While the Strip is typically the top destination for tourists in Las Vegas, you’ll want to spend at least one day Downtown.
Located within Las Vegas’s official city limits, Downtown is synonymous with vintage Sin City style and history. Check out some of the coolest attractions in this exciting, historic, neon-soaked part of Las Vegas.
The Fremont Street Experience
Downtown’s most famous landmark is the Fremont Street Experience. The five-block stretch is closed to traffic and now operates as a pedestrian mall with shops, restaurants, casinos and yard-long margaritas. Most of it is underneath the massive Viva Vision canopy, which displays music, video and animation on high-definition screens. Grab a selfie with Vegas Vic, the iconic neon cowboy and unofficial king of Fremont Street.
The Beverly Theater
The Beverly Theater is Las Vegas’ premier art house cinema. The theater screens the finest independent, international and classic films and stages concerts, author meet-and-greets and other cultural events. The rooftop deck is a nice spot to soak in the fresh air and the concession shop serves classic movie theater favorites for food and drink.
Downtown Container Park
Downtown Container Park is a collection of shops, bars and restaurants, built with old cargo shipping containers. It’s a great place to browse souvenirs, drink cocktails at Oak & Ivy eat pizza at Mob Pie. At the center of it all is a playground and treehouse to keep youngsters busy while the adults focus on shopping. The giant praying mantis out front, which shoots fire, is a fun photo opportunity.
Neon Museum
The Neon Museum is an outdoor treasure of vintage Las Vegas neon signs and marquees, preserved, restored and maintained in optimum condition. Scour “The Boneyard” and discover pieces from long-gone casinos like the Frontier and Stardust. One of the most recent additions is a towering guitar from the old Hard Rock (now Virgin Hotels). And it’s no surprise the best time for the Neon Museum is at night when the lights go up and Old Vegas roars back to life.
Mob Museum
The Mob Museum wants to make you an offer you can’t refuse with an exclusive journey through Las Vegas’ long history of organized crime. The museum sits in an old courthouse where mobsters were once prosecuted. The Museum even has a working Prohibition-style basement speakeasy and distillery. Learn how to skim a little dough off the top and see the blood-soaked wall where the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre made mincemeat out of Al Capone’s gangster rivals.
Slotzilla
Take flight on Downtown’s zipline. The aptly named Slotzilla zips riders from a nine-story slot machine, zooming across the Fremont Street Experience and over the crowds of tourists below. Choose to swing like Spiderman or fly horizontally like Superman. At 40 miles per hour, Slotzilla is definitely one of Las Vegas’ best ziplines.
Fremont East
On the east side of Las Vegas Boulevard is Fremont East, a small collection of bars and restaurants aimed at locals as well as tourists. Highlights include Commonwealth (a social bar with the Laundry Room, a hidden speakeasy), the Griffin, and Park on Fremont, which has nice outdoor patios. Eureka has great burgers, cocktails and a patio for people-watching, while Le Thai serves a modern take on classic Thai street food. For some of the most player-friendly gambling in town, head to the casino at the historic El Cortez.
Circa
The newest and tallest resort in Downtown Vegas is Circa, which brings a splash of Strip-esque indulgence to the heart of the Fremont Street Experience. The towering skyscraper is a spectacle in every way, from the Stadium Swim pool deck to the Legacy Club cocktail lounge on the top floor. There’s a vintage “Old Vegas” theme, but the rooms and suites are ultra-modern and are decked out with the latest amenities. Devour a steak dinner at Barry’s Downtown Prime, sample delicious Asian street food at 8 East, or snack on a stacked sandwich at Saginaw’s Delicatessen. Drop a few bucks (and hopefully win a few, too) at the world’s largest sports book. An important note: Circa is 21 and over, so have your ID ready at the entrance.
Carson Kitchen
Downtown Las Vegas has some of the best restaurants in Vegas, often at prices far lower than what you’ll find on the Strip. Your best bet is Carson Kitchen, the final business venture for the late chef Kerry Simon. It’s an inventive place for gastropub cuisine and a menu that changes with the season. If you prefer a classic steakhouse, Oscar’s at the Plaza, Andiamo at The D, Vic & Anthony’s at the Golden Nugget, Hugo’s Cellar at the Four Queens, Top of Binion’s or the Triple George Grill might be more your speed. Pizza Rock leads the downtown pizza options, followed by Evel Pie and Pop Up Pizza at the Plaza.
Pawn Plaza
One of the busiest tourist destinations in Vegas is the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, featured on the History Channel’s Pawn Stars. The lines are long out front, but fans love to see where the reality show is filmed and maybe even pick a few treasures for themselves. It’s next door to Pawn Plaza, a two-story retail complex with awesome barbecue from Rick’s Rollin’ Smoke.
Smith Center
The Smith Center is the magnificent theater complex where Las Vegas celebrates the performing arts. Reynolds Hall hosts touring Broadway shows, the Philharmonic, and the Nevada Ballet Theatre. There’s also Myron’s Cabaret for small concerts and jazz acts or Troesh Studio Theater for minimalist black box productions.
Downtown Arts District
The fastest-growing section of Downtown Las Vegas is the Arts District. The area is famous for its second-hand thrift stores and budget shops but also has a vibrant culinary scene. Visit Esther’s Kitchen for farm-to-table Italian, Jammyland for Jamaican tapas or Cornish Pasty Co., where hot meals are served inside baked pastries. Try the Velveteen Rabbit on Main Street for yummy craft cocktails, Garagiste for wine and Makers & Finders for coffee with a local touch. The Downtown Arts District is the home base for First Friday, an outdoor festival of art, food and culture on the first Friday of each month.
