How to Spend a Day Indoors In Las Vegas

Being in the middle of the desert, Las Vegas can often hit incredibly high temperatures.
In July alone, the heat soars to an average of over 40 degrees celsius, with the hottest recorded being a scorching 47 degrees. If you're arriving on a road trip after summer camp, you'll be touching down in August, where the heat in the desert is still ridiculously high. At times like this, you’ll wish for nothing more than to stay inside with the A/C on and this is a clever (and safer) idea.
You have the incredible array of luxurious hotels on The Strip which can offer you the perfect shelter from the conditions and they’re all located very close to each other (often linked by covered walkways). You can have a look around each for free and once you’re inside, you can gamble, have a meal, a drink, take up one of the many entertainment options available or simply feel the buzz that Vegas offers.
If this isn’t your thing, ‘Sin City’ offers more than just casinos, and we’ve highlighted a few of our personal favourite things to do indoors in Las Vegas, all of which are fun, unique and nicely air-conned!
Roller Skating in Crystal Palace
Website: Crystal Palace Rancho
Pricing: Admission $7-10, Skate rental $2-3, Blade rental $5
Opening hours: Tuesday-Thursday 5 pm - 9 pm, Friday 4 pm - 10 pm, Saturday 12 noon - 9.30 pm, Sunday 12 noon - 7 pm, Monday closed
Address: 3901 N. Rancho Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89130
Time to spend there: At least an hour
Rollerskating is the best combination of having fun and working out. Crystal Palace has a spacious maple skating field with music, food and drinks, so you’re guaranteed to have fun.
Prices can depend on the day you go and you have to pay for the rental of the skates if you don’t have your own (maybe you carry your own pair everywhere you go, but we highly doubt that!). For pricing in detail, it’s worth checking the website for updates, as you’ll find themed days with special offers, such as packages including a meal.
Crystal Palace is great fun with friends for around $10 and you can stay as long as you want, or as long as your body allows!
KISS by Monster Mini Golf
Website: KISS by Monster Mini Golf
Pricing: $11.95
Opening hours: 10 am - 12 am daily
Address: Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, Masquerade Village, Casino level, 3700 W. Flamingo Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89103
Time to spend there: 45 minutes - 1.5 hour
Mini Golf is always a good idea no matter what, but if in Las Vegas, why not make it an extravagant KISS themed one?
Located in the Rio Hotel, the KISS by Monster Mini Golf is a massive 13,000 square-foot course, with 18 musically-themed holes. Admission is free if you don't want to play mini golf, as there's still a lot to do and see here. There are arcade games, a rock ͑n roll gift shop, a special event room and even a wedding chapel. Moreover, the whole experience is elevated with a live DJ playing KISS music.
You don’t need to book in advance, but if you have to wait a little, you can check out the KISS memorabilia displaying hundreds of the band's relics.
The Mob Museum
Website: The Mob Museum
Pricing: general admission - $23.95-26.95
Opening hours: Museum 9 am - 9 pm daily, Speakeasy & Distillery 9 am - 12 pm daily
Address: 300 Stewart Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89101
Time to spend there: 2-3 hours
A few minutes from Fremont Street you can find the National Museum of Organized Crime & Law Enforcement. This nonprofit organization presents the history of organized crime and the impact it had on the American society.
The museum offers an insight into the life of mobs through four floors of personal stories, videos and interactive extras. The speakeasy in the underground takes one back to the Roaring Twenties, with mysterious atmosphere and jazz evenings. The distillery exhibits the forbidden acts of bootleggers and rum runners and it also features a working still producing moonshine.
You can get the general admission ticket for $26.95 at the venue, but if you book it online, it’s $3 cheaper. There are two more types of passes which enable you to see more of the museum. It’s best if you check the website to see which option you like the best.
Shark Reef Aquarium
Website: Shark Reef Aquarium
Pricing: $25 per person
Opening hours: Sunday-Thursday 10 am - 8 pm, Friday&Saturday 10 am - 10 pm
Address: Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, 3950 Las Vegas Blvd., South Las Vegas, NV 89119
Time to spend there: 1-1.5 hour
Located inside of the outstanding Mandalay Bay, you will find the Shark Reef Aquarium. This place doesn’t only offer an array of entertainment, but education as well. If you’re interested in marine life, this is a must - it’s not like any other aquarium you might’ve been to - as you can learn about 2000 animals, including 11 different species of sharks alongside several types of tropical fish, freshwater fish, reptiles and invertebrates.
