Las Vegas

The Las Vegas Strip vs. Fremont Street

Can't decide between Fremont Street or the Strip? We've got all you need to know about the Vegas top spots and what there is to see.
By Go City Expert

Our guide to The Las Vegas Strip vs. Fremont Street

Viva Las Vegas! The city that never sleeps, where the bright lights, towering hotels, and endless entertainment have captured the hearts of millions of visitors from around the world. Known as the ‘Entertainment Capital of the World,’ Las Vegas is where dreams become a reality, and anything is possible. From the iconic Las Vegas Strip to the historic Fremont Street, this city offers a non-stop whirlwind of excitement and adventure you won't find anywhere else. But when it comes to where to go and what to see, do you want the classic glitz and glamor of the Las Vegas Strip, or do you go with Old School Vegas and head to Fremont Street?

What’s the Difference?

The Las Vegas Strip is the glitzy, glamorous heart of the city. This iconic 4.2-mile stretch boasts some of the world's most famous casinos, hotels, and attractions, and it’s the place to be if you're looking for luxury. From the Bellagio's dancing fountains to the MGM Grand's colossal size, the Strip is a feast for the eyes, along with plenty of world-class dining options and entertainment shows to enjoy.

On the other hand, Fremont Street is known for its vintage Vegas feel. Based in Downtown Las Vegas, this pedestrian mall is home to some of the city's oldest casinos, including the Golden Nugget and Binion's Gambling Hall. If you're looking for a more laid-back vibe, Fremont Street might be more your speed. Stroll along the street, check out the classic neon signs, and even try your luck at some of the vintage slot machines.

Prices vary between the two areas. The Las Vegas Strip tends to be more expensive, with higher hotel and restaurant prices, while Fremont Street is more affordable. However, both areas have plenty of options for every budget.

The choice between the Las Vegas Strip and Fremont Street comes down to personal preference. Whether you're looking for luxury or nostalgia, there's something for everyone in Las Vegas.

Hotels

When it comes to hotels, the main difference between Fremont and The Strip is the overall vibe and atmosphere.

Fremont

Fremont hotels tend to be smaller and more budget-friendly, with a vintage and retro feel that harks back to the old days of Vegas. They may not offer the same luxury and amenities but make up for it with a more intimate and personalized experience. Many hotels have unique themes and designs, such as the neon-lit Plaza Hotel and Casino or the vintage-inspired Golden Nugget. Plus, staying in Fremont brings you closer to the original Vegas experience, with plenty of history and character to soak up.

If you're looking for a more laid-back, affordable, and authentic Vegas experience, Fremont might be more your style.

The Strip

The Strip is known for its massive, luxurious hotels and resorts, with some of the industry's most iconic and famous names, like the Bellagio, the Wynn, and the Cosmopolitan. If you're looking for a more upscale experience, this is the place to be.

You find an incredible array of options, from fine dining and world-class spas to huge pools, nightclubs, and live entertainment. Many of the resorts on The Strip are like mini cities, with everything you could need or want, or need in one place. This convenience comes with a higher price tag, of course.

The hotels on the Strip are more expensive and luxurious than those on Fremont Street, with nightly rates averaging between $150 and $199 on the Strip compared to $50 to $100 on Fremont Street. If you want to be in the heart of the action and do not mind splurging, The Strip is the way to go.

Dining

When it comes to dining options in Las Vegas, both Fremont and the Strip have plenty to offer, but there are some differences to consider. On the Strip, you'll find a wealth of high-end dining options with world-renowned chefs and Michelin-starred restaurants. On the other hand, dining in Fremont tends to be more affordable, with plenty of casual and mid-range options.

Fremont

For an excellent restaurant and bar scene, look no further than Fremont Street. The Container Park is a fun spot in Fremont East District, made entirely of shipping containers, with several food and drink options. Le Thai is a favorite among both locals and visitors, and Andiamo Steakhouse at The D serves up delicious American prime steaks with an Italian twist.

Pair your meal with a drink or two from one of Downtown Las Vegas' many happy hour deals. These specials are better than those on the Strip and include beers, specialty cocktails, and brunch beverages.

The Strip

If you're a foodie who wants to explore a range of cuisine, the Las Vegas Strip offers some of the best restaurants in the world. Whether you're in the mood for sushi, steak, or Italian cuisine, you're sure to find something that hits the spot.

From sublime Japanese fare at Sushi Roku and out-of-this-world Brazilian food at Pampas to classic Italian at Lupo, there's something for every palate. Indulge in luxury and impeccable flavor at Bardot Brasserie or enjoy French comfort food and wine at ARIA's elegant cafe. And if you're craving something more ‘Vegas,’ Cabo Wabo Cantina and Planet Hollywood are the places to be right in the heart of the Strip.

