If you’re going to Las Vegas and you’re not into gambling, there are still some entertaining things to do there - some of them free.

The Neon Museum downtown on Fremont Street displays old neon signs that once lit up some of the hotels and casinos. These are fun to see whether you think of them as history, art or just pop kitsche. Nearby is the Arts Factory, which displays up to date works by local artists, photographers, graphic designers and painters.

You can also explore some of the hotels. The Mirage hosts Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat, an educational and research-based facility which features a variety of animals in a natural habitat: dolphins, white and golden of tigers, panthers, leopards, snow leopards, and white lions. For as little as $15 you can get tickets to see the habitat, or you can make your vacation unforgettable if you have a few hours to learn how to be a dolphin trainer for a day.

The MGM Grand has a free lion habitat featuring two or three lions walking among trees and under waterfalls, open 11 am to 10 pm (at the time of this writing). Again, these animals are well cared for on a local ranch when they’re not at the habitat.

It’s always fun to cruise or walk the strip at any time of the day. It’s so well lit and populated at night that it’s relatively safe.