Las Vegas/Downtown

Downtown Las Vegas is the older part of Las Vegas, a few miles north of the Strip.

Get in

Downtown is accessible by car, taxi or bus. To get in by bus from the Strip, take the Deuce service — depending on where you get on the trip can take 10-20 minutes in light traffic, much more if the Strip is gridlocked.

From the airport, the CX (Centennial Express) service takes you directly to Downtown. See the RTC website for schedules and routes (also for getting in from elsewhere in the Las Vegas Valley).

If you feel like walking, you can walk north along Las Vegas Boulevard from the Strip for a couple of hours (depending on where you start), and eventually arrive in Downtown.

See

Fremont Street Experience with the two neon figures "Vegas Vic" and "Vegas Vicky"

• 1 Fremont Street Experience, ☏ +1 702 678-5600. Dusk to midnight. A pedestrian mall lined by many of the downtown casinos, this is Las Vegas Downtown's equivalent of the Strip. Multimedia shows are displayed on a giant canopy over the street nightly. Free.  
• 2 The Tank at the Golden Nugget Hotel. Daily 10AM-8PM, weather permitting. A huge outdoor pool complex with a shark tank, a 3-story enclosed waterslide which passes through the shark tank, and private cabanas above the pool. $20 for non-hotel guests. 
• 3 Urinals at Main Street Station Casino. The urinals in the men's room are mounted on an actual piece of the Berlin Wall. If you're a woman, ask an employee to let you see it, they almost always will accommodate you. (updated Oct 2017)
• 4 Container Park, 707 Fremont St, ☏ +1 702 359-9982. A unique open-air shopping center filled with boutique retail shops, restaurants, and live entertainment for the whole family. Be sure to see the giant fire-breathing mantis at night. (updated Dec 2022)
• 5 Discovery Children's Museum, 360 Promenade Pl, ☏ +1 702 382-5437, info@DiscoveryKidsLV.org. Winter: Tu–F 9AM–4PM, Sa 10AM–5PM, Su noon–5PM; Summer: M–Sa 10AM – 5PM, Su noon–5PM. A combination museum and playground, this museum lets children engage in creative play while exposing them to science concepts. Kids especially love the 70-foot-tall Summit tower with 12 levels of interactive exhibits. The one drawback of the museum is lack of food; it's in a remote part of Downtown with no nearby eateries and only has a snack area with vending machines so plan accordingly. $14.50. (updated May 2015)
• 6 Mob Museum (National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement), 300 Stewart Ave, ☏ +1 702 229-2734, info@themobmuseum.org. 9AM-9PM daily. Extensive exhibits on the history of organized crime in the U.S., with lots of artifacts from famous mobsters and the law enforcement agencies that fought them. The museum is inside the old federal courthouse building, and includes a recreation of the courtroom where a major hearing on organized crime took place in 1950. $29.95 adults, $27.95 military/law enforcement, $16.95 children/students, children 10 and under free; discounts for Nevada residents. (updated Dec 2021)
• 7 Neon Museum, 770 N Las Vegas Blvd, ☏ +1 702 387-6366. An outdoor lot loaded with huge signs that once twinkled in front of the Silver Slipper, Stardust, and El Cortez. See the giant horseshoe made of thousands of gold-colored light bulbs. Open only by one-hour guided tours. $18.  
• 8 Old Las Vegas Mormon Fort State Historic Park, 500 E Washington Ave, ☏ +1 702 486-3511, oldfort@parks.nv.gov. Tu-Sa 8AM-4:30PM. One of the few historic attractions in Vegas is this small park which preserves the restored Mormon Fort, the first structure built by European settlers in Las Vegas. A visitor center on-site has exhibits on the fort's past. $3, children 12 and under free. (updated Dec 2020)
• 9 Las Vegas Natural History Museum, 900 Las Vegas Blvd N., ☏ +1 702 384-3466. Daily 9AM-4PM. Adults $10; seniors, military, and students $8,; children (3-11) $5. (updated Mar 2017)
• 10 Stratosphere Tower (The STRAT Tower). A 1,149 foot high tower, the tallest observation tower in the United States, with an indoor and an outdoor observation deck on top that offers a 360-degree view over the valley. A revolving restaurant also sits at the top, as well as a set of thrill rides (see below in "Do"). Elevator to the top: $20 adults, $12 children, $14 seniors/Nevada residents.  

Do

• 1 Las Vegas Lights FC, Cashman Field, 850 Las Vegas Blvd N, ☏ +1 702 728-4625. A professional soccer team in the USL Championship league, the Las Vegas Lights have played at Cashman Field since 2018. starting at $15.  
• 2 Mike Hammer, Four Queens, toll-free: +1-877-935-2844. Tu-Sa 7PM. Comedy and magic From $23. 
• 3 Bite, Stratosphere. Nightly 10:30PM. Production show with vampire mythology and topless dancers. From $45. 
• 4 SlotZilla, 425 Fremont St (at Fremont Street Experience), ☏ +1 702 410-7999. Su-Th noon-midnight, F Sa noon-2AM. A zip line which stands 12 stories high and resembles a giant slot machine. Riders start at the east side of the Fremont Street Experience, the Slotzilla zip line is 114 feet high and launches riders in a horizontal position flying 1,700 feet — the entire length of the Fremont Street canopy – at speeds faster than 35 miles per hour. Up to four riders can ride at once, each on parallel zip lines. $54-74 (age and weight restrictions apply).  