But what's dinner without a drink, right? Keep in mind that drinks on The Strip are pricier than those Downtown. However, you can still find some great happy hour deals. Grab a nickel beer at Margaritaville at The Flamingo from 5-6 pm every night, or head to Beerhaus at The Park for happy hour from 2-6 pm, featuring $4 draft beers and hot dogs (plus free yard games!).

Entertainment

When it comes to entertainment in Las Vegas, both Fremont Street and The Strip have their own unique experiences to offer.

Fremont

Fremont Street is the place to be if you're looking for budget-friendly entertainment options in Las Vegas. It has its own share of live music, free street performances, and light shows, and the Fremont Street Experience light show is one of the most popular attractions in the area, with a dazzling display of lights and sound that is hard to miss. Entertainment shows are cheaper there compared to the Las Vegas Strip. You can find great ones like Delirious Comedy Club, Hypnosis Unleashed, and Mike Hammer's Comedy Magic for less than $50.

The Strip

The Strip is home to some of the most impressive shows in the world, with productions like Cirque du Soleil, Blue Man Group, and David Copperfield. Countless concert venues, bars, and nightclubs make it the perfect spot for a night out on the town. Keep in mind that the shows on the Las Vegas Strip are of higher value, with top-notch entertainment such as Cirque du Soleil's KA, The Beatles: Love, Mad Apple, and Mystere. These shows may cost closer to $100 per ticket, but you're paying for the quality of entertainment.

Activities and Attractions

Fremont Street has a more laid-back and less crowded vibe than the Strip. It is known for its historic charm, old-style casinos, and quirky attractions, while the Las Vegas Strip is famous for its glitz, glamour, and grandeur.

Freemont

Downtown Las Vegas has some totally unique experiences you don't want to miss. If you’re interested in learning about the history of Las Vegas and seeing its iconic neon signs and architecture, then the Fremont Street Experience is the perfect place for you! Step back in time and witness the glory days of Las Vegas through vintage neon signs and elegant marquees from a bygone era.

There are also plenty of exciting activities, from light shows and ziplining adventures to watching street performances and live bands. Try your luck at unique casino games at The D and slots at El Cortez. If you're not into gambling, there are plenty of museums in the area that showcase Vegas' history and culture, such as The Mob Museum, the Hollywood Cars Museum, and the Las Vegas Natural History Museum.

Don’t miss one-of-a-kind attractions like the Axehole, Fear the Walking Dead, Slotzilla Zipline and Zoomline, the Golden Nugget shark tank, and the infamous Heart Attack Grill for all you foodies out there.

The Strip

Las Vegas is not only famous for its gambling scene but also for its exciting attractions. One of the most thrilling experiences is The Big Apple Roller Coaster, which will have you screaming! Another great option is the High Roller at the Linq Promenade, offering breathtaking views of the Strip. For a more romantic adventure, try riding in a gondola on the canals through the Venetian.

Don't forget to indulge in some shopping while you're there, with plenty of options to suit any budget or style. For practical shopping, head to Fashion Show Mall. But if you want to go all out, check out the elegant and unique shops at the Bellagio or Planet Hollywood.

Relax and soak up the sun at the artificial Mandalay Bay Beach or watch the legendary David Copperfield perform his magic at the MGM Grand Hotel.

Rolling the Dice - The Las Vegas Strip or Fremont Street?

Why not have the best of both worlds and explore both Fremont Street and the Las Vegas Strip during your trip to Las Vegas? It's easy to list everything you want to see and experience in both areas and then plan your itinerary accordingly.

All that’s left to do is buckle up and get ready for an unforgettable journey through the glittering oasis in the middle of the desert – Las Vegas!

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Couple kissing in front of the 'Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas' sign
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Las Vegas in February

