Las Vegas For Non-Gamblers: A Guide To A Casino-less Trip

Las Vegas is the mecca of gambling with 136 different casinos to lose your money in. As fun as this might seem to some, us non-gamblers may not see any reason to go to Vegas. Luckily, Vegas still has all types of wonder to be found for non-gamblers and families alike. That being said, I have decided to write this guide for a casino-less trip to Las Vegas!

Tours!

It goes without saying that Las Vegas is packed with sight-seeing tours, the best of which is the Hoover dam and Grand Canyon tour. In my opinion, I would say this is the most popular tour, and you can find reputable companies with great rates easily. If you have not seen the Grand Canyon in your life, you must. Everyone has to see it at least once!

Shopping!

When they say time flies when you are having fun, shopping in Las Vegas is the best example of that. There are so many places to shop, and there is something for everyone. If you do not want to drive anywhere, you can walk up and down the strip for days and still not hit every shop. There are the shops at Bally’s, which are set-up like a small outlet mall. If you keep walking down the strip, you get to the classic shops that everyone has to stop at when they are in Vegas, the Coke, M&M, and Hershey stores. Going in the opposite direction, the fashion show mall is also a favorite. It has shops just like any other mall, but it is bigger and the food court has a Haagen-Daz ice cream shop. If you’re looking for the name brand shops like Gucci, Chanel, or Louis Vuitton, go to Caesar’s forum shops or the shops in the Bellagio. Off the strip has some pretty great places to shop too. The outlet mall has some of the kid’s favorites, including the Disney store but with the various types of stores, it is great for adults too. You could go to Freemont street to shop at some family-owned businesses or to Townsquare if you want the usual shops like Hollister, Hot Topic, or Old Navy.

Restaurants!

You will not have any issues trying to find a good place to eat. Whether you are looking for a fancy expensive restaurant, a buffet, or just a fast food shop, they have it and they are almost always good. Battista’s Hole in the Wall is an amazing Italian restaurant. Not many people know about it but they have amazing food for the best price, and the portion sizes are HUGE. It’s like you can feed a family with one entree! Another really good place is the Grand Lux Cafe. Their prices are a bit higher but you can always count on the food coming out hot and delicious. One of the best things you can order from there is the chocolate chip almond cookies. They are made fresh and they melt in your mouth. My favorite place to go to is some fast-food burger restaurants. The best two are Johnny Rockets and In-N-Out burger. They are both placed throughout the strip, so they are easily accessible if you want to grab a quick bite to eat.

Shows!

I can not believe I have gone this far without mentioning Las Vegas shows! A few of the best are the magicians and the tournament of kings, but to be completely honest, it is hard to suggest shows as they are constantly changing. If you are trying to save money, I suggest catching a random smaller show that you did not even know about before you arrived in Vegas. It will be surprisingly easy to find one.

Arcades!

What a lot of people do not know is that though most of the hotels cater to gambling, there are many that have fun places to hangout for the non-gamblers out there. The Excalibur on the strip has an arcade downstairs, it is not too big but it could keep you busy for a little while. Circus Circus is the first hotel to really cater to kids or non-gamblers. They have a two-story arcade but they also have the Adventuredome. The Adventuredome is a theme park with rides, more games, and other attractions. They also have a circus that has free shows constantly throughout the day. Another really cool place you have to stop at is the Rio. There is a black light mini-golf course that is completely KISS themed, packed with Kiss easter eggs and sounds, the best part though is the pinball machines. You can win some cool prizes.

Just Walk Around!

This is the best thing you can do in my opinion. Charge your phones and wear light clothes, and just walk around the streets. There are countless things you can see in Las Vegas, so take the opportunity to walk around and take it all in. If you are not a walking type, that is perfectly fine because they have bike and electric scooter rentals everywhere, the limit on where you can go is based on how far you are willing to go. Swing by the Bellagio fountain, or walk the strip. They have volcanos, the flamingo habitat, and all different kinds of Vegas freaks on the street. I suggest that you do not set a destination, and walk around aimlessly for a few hours. But if there is any place you need to get to, you must see the Vegas sign. It is necessary to see at least once.

Las Vegas is not just inviting to the gamblers, as they have countless things for you and the entire family to enjoy without ever seeing a casino. Getting lost in the street of Vegas with a few of my buddies is one of the best memories I have, and I spent less than $20 that night. Did I forget anything in Vegas that is a must for someone’s first time? If I did, let me know in the comments below!