Things to do in Downtown Las Vegas

By <a href="#author-bio">Stuart Bak</a>
By Stuart Bak
The 'Welcome to Fabulous Downtown Las Vegas' sign at night

Seeking a little respite from the non-stop sensory assault that is the Las Vegas Strip? Then Downtown may be for you. The city’s historic heart promises much the same in terms of top-flight dining, high-stakes casinos and flashing neon signs, but is a much more laid back affair, with street eats, free live shows and an artsy enclave that feels more NYC than Vegas Strip. There are stacks of things of things to do in Downtown Las Vegas, too, and we’ve put together a few of our favorites below, including:

  • Fremont Street Experience
  • Golden Nugget casino
  • Mob Museum
  • Container Park
  • SlotZilla Zipline
  • Neon Museum
  • Las Vegas Arts District

Fremont Street Tour

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A tour of historic Fremont Street is hands-down the best way to find your bearings on your first visit to Downtown Las Vegas (and a great way to discover things to do on Fremont Street once the tour is over). During the tour you’ll follow in the footsteps of the first settlers, see where the Rat Pack used to hang out and learn about Sin City’s past links to organized crime. Your guide will also point out old-school Downtown icons like the Golden Nugget casino and Neonopolis wedding chapel, where you can – should you so desire – be married by Elvis and Gene Simmons impersonators. You’ll also discover the iconic Main Street Station hotel and casino which promises, among its many treasures, chandeliers from the Coca-Cola building in Texas and the Figaro Opera House in Paris, and a section of the Berlin Wall in the, um, gentlemen’s conveniences.

Fremont Street Experience

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The undisputed highlight of the Fremont Street Experience is its absolutely humongous vaulted canopy. At 1,500 feet in length (that’s about four blocks or five football pitches, fact fans) and containing nearly 50 million LED lights, this unashamedly decadent wraparound video screen is the world’s largest. Grab a drink at one of the many bars in this (mostly) pedestrianized part of town and settle in for the mesmerizing light shows that burst out of the big screen every hour. There’s also free live music across three stages here, starting at 6pm every single evening.

The Golden Nugget

You’ll recognize The Golden Nugget from its cameos in dozens of Hollywood flicks down the years, perhaps most notably Bond classic Diamonds are Forever and Elvis fave (yup, you guessed it) Viva Las Vegas. Enter beneath the iconic neon sign and check out the huge Hand of Faith nugget on display in the lobby before trying your luck at the roulette and blackjack tables or just grabbing a cocktail and soaking up the distinctly old-school vibes of this, Las Vegas’s oldest large casino.

SlotZilla Zipline

From high stakes to high wires, the SlotZilla Zipline is pure Vegas, with an 11-story launch deck that’s designed to look like a giant slot machine, complete with cascading coins and a pair of 35-foot showgirls. Incurable thrill-seekers can fly, Superman-style, along the epic (and appropriately named) Superhero-Zoom, which traverses the length of the Fremont Street Experience. The Zip-Zilla is a somewhat less frightening half-length option that flies a little lower and allows you to travel in an upright seated position, for those not feeling quite so dare-devilish.

The Mob Museum

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Practise your best Al Capone impersonations on a visit to the quite excellent Mob Museum, with its plethora of interactive exhibits that chart the history of organized crime in the US, with a focus on mob activity in Las Vegas. See if you can hit the target in the firearms training simulator and visit the rogues’ gallery charting over a century of made men. There’s even an underground speakeasy here serving Prohibition-inspired cocktails to thirsty visitors. Enter via the secret door by the parking lot, but watch out for shady-looking gentlemen in fedoras and pinstripe suits!

Container Park

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A giant metal mantis with flaming antennae and an ear-shattering sound system marks the somewhat apocalyptic entrance to the Container Park, a Downtown shopping and entertainment mecca built out of old shipping containers. It’s a pretty cool hangout, with a little something for people of old ages: there are independent boutiques, bars and live music for the grown-ups, while a huge slide and water-play area in the central courtyard keeps the kids happy.

