Top free attractions

For those looking to make the most of their travel budget while visiting the "Entertainment Capital of the World," there are myriad options for the value-conscious visitor. Here are just a few:

Free attractions line the Las Vegas Strip and they're not hard to find. The Mirage's volcano erupts in a lagoon filled with waterfalls and palm trees every 15 minutes from dusk to midnight.

Next door, nightly passersby can catch the "Sirens of TI" at Treasure Island. The revamped version showcases the popular pyrotechnic war as male renegade pirates battle "sexy sirens" of Sirens' Cove. Performances run every 90 minutes beginning at 7 p.m.

Meanwhile, the world-famous Fountains at Bellagio thrill visitors with more than 1,000 water-emitting devices choreographed to music by artists such as Frank Sinatra, Elton John, Whitney Houston and Andrea Bocelli.

The Rio's "Masquerade Show in the Sky" features state-of-the-art floats that are suspended from the ceiling and parade above the casino floor in a one-of-a-kind Carnivale celebration.

Downtown's famous, casino-lined street is now the Fremont Street Experience, a 175,700-square-foot pedestrian area covered by a continuous canopy studded with more than 14 million lights. Each evening on the hour, this canopy comes alive with spectacular light-and-sound shows.

From Las Vegas Hilton to Luxor to JW Marriott, most major resorts offer free lounge entertainment that is available practically around the clock.

Low-priced attractions abound as well. "The Mac King Comedy Hour" at Harrah's Las Vegas is a great show value, with tickets priced at less than $20. The show contains quirky humor, visual gags and King's sleight-of-hand, all delivered in a tongue-in-cheek fashion.

For lunchtime bargain-hunters, nothing beats the classic $0.99 shrimp cocktail at the Golden Gate Hotel & Casino, the oldest hotel in Las Vegas. For gourmet on a budget, many Las Vegas buffets now offer fare from around the world and at a reasonable price.

The Rio All-Suites Hotel & Casino's Carnival World Buffet offers more 300 offerings and 70 dessert dishes from around the world - from pizza to omelets to teppan yaki to fresh pasta. Another example is Paris Las Vegas' Le Village Buffet which showcases five provinces of France. Each station is themed for a particular province and features a different facade designed to replicate the architecture of that region.

Mini-Productions

If you simply want to be entertained, you've come to the right place. Las Vegas has no shortage of shows. But shows does not need to mean huge productions. There are smaller productions put on by casinos. Most of these mini-productions are free.

Las Vegas offers a variety of themed mini-productions, which occur regularly throughout the day. Travel back in time and into the fascinating world of Roman mythology with two shows, Fall of Atlantis and Festival Fountain Shows, which feature Roman statues that come to life, inside the Forum Shops at Caesars.

At The Rio, The Masquerade Show in the Sky features state-of-the-art floats that are suspended from the ceiling and parade above the casino floor. The show evokes the electrifying and colorful atmosphere of Carnivale as performers clad in exotic masks and brilliant costumes entertain with exciting music and dance.

At The Mirage, witness this world-famous volcanic eruption as smoke and fire spray 100 feet above the waters below, transforming a tranquil waterfall into spectacular streams of molten lava.

Downtown's famous, casino-lined Fremont Street has been converted into a 175,700-square-foot pedestrian area covered by a continuous canopy studded with more than 14 million lights. Called the Fremont Street Experience, this canopy showcases spectacular light-and-sound shows every hour on the hour during the evenings.

Seeing animals on the Vegas Strip

When you're not winning in the casino, lounging by the pool or savoring delicious cuisine, you'll find that Las Vegas has a variety of must-see attractions and entertainment options to keep you and the whole family occupied.

From thrilling roller coasters to virtual-reality simulator rides and erupting volcanoes to wax museums, Las Vegas' attractions appeal to people of all ages, interests and budgets.

Discover the wild side of Las Vegas (as if you haven't already) at a variety of attractions for animal lovers. Visit the Flamingo Wildlife Habitat at The Flamingo Hotel and see Chilean flamingos, swans, ducks, koi, goldfish and turtles. Venture over to The Mirage for the Dolphin Habitat & Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden.

The Secret Garden is home to royal white tigers, white lions, black panthers, a snow leopard, golden tigers and a four-ton elephant. The Dolphin Habitat, adjacent to the Secret Garden, houses an extended family of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins.

At MGM Grand, see The Lion Habitat, a showcase for public education and appreciation of this majestic creature. The lions live in custom accommodations on an 8.5-acre ranch 12 miles from MGM Grand and visit the habitat daily. Get up close and personal with endangered and unusual aquatic animals at Mandalay Bay's Shark Reef.

Visitors journey through a replica of an ancient temple ruin and a sunken galleon ship surrounded by several varieties of sharks.