Stratosphere Tower

• 5 Stratosphere Tower rides (The STRAT attractions). In addition to the observation desk on top, with its restaurant and great views of the city, there are four thrill rides on the top of the tower. Big Shot is a tower ride that makes up the mast of the Stratosphere and shoots passengers straight up 160 feet at 45 mph (over 4 Gs) until they are 1,081 feet above the ground. X-Scream is a giant teeter-totter that propels you 27 feet over the edge of the tower, 866 feet above the ground. Insanity is a massive mechanical arm that extends 64 feet over the edge of the Tower and spins riders at a force of 3 Gs. Lastly is SkyJump, a bungee jump ride that consists of an 855-foot controlled, falling descent from the 108th floor of the tower. Tower admission + Big Shot/X-Scream/Insanity rides $25-$36, depending on number of rides (otherwise, rides $15 each in addition to Tower admission); SkyJump $120 and up. 

Performing arts

• 6 Smith Center for the Performing Arts, 361 Symphony Park Ave, ☏ +1 702 749-2012. Located in downtown Las Vegas, the Smith Center is a world-class performing arts center consisting of three theaters in two buildings. Visitors can attend regular concerts, popular musicals, and theatrical performances almost any day or night of the week. Online ticket reservations are recommended for better seating.  

Buy

• 1 Las Vegas Premium Outlets North, 875 South Grand Central Parkway (off I-15 and Charleston Blvd, near Downtown). 120 designer and name-brand outlets including Coach, Lacoste, Polo Ralph Lauren and more.  
• 2 Gamblers Book Club, 800 S Main St (at the Gambler's General Store, near Downtown). M-Sa 9AM-6PM, Su 9AM-5PM. This is the oldest gambling book store in the nation; if you need to learn how to play a game, this is where you go. This store is stacked with books that can teach you how to count cards and bet on sports. Try to visit when former owner Howard Schwartz is around for some interesting Vegas lore.  
• 3 Sin City Gallery, 107 E. Charleston Boulevard, Suite 100 (inside The Arts Factory), ☏ +1 702 608-2461. W-Sa 1-7PM and opened until 10PM every first Thursday and first Friday of the month for First Fridays Arts Festival. Contemporary art gallery presenting sophisticated and edgy emerging artists from around the corner and around the world. Offers new exhibitions/murals every month. Sin City Gallery produces an international annual juried erotic art exhibition. Free to visit. 
• 4 Neonopolis, ☏ +1 702 243-0654. (updated Oct 2018)

Eat

Double bypass burger; one of the smaller burgers at the famous (or perhaps infamous?) Heart Attack Grill

• 1 Heart Attack Grill, 450 Fremont St. M-Sa 11AM - 2AM. The Heart Attack Grill has courted controversy by serving high-calorie menu items with deliberately provocative names. The establishment has a hospital theme: waitresses ("nurses") take orders ("prescriptions") from the customers ("patients"). A tag is wrapped on the patient's wrist showing which foods they ordered and a "doctor" examines the "patients" with a stethoscope. The menu includes "Single", "Double", "Triple", and "Quadruple Bypass" hamburgers, ranging from 8 to 32 ounces (230 to 910 g) of beef (up to about 8,000 calories), all-you-can-eat "Flatliner Fries" (cooked in pure lard), beer and tequila, and soft drinks such as Jolt and Mexican-bottled Coca-Cola made with real sugar. Customers over 350 lb (160 kg) in weight eat for free if they weigh in with a doctor or nurse before each burger. Beverages and to-go orders are excluded and sharing food is also not allowed for the free food deal.  
• 2 Oscar's Steakhouse, 1 Main St (in the Plaza Hotel & Casino), ☏ +1 702 386-7227. Lounge opens at 4PM, restaurant at 5PM, Daily. Fine dining in the iconic Plaza Hotel and Casino. Named after former Las Vegas mayor and mob lawyer, Oscar Goodman. 
• 3 Triple George Grill, 201 N. 3rd Street (across the street from the Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino), ☏ +1 702 384-2761. Sa Su 4-10PM, M-F 11AM-10PM. Classic menu of seafood, chicken, steak and pasta. 
• 4 Golden Steer Steakhouse, 308 W. Sahara Ave (just west of the Bonanza Gift Shop), ☏ +1 702 384-74470. 4:30PM to 11PM. Open since 1958, this is the oldest steakhouse in Las Vegas and boasts to be one of favorite restaurants of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr. and has hosted dinners for many other celebrities from past eras. The Golden Steer is over 50 years old and honors "Old Las Vegas" style dining. 
• 5 Top of the World, Stratosphere, 2000 S Las Vegas Blvd, ☏ +1 702 380-7711. A revolving gourmet restaurant more than 800 feet above the Strip at the top of the Stratosphere Tower. 