The Neon Museum

This huge outdoor museum preserves and exhibits that most Las Vegas of art forms: the neon sign. It’s a kind of retirement home for neon signs, giving these masterpieces of the Nevada skyline a second lease of life as part of a major tourist attraction. This is where you’ll find classic old-school signage including sparkling examples from the Stardust, Sassy Sally’s, Lucky Cuss Motel and the Hard Rock Cafe. We recommend visiting the Neon Boneyard at sundown for the most Instagrammable photo opportunities, when the signs are lit up against the fiery desert sky in all their technicolor glory.

SkyPod at the Strat

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Ok ok, so it’s not strictly part of Downtown, but it does command some of the best views of Fremont Street you’ll find anywhere in the city, so we say it counts! Another bonus is that this is one attraction you really can’t miss: just look for the skyscraping observation tower south of Downtown in the direction of the Strip; it's only the second-tallest of its kind in the entire Western Hemisphere! And, should your nerves be able to withstand the head-spinning super-speed elevator ride up to the 108th floor, there are plenty of attractions up here, nearly 1,000 feet above the Strip, to keep adrenaline-seekers occupied for hours. Board the aptly-named Insanity ride, a giant metal claw that dangles (and spins) its victims passengers over the edge of the building and into thin air. Or get even higher on the Big Shot, the vertical drop ride that goes up (and down) the tower’s needle, reaching a gut-churning height of 1,081 feet. Eek, eek and, furthermore, eeeeeeeeeek!

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Stuart Bak
Stuart Bak
Freelance travel writer

Stu caught the travel bug at an early age, thanks to childhood road trips to the south of France squeezed into the back of a Ford Cortina with two brothers and a Sony Walkman. Now a freelance writer living on the Norfolk coast, Stu has produced content for travel giants including Frommer’s, British Airways, Expedia, Mr & Mrs Smith, and now Go City. His most memorable travel experiences include drinking kava with the locals in Fiji and pranging a taxi driver’s car in the Honduran capital.

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Fireworks exploding behind the neon-lit 'Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas' road sign
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Las Vegas in December

