Free things to do in Las Vegas during Super Bowl 2024, from Bellagio to Fremont Street
With top-dollar entertainment and attractions, hotels that charge resort fees and prices going up for restaurants and buffets, a trip to Las Vegas isn't for the budget-conscious.
That's with or without Super Bowl 2024, which will be played on Feb. 11 at Allegiant Stadium, with Usher performing the halftime show.
But those looking to save a little on their visits can find numerous free attractions and things to do in Las Vegas, from iconic landmarks to shows to a chocolate shop tour.
Some of the attractions listed here are among Tripadvisor’s top things to do in Las Vegas, free or paid.
Here are 14 free things to do in Las Vegas.
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Fountains of Bellagio
Sure, Adele at Caesars Palace or U2 at the Sphere might be among the most popular (and costly) tickets in town. But what is perhaps the most iconic show in Las Vegas won’t cost you a dime.
Every afternoon and evening at Bellagio on the Strip, the Fountains of Bellagio erupt with water that reaches as high as 460 feet. Light and music enhance the show, whose look and feel were inspired by the romantic spirit of the fountains of Paris and Rome.
The Fountains of Bellagio show runs every 30 minutes from 3 to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 6:30 p.m. on weekends and holidays. It happens every 15 minutes from 7 p.m. to midnight daily. Be aware that the display is subject to cancellation due to inclement weather.
Details: 3600 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 888-987-6667, bellagio.mgmresorts.com.
Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens
While the fountains are the Bellagio’s most famous free attraction, they’re not the only one. The hotel also has a 14,000-square-foot conservatory and botanical gardens that change with the seasons.
During Super Bowl week, the Bellagio Conservatory will feature a Lunar New Year-themed display inspired by 2024 being the Year of the Dragon. A video of the garden showed towering cherry blossom trees, gushing waterfalls and intricate animatronic dragons.
Details: 3600 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 888-987-6667, bellagio.mgmresorts.com.
Fremont Street Experience
This pedestrian mall in downtown Las Vegas is an entertainment hub known for its Viva Vision light shows on the world’s largest LED canopy screen, as well as for free concerts, including the Downtown Rocks series.
Fremont Street will host the Excessive Celebration Bowl Bash during Super Bowl 2024, including free concerts from Starship featuring Mickey Thomas on Feb. 8, future Chandler Ostrich Festival headliner Chris Lane on Feb. 9 and 2023 Tempe Innings Festival performers The Offspring on Feb. 10.
There are also two zip line courses, but they’ll cost you. Tickets for the seven-stories-high Zip-Zilla start at $49; tickets for the 11-stories-high Super-Hero Zoom start at $69.
Details: Fremont Street between Main Street and Las Vegas Boulevard. vegasexperience.com.
Silverton Casino Lodge aquarium and mermaid show
Despite the city's lack of coastline, you can find mermaids in Las Vegas.
The Silverton Casino Lodge has an aquarium with more than 117,000 gallons of water and thousands of tropical fish. It hosts daily stingray feedings and mermaid shows, the latter starring a cast of professional mermaids – some of whom are professional divers – who swim every half hour during afternoons and evenings.
Mermaid fans with more money in their budget can apply for the aquarium’s Mermaid School, a 90-minute experience that provides children and adults the chance to learn how to be a mermaid. It’s recommended only for people who are strong swimmers and costs $175 for children and $225 for adults.
Details: 3333 Blue Diamond Road, Las Vegas. 702-263-7777, silvertoncasino.com
Flamingo Wildlife Habitat
True to its name, the Flamingo has flamingos.
The long-necked, pink-feathered tropical birds are among the many creatures that roam the resort’s 4-acre gardens, coexisting with brown pelicans, hummingbirds, koi and other animals. Visit at 8:30 a.m. or 2 p.m. to hear one of the habitat’s keepers talk about the animals that live there.
Details: 3555 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. caesars.com.
Fall of Atlantis at Caesars Forum Shops
How about shopping and a show?
What if that show included a giant winged dragon?
For that experience, visit the Caesars Forum Shops from Thursday through Monday, at the top of the hour from noon to 8 p.m. The show blends pyrotechnics, fountains and talking animatronics – oh yes, and that giant dragon – to tell a story of a mythological family feud that befalls a kingdom.
