downtown

[harvey]

may '06 will be our 4th year in a row to vegas. have always stayed center strip (caesars, ballys, flamingo). this year we will be staying downtown at the golden nugget. would appreciate any tips or information such as transportation to the strip, things to do downtown, transportation to and from the airport, general overall information. thanking you in advance.

[mturner]

I have only stayed downtown once and that was at the GN this summer.

It is a whole different atmosphere than the strip but certainly easier on the feet. I enjoyed the street entertainment alot as there was always something going on and GN is a very nice hotel. I thought I would have better luck at VP then i did but i think the table games are more user friendly than the strip as far as minimums go.

I took a taxi from the airport then had a rental car as i split my stay between GN and LVHilton but there is a bus stop downtown but i am unsure where. perhaps my Lady Luck???? not sure on that one.

[LJG0722]

Joyce and I went downtown again during our last trip in December 2005. We had dinner at Plaza's Center Stage and then went to the Larry G. Jones show at Fitzgerald's. We enjoyed both. We had not bothered to bring coats with us and it was in the low thirties that evening so it was difficult to enjoy the Freemont Street entertainment in those temperatures. While the minimums are certainly lower downtown, the thing that Joyce and I really notice is how jammed packed the casinos are there as there is so little room between tables and the aisles of slot machines. Because everything is so jammed, they also seem more smokey than the strip casinos. Finally, we really enjoy sitting in the Race and Sports Book and you just do not have anything that comes close to a modern day Sports Book downtown. We believe that downtown is a great place to visit for a few hours, but I would never stay down there. :mad:

LJG0722

[Pence65]

We always rent a car when going to Vegas. If you get a good rate it is probably cheaper than taking cabs everywhere. We love downtown and wouldn't stay anywhere else. However, since we have a car, we always go check out other places too. Some places we like to eat are:

1. Vegas Club (Upper Deck) AYCE ribs on Sun. and Wed.
2. 4 Queens (Magnolia's Veranda) Try the muffeletta.
3. El Cortez (Roberta's) Excellent porterhouse (huge)
4. Golden Gate breakfast.

Hope you enjoy you trip!

[Boston_Bill]

Main Street Brew Pub is fun I like downtown, when i go I take cab from the airport, seems to be quickest.
Ive stayed at the GN twice and loved it. Mermaids is fun as well but very loud music.

[Lackqueen]

When hubby & I first went to Vegas, first 3 trips or so we stayed downtown at the Lady Luck. The comps were great & we took "day trips" to the strip. We then began staying at the Flamingo and have stayed there probably for the last 4 or 5 trips. Although we enjoyed staying on the strip, I think our hearts belong downtown. Maybe cause we're getting older (mid 50's?) we just like to get away from the hussle & bussle of the strip. We're going again in late March & staying at the Flamingo, but look forward to a couple of days downtown...next trip we might just book there, maybe at Main Street Station or the Golden Nugget. Maybe the fact that we seem to have more luck on the tables & slots downtown, and being so much more less crowded when walking (although the casinos, especially the GN can get VERY crowded) is what attracts us there. We love downtown! :cool:

[smmoo]

We have been downtown a few times and now will never go back unless to see a show or visit a restaurant we haven't been to. The smoke in most of the downtown casinos is enough to choke a horse, so we stay far away. The light show is not as good as it used to be, so that is no longer a draw either. Unless a casino remodels and puts in higher ceilings and better ventilation we find no reason to go there.:eek:

[High_Iron]

Well, I don’t get the Smokey thing. ALL casinos are Smokey. I have not noticed it to be MORE smokey in ANY casino. If you are sitting next to a smoker......it will be smokey.

Down Town is a love it, or hate it thing. I LOVE it. First of all it is so much FRIENDLIER there. It doesn't have that corporate feeling. Everyone is a little more personable.

