Interested in Downtown Las Vegas....
This would make a great FREE walking tour of the
Downtown Las Vegas area....see
list of new places at bottom of page.

Here's some current information
on "DOWNTOWN" Las Vegas
1) Main Street Station "The Jewel of Downtown"
Located at the far northwest corner of downtown, in the Main Street Station you
can view a display of fabulous collection of antiques, that reflect
wonderful old rich looking dark woods which dominate the Victorian-themed
interior. MSS gives you a chance to see authentic turn-of-the-century
antiques with their opulence, unique designs and detailed craftsmanship.
Take yourself on a self-guided tour after picking up a detailed brochure and
map at the front desk or bell desk.
- Stained glass from the Lillian Russell Mansion
- Bronze doors and facade from Kuwait Royal Bank
- Doors from the Pullman Mansion
- Louisa May Alcott Pullman car
- Chandeliers from the Coca-Cola Building,
Austin, Texas and Figaro Opera House, Paris, France
- Wild Boar bronzed statue
- A portion of the Berlin Wall
Things to look for: there's a turn-of the century
apothecary cabinetry in the hotel's registration lobby; check out the
chandelier, which once hung in the Figaro Opera House in Paris; a wonderful
mahogany bar in the brew pub that once graced the Schlitz family home in
Milwaukee; and a neat looking stained-glass window that was given to the
singer/actress Lillian Russell (popular in the 1880's) by "Diamond Jim" Brady.
And the Men can check out a piece of the Berlin Wall in their restroom that's
near the Garden Court Buffet.
Pullman Grille
(currently closed).....very
nice....I like taking people here for drinks/dinner...check out the actual
railroad car inside ... have drinks in it....cool!! Also the Triple
777 Brewery....great beer, and lots of food....rack of ribs (best to order
1/2 unless you are really hungry)....
Over by the southeast entrance, an escalator leads up to a covered
pedestrian bridge that crosses over Main Street to the California Hotel.
Boyd Gaming Corp. operates both Main Street Station and the California
Hotel, as well as the Fremont Hotel down the street.
2) California Hotel
For luck, drop by the California Hotel's Buddha. A gift to the Boyd family, the
rotund statue is near the hotel lobby, just past the Pasta Pirate
restaurant. The statue's belly is well-worn...some believers actually leave
money...it's said the Buddha usually gets about $1,000 a year.....which is
donated to the United Way in Hawaii....
Check out the Redwood Bar and Grill (great Porterhouse special there!!!)
Craps:
Ever imagine a 3-hour, 6-minute dice hand? It happened at the Cal.
Check out the Golden Arm plaque on the wall there...for craps rolls over an
hours.
3) Las Vegas Club
If you're in to sports, then check out The Las Vegas Club, across Ogden Avenue
from the California Hotel. There's a large collection of sports memorabilia.
The walls are covered with photographs, posters, jerseys and an autographed
baseball bat exhibit. There's bleacher seating in the Sport's book, plus the
waitresses wear cheerleader outfits.
Interesting Blackjack table rules here....
4) Fremont Street Experience
To me Fremont Street was the "old glitter gulch" street...it was so lit up you
couldn't tell if it was daytime or nighttime....oh well, today, it's the
"Fremont Street Experience". In 1995, Fremont Street was closed to traffic,
a huge canopy was constructed over a four-block section as part of a city
redevelopment project called the Fremont Street Experience. The canopy
towers 90 feet above the street and houses more than 2 million lights.
Starting at sundown, a free, computer-generated light and sound show is
presented hourly. There are several themed shows. For a schedule of shows
and times, check the Web site
www.vegasexperience.com.
5) Binion's One of my webmaster's favorite spots to gamble at, Binion's,
nothing fancy, just old time gambling atmosphere...for the serious gambler.
Where the famous "World Series of Poker" is held every year (now only the
FINAL table). These things use to
be on display; but not since Harrah's bought it out: An exhibit
near the front entrance of the casino features a collection of guns: a Smith
& Wesson .32 owned by matriarch Teddy Jane Binion, a .357 Magnum that
belonged to former Desert Inn owner Moe Dalitz and a Benny Binion
commemorative Winchester with a gaming chip embedded in the handle.