Nothing says romance like gazing into your partner’s eyes over a tense game of roulette. Yes, it’s Valentine’s month in Las Vegas and temperatures are rising in all the right places, whether you’re here for a sizzling weekend of romance or simply to come in from the cold in the rest of the Western Hemisphere, as Sin City declares winter well and truly over (well, nearly). Check out our guide to what’s hot in Las Vegas in February. Visiting Las Vegas in February Average Temperature: 53°F • Average Rainfall: 6 days/mth • Average Sunshine: 9 hours/day February is a fine time to visit Las Vegas, with daytime highs in the low 60s meaning you might even get away with shorts and tees outdoors, if only during the mild afternoons. The city’s relative warmth makes for busy flights and full hotels, but there are still good deals to be had, particularly in the latter half of the month once the excitement of Valentine’s Day and the Super Bowl has died down. Clear, sunny days with cool mornings and cooler evenings are still par for the course here as winter ebbs away, so make sure to pack layers: jumpers, jeans and light jackets remain essential gear if you’re planning to spend time exploring the Strip’s many brightly illuminated attractions after dark. Likewise if you plan to go hiking out in the desert canyons, where warm, sturdy footwear is also a must. Top tip: falling on the third Monday in February, Presidents’ Day is one of Vegas’s least crowded holiday weekends, meaning there are plenty of good deals to be bagged from the hotels, leaving you with plenty of pocket change for the one-armed bandits! Things to do in February “I’m just the devil with love to spare... viva Las Vegas!” So sang Elvis on his hip-wiggling ode to the city that never sleeps. And, whether you’re a little devil or an old romantic, there are plenty of activities in Vegas that will ignite the flames of passion. What better time to give them a spin than in February, the month when Valentine’s Day sends the whole planet gaga with grand romantic gestures. Sweep your better half of their feet (literally in some cases) with Sin City’s dizzying plethora of mile-high activities. A private pod on the High Roller Observation Wheel is a great place to start. Book yours with a glass of bubby to add some serious sparkle as you watch the sun set over the Neon City and desert beyond from a heart-fluttering 500 feet up. Not high enough for ya? Attractions at the top of the Strat hotel’s SkyPod tower include the aptly named Insanity ride, in which a giant metal claw dangles and spins you out into mid air 900 feet above the Strip. You can also bungee jump from way up here on the 108th floor. Or perhaps just take in the views from the observation tower as helicopter tours zip past at frighteningly close range. You could also hop aboard one of those helicopter rides yourself. After all, cruising the Strip’s neon-lit length by chopper at nightfall is arguably way more romantic than hurling yourself off the top of a skyscraper. As romantic as Vegas may be, you’ll be hard-pushed to find anyone who’d claim it’s a patch on Paris or Venice. Yet, not to be outdone, Vegas of course comes with its very own Paris-themed resort, complete with replica Eiffel Tower. Take your beau or belle on a thrill ride to the top in the glass elevator, before gorging on caviar, steak tartare and escargots in the tower’s panoramic restaurant 100 feet above the Strip. Ooh la la! Then head over to the Venetian for a neon-lit gondola ride along the resort's swoonsome replica of Venice’s Grand Canal. Layer up and take a walk to see some of Vegas’s most impressive free spectacles. There’s the dancing fountains out front of the Bellagio – a must-see on any Vegas bucket list – as well as the Mirage’s incredible exploding volcano. But it’s also worth getting ‘off Strip’ and into downtown Vegas for the Fremont Street light show. Here, millions of LED lights hang over the street’s pedestrianized section, creating an eye-popping display when the sun goes down. There’s also (free) live music and some fine bars and restaurants to explore down this way. And if all that fails to impress, there’s always the Erotic Heritage Museum, where thousands of curious artifacts chart the history of sex across the centuries. Think lingerie, celebrity sex tapes, erotic Peruvian smoking pipes and, um, an interactive 10-foot vulva. What’s on in February? Sporting Events Local heroes the Golden Knights’ hockey season is in full swing in February, attracting sports fans to Sin City in their droves. Catch them in action at the Strip’s huge T-Mobile Arena. February is also, of course, Super Bowl month, when venues across the city (including hotels and casinos) screen the big event, bringing a real party spirit back to the city for the first time since the Strip’s OTT New Year pyrotechnics. Expect it to be off-the-scale in 2024, when the Super Bowl takes place in Vegas itself! Taste and Sounds of Soul Festival This free event takes place downtown at the Fremont Street Experience and is one of the biggest Black History Month events in Nevada. The three-day party fuses live music from local bands and DJs with banging BBQ and Creole flavors from the Deep South. Chinese New Year Las Vegas celebrates Chinese New Year with the same restraint it does every major festival. So expect a city-wide extravaganza complete with parades, floats, enormous dragons and, naturally, some of the best Chinese food on the planet. There will also be themed displays in major hotels including the Bellagio, Venetian and MGM Grand as well as most of the major shopping malls. Save on attractions in Las Vegas Save on admission to Las Vegas attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
The Las Vegas Strip at sunset
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Las Vegas in January

