It’s hard to imagine now, but there was a time in the not-too-distant past when Las Vegas was nothing more than a desert outpost where service members and travelers in general stopped on their way to California. As time moved forward, Las Vegas began to grow to the point where it completely exploded on the scene. Suddenly, people were traveling from all over the world to spend time here, and that in itself prompted more growth. I have always loved coming to Las Vegas for a lot of different reasons, but mostly because I enjoy cities that have a lot going on. Save for one or two cities across the world, I don’t think any place ever has more happening than Sin City. I was recently in town for a convention, and when I went to fly home one morning and discovered that someone had made a mistake and that my flight was actually 24 hours later. I was going to spend my newfound free time exploring downtown. I’d find a downtown Las Vegas hotel room in seconds when I needed one with my HotelTonight app later that day. I just wanted to go have fun.
Downtown Las Vegas was, for many years, the absolute center of it all there. It’s where the casinos and resorts were all basically located, and it’s where almost all of the travelers came to stay and gamble. The Strip changed all of that and downtown fell on relatively hard times for a number of years. That’s all changing for the better now. Downtown seems to have embraced its place as the ‘original’ Las Vegas and now makes sure to feature these ‘old-time’ themes instead of attempting to run from them. The results have been positive.
When you see old movies that involve Las Vegas, you see the neon signs in downtown Las Vegas. The neon signs is one of the ways that this part of town has enjoyed a revitalization. Nearly all of the hotels along Fremont Street have neon signs on the front of them, and there are others that have been strategically placed along the road just for some added effect. I don’t think I’ve ever been anywhere in the world where your walk was lighted almost exclusively by neon signs, but it is a fun thing to experience.
Another way in which things are very different downtown as compared to the Strip is the nightlife. If you want to go out to big clubs with lines and a lot of people, head to the Strip. If you want to experience an old-time lounge where you’ll hear a piano player and enjoy a vintage cocktail, downtown Las Vegas is your place to go. I went to a couple of different places and enjoyed drinks like a Manhattan and a Tom Collins. It was a really nice way to cap the evening.
After an active day, I was ready to rest. I opened my HotelTonight app, and it listed several downtown Las Vegas hotels near me based on my current location. I chose one and made my way to my room, ready for a night of deep sleep.