NOT MUCH TO SEE IN THE HORSESHOE
ANYMORE...Still good food in the Coffee Shop, and up on top at the
Binion's Ranch Steakhouse...."Cowboy" cuts of beef!!
Along the east wall of the casino is the Poker Hall of Fame photo gallery,
where you can view winners of the Horseshoe's World Series of Poker.
6) Fremont
The Fremont is home to a favorite downtown restaurant, Second Street Grill. The
grill features a fusion of American and Pacific Rim cuisine. Look for more
info in our restaurants
section....of our website.
7) Fourth Street
Past the Fremont are a number of shops and fast-food restaurants. You'll be
coming up to the intersection of Fourth Street. Although the Fremont Street
Experience canopy extends another block to Las Vegas Boulevard, Fourth
Street is a throughway, so keep an eye on the traffic light.
8) Neonopolis
On the northeast corner of Fremont Street and Las Vegas Boulevard there is
Neonopolis, a $100 million retail, food and entertainment complex..place is
touch and go...business there one day, not the next....future up in the
air!!
9) Neon Museum
The "Neon Museum" is located at the intersection of Fremont Street and Las
Vegas Boulevard. You can find the old Las Vegas signs here, which have been
refurbished....look for: the old Hacienda Horse and Rider, which was found
in the center of Las Vegas Boulevard; others include Aladdin's Lamp and Andy
Anderson, Anderson Dairy mascot from the 1950s.
10) Race Rock CLOSED...
11) Fitzgerald's
One of the best places to catch a Fremont Street Experience light show is from
the second-floor balcony of Fitzgerald's. Just take the escalator up to the
second level. The small balcony can get crowded during the shows, so get
there about 15 minutes early.
Small Cigar lounge...
12) Golden Nugget
The Golden Nugget is the most upscale hotel/casino in the downtown area. Head
back toward the shops and you will find the world's largest gold nugget at
61 pounds 11 ounces on public display.
Located by the VIP services desk in the lobby is a painting by LeRoy Neiman,
it was commissioned by former Golden Nugget-owner Steve Wynn in 1988, the
painting shows a number of high-stakes table games. Take a close look,
you'll find entertainers Kenny Rogers and Paul Anka talking to a seated Wynn
in the lower left corner of the painting. Also Neiman himself is shown
seated at the baccarat table.
13) Vegas Vic
Las Vegas' most famous neon icon is near the west end of Fremont Street
underneath the canopy. Vegas Vic, a 40-foot-high neon cowboy, has presided
over downtown for 50 years.
From atop the now-defunct Pioneer Club, he greeted visitors with a booming
"Howdy Partner." Then in 1966, actor Lee Marvin -- in town filming a movie
-- complained of the noise, and the imposing cowboy was silenced for more
than 20 years.
14) Golden Gate
At the southwest corner of Fremont Street, you can find the Golden Gate which
originally opened as the Hotel Nevada in 1906. The history of those early
days as well as that of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco are
commemorated in photos on walls throughout the small casino.
The Golden Gate is most famous for its shrimp cocktail priced at 99 cents,
available in the back delicatessen; a lemon wedge is an additional 5 cents.
A pianist entertains nightly.
15) Blackhawk Rail Car
The Blackhawk antique rail car sits on the west side of Main Street between the
Plaza and Main Street Station. Built in 1903, it served as a personal car
for Buffalo Bill Cody and Annie Oakley, and is now part of the rail car
collection featured at Main Street Station.
16) Four Queens
.... Great food in Hugo's Cellar!!
17) Lady Luck
-- closed!!
18) Gold Spike another old one...been remodeled and worth checking
out....
