The Siberian American: Best Things to Do in Vegas If You Don’t Gamble or Drink

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Best Things to Do in Vegas If You Don’t Gamble or Drink

Las Vegas is one of my favorite places to go for a long weekend, but I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard people dismiss it as a vacation destination because they don’t drink or gamble. I think Vegas sometimes gets a bad reputation due to its Sin City nickname when the city has so much more to offer. Today, I decided to make it my mission to share why I think Vegas is a fun place to visit.

things to do in Las Vegas if you don't gamble or drink

See a show
My favorite part of visiting Las Vegas is definitely watching a show. I’m a huge fan of Cirque du Soleil (though I think Le Reve beats all the Cirque du Soleil shows in Vegas) and have enjoyed several comedy shows and musicals. Click here for a guide to my favorite shows in Vegas.


Eat
Once upon a time Vegas was solely known for its buffets. While it still has good buffets (check out my favorite Vegas buffets here), the whole food scene on the Strip is seriously amazing. Whether you want a delicious snack after a day at the pool or a fancy meal for a special occasion, you can’t go wrong with your options in Vegas. Stay tuned for a future post about my favorite restaurants.

Wander through the hotels 
One of the best things to do in Vegas is to explore all the hotels. If I had to pick, my favorite hotel would be the Bellagio with its conservatory and gorgeous fountain, but all of the hotels have unique experiences. Go up the replica Eiffel Tower for a gorgeous view of the Strip at Paris. Ride a gondola at The Venetian. Check out the Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay.


Relax
Another great thing about hotels on the Strip is their amazing pools and spas. I love spending the day on the lazy river at the MGM Grand Pool or in a cabana at the Bellagio. The best part is the pools are open during the winter for those looking for an escape from the cold.

Try Coca Cola from around the world at the World of Coca-Cola
For just $8, you can try 16 Coca-Cola products from around the world (and eight ice cream soda flavors for an additional $4) on the top floor of the Coca-Cola store. It’s such a fun experience to watch the faces of your friends and family as they taste the flavors.

Shop
Vegas has some of the best shopping around. On the Strip, I love shopping at the Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace, the Fashion Show mall, Las Vegas Premium Outlets-South, Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood, and The Shoppes at Mandalay Bay. If you feel like leaving the Strip, my favorite places to shop are the Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas and Las Vegas Premium Outlets-North.


Go to a museum
I have only recently discovered that Vegas has several museums worth seeing. Of course, Madame Tussauds at The Venetian is always fun, but next time I’m in Vegas, I plan to check out the mob museum in Downtown Las Vegas and The Neon Museum.

Get out of town
As much as I love being on the Strip, I love taking day trips to see the gorgeous scenery in the area. The Grand Canyon is the obvious choice, though it takes over eight hours round trip, which doesn’t leave you a lot of time to spend at the Grand Canyon. If you want to visit the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas, I recommend spending the night at a hotel close to the Grand Canyon or booking a plane or helicopter tour from Vegas. If you prefer to take a shorter day trip, I love the Red Rock Canyon and the Valley of Fire State Park. We visited the Valley of Fire State Park last time we were in Vegas, and I would love to go back!


Curious about my favorite place to stay in Vegas? Check out my Instagram for the answer! 


Things to do in Vegas if you don't drink or gamble

Have you been to Vegas? What’s your favorite thing to do?

30 comments:

  1. I can't believe this summer marks 6 years already since I was last in Vegas. I really want to go back. While I had a blast last time, there are so many more things I'd like to see & do next time around.

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  2. I've only been to vegas once and it was for a bachelorette party and while I'm not a big drinker I did enjoy the black jack table one day!! The food alone is a great reason to go and the shows!! The amazing shows! xo, Biana -BlovedBoston

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  3. You totally nailed it with this list! I hate when people dismiss Vegas as a place to visit if they don't drink or gamble. While I do love a great glass of wine, gambling is definitely not my thing, but I love going back to Vegas time and time again! I want to check out the Neon Museum next time we're in town too!

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  4. LOVE this post! I've always wanted to visit Vegas, but wasn't sure what to do there because I do not gamble and I don't go on vacation just to drink. This def helps!

    Ashley
    acutelifestyle.blogspot.com

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  5. This is great- I've never thought about touring the hotels!
    My family almost went to Vegas this year but we decided against it- mainly because we aren't gamblers. It looks like we'll have to take a second look at this place! :)

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  6. It's good to know there's lots of other stuff to do in Vegas, I don't gamble and I don't drink much so I never considered going but now I may reconsider!

