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What To Do in Vegas Instead of Gambling

NevadaPosted by Kacy

10 Aug

I am no stranger to Las Vegas. And to be quite honest, I wasn’t necessarily aching for a return visit. But being the travel addict I am, I couldn’t pass up an opportunity for a free hotel room in Sin City. Tom had a work conference to attend, and since I can work from anywhere I joined him for a little change of scenery.
Welcome to Las VegasAlthough I do enjoy a little blackjack on occasion, I didn’t partake in any gambling during the trip. What can I say? I have to save all my money for food and travel. I didn’t toss a single chip, but I managed to keep myself well entertained during our three-day stay in the desert. Here is everything I did in Las Vegas that didn’t involve the casino.

What To Do In Vegas Instead of Gambling

I had grand plans of leaving city limits and exploring some of the area’s natural wonders, but turns out that Nevada in July isn’t exactly conducive for outdoor activities – who knew? Instead, I set out to find fun things to do that wouldn’t result in heat stroke.

Wander Through the Glitzy Hotels + Catch Some Live Music

If Vegas does one thing well, it’s glitz and glamour. When you’ve got money to blow, there are plenty of high-end restaurants and luxury shops. When you’re on a budget, window shopping is as good as it gets. Luckily, there are a lot of pretty things to look at for free. We stayed in the Luxor, which to be honest is a bit past its prime, so I headed to the Cosmopolitan on my first free night to wander around while Tom had a business dinner.
Cosmopolitan decorThe cab video on our drive from the airport informed us that this hotel is apparently one of the most Instagrammed in the world. Walking around, it’s easy to see why. Plus, it houses some of the hippest restaurants on the strip. I treated myself to dinner at Momofuku (more on that later) before taking in the sights and doing a bit of people watching.
Cosmopolitan art
Cosmopolitan LVI met up with Tom later in the evening to catch some live music at Rose. Rabbit. Lie. Speaking of which, live music is another non-gambling must in Vegas. While we didn’t see any of the big shows while we were in town, we caught three live bands in three days. Two of them were at Tom’s work events, one at the House of Blues and another in a crazy suite at the Hard Rock. Surprisingly enough, the cybersecurity crowd really knows how to party.

Eat… Duh!

So, yeah, the real reason I went on this trip was for the food. Are you even surprised? Vegas is brimming with first-class restaurants from some of the world’s best and most famous chefs. While we avoided the over-the-top options, we still ate very well. Other than our awesome lunch at Chow., here are some more food recommendations.

Light Dinner at Katsuya in the SLS Casino

I had never heard of the SLS Casino, but when I saw that it was home to The Bazaar by José Andrés I took notice. Sadly, The Bazaar was a little out of our price range, but we found another great option at the SLS in Katsuya. We loved the presentation of the gyoza, which at first glance resembled a pancake, covered in a crispy shell and filled with heritage Berkshire pork. The rainbow roll was incredibly fresh and wonderful. The crispy rice with spicy tuna, listed as the most flavorful dish on the menu, didn’t quite live up to its description but still quite tasty.
Katsuya gyoza
Katsuya rainbow roll
Katsuya tuna

Lunch at The Veranda in the Four Seasons

Dining options at The Luxor aren’t all that great, but The Luxor is connected to the Mandalay Bay, which is connected to the Four Seasons. Tom’s conference was split between the Mandalay Bay and the Four Seasons, so we were able to enjoy a lovely and sophisticated lunch at The Veranda one afternoon. We typically avoid seafood in landlocked states, but nice restaurants in Vegas have fish as fresh as that on the coast. Tom enjoyed a beautiful crab and avocado salad, while I feasted on fish tacos with avocado cream and broccoli slaw. While you shouldn’t necessarily go out of your way to dine here, if you do find yourself on this end of the strip I’d say it’s one of the best options.
Veranda crab avocado salad
Veranda fish tacos

Solo Dinner at the Momofuku Bar

For some reason I have yet to visit the Momofuku in DC, but made a beeline to the Las Vegas location for a date with myself one evening. I had a nice glass of overpriced wine, chatted with fellow diners and had a few great bites of food. The really sad thing about eating alone isn’t the being alone part, it’s not having anyone to help you eat all of the delicious things you want to order. Knowing my limits, I stuck to the famous oh-so-pillowy pork belly bun with a side of spicy cucumbers.
Momofuku LV pork bun
smashed cucumber