It is MUCH cheaper there as well. I had stayed at the 4Q last July from Friday, till Tuesday for a total of 89 bucks. Now I realize that these hotels are a lil tired, but for that price, including the weekend....what else can I say. And believe me, I am no high roller. I hope to get that offer again THIS year.

Everything is within a stones throw. I was playing BJ at the Fitz, and the closer bathroom at the time was in the 4Q, or the Freemont( I forget :) )

Lower table minimums can be found here also. There is nothing more annoying to me than going into a casino, and the lone $5 table is 3 ppl deep, and there are 5 empty 20 dollar tables. I am not against playing that amount, but when the cards cool off, I want to be able to lower my bet for a few hands. I am not the only one who feels this way, as evident by the empty tables. Do the managers think they are making MORE money this way, when folks just leave togo to another casino with lower limits?

NO PORN SLAPPERS!! Sure, if you venture away from the covered road, there may be some creeps lurking out there. I have NEVER had any, or seen any trouble on Freemont Street. There is a Police presence there.

Not the BIG shows, but there is some entertainment. Saw Larry G. Jones at the Plaza last year for 7 bucks...including a drink. If you want to see the big shows, they are all a bus ride away.

There is PLENTY of room to walk. I HATE walking the strip on those 4 foot wide sidewalks. Between dodging the slappers, or the timeshare sellers, and everyone else. Here, the whole street is a sidewalk. Plenty of room. Plus, in the summer, the cover takes the heat off of you.

Love the FREE entertainment out there as well. Whether it’s the guy with his Piano, or the fella doing those paintings... always something interesting happening.

Someone said that the light show not as good as it used to be. I will admit that once you see it a couple of times, it’s not as exciting, but you do know that they have made MAJOR improvements to it in the last couple of years. Where there once was 1 light bulb, there are now 10. You’re telling mw that when you are standing outside, and ALL of the exterior casino lights start to go off, and the music starts to play that you don’t feel the excitement? Sure is better than that cheesy volcano.

[leighw55]

My husband and I have been to Vegas 5 times and have stayed downtown 4 out of the 5 times. We love staying at the Golden Nugget. Nice, clean hotel. And my husband has won alot on the flaming seven dollar machines in the Golden Nugget. He won $2000 one time and two other times he won $1200. We love the atmosphere in the downtown area. The free entertainment in the streets and the light show. We like to eat at the Market Street cafe in the California Hotel. The food is real good and inexpensive. Also, the shrimp cocktails in the Golden Gate, we pay the extra and for $3.00 we get a soda glass filled with prawns. We find the gambling is better and drink service too in the downtown area. We have taken a limo from the airport to the hotel a few times and it is worth the $65.00 to not have to deal with the shuttles or the taxis. Good luck to you and Have Fun!

[Pops904]

To us, downtown is HOME! We take day trips to the strip, and out Boulder Highway to the off-strip properties, but at night there is nothing better than 8 or 9 casinos all with easy access from the pedestrian mall that Freemont has been turned into from Main Street down for about 4 blocks!
The Golden Nugget is the classiest hotel downtown by far. I've found the rooms and service on par with the strip properties, but much cheaper.
Sure, the casinos can get crowded at peak times, so the key is to eat, drink, peruse the many gift shops, check out the street entertainment or just rest up during peak times.
As far as street entertainment, don't miss the great saxophone player, the guys that do wonderful paintings with spray cans, the guy with the piano mounted on the semi truck, or my favorite, the graet bands that play on the stages set up at the intersections on thursday, friday, and saturday nights! If you are a Creedence Clearwater Revival fan, there is a tribute band often playing there called "Bad Moon Risin" that is awsome! They look and sound just like the original !
I've seen a lot of posts where people say "The Show" at the Freemont Street Experience isn't as good as it once was. These people obviously don't stay downtown, just hit it for one show some night. We stayed at The Golden Nugget for 5 days on our last trip and were treated to a DIFFERENT show each hour, 5 or 6 different shows per night! On subsequent nights, we did see some shows again that we saw on the first night, but never in the same order, and not the same 5 or 6 shows repeated night after night. It is great to see the lights go out on the casinos and the canopy light show start, and hear the reaction of the crowds watching! Often when popular songs come on, you can hear the crowd singing along, and either to the light show or the live bands performing, impromtu street dances often break out!
There are terrific restaurants and bars downtown, and the restaurant prices and giftshop prices are not grossly inflated like they are at the strip properties.
The little "hole in the wall" places like Mermaids and LeBayou are great, loud, rowdy places with free trinkets like Mardi Gras beads always being passed out for free, unbelievably strong drinks, and loooooose slot machines.
All this packed into a 4 or 5 block, easy to walk, brightly lit, pedestrians only party zone!
The ONLY downside we have found is that once you reach the end of the brightly lit canopy, it gets REAL seedy and REAL scary REALLY QUICK! The walk to El Cortez or Lady Luck can be scary even in daytime, and at night, even though I'm a big strong constuction-worker type, I consider leaving the brightly lit canopy area an ABSOLUTE no-no!