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  7. Oh man! You just brought back some serious memories friend! I haven't been to the world of Coca-Cola in Vegas, but I went to one in Orlando once and fell in LOVE with the Israeli kind! haha Isn't that the most bizarre memory to get from this post?

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  8. I don't really gamble and I'm not a big drinker but I still want to experience Vegas. I think I'd spend most of my time at shows and eating!

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  9. I agree Vegas has some amazing buffets. I usually try to do at least one for breakfast and one for dinner while we're there. I've never had a bad buffet meal in Vegas...and yes exploring the hotels is definitely a free and fun thing to do since the hotels are ginormous and they all have different themes or attractions.

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  10. Fantastic post! I'm guilty of drinking a lot and gambling a little, but I've been to Vegas more times that I can count, and all of these things are worth doing and seeing...even if you don't gamble and drink (just like you said.)

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  11. Yes this is what I need! I don't do either and I know there is a lot more than just drinking and gambling!!

    These all are great ideas, I'm saving this for if I ever visit, and sending it to a friend who's visiting this July.

    I would have no trouble shopping there haha.

    liz @ j for joiner

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  12. I would love to visit Vegas! I would def be all about the nightlife but also all of this too. I didn't know there was another Coke World in addition to Atlanta!

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  13. This is such a great post. You are so right, there is a ton of things to do in Vegas even if you don't gamble.

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  14. i totally agree about vegas getting a bad reputation because of the sin city nickname. i have had more 'normal' experiences vs sin city experiences, if that makes sense. we mainly eat, shop and watch shows. mainly eat and shop though ;) i can't wait for my next visit in september!

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  15. Great idea for a post! And so true! One time my Dad had this crazy deal on this HUGEEEEE suite in Vegas when I was nearing the end of high school. My family and I all went to Vegas for a week and, obviously, I wasn't there drinking at that age and my parents certainly weren't planning on being crazy for a week straight. So we hung out at the pool a bit and ate great meals but we also left the strip for long hikes, went to some shows, went to a museum - it was all pretty cool! Now when I got to vegas it's generally more based in having fun but the traditional way but I'm excited that I do know there are other options that I can use in the future.

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  16. This actually makes me want to visit Vegas and I've always said I'll never go because of the stigma. Thanks for sharing a great post!

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  17. Yeah! There is definitely so much to do in Vegas besides drink/gamble/party. We had an awesome time there last year just seeing the city and eating our way through it! So fun!

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  18. I love this!! i don't gamble or drink and sometimes it's hard to figure out what the heck to do! The coke from around the world is the best. Do you remember the beverley? all I remember is that is was nasty and we kept trying to tell people it was the best one haha so fun!!
    xo Candace
    Lovely Little Rants

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  19. Vegas has never called out to me, but this is definitely a great list of alternatives to the "standard" Vegas experience. Cheers!

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  20. Great list! I love visiting the hotels and going out to nice dinners. I always try to take in a show when I visit Vegas. Recently I went to Vegas just to see Britney Spear's "Piece of Me". I also like visiting Fremont Street and riding roller coasters! www.tiptopplanning.com

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    1. I'll be honest-Fremont Street isn't my favorite, but I know lots of people really love it! :) I hope you enjoyed Britney Spears' show!

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  21. Thanks for the tips! I haven't been to Vegas yet, but don't really know what else there is to do there other than to drink and gamble!

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  22. I've only been to Vegas once and we loved it! We are not gamblers and very rarely drink, so we explored and did some shopping! I would love to go back and do more hotel exploring!
    xo, Lily
    Beauty With Lily

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  23. I have always wanted to go to Vegas! Mostly to play the slot machines though! But now I know that there is a ton more to do there!

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  24. I have always wanted to go to Vegas! Mostly to play the slot machines though! But now I know that there is a ton more to do there!

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  25. Yessss Vegas is so much more than partying and gambling! I only like to go during the warmer months because my favorite thing to do during the day is relax by the fabulous pools, and you can't beat the lazy river at the MGM Grand <3
    Green Fashionista

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  26. I've always wondered what else there was to do in Vegas other than gambling since my boyfriend really wants to go some time. This is a great list! My bucket list of places I want to visit keeps growing.

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  27. I have never been to Vegas in my 26 years of living, but this post definitely makes me want to go. Although I do like a couple of drinks and occasionally lose a few bucks on roulette, I now know there is so much else to do. I think my favorite would be to go around and eat everywhere! Ha!

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  28. Tickets usually sell out fast, therefore make sure you know where to go when booking Vienna opera tickets for 'Die Fledermaus'. .... There are several New Year's Eve parties going on in Vienna every year, among them the Cirque Rouge , Volksgarten and Cafe Leopold parties which are my favourites. magic shows

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