19) El Cortez .... old one...part of Las Vegas history!! Great food in
Roberta's...LAS
VEGAS HISTORY — a bit of the charm of "old Las Vegas" — EL CORTEZ HOTEL &
CASINO —
Constructed in 1941,
El Cortez Hotel & Casino, an anchor property in the Fremont East
Entertainment District, is located in historic downtown at 600 East Fremont
Street. With 300 newly remodeled hotel rooms, El Cortez features full-pay
3-2 single deck 21, 10x odds on craps, state-of-the-art roulette and over
1,000 slot machines. In May 2009, the property opened its Cabana Suites, a
boutique style hotel offering a 1950s Miami feel in the heart of downtown.
El Cortez is proudly affiliated with Michael Gaughan's South Point Sports
Book. The Las Vegas Review-Journal voted El Cortez "Best Downtown Hotel" in
2009, "Best Blackjack in Las Vegas" in 2007, 2009 and 2010, "Best Video
Poker" in 2008 and "Best Keno in Las Vegas" in 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009 and
2010. Dining options at El Cortez include: Caf Cortez and The Flame
Steakhouse. The property's other amenities include: Subway, Dreyer's Ice
Cream Shop, Seattle's Best Coffee, El Cortez Gift Shop and a full-service
beauty and barber shop. The property is currently completing more than $25
million in improvements and renovations. For more information, please call
1-800-634-6703 or 702-385-5200, or visit www.ecvegas.com.
Haven't been to Downtown Las
Vegas recently....check these out:
List of New Venues
Around the Fremont East Entertainment District
Downtown bars:
Downtown Cocktail Room (DCR). 111 S.
Las Vegas Blvd. Upscale Neighborhood Gathering Place.....
http://thedowntownlv.com/
The Griffin. 511 Fremont St. Cozy Lodge Atmosphere.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/the-griffin-las-vegas
Beauty Bar. 517 Fremont St. Bar Featuring Retro 1960s Beauty Parlor
Theme. Concept made popular by TV series, Sex And The City.http://thebeautybar.com/lv/home.php
soon to open Vanguard
http://www.blackbookmag.com/guides/details/vanguard-lounge
Downtown Restaurants:
Kabob Korner
http://www.usmenuguide.com/kabobkorner.html
The Beat at Emergency Arts(amazing sandwiches and devilled eggs)
http://www.thebeatlv.com/
The Flame at the El Cortez
http://www.ecvegas.com/dining.php
The Cafe at Binion's (awesome greasy spoon grill way more than an average
snack bar)
http://www.binions.com/dining/binions_cafe.php
The Bar+Bistro at the Arts Factory
http://barbistroaf.com/
Downtown art/fashion/galleries:
Emergency Arts Building
http://www.emergencyartslv.com/index.html
Brett Wesley Gallery
http://www.brettwesleygallery.com/
Trifecta Gallery
http://www.trifectagallery.com/
The Arts Factory
http://www.theartsfactory.com/
-
Brass. 425 Fremont St.,
upstairs from Hennessey’s Tavern. Jazz Lounge/Live Music Venue.
-
Celebrity. 201 N. Third St.
Various Live Venues.
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Club 217. At 217 N. Third
St.
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Hennessey’s Tavern. 425
Fremont St. Traditional Irish Pub Concept.
-
Hogs & Heifers. 201 N.
Third St. New York ‘Bikers & Babes’ Bar That Served as inspiration for film,
Coyote Ugly (and subsequent chain of bars/clubs).
-
Mickie Finnz. 425 Fremont
St. Beach-Themed Restaurant and Bar.
-
Sidebar. 201 N. Third St.
Cozy Wine and Cigar Bar.
-
Take 1 Nightclub. 707
Fremont St. Movie Theme with Cajun Fare.
-
Triple George. 201 N. Third
St. Upscale San Franciscan Bistro.
TIP:
Oyster.com's coverage of hotels in
Downtown Las Vegas.
They send undercover reporters to write in-depth reviews and take hundreds
of photos while staying at the hotels as guests. If you check out their
photos, and reports you won’t get surprised when you arrive at the
check-in counter … You can browse their coverage of Downtown hotels
here:
http://www.oyster.com/search/?qa=+location:downtown-fremont-street-las-vegas |
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