Being a preservationist in Las Vegas must be maddening. This city prides itself on the fact that it continues to reinvent itself. As a result, anytime something starts showing its age, it gets blown up and rebuild.
However, if you are looking for a little bit of Vegas’ past, the place to head is downtown to a street known as Fremont. Fremont boasts some firsts in Vegas. This is where the first hotels and gambling licenses were. The action on the strip came later.
In the interest of steering some of the foot traffic back downtown; a few years back one section of Fremont Street became the Fremont Street Experience. The street is closed to motor vehicles allowing folks to wander from casino to casino. Also installed is a jumbotrom that plays themed shows throughout the night.
Fremont is a good place to wander if you’re a little more budget conscious. The night we were there, we found plenty to check out without spending a dime including a Boston cover band. From what I understand, the casinos pay off more frequently and you can actually five five-dollar tables. Why should be gambling be a rich man’s pursuit?
Another thing that may entice you to take a trip downtown are all of the classic signs on display. The good folks over at the Las Vegas Neon Museum have rescued some great old neon works of art and have put them out for public view in downtown.
We’ve encountered the Red Goose logo before.
