Free does not mean always open
The Strip has a handful of free sights: the Bellagio fountains, the Bellagio Conservatory, the Flamingo Wildlife Habitat, the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign and, in Downtown, the light show under the Fremont Street canopy. Restaurants, grandstands and tours around them are separate paid products.
Each sight has its own rhythm. The fountains run to a schedule and weather can cancel a show. The Conservatory changes its display with the seasons and closes briefly between them. The garden with the flamingos has daytime hours. Plan the order of your walk around these times, not the other way round.
The Bellagio fountains
The outdoor show is free. Restaurants and grandstands nearby are separate paid products.
| Days | Afternoon and early evening | Evening |
|---|---|---|
| Monday to Friday | Every 30 minutes, 3 to 7:30 p.m. | Every 15 minutes, 8 p.m. to midnight |
| Saturday, Sunday and holidays | Every 30 minutes, noon to 7:30 p.m. | Every 15 minutes, 8 p.m. to midnight |
Weather can cancel shows, and general schedule changes are possible. No particular piece of music and no free view is promised. Construction along the front walkway can limit the sightlines at times, so check the current situation before you go.
Las Vegas tours and shows
Night helicopter flights, Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon day trips, shows and more, with live prices and availability.
The Bellagio Conservatory
A free garden display that changes with the seasons.
Visiting the Conservatory is free, and it is open around the clock. The display changes several times a year. Harvest runs from 19 September to 7 November 2026, Holiday from 14 November 2026 to 2 January 2027, and Lunar New Year is announced for 9 January to 6 March 2027.
Between displays the garden closes for a changeover. 3 to 8 January 2027 is one such period, so the around-the-clock hours do not apply to those days. Paid garden-table dining and member events are not part of the free visit.
Wildlife, a sign and a canopy
Three more free stops, from the south end of the boulevard to Downtown.
Flamingo Wildlife Habitat
A garden with flamingos, waterfowl, turtles and fish. It is free, needs no ticket or reservation and is open daily from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., with a keeper talk at 10 a.m. It is a smoke-free garden. Check the current hours, and follow the signs about the animals.
Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign
The sign stands at the southern end of the boulevard. Seeing it and taking photos is free, and a small free parking area lies in the median. Photographers nearby offer optional paid services, which you do not need. The Deuce bus lists the sign as a stop, which is the easiest way to reach it without a car.
Getting around →The Fremont Street canopy
The LED canopy in Downtown is called The Canopy. Its music reels run every hour from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m., and the regular light and music program is free. The zipline and special events are separate. Fremont Street is not on the Strip.
Fremont Street guide →The Sphere from outside, and the Mirage volcano
Two entries that are easy to mix up.
Seeing the Sphere without a ticket
The film program inside needs a ticket for every guest. The outside of the building can be seen from public areas without one. That is a view, not a reserved place, and a clear view is not guaranteed.
Sphere guide →The Mirage volcano is not running
The Mirage closed in July 2024, and the volcano show is not part of today's free sights. A Hard Rock resort is being built on the site.
A free evening in order
One way to string the sights together without losing time.
Start in the afternoon at the Flamingo Wildlife Habitat, which is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Walk to the Bellagio for the fountains, which run every 30 minutes until 7:30 p.m. and then every 15 minutes, and look into the Conservatory while it is open around the clock. Add Downtown on another evening, when the canopy shows its music reels from 6 p.m. The Welcome sign is at the other end of the boulevard, so give it its own short trip.
Summer nights stay warm, so take water along and use the air-conditioned resort lobbies for breaks. In the cooler months a jacket helps after dark. The best time page shows the monthly temperatures.
Plan the rest of your trip
Where the free sights fit.
Things to do on the Strip
Fifteen ideas, from free sights to shows.
Fremont Street
The canopy light show, the zipline and garage rates.
Getting around
How to reach the sign and the fountains without a car.
Best time to visit
Monthly temperatures, so you can time your walks.
Free things in Las Vegas: frequently asked questions
Are the Bellagio fountains really free?
Yes. The outdoor show needs no ticket. Restaurants and grandstands nearby are paid products. Weather can cancel a show.
When do the fountains run?
From Monday to Friday every 30 minutes from 3 to 7:30 p.m. and every 15 minutes from 8 p.m. to midnight. On Saturday, Sunday and holidays every 30 minutes from noon to 7:30 p.m., then every 15 minutes until midnight.
Is the Conservatory open at night?
It is free and open around the clock, except during changeover closures between displays, such as 3 to 8 January 2027.
Can I still see the Mirage volcano?
No. The Mirage closed in July 2024, and no volcano show is running.
Do I need a ticket to take a photo at the Welcome sign?
No. Photos are free and no reservation is needed. A small free parking area lies in the median, and the Deuce bus stops there.
Is the Sphere free to enter?
No. The inside program is ticketed. You can look at the outside from public areas.