3 tips:

1. Main Street Station is really nice, the casino is big, and the restaurants are good, but to reach it, most people walk out from under the brightly lit canopy the 2 blocks down Main Street. As I said before, NOT a good idea at night! The alternative route is THROUGH the Las Vegas Club at the corner of Main and Freemont, out the back door. across the side street, and directly into The Californian. From there it's up to the second floor of the casino and across the enclosed pedestrian bridge across Main Street, directly into Main Street Station, thus limiting your exposure to the outside world away from the brightly lit canopy to the quick trip across the street between The Las Vegas Club and The Californian.

2: At the far end of the canopy from Main Street, there is a 24 hour Walgreen's drug store. This is as far in that direction you want to walk at night, unless you just like to get mugged. However the prices in that Walgreens are no higher than any Walgreens in any other city, and it is loaded with Vegas gifts at better prices than the gift shops or street vendors.
Since the ONLY thing we found lacking at The Golden nugget was the absence of in-room coffeemakers, we were pleased to find the Walgreens well stocked with cheap coffeemakers, coffee, milk, juices, creamers and sugar/sugar substitutes. A quick trip to Walgreens and $20.00 got us a coffeemaker, cups, coffee and all the trimmings so that we could have coffee in our room in the mornings without having to get dressed and go downstairs to get coffee. When we left to return home, we simply abandoned our $9.95 coffeemaker in our room. It was well worth it to us for the convenience it provided during our stay.

3: Even if you love hot dogs, the 99 cent monster dogs you can get in various places downtown (And some of the older strip properties) simply don't qualify! NASTY, NASTY, NASTY!!!! (not to mention that with that size, shape, and color, they look an awful lot like something you would find made of plastic for sale in an adult book store!)


but that's just me...

[Boston_Bill]

I agree about downtown getting seedy quickly. I like to walk before it gets too hot in the morning and the area past the Plaza is full with beggers who are just annoying. Downtown feels deserted in the morning.

[hyskar]

may '06 will be our 4th year in a row to vegas. have always stayed center strip (caesars, ballys, flamingo). this year we will be staying downtown at the golden nugget. would appreciate any tips or information such as transportation to the strip, things to do downtown, transportation to and from the airport, general overall information. thanking you in advance.
Hi!

I've been going to Vegas for 20 years now. Just got back this past Saturday. Last March i stayed downtown (at Fitzgeralds) for the first time. Downtown is nice in that you don't have to walk to far to the casinos. Here are a few of my tips: I wouldn't venture too far off of Freemont street, because some of the neighborhoods are very questionable (run down hotels, etc. and the type of customers that frequent them). Main Street Station has an excellent buffet. The light show at Freemont street appears every night on the hour starting at 6pm (it may start later in the spring). A different look of the light show would be going up on the 2nd floor of Fitzgeralds and going out on their little balcony. Nice and reasonable breakfasts at the Golden Gate casino. It's easy to catch a bus at Freemont and Vegas Blvd. or go to the main bus terminal a couple of blocks off Freemont (sort of behind Lady Luck area). Have fun. I cant wait to go back again.