Details: 3500 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-893-4800, simon.com.
Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign
This 25-foot-tall sign, installed in 1959, marks the official start of the Las Vegas Strip. It’s one of the city’s most famous landmarks and a popular spot for selfies. It’s free to see and take pictures with the sign.
Details: 5100 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas.
Ethel M Chocolates Factory Tour
Legendary chocolatier Forrest Mars, whose accomplishments include inventing M&Ms, founded a gourmet chocolate company in 1981 that he named after his mother, Ethel Mars.
Today, Las Vegas travelers can see how Ethel M Chocolates are made, plus take a stroll in the factory’s adjacent cactus garden, for free. Chocolate tastings cost extra; they’re $25 for adults ($35 if you want to include wine) and $15 for children.
Details: 2 Cactus Garden Drive, Henderson. 702-435-2608, ethelm.com.
M&M's World
Speaking of M&M's, Las Vegas is home to the first M&M's World store. Of course, it sells the iconic chocolates encased in colorful sugar coating, but it also serves up an immersive experience across four floors, where people can find life-size character displays, watch a free 3D movie and see a replica of NASCAR driver Kyle Busch’s M&M's-sponsored race car.
Details: 3785 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-740-2504, mms.com.
Seven Magic Mountains
People who choose to venture outside of Las Vegas might consider wandering into the desert for a surreal art installation.
Seven Magic Mountains, constructed by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone, displays seven towers of painted boulders stacked more than 30 feet high. The artwork represents how its location intersects between its natural desert surroundings and the artificial surroundings of highway traffic and the city.
Details: Las Vegas Boulevard between the towns of Sloan and Jean. From downtown Las Vegas, take Exit 25 off Interstate 15 southbound to get there. sevenmagicmountains.com.
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Pinball Hall of Fame
A short distance from the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign and less than 2 miles from Allegiant Stadium, the site of Super Bowl 2024, is the world's largest collection of pinball machines.
The 25,000-square-foot Pinball Hall of Fame, operated by the nonprofit Las Vegas Pinball Collectors Club, houses more than 400 pinball machines from the past and present. The collection's oldest game is a 1933 Jigsaw pinball machine from Rock-Ola that commemorated the 1933 Chicago World's Fair. Its newest is a 2023 Foo Fighters-themed pinball machine.
The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. It's free to browse the collection, but it costs 25 cents and up to play the machines. Money raised from gameplay supports local charities.
Details: 4925 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 702-597-2627, pinballmuseum.org.
Circus Acts at Circus Circus
Every day is a carnival at Circus Circus, with a midway featuring games and circus acts. The entertainment ranges from trapeze artists to aerial dancers and jugglers, and it's all free. Performances start at 1:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and 11:30 a.m. Fridays through Sundays.
Details: 2880 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas. 800-634-3450, circuscircus.com.
Mystic Falls Park at Sam’s Town
In the middle of the casino floor at Sam's Town is a lush park filled with trees and an artificial waterfall. The park's main draw is a laser light show that takes place every evening at 6, 8 and 10 p.m. (There's also a 4 p.m. show on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.)
Details: 5111 Boulder Highway, Las Vegas. 702-456-7777, samstownlv.boydgaming.com.
Shelby Heritage Center
Those who appreciate classic muscle cars may enjoy the Shelby Heritage Center. Here, people can see nearly 30 vehicles designed by the late sports car racer and automotive designer Carroll Shelby, including the AC Cobra, which was designed to compete with the Chevrolet Corvette in the 1960s.
Visitors can take a self-guided tour of the center for free, or pay $59 for a VIP guided tour to see the Shelby cars and see how the muscle cars are made. Free tours are available during normal business hours, which are 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Details: 6405 Ensworth St., Las Vegas. 702-942-7325, shelby.com.
Michael Salerno is an award-winning journalist who’s covered travel and tourism since 2014. His work as The Arizona Republic’s consumer travel reporter aims to help readers navigate the stresses of traveling and get the best value for their money on their vacations. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @salerno_phx.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Best free things to do in Las Vegas during Super Bowl 2024