The slogan is well-known: "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas." Your money doesn't have to be one of those things that stays behind, however. Many of the city's budget-friendly opportunities double as fitness-friendly activities, so seeking inexpensive things to do on your Vegas trip can actually be an endeavor that will leave you a winner in more ways than one.
Swimming
Las Vegas' desert heat is all the motivation you'll need to go for a swim, and many of the hotel-casinos on the strip have spectacular outdoor pools. Best of all, you don't have to be a hotel guest to use most of the pools, and entry fees are generally less than $10, as of 2010. The Mandalay Bay and MGM Grand hotels have two of the more impressive swimming facilities. The Mandalay Bay's 11-acre beach features three swimming pools, a wave pool and a river surrounded by 2,700 tons of sand, and the MGM Grand pool complex has five swimming pools, three hot tubs, a flowing river, waterfalls and fountains.
Wildlife Viewing
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area--located 20 miles west of Vegas--is another outdoor pursuit that costs a $5 entry fee per vehicle, as of 2010. Red Rock's Visitor Center offers information on the plants and animals that call the surrounding desert home--joshua trees, Mojave and Bannana yucca, desert tortoises, roadrunners, jackrabbits, coyotes, gila monsters, scorpions, rattlesnakes, hummingbirds and butterflies. You can view many of them while meandering along Red Rock's interpretive trails.
Walking & Sightseeing
It won't cost you anything to walk through Las Vegas and take in the sights and sounds of the city. The Las Vegas Strip stretches for more than 4 miles and will take you past awe-inspiring buildings, fountains, pools, and even an erupting volcano and a pirate ship. If you walk The Strip during the day during the summer, bring water, as temperatures often exceed 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Or wait until nightfall to take in the city's bright lights along the way. Either way, wear comfortable shoes.
Lake Mead
The man-made Lake Mead features 820 miles of shoreline and is set among 1.5 million acres of the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Just 30 miles east of downtown Las Vegas, Lake Mead costs just a $5 per-vehicle entry fee, as of 2010. For no additional cost, you can explore the area's hiking trails and its diverse plants and wildlife, go for a swim, picnic or relax on the beach. For additional money, you can rent a boat, personal watercraft, kayak or canoe at one of the dock rental shops.
Hiking
In addition to miles of trails at Lake Mead and Red Rock Canyon, Las Vegas and its surrounding area boasts dozens of hiking opportunities. The Cathedral Rock trail from Cathedral Rock picnic area is a 3-mile round-trip hike that takes you past a waterfall to stunning views at the top, and the Rainbow Springs trail is a 6-mile round-trip trek to a small pool and views of the surrounding Spring Mountain Range.
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