola from around the world.

 Coca Cola samples Las Vegas

The Coca-Cola beverage bar is on the second floor at the Coca-Cola Store on the Las Vegas Strip.

 guide for Coca Cola samples Las Vegas

My husband and I decided to share a sample tray which worked out perfectly.

 Coca Cola samples Las Vegas

Realistically you are not going to drink all of them because some of them are not really that enjoyable.

Regardless, it’s still fun to try all of them and learn about popular flavors in other countries.

Fountains at the Bellagio

Watch the Fountains at the Bellagio Day and Night

This free attraction is a MUST when you visit Las Vegas because the Bellagio fountains are truly a modern marvel.

Each show is different in song selection and choreography so you will want to see it more than once and at least one time during the day and at night.

Fountains at the Bellagio

There are more than a thousand fountains that dance enhanced by music and light soaring as high as 460 feet in the air and 1,000 feet in width.

Make sure that you allow enough time to find a good viewing spot because the fountains of Bellagio are a popular attraction.

Fountains at the Bellagio at night

The good news is the fountain show runs frequently throughout the week; it takes place every half hour from 3pm to 8pm Monday through Friday and every 15 minutes from 8pm to midnight.

Fountains at the Bellagio at night

On Sundays, the show starts at 11am every half hour until 7pm when the show goes on every 15 minutes until midnight.

On Saturdays and Holidays, the shows start at noon every half hour, and then changes to every 15 minutes from 8pm to midnight.

Pinball Hall of Fame

Take a Trip Down Memory Lane at the Pinball Hall of Fame

One of the best things about the Pinball Hall of Fame is that games range from $.25 to $1 so the whole family can have a great time without breaking the bank.

Pinball Hall of Fame

You can also feel good about your gameplay because all proceeds from the Pinball Hall of Fame go to charity.

Pinball Hall of Fame
Pinball Hall of Fame

Occupying over 10,000 square feet, the Pinball Hall of Fame doesn’t pay to advertise and offers one of the best ways for pinball lovers to enjoy a variety of games.

Pinball Hall of Fame

You will get to play on the world’s largest pinball collection open to the public with games ranging from the 1950s up to the 1990s.

Omelet House Las Vegas

Fill Up With Breakfast at Omelet House

Omelet House Las Vegas

The Omelet House is a bit of a time capsule and one of the best places on earth to get an omelet.

Omelet House Las Vegas

It’s been around since the late 1970s and its a good deal because you can literally feed two people for the price of one as each omelet is made with 6 eggs!

Omelet House Las Vegas

Fun fact: There are 38 types of omelets! But don’t worry, you can still find other breakfast and lunch menu items to choose from if you don’t go with their namesake.

Omelet House Las Vegas

I would also suggest trying homemade bread with your omelet, like banana or pumpkin, instead of toast when given the option because they are really delicious.

Caesars Palace Las Vegas
casino ceiling painting in Las Vegas
the strip at Las Vegas Nevada
Flamingo Casino
Las Vegas strip monorail

Explore the Las Vegas Strip via Monorail

When you visit Las Vegas you are going to do A LOT of walking so plan accordingly. This is not the time to test out a new pair of shoes. You need comfort first, and stylish second.

Luxor Las Vegas

My husband and I walked between 17,000- 20,000 steps daily during our visit. If you want to save on some steps to see the sights I suggest purchasing a Monorail pass.

The train arrives every 4-8 minutes at seven stations located throughout the strip.

New York New York in Las Vegas

Station stops include MGM Grand, Bally’s/Paris Las Vegas, Flamingo/Caesars Palace, Harrah’s/The LINQ, Las Vegas Convention Center, Westgate Las Vegas, and the SLS Las Vegas Station.

LINQ Promenade Las Vegas
Las Vegas Luxor

Check out a few points of interest along the way on the Las Vegas Strip

mirage Las Vegas
  • The Volcano at The Mirage
Caesars Palace Las Vegas
  • Caesars Palace
  • Forum Shops and Fall of Atlantis show at Caesars Palace
Love sign Las Vegas
  • The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian Hotel Las Vegas
flamingo wildlife habitat Las Vegas
  • Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel & Casino’s Wildlife Habitat
  • Waterfall Atrium at The Palazzo Las Vegas
Bellagio Hotel
  • Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens at Bellagio Hotel and CasinoWalk to Caesars Palace to The LINQ Promenade
  • Iconic, themed hotels, including New York-New York Hotel Vegas and Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino (where you can see the Eiffel Tower!)
Fashion Show Las Vegas
  • You can also walk to Fashion Show, a shopping mall on Las Vegas Boulevard
welcome to Las Vegas sign

End Your Visit With the Las Vegas Sign

Visiting the neon lights of the Las Vegas sign before you depart is a little bittersweet but you will be taking back lots of great memories between your first pic of the sign and your last.

come back soon sign Las Vegas

Thanks again to Visit Las Vegas for hosting my visit. All opinions are my own.

Las Vegas Fremont Street

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