3 Awesome things to do in Vegas besides Gamble

I’ve confessed my love for Las Vegas and sing its praises every chance I get. Given my recent devotion to all things Europe, this proclamation is often met with a look of surprise and a head shake. While I admit I haven’t given Sin City the love it deserves recently, I still am one of its biggest fans.

You see, I’m a gambler and Vegas is my mecca. But even if you’re not quite as eager to slide up to the blackjack table and throw down you’re hard-earned money as I am, there are a ton of things to do in Vegas other than gambling. Plus, Las Vegas hotels are probably the most outlandish I’ve ever experienced and are worth the trip to Sin City alone.

People Watch

 

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I challenge anyone to come up with a better place to people watch than Las Vegas. You can’t! It simply doesn’t exist. Whether laying by the pool, having a late-night snack, sitting at a slot machine, or walking the strip, there is absolutely no telling what you will see in Vegas. Thanks to the city’s clever tag line, “What happens here, stays here,” people feel like their vacation is occurring in a vacuum. This place brings out the crazy in otherwise normal people, but those aren’t the ones I like to observe. Instead, it’s the folks who are just plain odd all the time. I’m talking about those who wear their underwear on top of their jeans and mutter nonsense to themselves. It’s like Vegas is a magnet attracting crazy.

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And the strangest of the strange, where do they congregate? Downtown Las Vegas under the canopy of Fremont Street. I’ve seen things there that leave this Vegas veteran shaking her head. When I need a break from the tables {or am broke} I like to wander Fremont in search of the absurd. I don’t have to go too far. And the fact that I love staying downtown, what does that say about me? I guess it takes one to know one.

See the Sublime and the Ridiculous

 

From to the exploding volcano at the Mirage and the sexy pirate sea battle at Treasure Island, Las Vegas isn’t short of ridiculous sights to behold. The Fremont Street Experience downtown at first glance is gaudy, but after about ten seconds of neck craning up at the 25-million LED lights you’re sucked in and counting down the minutes until the show plays again.

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Can’t get to Rio for Carnival? You’re in luck, because in the evenings at the Rio, you’ll get a little taste with their Show in the Sky. Essentially it’s a mini samba parade that snakes above the casino on tracks. Ridiculous? Absolutely! But I promise you’ll be knocking people over for those cheap, plastic beads before you know it. And if you haven’t gotten enough of the Mardi Gras experience, check out the Carnival Court at Harrah’s for live music all day and bartenders with flair. The best part is that these shows are free! Who says you can’t get something for nothing these days?

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And as for the sublime, how about the dancing fountains choreographed to music at the Bellagio? There’s also the Lost City of Atlantis attraction near Caesar’s Forum Shops. This 50,000 gallon saltwater tank contains over 500 varieties of fish. Travel the world in one day by wondering the countless location-themed hotels… Luxor, Rome, Venice, New York, Paris, Monte Carlo, the South Pacific… no place else but Vegas can you do that. The best place to get a look at the “world” of Vegas is not from the Stratosphere observation deck. Instead, get to the top of MIX at THEHotel at Mandalay Bay for a cocktail and a look at one of the most recognizable skylines in the world. If you can get there before 10 pm then it’s free. And while you’re on the south strip, don’t forget to see the Lion Habitat at the MGM Grand.

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If you’re a history person, Vegas has a lot of it. Check out the Neon Museum, which contains over 150 rescued signs dating back to the 1930s. And given Sin City’s close connection with organized crime, it’s only fitting that the Mob Museum is located in Vegas. The Sunbelt Classic and Antique Auto Museum features over 300 restored cars. And before computer games took over there was pinball. In Vegas is the Pinball Hall of Fame, a place where you can not only see, but play over 200 machines at 25-50 cents per game. And if fine art is more your cup of tea then visit Bellagio’s Gallery of Fine Art. Who says there’s no culture in the desert?

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Lay it on the Line

 

I’m not talking craps here. Instead, I’m talking adventure. In Vegas just about anything is possible. Heck, even Mandalay Bay brought the ocean to this landlocked locale. In a place where fast is never fast enough and adrenaline is part of a healthy breakfast, it should come as no surprise that there’s no shortage of opportunities for speed junkies. What’s better than ridding in a stock car? Driving a stock car! And if 600 horsepower isn’t sexy enough for you, how about racing a Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Jaguar, or a Ferrari?

If you’re into getting a little dirty, try driving a dune buggy through the rugged desert terrain. Feeling a little Tom Cruise? Get your Top Gun on in an aerobatic plane. Perhaps you missed the boat on your childhood dreams of being an astronaut. There’s a chance for you to get a taste by taking a weightless flight at zero gravity. And for something a bit more tame, how about zip lining across Bootleg Canyon or above Fremont Street? That’s right, y’all. Only in Vegas!

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Even though Vegas’ bread and butter is and will probably always be gambling, it does have countless experiences for those non-gamblers. Sin City isn’t the cultural center of the world, but it’s not pretending to be either. Vegas is all about fun, excitement, and an escape from reality for its 40 million visitors per year. And in my book, I think it’s done a pretty damn good job. Sin on, Las Vegas!

Note: There are affiliate links in this post, meaning I make a small commission if you make a purchase through my links. It costs you nothing more, but helps keep me stocked in French wine {and a roof over my head}.