Gary

[linda]

i have stayed at lady luck twice and liked it alot-very good location-bus station is right behind the hotel-you can buy a pass that is good price. in oct i stayed at fitzgerald's and the smell in the room was terrible-when the air condition came on in the morning the smell woke me up and i couldnt sleep-won't stay there again-other than that i like downtown-breakfast good at golden gate and also liked the brewery at main st station(great pizza) and their breakfast buffet excellent:cool:

[magicfish]

I stayed, for the first time, downtown in January ('06), and I loved it!! Had visited before on several trips, but just for a few hours.

Had great stay at Golden Nugget, with nice rooms, security at elevator, great food in Carson St Cafe.

I saw Gordie Brown - great show!! :D

I played $2 Blackjack at the Golden Gate - interesting little casino with lots of old San Fran pictures, and a few really old slots on display.

I had the $4.95 steak special at the cafe in the basement of Binions - ok - not as good as Ellis island, or even Paradise Cafe at Hilton.

Most of all, as a woman traveling alone, I felt very comfortable strolling from casino to casino under the Fremont Experience canopy, even very late at night. I did not, however, venture any farther than the Plaza to the west, and Neonopolis to the east.

The valet parking at the Nugget is exceptional, and they have a self parking garage as well. Guests of the Nugget can park free at the garage - I , too, always rent a car when in Vegas.

Downtown is also the location of my favorite theatre in Vegas - Neonopolis - great theatre, with seats that convert to loveseats (flip up arm between seats, and cozy up, or just stretch out by yourself) - its a Crown Theatre - you can sign up for their e mail club, and they'll send you freebies and such.

The Nugget gave me a coupon book when I checked in - think it's pretty standard for them - free drinks, 2-1 food offers, discount food offers, etc.

If either of you are into spas, the Nugget is supposed to have a great small one - very intimate, or so I have read.

I do, however, have to admit that I split my stay between the Nugget and the Las Vegas Hilton - and it was nice to move closer to the strip, where I have favorite gambling and dining spots. But the nights I spent at the Nugget, comfortably strolling between the casinos, checking them all out were marvelous.

[BIG1ED]

Hi,
I would like to visit DT for some good VP.....10/7 DB or 9/6 JOB......anyone direct me to the best spots DT? Thanks alot. I heard good VP about MSS, is it far off the beaten path?

[Bosco]

Check this out. Great VP info

http://members.cox.net/vpfree/LV.htm

[tlcrnicu]

We really enjoyed staying at the Nugget.
It is a very classy hotel for a very inexpensive price!
Would like to recommend to eateries,
We really enjoyed the breakfast buffet at Main Street Station, it's beautiful in the dining room and the food was very good.
Also, if you are traveling with a significant other, I highly recommend Hugo's Cellar for dinner one night. They give every lady a rose, the service is fabulous, the dining room romantic, and the food prep and presentation is wonderful. They do a tableside salad that is really neat and the whole ambience is lovely, for a lot less than we would have paid here in CT!
We also found the Spa at The Golden Nugget to be excellent, and the prices were better there than other places on the strip. (If you're paying and not comped)
Enjoy your trip!:)

[Sipsey]

We usually stay downtown as the mail out offers are good, for example in May I am paying $90 for 4 nights at the Las Vegas Club. If you don't get an offer, the rates on internet sites are good, too.