Party season may be over but, while Sin City nurses its massive holiday hangover, there are still stacks of fun things to see and do here in the city that quite literally never sleeps. Bonus: it’s less busy than usual, making the Strip and its many attractions much easier to explore. Dive in to our expert guide to discover why you should visit Las Vegas in January. Visiting Las Vegas in January Average Temperature: 48°F • Average Rainfall: 6 days/mth • Average Sunshine: 8 hours/day Being one of the hottest cities in the States doesn’t mean Las Vegas can’t also get chilly, particularly at night when desert temperatures have been known to plummet as dramatically as Celine Dion hitting an unexpected bass note on stage at Caesars Palace. Daytime highs at this time of year are around 57°F which, to be fair, is pretty darn pleasant for January especially when compared to, say, New York. But you might still be left wondering if the locals you see wandering around in shirt sleeves and shorts have been hitting the sauce a little too hard over the holiday season. We recommend layering as a safe bet to cover all bases. Think jeans, top and light jacket during the day with maybe an extra jumper or even a scarf on the chillier evenings, especially if this is when you plan to stroll the Strip to see the Bellagio fountains in action, or the erupting volcano outside the Mirage which, spectacular though it is, is unlikely to warm you up much. It’s a great time to visit Vegas, for many reasons. Such as the January sales: you could easily spend days losing yourself in the supersize malls here (though your bank manager might not thank you for it). Then there are the casinos, restaurants and shows. As Las Vegas is way less busy this time of year, you’ll likely find it much easier to get that reservation at Robuchon, or the best seats in the house for Cirque du Soleil. Flights into Vegas are also traditionally cheaper at this time of year, with most hotels lowering prices too, though note that you should expect a significant hike during the massive Consumer Electronics Show near the start of the month. Things to do in January The holiday party season may be over, and pool season proper won’t start until March, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still find yourself a daybed and chill with cocktails by the pool someplace. Many of the major hotels here have heated pools that remain open throughout winter. These include the main pool at the MGM Grand, the palm-fringed pool deck at ARIA, and Resorts World with its enormous pool deck and infinity pool overlooking the Strip. However, to access others including Mandalay Bay and the Cosmopolitan you’ll need to be a guest, as day passes are unavailable. From relaxing poolside to screaming your head off on some of the planet’s scariest thrill rides, there’s a January activity here to suit all tastes. Take a ride on Insanity, 900 feet above the Strip atop the Strat’s SkyPod observation tower. Soar through the skies on the Fly LINQ Zipline. Loop the loop on the Big Apple Roller Coaster. Or try the relatively sedate (but no less terrifying) High Roller Observation Wheel – at 550 feet, it’s the second highest on the planet. After a couple of days spent enjoying Vegas’s non-stop assault of high-octane rides, high stakes casinos, high-priced steaks and endlessly mesmerizing neon lights, you may find yourself hankering for something a bit more... down to earth. Answer the call of the wild with a hiking trip to Red Rock Canyon, just south of the city. This sprawling conservation area is filled with towering sandstone peaks, waterfalls and Native American petroglyphs, and guided tours of its paths are available. Or steel yourself for a ramble up Mount Charleston, Clark County’s highest. The strenuous 16-hour round-trip to the mountain’s (probably snow-capped) summit is rewarded with unbeatable panoramic views of Death Valley, the Sierra Nevada, and Las Vegas itself. A journey almost as lengthy (but considerably more comfortable) is a coach trip out east of the city to some of the Nevada-Arizona state line’s finest natural and manmade wonders. You can pause at the Hoover Dam for spectacular views of the Colorado River from hundreds of feet up, or drive through the Joshua Tree National Park to the Grand Canyon’s West Rim where further awe-inspiring views await. Heck, why not just combine all three for the ultimate day trip out of Vegas? What’s on in January? One of the surprise treats that awaits visitors to Vegas in January is the proliferation of festive attractions that remain open. Soothe your holiday hangover with a trip to the Glittering Lights extravaganza at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Here, a whopping five million lights (give or take) create a dazzling drive-through show packed with Christmas scenes and Vegas icons. There’s even an accompanying festive radio station to tune into in your car. Meanwhile over at the Bellagio, you still have time (for the first week of January, at least) to view the displays at the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. Expect holiday decorations made from flowers and plants, giant polar bears and trees festooned with tinsel and baubles. Head to the Cosmopolitan rooftop for firepits, s’mores and a massive ice-skating rink complete with regular snow flurries. There’s plenty of Christmas spirit left up here and the views of the Paris resort’s neon-lit Eiffel Tower are second to none. Also worth looking out for in January is the parade in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. The biggest in the state, it draws tens of thousands of participants annually, all eager to see its colorful floats and live performances. Hot enough to melt the snow that blankets Mount Charleston’s highest peaks, the AVN Adult Entertainment expo also rolls into town at this time of the year, raising temperatures and offering fan meet and greets with some of the industry’s hottest stars. And if there’s an event more ‘Sin City’ than a porn convention, we’ve yet to hear of it... Save on attractions in Las Vegas Save on admission to Las Vegas attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram and Facebook for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak

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