I don’t know about you, but there’s only so much gambling I can do before I get bored. Not only do I have trouble keeping the rules straight, but I have an addictive personality and I’m always tempted to hit up the ATM even though I’ve set a limit before I arrived.

But Vegas is fun even if you’re not gambling. In fact, most of my favourite experiences in Vegas had nothing to do with the casinos, so if you’re not planning to spend all of your time in one room looking at slot machines or playing blackjack, here are some things you can do instead:

Check out the Grand Canyon

If you haven’t yet heard, you can easily take a trip to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas. If you’re going to be in Vegas for more than a couple of days, it’s well worth taking a day trip to see this incredible sight. Try a helicopter tour, which will take you from Vegas, straight to the Grand Canyon (you’ll often be given breakfast or lunch on the ground), giving you the best view around, without hours spent in a bus on the way there and back.

Get tickets to a show

I originally thought seeing a show in Vegas was going to be a cheesy experience, and since I’m a huge fan of cheesy experiences, I was ok with this. But the shows in Vegas are incredible, whether you want to laugh your ass off at a comedian, be your best camp self at a musical, marvel at the acrobats at Cirque Du Soleil, or listen to the latest and greatest singers. Grab tickets online before you go, or line up on the day for last-minute seats.

Hit up the buffets

I don’t know about you, but I’m someone who loves a good buffet. In fact, I can easily spend all day eating in Vegas, especially at the buffets at some of the famous hotels. Check out Caesar’s Palace or the Bellagio, or look at ratings online to see which are your favourites. I like to go for lunch, since it’s a lot cheaper and I’m usually too hung over to get out of bed before noon anyway. This means that I’m usually starving before I get to the buffet, and I can enjoy all of my favourite foods before I leave.

Go shopping

One thing I was surprised about, was how great the shopping was in Vegas. Sure, I expected excellent nightclubs and luxury hotels, but for some reason I didn’t expect Vegas to be such a shopping mecca. While I stuck to the strip for most of my visit last time, I’ve heard that there are some incredible deals at the outlet malls, so be sure to arrive with an empty bag you can score some bargains.