What to Do in Las Vegas When It's Raining
Sure, the casinos and shows in Las Vegas are all inside, but if you’re visiting, you probably also hoped to do outdoor things like see the Bellagio water show or lay by the pool. Rainy days might dampen those plans. (Although they are rare: Las Vegas averages 320 days of sunshine and less than five inches of rain a year.)
Luckily, there are plenty of indoor things to do in Las Vegas besides gambling. Here are a few of them.
The Mob Museum
Also known as the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, the Mob Museum in downtown Las Vegas tells the history of organized crime and law enforcement through interactive exhibits and insights from both police and mobsters. You can sit inside a courtroom to learn about the first Senate inquiry into organized crime or look at the variety of weapons used by gangsters.
The Bellagio Conservatory
This is an indoor option when the water show isn’t working out. The 14,000-square-foot indoor courtyard at the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Garden is filled with flowers and plants that reflect the season. Horticulturalists and designers work on the displays, which change completely with each season and for the Chinese New Year.
Dolphin Yoga at the Mirage
You can start your day with a relaxing yoga class with the dolphins in the underwater viewing area at the Mirage hotel. The class is in a sheltered spot out of the rain. You can also check out the rest of the fitness center and book a session with a personal trainer, or explore the rest of the dolphin habitat.
Mermaid Swims and Shark Reef
Other indoor aquatic activities include the 117,000-gallon aquarium inside the Silverton Casino Hotel. You can look at thousands of tropical fish and catch real life mermaids swimming by. Also check out Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay, where you can walk through a 1.3 million-gallon shipwreck with an almost 360-degree view of sharks and fish. You can also visit the Touch Pool, where you can put your hands on sharks, rays and crabs.
High Roller Observation Wheel
The views might be cloudy, but you can still be indoors in the fully-covered pods on this giant ferris wheel. It goes 550 feet above the center of the Las Vegas Strip, and takes 30 minutes to complete one revolution. Cabins have special treats, including a Happy Half Hour open bar, yoga classes and wine or chocolate tasting.
Shopping
There are endless options for shopping in Las Vegas, including at The Shops at Crystals, The Forum Shops at Caesars, The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian, The Shoppes at The Palazzo, and The Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. Try Grand Bazaar Shops outside of Bally's Las Vegas, which is modeled after the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. You can walk under a tiled roof in this two-acre outdoor walking mall with more than 80 boutique retail spaces. Or go to Fashion Show, a nearly 2 million square foot mall with department stores and more than 250 shops and boutiques. The mall also has an elevated runway for fashion shows and events.
Pole Position Raceway Indoor Carting
Grown ups and kids over 4 feet tall can take to the track at this go kart racing arena. Show up and join in races that last about 10 minutes, or rent out the entire facility for big groups.
Take a Class
Several of the hotels have classes you can take. Try a cooking class at Jaleo inside Cosmopolitan, where you can learn to make paella or tapas. Or take courses from master chefs, sommeliers, mixologists, hair stylists, makeup artists and DJs at The Wynn. If you are feeling extra adventurous, you can learn first hand from Cirque du Soleil performers at Cirque SPARK sessions. In the classes, you can try your hand at Cirque du Soleil arts, working on the equipment next to the acrobats and artists.
