Hey guys, my friends and I are planning a trip out to Vegas in March. Aside from walking the strip and visiting Area 51 
what else is there to do?
We’re not huge fans of gambling, and our ages range from 25-32, have any Dopers seen/done things in Vegas that they would reccomend?
Just about every hotel I’ve been to in Vegas has a booklet (can’t remember the name right now) that has -tons- of listings of all the shows and attractions. There’s a lot of great stuff to do for free and really cheap. That’s always the first thing I look at as soon as I get in. Have fun!
Um, Area 51 is a good coupla hundred miles from Vegas as the crow flies. And if you’re going to go there, better rent a 4x4. The route out there is basically dirt cattle ranch roads, off the Extraterrestrial Highway. The folks who run the Little Ale’Inn are really nice, though. Rachel is basically a trailer park with its own gas station, but I wouldn’t mind taking a vacation there just for some peace and quiet.
Also, avoid the Strip. The good deals are downtown, as far as low-minimum games. Say hi to Bryan at the Golden Gate for me. Oh, and if you play craps at the GG, bet for the dealers, especially on day shift. Bryan will give comps to even small bettors if they take care of his dealers. I know, I used to work for him…
I should also mention that I’m leaving with a pack of single males, so if there are venus that feature oil or jello wrestling with scantily clad females, I’d appreciate hearing about it as well
Thanks for the advice already folks, so much for seeing Area 51 
Two words: The Beach.
Clark County is essentially Las Vegas. If you go outside of Clark County, “houses of ill repute” aren’t so ill-reputed. 
It’s about $250 each, but my fiance and I took a helicopter down the bottom of the Grand Canyon for a champagne brunch.
Absolutely breathtaking.
OH, My GOSH, you lucky duck!! I Loooooove Vegas. Yes, there’s a ton to do without gambling. There’s a great discount shopping mall a few miles out of town. There’s “Wet and Wild” (I think that’s the name of the water park).
The Stratosphere “Big Shot”. NYNY Roller Coaster, the “Speed demon”?? (might have the name a bit skewed).
The shows. Did I mention Shopping? And one of the hotels (is it the Bellagio? I don’t remember) just opened a museum with a flower garden, art and a Harley Davidson display, among other things.
Have a blast!
The light show at the “Old” part of Vegas is kind of cool, and there are all sort of cool little kiosks and performance art.
Also, there’s a little tiny stand inside of Binion’s Lucky Horseshoe, that has THE best Pastrami and Corned beef sandwiches in the WORLD.
Are you going to see any shows? You’ll have to pay dearly for them, but I highly reccomend Cirque du Soleil and the Blue Man Group.
Dolphins at the Mirage. Shopping in Caesars. Emeril’s. Light show “downtown” (which is the OLD Vegas, not the typical "Strip Vegas). Hard Rock which isn’t close to the other Hotels. Fountains at Belagio. Pirate show at Treasure Island. Helicopter rides. Rent a car and drive to Red Rock Canyon. Buffets.
Oh and last but not least, get married at a drive-thru chapel on a scooter.
I too strongly recommend staying on Fremont Street. The Golden Nugget is very nice. Take the bus or a cab down to the Strip when you need/want to go there, but don’t stay there.
See Penn & Teller at the Rio, their shows are always terrific.
Drive down to the Hoover Dam.
Be sure to see the pirate battle at Treasure Island, it’s cool and free.
If you or any of your friends have done any rock climbing, you should check out red rocks. It’s all bolted, but you would need some gear. Even if you don’t climb it might be woth checking it out. It’s an odd place and it’s really hard to judge the perspective of the rocks.
“Deja Vous” is pretty cool as well if you like looking at the ladies. $20 cover, but you can bring your own booze.
MtM
General Questions is for questions with factual answers. IMHO is for opinions and polls. I’ll move this to IMHO for you.
DrMatrix - GQ Moderator
I too would recommend the pirate show at Treasure Island if they hadn’t destroyed it 2 months ago! Now it’s some stupid thing about sirens
As someone who’s gone to Area 51 (and I mean nosing up to the “No trespassers allowed” line, not hanging with the gawkers at the Extraterrestrial Highway), I’ll just say you definitely want an off-road vehicle. Though to be honest, given how long you have to drive outside of Vegas to get there, IMO it’s not worth the trip.
Someone has already mentioned the shows. In particular, there are two instantiations of Cirque de Soleil in Vegas — Mystere and O. No one should live without seeing Cirque. It is magnificent. It is what the circus will be when it grows up.
As others have said, stay downtown – for decent, cheap accomodations and food. (And often some sad, but irresistible people watching. There are some utterly divey old casinos that attract the broken dregs of society: imagine a bus station with slot machines and granny-aged cocktail waitresses. You really gotta check out that scene.) You can foray out to the Strip for more high class (if such things exist in Vegas) activities and people watching.
If you want to interact with the natives, drive to one of the casinos on the way outskirts of town; that’s were the locals hang.
Go to “Top of the Town”. It isn’t too far from the Stratosphere Hotel.