Top 10 Free Things to do in Las Vegas

The Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign is a Las Vegas landmark funded in May 1959 and erected soon after by Western Neon. The sign was designed by Betty Willis at the request of Ted Rogich, a local salesman, who sold it to Clark County, Nevada. The sign is located in the median at 5100 Las Vegas Boulevard South, north of the historic stone pillars of the old McCarran Airport on the east side, and across from the Bali Hai Golf Club and the (closed) Klondike Hotel & Casino on the west side. Some consider the sign to be the official southern end of the Las Vegas Strip. The sign, like most of the Strip, sits in Paradise and is located roughly 4 miles (6.4 km) south of the actual city limits of Las Vegas. (Such distinctions are usually ignored by both locals and tourists, who refer to the entire metro area as "Las Vegas".)

Touted as one of the most unique and beloved attractions in Las Vegas, Flamingo's Wildlife Habitat is a serene paradise. It is conveniently free of charge and open to the public daily. Nestled on the Flamingo hotel's lush 15-acre grounds, the Habitat is stocked with exotic birds, fish and turtles. A highlight is the Flamingo Island, home to a beautiful flock of Chilean flamingos. A colorful collection of other feathered friends such as Ring Tealed ducks and Sacred Ibis fascinate guests and populate the Habitat. In addition to our namesake, you'll find swans, ducks, koi fish and turtles living at the Habitat. Two brown pelicans joined us from a pelican rescue in 2012. All animals are carefully maintained. The species frolic on islands and streams surrounded by sparkling waterfalls and foliage. Spot hummingbirds zipping to their feeders, snap a few pictures of signature flamingos and watch the water animals at feeding time. The Habitat is an idyllic stop among the buzzing city boulevard and LINQ district just a few steps away.

The Park Las Vegas is a new dining and entertainment district on the Las Vegas Strip. Nestled between the T-Mobile Arena, Monte Carlo and New York-New York Resorts, The Park is an outdoor destination for the whole family. The breathtaking 40-ft tall sculpture, Bliss Dance, is on public display as the centerpiece to the art at The Park. There are also a number of popular restaurant options, many with happy hour specials, making it the perfect place to eat before or after a show at T-Mobile Arena or the Park Theater.

Part of the charm of The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian is the "Streetmosphere" created by an international roster of classically trained singers, actors and musicians. Daily performances in St. Mark's Square add an unexpected element of entertainment to the shopping experience and embellish the center's unique and vibrant atmosphere. The Living Statues amaze guests with their immovable poses, while Artiste del Arte, a troupe of talented musicians, wander the center's cobbled streets and serenade shoppers beneath the evening sky. On any given day, there are approximately 30 small performances that unexpectedly delight and entertain shoppers.

The Fremont Street Experience (FSE) is a pedestrian mall and attraction in Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. The FSE occupies the westernmost five blocks of Fremont Street, including the area known for years as "Glitter Gulch," and portions of some other adjacent streets. The central attraction is a barrel vault canopy, 90 ft (27 m) high at the peak and four blocks, or approximately 1,500 ft (460 m), in length. While Las Vegas is known for never turning the outside casino lights off, each show begins by turning off the lights on all of the buildings, including the casinos, under the canopy. Before each show, one bidirectional street that crosses the Experience is blocked off for safety reasons. Concerts, usually free, are also held on three stages. The venue has become a major tourist attraction for downtown Las Vegas, and is also the location of the SlotZilla zip line attraction and the city's annual New Year's Eve party, complete with fireworks on the display screen.

From Charleston Boulevard (Route 159) west of I-215 and Summerlin, drive west past the end of the development (it occurs rather suddenly). To get to Calico Basin, turn onto the signed road to Calico Basin; this road is about one mile east of the entrance to the Scenic Drive in RRCNCA. Keep right when you reach the spur to Red Springs Picnic Area and soon bear left onto Sandstone Drive. Follow that road to its end; there is a large and obvious parking area on the left. The distance from 159 to the parking area is about two miles. For the Southwest Side and Sandstone Quarry areas, turn onto the Scenic Drive in RRCNCA. Just before Mile 3, you reach the signed Sandstone Quarry area (it is the third developed pullout along the road); turn off and park here. The first two developed pulloffs are the Calico Hills overlooks and are the access points for the Southwest Side. entrance fee of $7 per vehicle (2013). Annual and interagency passes are available (the Interagency Pass, AKA the America the Beautiful Pass, grants access to all federal fee areas for a year).

The Volcano is located outside the Las Vegas Boulevard Main Entrance. The volcano at the Mirage erupts with spewing smoke and fire 100 feet above the water. Known the world over for its iconic Strip-front feature, The Mirage has joined forces with legendary Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart, Indian tabla sensation Zakir Hussain and Fountains of Bellagio design firm WET to create an all-new audio/visual spectacle. Sun - Thu 8pm and 9pm; Fri - Sat 8pm, 9pm and 10pm.

There is nothing like seeing them in person. The Fountains of Bellagio were destined to romance your senses. Take in a spectacular show of thoughtfully interwoven water, music and light designed to mesmerize its admirers. It is the most ambitious, choreographically complex water feature ever conceived and it’s absolutely free for any visitor to enjoy. Step back, or find a comfortable perch to sit, and watch the dynamic performance set against the backdrop of the Las Vegas lavender sky. Each performance is unique in expression and interpretation so no matter how many times you have seen the Fountains, they always have more in store to wow you with. Fall in love with this unprecedented aquatic accomplishment as you enjoy an enchanting concert of opera, classical, Broadway and pop tunes.

If all shopping malls had special effects and fireballs, there'd be a lot fewer bored husbands in the world. The Fall of Atlantis show inside the Forum Shops at Caesars is an animatronic display of fire, water and nine-foot-tall talking statues. The story is set in the kingdom of Atlantis, when King Atlas has to decide which of his bratty kids will rule the throne. Your sibling rivalry doesn't even come close to these two fit-throwers. Sure, you may have fought over toys, food or even listened in on each other's phone calls, but this feud is pretty fierce. In the end, the family learns the ultimate lesson -- let's just say it doesn't result in a "time-out." While we'd normally hate to spoil the ending, it can get pretty crowded and a little hard to understand what's going on. Don't worry if you can't hear what the characters are saying, it's more fun to narrate the story yourself with a couple of drunk buddies. It's a free show, and while there are some pretty cool features like heat and sound waves, there are a few hokey ones too. The costumes and props were created by the same geniuses who worked on Thor and Pirates of the Caribbean and there's also a 20-foot winged dragon. Let's be honest, you just don’t see that every day. The show plays every hour on the hour, starting at 11 a.m. While you're there, check out the 50,000-gallon aquarium nearby. There are more than 300 saltwater fish that will have you fighting the urge to sing "just keep swimming."