We go mainly to gamble, and downtown usually offers the lowest minimums, and that's important if you spend a lot of time playing. Frankly, if that is not what you like to do most of the time, downtown has very little else to offer you. I like the light show, it's neat, but there's not much else in the way of attractions. There's an indoor mall that I have never been in, that has or used to have movie theaters. Some of the hotels have pools, but the only one that approaches strip quality is the one at Golden Nuggett. The Golden Nuggett usually has a pricey show of some type running, and there used to be a really cheap one at Lady Luck but I think the Lady is shut down now, or will be soon. Check Fitzgerald's if you go and are interested in an inexpensive show.

There's four poker rooms downtown, Plaza, Binion's, Golden Nugget and El Cortez. Maybe there's more now, I guess I will see in May!

Oh yeah, there's a sleazy little strip club on Freemont under the canopy, I guess that qualifies as a "show" of sorts! I haven't been in it but my son went and he said it was a rip off.

[Zelda22]

We've been visiting Las Vegas since the 70's, and always enjoyed gambling Downtown....and we still do!! In those days there was still traffic on Fremont St. and lots of free give-a-ways and really cheap food & buffets. Binion's Horseshoe (now just Binion's) had a giant glass enclosed horseshoe with a million dollars in it that you could get photographed in front of. But alas, each $10,000 bill was sold after the death (murder?) of Ted Binion, so no more photos! Binion's also had a wonderful steak dinner for $2.00 after 9 or 10pm each night. It was always crowded. We also enjoyed staying and gambling at Lady Luck, but that's closed now too. The Sun Spots at The Plaza provided great music & comedy in the lounge there for years, but they are sadly gone too. Many people visited the Las Vegas Strip in those days and never realized there was a Downtown Las Vegas...it was a very well-kept secret. However, once the Fremont Street Experience & Overhead Light Show was constructed and Fremont St. became a pedestrian mall, the word has spread about the fun Downtown can provide.

As mentioned, the bands on the outdoors stages are very entertaining, as well as the piano man, spray-paint artists, sax player and a man imitating Dean & Frank and other singers. He's very good. If you can catch The Speaks Brothers Band either on stage or in The Fitz on weekends, they're great fun. I really enjoyed a couple of the old original overhead light shows that included the old-time Vegas entertainers singing the songs that made them famous, and Roy & Dale Evans singing 'Happy Trails' at the end.....the country western show was a good one too. I wish those 2 shows would be brought back. Today's phychedelic music and other weird themes could be eliminated in my opinion. Also, the sound system is waaaaay tooo loud.

We find the table minuimums to be our main reason for gambling on Fremont St. Also, as mentioned, it is so easy to go from casino to casino when you want a change of pace or are heading to a restaurant in another casino.

There are a lot of 'locals' downtown, and locals usually know where the food bargains and good gambling are. The free bead hand-outs and beer in a plastic football and Margaritas in tall glasses are surely a characteristic part of the Downtown scene. If you are a people watcher, get some coffee at Starbucks in the Golden Nugget and sit in their outside patio and get an eye full!

If you have time, check out the pieces of the Berlin Wall in the men's room in the the Main St. Station near the buffet, and Buffalo Bill Cody's private train car and others near the Main St. Station. The Golden Nugget displays the world's largest gold nugget, and Fitzgerald's has a Blarney Stone you can touch. The Golden Gate has a model of Las Vegas' first telephone near the rear Deli. Don't miss the many old Vegas neon signs toward Lady Luck and in & around Neonopolis. There are plenty of souvenir shops Downtown including an ABC store.

As far as safety, leave your jewels & chains at home, your purse tightly tucked under your arm, and your money & charge cards in your front pants pocket, and you'll have no problems. If you go out from under the light canopy at night, travel with other groups and you'll have no problems. El Cortez is not under the light canopy, but is an old historic hotel & casino, and the owner lives & plays poker there! Check it all out.....there's plenty of fun for everyone Downtown!!

[elvisontour]

Golden Nugget is great stayed there 4 times, but be advised the pool is closed for construction when you are there. They will let you use Binnions Pool, but it is on there roof. I moved to Caesars, but I see you can still get the trop for teh same room rate as Nugget