Desserts

• 6 Luv-It Frozen Custard, 505 E Oakey Blvd (just east of S Las Vegas Blvd). Hidden some two blocks north of the Stratosphere Tower (their blue building with white pillars and trim shares a parking lot with a convenience store), this family operation offers excellent frozen custards with outstanding toppings. 

Drink

• 1 The Bunkhouse Saloon, 124 S 11th St (Downtown, one block from the USA Hostel). Cheap downtown bar with live music. Friendly with travelers and frequented often by the staff and guests of the nearby hostel. 
• Banger Brewing, 450 Fremont St, Suite 135, ☏ +1 702-456-2739. (updated Nov 2021)
• The Griffin, 511 Fremont St, ☏ +1 702 382 0577. Old School Las Vegas ambience. (updated Feb 2023)

Sleep

Most accommodations in Downtown tend to be of the budget variety, owing to the distance to the Strip. However, hotels in Downtown still put you within very close distance to the casinos of Fremont Street. The Downtown area is also where you'll find the few hostels Las Vegas has.

Fremont Street

Budget

• 1 Binion's Gambling Hall and Hotel, 128 Fremont St, ☏ +1 702 382-1600.  
• 2 The Desert Hills Motel, 2121 Fremont St (at Eastern Avenue, east of Downtown), ☏ +1 702 309-5891, fax: +1 702 319-5946, reservations@vegas-motels.com. Offers a variety of stylish deluxe suites, as well as standard accommodations. Amenities include a swimming pool, patio deck and large palm trees. $30+. 
• 3 El Cortez Hotel and Casino, 600 E Fremont St, ☏ +1 702 385-5200. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. 300 rooms, 2 restaurants and a Chinese buffet. Great rewards program. $35+.  
• 4 Four Queens Hotel & Casino, 202 Fremont St, ☏ +1 702 385-4011. No resort fees.  
• 5 Golden Gate Hotel and Casino, 1 Fremont St, ☏ +1 702 385-1906. Opened in 1906 under the name Hotel Nevada, this is the oldest casino hotel in Las Vegas.  
• 6 Hostel Cat, 1236 S Las Vegas Blvd, ☏ +1 702 380-6902. Basic accommodations. Laundry and kitchen facilities, free pancake breakfast, wi-fi, some private rooms, lots of social activities. $15-$40. 
• 7 Las Vegas Hostel, 1322 Fremont St, ☏ +1 702 385-1150. A definite budget option. A reasonably well kept hostel with very friendly staff. Free beer and BBQ at the weekend is not to be missed. Surrounding area is not overly safe. Walking alone at night is not recommended. The pizza parlor next door does a deal on a soda and a generous slice of pizza for around $3. Fremont Experience is roughly a 20-minute walk from the hostel. 
• 8 Plaza Hotel and Casino, 1 S Main St, ☏ +1 702 386-2110. (updated Aug 2019)
• 9 Sin City Hostel, 1208 S Las Vegas Blvd, ☏ +1 702 868-0222. Hostel located near the north end of the Strip. Simple, clean, efficient. $15 per night in a 6-bed dorm includes continental breakfast. 

Mid-range

• 10 California Hotel and Casino, 12 E Ogden Ave, ☏ +1 702 385-1222. No resort fees. Usually, a lot of the guests are Hawaiians, but everyone is welcome. Staff wears Aloha shirts and the buffet features Hawaiian specialties. Craps tables are usually lively, and they've got a "Golden Arm" hall of fame for craps shooters who've had an unusual hot streak. Give the big Buddha statue in the lobby a quick belly rub for luck before you play.  
• 11 The D Las Vegas, 301 Fremont St, ☏ +1 702 388-2400. A downtown casino right between the Fremont Street Experience and Slotzilla. Extensively renovated in 2012.  
• 12 Downtown Grand Las Vegas, 206 N. 3rd St, ☏ +1 702 719-5100, toll-free: +1-855-384-7263. Stylish hotel rooms with modern amenities and comfortable furnishings. The industrial chic casino features brand new slot machines and table games in a high-energy and intimate environment. (updated Aug 2015)
• 13 Fremont Hotel & Casino, 200 E Fremont St, toll-free: +1-800-634-6460. 32,000 square foot casino and 4 restaurants. No resort fees.  
• 14 Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino, 129 Fremont St, ☏ +1 702 385-7111.  
• 15 Main Street Station Hotel and Casino, 200 N Main St, toll-free: +1-800-713-8933. Victorian theme. Includes not-to-be-missed Garden Court Buffet. No resort fees.  
• 16 Stratosphere (The STRAT Hotel, Casino & SkyPod), 2000 S Las Vegas Blvd, ☏ +1 702 380-7777, toll-free: +1 800-998-6937. Includes the 1,149-foot Stratosphere Tower, a Las Vegas landmark. From $22.