Caesars Palace and The Forum Shops: Free Sights to See
6 min read
Caesars Palace is enormous, and you can wander it for an hour without spending anything. The Roman theming, the fountains, the Forum Shops, and the giant statues all cost zero to enjoy.
I have stayed at Caesars more times than I can count, and this is the free self-guided route I send friends on. Some of it is genuinely cool, some of it is dated tourist filler, and I will tell you which is which.
The Garden of the Gods Pools and Statues
The exterior of Caesars is lined with marble Roman statues, fountains, and replica monuments leading up to the entrance. The Garden of the Gods pool complex is guest-only, but the front gardens and statues are open to walk.
Great free photo territory, especially the replica of the David statue and the front fountains. Worth a slow walk on your way in.
The Forum Shops Sky Ceiling
Inside the Forum Shops, the ceiling is painted to mimic a Mediterranean sky that slowly shifts from day to dusk over time. It is one of the original fake-sky malls and still effective.
You do not need to buy anything. Just walk the main corridor and look up. The lighting transitions are subtle but cool once you notice them.
The Spiral Escalator
The Forum Shops has one of the only spiral escalators in the country, near the Strip-side entrance by the Apple store. It is a weird little engineering oddity.
Is it a destination? No. But it is a fun two-minute novelty if you are already there, and kids think it is great.
Fall of Atlantis Animatronic Show
Deep in the Forum Shops near the aquarium, the Fall of Atlantis show runs hourly with talking animatronic statues, fire, and a dated storyline.
Honest take: it is showing its age. If you happen to pass it on the hour, stop for two minutes. Otherwise skip it. The free aquarium tank next to it is more interesting.
The Forum Shops Aquarium
Next to the Atlantis show there is a large saltwater aquarium tank full of tropical fish, rays, and sometimes sharks, visible for free.
It is small but legitimately nice, and free to stand and watch. Pair it with the animatronic show since they are right next to each other.
Build a Free Caesars Loop
Enter from the Strip through the front gardens, walk the Roman statues, head into the Forum Shops for the sky ceiling and spiral escalator, then catch the aquarium.
Cap it across the street at the Bellagio Fountains. That is a free hour of central-Strip sights with no admission anywhere.
David X Las Vegas earns a commission on bookings made through this link, at no extra cost to you. It never changes my honest take.
Frequently asked
What can you do at Caesars Palace for free?
Walk the front Roman statues and gardens, explore the Forum Shops sky-ceiling mall, ride the spiral escalator, see the free aquarium, and catch the Fall of Atlantis animatronic show on the hour.
Is the Forum Shops aquarium free?
Yes, the saltwater aquarium tank inside the Forum Shops is free to stand and watch. It sits right next to the Fall of Atlantis show.
Is the Fall of Atlantis show worth seeing?
It is dated and short. Stop for a couple minutes if you pass it on the hour, but it is not worth a special trip in 2026.
