Sunny Photography/Alamy
By Rick Garman
Vegas used to be the land of freebies -- or at least, stuff so cheap it seemed free. Those days are an increasingly dim memory, but some hotels still offer free attractions designed to lure you into their casinos, where you might well then drop far more than the cost of a day ticket to Disney World. Here's a handy list of the best of the free bait, er, sights.
Photo Caption: The dancing fountains that front the Bellagio are the best free attraction in Las Vegas.
A totally preposterous idea, a larger-than-life greenhouse atrium, filled with seasonal living foliage in riotous colors and styles, changed with meticulous regularity. From Easter to Chinese New Year, events are celebrated with carefully designed splashes of flowers, plants, and remarkable decorations -- it's an incredible amount of labor for absolutely no immediate financial payoff. No wonder it's one of the most popular sights in Vegas. Open 24 hours.
Photo Caption: The rotating floral displays inside the Bellagio Conservatory are among the city's best free attractions.
Giant spouts of water shoot up and down and sideways, and dance their little aquatic hearts out to music ranging from show tunes to Chopin. When we tell people about this, they roll their eyes when they think we aren't looking, and then they go see it for themselves . . . and end up staying for several numbers. Shows are daily every half-hour, starting early afternoon, then every 15 minutes 8pm to midnight. Closed when it's windy.
Photo Caption: The Bellagio's water fountain show.
The first established of the free shows and easily the stupidest. We love it, in theory at least, as giant "marble" Greco-Roman statues come to creaky animatronic life and deliver a largely unintelligible speech, mostly exhorting the crowds to eat, drink, and get so merry they will think nothing of dropping a bundle at the slots. Not quite so bad it's good, but one day they are going to wise up and make the thing more high-tech, and a little something special will be lost. Daily every hour, starting at 10am.
Photo Caption: The Fountain of the Gods inside the Forum Shops may not be divine, but it is quite the kitschy diversion.
The first curbside free attraction. One of the reasons Wynn designed it is so that you can't see his new mountain and lake show from the street -- because that doesn't bring guests into the property. This paled in comparison to such things as dancing fountains and pirates, but a 2008 makeover amped up the fire, lights, sound, and effects to a much more entertaining level. Get up close to feel the heat of the "lava" blasts and the rumble of the sound system. Eruptions are daily on the hour after dark until midnight.
Photo Caption: The volcano display outside the Mirage Resort in Las Vegas, NV.
We gave it a star because it has such high production values, but man, it hurt us to do even that. See, this used to be a fun, hokey stunt show, where pirates attacked a British sailing vessel. Lusty men swashed and buckled, cannons exploded, ships sank, and the pirates always won. But Vegas is not for families anymore, and to prove it, the British were removed and now the pirates are lured by lingerie-clad lovelies. Stuff happens, but no one really cares; either you like the nekkid chicks, or you are so horrified by the whole spectacle because it's so appallingly bad that plot twists don't matter much. Parents, be warned: Between the gals and their undies and the 24-foot stark-raving-naked female figurehead on the ship right by the Strip entrance to Treasure Island, you may be in for an interesting conversation with your children. Shows are daily at 5:30, 7, 8:30, 10, and 11:30pm (summer only), weather permitting.
Photo Caption: The Sirens of TI walk the planks outside TI Las Vegas every night.
Yes, remarkably like the one at Bellagio, this one is better placed, situated just inside the door and laid out so that you can stroll through it on your way to other parts of the hotel, as opposed to the tucked-in-a-corner Bellagio version. The floral displays change regularly, though they may reflect the striking floral mosaics on the floor below. We do hope it won't get as wacky as its Bellagio counterpart and will stick to the merely festive. Open 24 hours.
Photo Caption: The free atrium inside the Wynn Las Vegas sports lovely floral arrangements and a gorgeous mosaic floor.
Vegas used to be the land of freebies -- or at least, stuff so cheap it seemed free. Those days are an increasingly dim memory, but some hotels still offer free attractions designed to lure you into their casinos, where you might well then drop far more than the cost of a day ticket to Disney World. Here's a handy list of the best of the free bait, er, sights.
Photo Caption: The dancing fountains that front the Bellagio are the best free attraction in Las Vegas.
Photo Caption: The rotating floral displays inside the Bellagio Conservatory are among the city's best free attractions.
Photo Caption: The Bellagio's water fountain show.
Photo Caption: The Fountain of the Gods inside the Forum Shops may not be divine, but it is quite the kitschy diversion.
Photo Caption: The volcano display outside the Mirage Resort in Las Vegas, NV.
Photo Caption: The Sirens of TI walk the planks outside TI Las Vegas every night.
Photo Caption: The free atrium inside the Wynn Las Vegas sports lovely floral arrangements and a gorgeous mosaic floor.