The days grow shorter and the nights grow colder (oh so much colder) as winter arrives in the desert, but there’s still plenty to keep you warm here in this city that truly never sleeps. So charge your mug with mulled wine, grab a gingerbread cookie, draw closer to the fire and read on for our guide to December vacations in Las Vegas. Visiting Las Vegas in December Average Temperature: 46°F • Average Rainfall: 4 days/mth • Average Sunshine: 7 hours/day Twinkling lights, a holiday feel and maybe, just maybe, a light dusting of snow. That’s Las Vegas in December, when temperatures plummet to near-freezing and locals drag duffle coats, scarves and thick woolen mittens out of storage. This is when you’ll find hotels decked out in all their festive glory: think grand lobbies festooned with thousands of fairy lights and cacti dressed in tinsel and other shiny holiday baubles. The December cold will keep you indoors most of the time, though hardy souls can still brave hikes around the Grand Canyon’s South Rim as well as its diminutive sibling, the Red Rock Canyon. It’s worth wrapping up to head out and see the Strip’s Christmas lights in all their glory. And the chilly weather is equally unlikely to dissuade you from going to see the Bellagio’s dancing fountains in action, still one of the best free things to do in Vegas in December, as in any month. December’s hotel prices are reasonable, with a hike if you’re staying for Christmas, and some fairly astronomical pricing on the 31st, when half a million revelers descend on Sin City to see in the New Year. Things to do in December It should go without saying that Las Vegas has some of the best indoor entertainment on the planet but, if you want to get (sort of) out and about during the day, we recommend a spin on the hop-on hop-off bus tour. It’s a great way to see a bit of the city with minimal effort, and visits iconic landmarks including the famous ‘Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas’ sign, the Mob Museum, the Strat hotel and, of course, those unmissable Bellagio fountains. You can hop off anywhere you like to start filling your Instagram feed with wintry Vegas selfies, or stay on for the full two-hour loop to get a proper introduction to Sin City. A nighttime bus tour also operates to allow you to experience the Strip at its illuminated best, with a bonus stop and walking tour at the Fremont Street Experience. Come in from the cold and check out some of Vegas’s best museums. The Mob Museum takes a look at the history of organized crime in the US, with a permanent collection that includes old rifles, wiretap recordings and flapper dresses – there’s even an underground speakeasy serving Prohibition-inspired cocktails. Head to the Neon Museum to be dazzled by hundreds of historic neon signs (where else but Vegas?) and get your culture fix at the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art. There’s also a beautiful pinball museum (with playable machines, so bring some quarters) and a museum that charts the utterly mesmerizing and quite terrifying history of atomic testing in the Nevada desert. Fancy trying your luck in the casinos? Catch some old-school Vegas vibes on the slot machines at the iconic Caesars Palace, go for glory at The Golden Nugget or plan a (legal) heist on the blackjack and roulette tables at the Mirage and the MGM Grand, both of which featured in the movie Ocean’s Eleven. Concerts in Las Vegas in December often take on a holiday theme, and you’ll be able to catch Sin City stalwarts Cirque du Soleil and the Blue Man Group in a number of different venues. Check listings for the likes of the Colosseum at Caesars Palace and the T-Mobile Arena for big-name rock, pop and comedy legends. December is also a great time to do your Christmas shopping in Las Vegas, with Black Friday sales ongoing at the major malls – Las Vegas Premium Outlets, The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian, the Fashion Show Mall – especially in the early part of the month. What’s on in December? What’s on in December? It might be quicker to list what’s not on in December, but here goes anyway. It’s holiday season so hotels and attractions go all out in their efforts to out-Christmas each other. And that means just one thing: a Santa’s sackful of sensational seasonal must-sees. And, as free things to do in Las Vegas in December go, the first of these may just edge out the Bellagio fountain illuminations.... Ethel M Cactus Garden While pine trees may be de rigueur elsewhere in the States at this time of year, here in Vegas it’s all about the cactus. And nowhere does holiday decorating better than the folks here in the grounds of the famed Ethel M Chocolate Factory, where the three-acre cactus garden gets an annual December makeover that includes more than half a million twinkling lights and a family of animated reindeer. It’s open until around 10PM throughout December and quite the most magically festive experience in town. Ice Skating at the Cosmopolitan For sheer Christmassy vibes, The Cosmopolitan’s rooftop runs the bejeweled cacti a very close second. High above the Strip, this winter wonderland boasts firepits, cocktails, s’mores, holiday movies and stellar views of the neon skyline. Oh, and did we mention the 4,200 square foot ice-skating rink? There are even guaranteed snow showers throughout the evening, thanks to the resort’s very own snow machines! Great Santa Run Not just bags of fun but also raising sacks of cash for great causes is the Great Santa Run, which takes place every December in downtown Las Vegas. Join thousands of fellow Santa Clauses on this fun run. Your entrance fee gets you a five-piece Santa suit, finisher’s medal and swag bag and you can choose to run 5k or just one mile. Kids aged three and under go free. New Year Celebrations If you can swallow the eye-watering hotel prices in Las Vegas on New Year’s Eve, then you’re in for one helluva fun time, as revelers take to the Strip in their hundreds of thousands to brave the winter chill and ring in the New Year with wild boozy abandon. The whole of the Strip – from Mandalay Bay at the southern end to the Strat’s cloudbusting SkyPod four miles north – closes to traffic at dusk, allowing the party to kick off in earnest. By mid-evening, the streets are seething with merry-makers, all ready to have a good time and enjoy an epic fireworks show, the likes of which only a city as flamboyant and hedonistic as Las Vegas can pull off with such unparalleled bombast. 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
Stuart Bak
Older couple exploring the streets of Las Vegas
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Things to do in Las Vegas for the Elderly

Our guide to Sin City for seniors includes beaut botanical gardens at the Bellagio, crowd-pleasing Cirque du Soleil and Blue Man Group shows, sightseeing tours of the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam, and a trip back in time to the Prohibition Era at the magnificent Mob Museum.
Stuart Bak
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
Stuart Bak

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