Steak Dinner at Triple George Grill

A steak dinner is a must in Las Vegas. Most places charge astronomical prices for a tiny cut of meat and extra for sides. We had a better idea. At the end of a long day exploring downtown, we headed to Triple George Grill for a traditional steak dinner and it really hit the spot. This perfectly cooked nine-ounce filet mignon cost a mere $38.95 sides included, which we split. If that’s not winning, I don’t know what is. Even if you’re not in the mood for steak, Triple George should still make your list. It’s got an awesome Old Vegas atmosphere, without looking tired or tacky.
Triple George steak dinner

Hang Out at the Pool

I’ve been to Vegas three times before this trip, but somehow never made it to a pool. For some reason, I thought they all cost money and were basically a club scene from morning to night. Fortunately, I had a view of the Oasis Pool at the Luxor from our room and could see that it was actually fairly laid back with plenty of free chairs. When it was quitting time in DC, we hit the pool for a little relaxation and a few drinks. It was the perfect way to beat the heat.
pool time at the Luxor
Oasis Pool at Luxor
Luxor pyramid

Explore Downtown Vegas

After two days on The Strip, we were more than ready to escape the crowds and high prices for something a little more low-key. My Dad actually introduced me to the wonders of downtown Vegas on my first trip for my 21st birthday. On that maiden voyage, we gambled at the iconic Golden Nugget, had 99 cent shrimp cocktails and, of course, watched the Fremont Experience light show.
Golden Gate Las Vegas
Fremont Street ExperienceSadly, the light show seems to have taken a turn for the worse and become completely monetized. But everything else was exactly as I remembered it. Only hotter.
After our lunch at Chow. we decided to walk over to The Mob Museum. At home, we walk everywhere. Even if it’s hot, we’ll walk an hour to the farmer’s market. So although the temps were well over 100 degrees, we thought a 15 minute walk would be easy enough. Um, no. Within five minutes we were out of breath, at ten minutes we were panting and seeing stars. Clearly, we are not cut out for the desert heat. I do not know how locals do it without passing out on the regular. We did pass some great street art, and wished we’d had more time to explore the area.
Fremont street art
container art
Oh The Mistakes We MakeOne near death experience later, we made it to the museum. This was the one thing I had on my must-do list while in Vegas. I used to be downright obsessed with the Mafia, and had read so many good things about the Mob Museum.
The Mob Museum
Mob Museum LVI’ll be honest in that it didn’t quite rock my socks off. But it’s definitely a well done museum and, perhaps most importantly, wonderfully air-conditioned. We ended our night in downtown wandering down Fremont Street and grabbing drinks at a couple of cute watering holes.
Vegas selfieWhile we were more than ready to leave the next morning, overall we had a great time in Sin City. And we did it without committing any major sins or losing any money. Winning!
 
What To Do in Vegas Besides Gambling
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9 Comments

« Chow. Fun Lunch in Downtown Vegas
Date Night at Stella Barra Pizzeria »

Comments

  1. Ray says

    August 11, 2017 at 8:09 pm

    I am smirking as I am reading this as the last time I was in Las Vegas was five years ago in July. You don’t even need to tell me how hot it is in Vegas at that time of the year. I already know! Plus, I drove my Girlfriend (now wife) to Death Valley for a day trip. Talk about asking for a death wish!

    Reply
    • Kacy says

      September 27, 2017 at 3:17 pm

      I wanted to do that! But I knew my heat boundaries. I was just shocked that such a short walk could get me so fatigued in that heat!

      Reply
  2. Tori says

    August 16, 2017 at 12:41 pm

    I despise gambling but LOVE me some Vegas. The food looks absolutely marvelous that you posted- food is the main reason I travel, of course! I also spent some time in Old Vegas and loved the experience (and the budget friendly prices). Definitely going to give the gyoza a try- anything that resembles a pancake I am all in for!
    Tori | http://www.pursuingposh.com

    Reply
    • Kacy says

      September 27, 2017 at 3:19 pm

      Old Vegas is the best! I really want to try staying there the next time in I’m in town.

      Reply
  3. Vanessa says

    August 17, 2017 at 2:36 am

    The Mob Museum sounds so interesting! Good to know that there’s so much else to do in Vegas besides gambling. I don’t really see a point of that stuff either when I can use my money for travel instead 🙂

    Reply
    • Kacy says

      September 27, 2017 at 3:21 pm

      Exactly! I like my money where I can see it 🙂

      Reply
  4. Esther says

    August 17, 2017 at 9:21 am

    Excellent post! I also visited Las Vegas without spending a dollar on gambling. We went on rides, watched the BEST Elvis impersonator ever, and ate our way through the strip. Street art wasn’t a thing back then, but would love to check that out now.
    #WanderfulWednesday

    Reply
    • Kacy says

      September 27, 2017 at 3:22 pm

      I’m a chicken when it comes to rides, but that’s definitely a great idea for thrill seekers who don’t like to gamble!

      Reply

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