The Aquarium has a touch pool and walk-through tunnels, which show you the perspective of a marine diver. Polar Journey, a new interactive section of the exhibition, is about the polar regions on Earth and is included in the general admission.
You can book your ticket on the website in advance or from the box office.
Trampoline Park
Website: Trampoline Park
Pricing: $15-30
Opening hours: Monday-Thursday 10am - 9pm, Friday-Saturday 10am - 11pm, Sunday 11am - 7pm
Address: 7350 Prairie Falcon Rd., #120, Las Vegas, NV 89128
Time to spend there: 2-3 hours
Ever dreamed about flying? Gravady Extreme Air Sports is awaiting with 8 different types of activities, such as the Airdunk, trapeze, ninja obstacle course and slackline, just to mention a few.
You can have a flying time of 1, 1.5 and 2 hours. To be fair, an hour should be more than enough, because this type of exercise is very intense and it will work muscles you didn’t even know existed. Make sure you arrive 30 minutes prior and after the session, you’ll definitely need some time to sit and dry - it’s a sweaty activity! Make sure you dress comfortably, preferably in activewear. You’ll need grip socks that you can either buy at the venue for an extra $3, or take your own with you.
It is recommended to book your ticket in advance if you can - you can even choose your time slot. If you happen to stop by, you’ll still be able to “fly”, but if it’s fully booked, you’ll have to wait.
Escapology Escape Room
Website: Escapology Escape Room
Pricing: Monday-Thursday $30 per person, Friday-Sunday $35 per person
Opening hours: 10 am - 12 am daily
Address: 2797 S Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Time to spend there: 1.5 hour
Based a little off The Strip, you can spend an exciting (and mind-working) hour with Escapology. Having the best rating on TripAdvisor and the best prices at the same time, we recommend you give this place a try if you fancy an escape room experience with your friends.
The Escapology offers 9 different rooms, each with a unique theme and mystery or game to be solved. You can play in groups of 2-8, but probably 4-6 is the ideal number. The best thing about this place is that you won’t be paired up with strangers - you have the room only for yourselves.
You can book your room through their website, which is easy and convenient. The game itself is to be solved in 60 minutes, but plan with at least 90 minutes for the whole program. There is a short introduction beforehand and after the game when your group photos are taken. You also have some time to discuss the experience with the game master.
CSI: The Experience
Website: CSI: The Experience
Pricing: $31.50 for adults
Opening hours: 9 am - 10 pm daily
Address: MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, 3799 Las Vegas Blvd., South Las Vegas, NV 89109
Time to spend there: 1 hour
If you don’t like to be locked in, but you like mystery, you can head to the adventurous CSI: The Experience exhibition. It is based on the original TV series, and here you can "become" a character of the show by investigating in a crime scene.
In about an hour, you go through an investigation process with the experts. It enhances your critical and logical skills, while you can learn a lot about science.
If you want to challenge yourself and have fun in the meantime, book your ticket in advance on the website.
Watch a show
Website: Vegas.com
Pricing: From $30 upwards
Show Times: 4pm onwards
Address: Various resorts across Las Vegas
Time to spend there: 1 & 1/2 hours and above
If the heat is still well above the 35 degree mark towards the end of your day, you could take in an activity which Vegas is famous for; a show.
Although primarily an evening slot, certain shows start their evening's work from about 4pm onwards, meaning it could be the perfect end to your day indoors.
Sin City is known for it's alluring showmanship, so magic and circus acts run rife in most venues. How much your paying can be from about $30 for a local act trying to make their way, through to the world famous Cirque du Soleil, which can set you back an eye-watering $200+. This can be pricey if you've just finished summer camp, so be sure to look out for last minute deals.
Whether magic, sport, music, circus or cultural events are for you, shows are a staple of things to do indoors in Las Vegas.
There are plenty of things to do in Las Vegas if you prefer to stay inside and we can guarantee you won’t be bored. Here are some other ideas that you swap in, if some of the above aren’t for you:
- Top Golf Las Vegas
- Coca Cola Store
- M&Ms Store
- Hershey’s Store
- Madame Tussauds
- Real Bodies
- Titanic Exhibition
- Neon Museum
- Museum of Natural History
- Adventuredome Theme Park
- Apocalypse Vegas
- High Roller
So if you've finished an incredible summer working at camp in America, or you're simply spending a weekend in Sin City, these activities will keep you entertained and out of the sun.