I love Las Vegas and believe it has a lot to offer people of all ages, especially if you’re not stuck on the Strip the entire time. And, you can probably tell from my writing that I like going to lesser-known, locals-only spots. (For instance, check out these secret Oahu beaches and the best off-the-beaten-path San Francisco restaurants.) That’s why I’m writing about some of the best downtown Las Vegas activities.
There’s more to Las Vegas than The Strip.
I just guest-posted an article on 10xTravel about how you can get an additional $400-$1500 in value out of your Hilton Amex Aspire card during a trip to Vegas. You’ll get most of those benefits ON the Strip, and you should take advantage of the $100 free dinner and $250 room credits I mentioned there. But I think you should spend at least some of your time OFF the Strip too.
This is the famous downtown Las Vegas Fremont Street Experience
Some people think downtown Las Vegas is only about the Fremont Street casinos and Fremont Street Experience. Those are great, but there’s a lot more to do in a really cool neighborhood. So here they are, the 6 best downtown Las Vegas activities:
1. Container Park.
Container Park is THE best of the downtown Las Vegas activities. It’s literally a park, made of recycled containers. Inside each container is a cute little store, restaurant, or bar.
The mantis outside is made of recycled materials and is apparently an exact replica of a real praying mantis.
Inside the park are a ton of recycled-container-sized shops and restaurants:
My favorite thing to do is grab a beer at one of the bars and drink it while wandering through the rest of the shops and restaurants (which is totally ok within the Container Park area). It is a very kid-friendly location with lots of families, and it’s a lot of fun for adults too. Inside of the park is a lot of open seating.
2. Downtown Cocktail Room.
Despite its unassuming name, Downtown Cocktail Room, or DCR for short, has some serious game. They offer handcrafted, artisan cocktails at an average price of about $13. This is about four times as good, and half the cost, of the cheap vodka-cran you’d order at a nightclub on the Strip.
They can make you an amazing classic martini or old-fashioned, if you desire. They also make cocktails with some truly esoteric ingredients, like the mezcal-based The Brigida, complete with pear liqueur, Black Lava Salt and a sauerkraut garnish. Check out the menu here.
DCR is just past the Fremont Street Experience (which you should definitely see at least once), tucked away from the rows of casinos, while still being within walking distance. The atmosphere is that of an old-fashioned bar, complete with brick exterior and dark, wood-and-leather interior.
Service is very attentive. But remember, you’re not at a club where it’s ok to shout “vodka cran” at the bartender. These cocktails take time, and it’s definitely not a shouting atmosphere besides.
That’s why I love it.
TIP: EVERYTHING is half-price from 4-7p, Monday through Saturday.
3. Eat Restaurant.
This is another downtown Las Vegas spot with an unassuming name. Unlike Downtown Cocktail Room, though, Eat focuses on breakfast and lunch rather than late-night cocktails. My favorite was their truffled egg sandwich. The fresh coffee is great too, and you can have it with macadamia nut milk. Free wi-fi and a cool vibe means some people work on laptops here.
My favorite, the truffled egg sandwich.
4. Daily slot tournaments at Main Street Station.
You didn’t think I could get through an entire downtown Las Vegas post without talking about gambling, did you?
Main Street Station is “classic” downtown Las Vegas, meaning it feels significantly less glitzy than the Strip hotels. I like to think this adds to its charm. You kind of feel like you’re going back in time.
Another reason to go to Main Street Station: The slot tournaments. I didn’t know what a slot tournament was until I stumbled upon one. You pay an entry fee — and at Main Street Station, it’s only $10 — and then they park you down at a slot machine and you push the button as fast as possible for a specified period of time. It’s a “tournament” because you’re competing against others to see who ends up with the most “winnings.” Slot tournaments are a function of a little bit of luck and a lot of button-pushing action.
Slot tournaments aren’t heavily advertised by Main Street Station. However, this site is correct: Main Street offers several tournaments each day. You pay $10 to enter ($15 if you’re not a member, but it’s free to become one). Then if you’re among the top “competitors,” you get to go to the finals round at 4p. Just enter at the front desk.
I made it to the finals round and took third place, which gave me a percentage of everyone’s entry fees throughout the day. I netted about $60, I think. You definitely won’t get rich here, but it was a really fun experience.
5. The Arts Factory.
Downtown Las Vegas definitely has an artsy scene, especially once you leave the Fremont Street Experience casino area. Container Park’s praying mantis really embodies this culture. And, I love the Arts Factory building, which is shared by a group of businesses including art galleries, boutiques, and restaurants.
Go here to support local small businesses, and check out some neat art too.
6. Craps at the El Cortez.
The El Cortez casino is possibly the most quintessential downtown Las Vegas casino. It’s old-school. It’s smoky. And it has some of the best house odds anywhere in Las Vegas.
I’m not a serious craps player, but we “travel hackers” tend to enjoy math and numbers. For that reason, I stick to the Come/Don’t Come bets and double my odds when possible on a point. This keeps the house edge down to about 1.4%.
The El Cortez lets you put down 10X odds, at actual odds. This is way better than double odds because it means you’re bringing the house edge down to only about 0.18%.
The house always wins, but a “house edge” of only 0.18% at the El Cortez is pretty good. And when your main objective in gambling is to be entertained while drinking free beers, this is about as good as it gets.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about with craps and odds, don’t worry about it. Seriously, I’m not instructing you to develop a gambling habit. But I do enjoy gambling for its entertainment value, and I’m fully ok with losing the amount of money I bet. If that sounds like you, then go have fun with it! Just don’t gamble away all the value of free travel you earned off your credit card points.
What are YOUR favorite Las Vegas activities?
Note: All photos are courtesy of the author unless otherwise specified.
