Las Vegas - Fremont Experience or Strip?

[tomalak301]

Hello from Las Vegas Nevada. First time here in 20+ years (Here on business for Tax reasons but that's another topic) and man has it changed. I spent from Sunday to Last night on the Strip and tonight is my first night in the downtown area (Or the better term, The Fremont Experience).

Now that I have a comparison, I was thinking about this question. When you go to Las Vegas (Or if you go to Las Vegas), which do you prefer, the Strip area or the Fremont Experience. While the Strip has a lot going for it, the beautiful Hotels, Water Shows, and you can walk it any time and actually feel safe, now that I've seen Fremont street, I think I like the latter better. I mean you have the whole Light show over head which is utterly awesome, everything is compacted in and there are a few casinos to go to, and it actually feels more of a party let lose atmosphere. Also, you don't have guys on the street sticking hands at you offering a porn night club like I got bombarded with.

Oh, and slightly off topic, I love 3 card Poker, especially with the 6 Plus side bet. Got a four of a kind at Planet Hollywood this week and it was an amazing feeling.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Fremont Street and Downtown are fun, but if you walk a couple of blocks over you get into some pretty shady areas, and parking is a pain in the ass. I prefer The Strip.

 

[xaxa]

Fremont Street and Downtown are fun, but if you walk a couple of blocks over you get into some pretty shady areas, and parking is a pain in the ass. I prefer The Strip.

Oh, it really depends, you can park a car if you really want to

 

[SmoothieX]

If it were me I would have jumped in the car and split hours ago. 3 hours to Zion or Death Valley, hour and a half to the Hoover Dam.

 

[Shatnertage]

I'm from Vegas and can tell you that, if downtown is your speed, you can have a great time there.

In addition to the Experience, I'd check out the area slightly to the east, past Neonopolis. There are some neat things there, like the Emergency Arts building, and a bunch of little bars and clubs. And the El Cortez is one of the few remaining "old school" casinos. Here's an article I wrote about it a while back.

Like Locutus said, I wouldn't wander east of the El Cortez, but you can have a pretty good time there and downtown. Don't forget to stop at the Beef Jerky Store on 3rd.

 

[propita]

We just went to Vegas--there are REALLY great prices at many of the expensive hotels, limited dates though. I mean Mandalay Bay for $65/night?

We like Downtown for the Fremont Street Experience and the Golden Nugget’s banana-something dessert. Otherwise, we’ll stick to the Strip.

We DID see the new bridge at Hoover Dam--walked across it and everything! VERY cool. Just magnificent. I recommend the walk to everyone.

 

[bluedana]

What about if you're there with kids (ages 6-14)? Fremont or The Strip?

 

[Scout101]

I always stay on the Strip. Take a cab down to Freemont for a night and have fun with the stuff there, but the Strip is where it's at...

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I do not much care for the casinos - I suck at gambling. I prefer the food and the shows.

 

[propita]

I do not much care for the casinos - I suck at gambling. I prefer the food and the shows.

The casinos are rooms I walk through on the way to restaurants and window-shopping at the expensive shopping areas.

Don't forget to check out the outlets. We like the Las Vegas Premium Outlets, just off the 15 and south of the 95. We thought it a bit tricky to find the parking lot from the main streets, but they have a good choice for shopping (Coach was having a great clearance sale! I got a $400 purse for $100!) The Las Vegas Outlet Center, south of the Strip, is being renovated --very uninviting to see right now, but people were there.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

^ Shopping...another thing I don't do.

 

[1001001]

We go to Vegas regularly, and we've never been downtown.

The Strip is where it's all happening.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

I'm from Vegas and can tell you that, if downtown is your speed, you can have a great time there.

In addition to the Experience, I'd check out the area slightly to the east, past Neonopolis. There are some neat things there, like the Emergency Arts building, and a bunch of little bars and clubs. And the El Cortez is one of the few remaining "old school" casinos. Here's an article I wrote about it a while back.

I'll be damned. I recently read your article on the 13th Floor and Fright Dome at Circus Circus when I was helping my sister look for stuff to do for Halloween (she lives in Vegas). She ended up going to Fright Dome and enjoyed it, so thanks for the article.

What about if you're there with kids (ages 6-14)? Fremont or The Strip?

You should definitely take them to at least see the Fremont Street Experience. Kids that age will love the light show. There's often good musical acts on the outdoor stage, and some great buffets (Main Street Station Casino's buffet a couple blocks away is the best).

However, you should stay on The Strip and spend most of your time there. There's far more for the kids to do on The Strip then there is downtown. You have the shopping, themed casinos and restaurants, quality buffets, outdoor shows and events (pirate show at Treasure Island, Mirage volcano, Bellagio fountains, etc.), theme parks and rides everywhere, great sightseeing spots like the Eiffel Tower at Paris Casino, the Venetion canals and mall, and New York, New York.

I highly recommend going up to the top of The Stratosphere Casino tower. The wait for the elevator is long (up and down), but it's well worth it once you see the view of the city from up there, especially if you go at dusk when you can see the mountains and stay 'til night to see the city light up. Plus, there's a ride that dips off the edge that's a lot of fun if you're brave. A bit pricey for the whole family, but the kids will love the view.

Also, Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay is not to be missed. It's huge and gives many dedicated aquariums a run for their money.

 

[bluedana]

Thank you, LoB! That's very helpful.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

You're welcome.

 

[Shatnertage]

What about if you're there with kids (ages 6-14)? Fremont or The Strip?

You also might want to look at one of the condo-hotel places for your room. Vdara next the Bellagio and Signature at MGM Grand are two good examples. They tend to have a kitchenette, which makes it easier to stash some snacks for the kids.

And thanks for reading, Locutus. I don't usually pimp my writing around here, but I figured I might as well point people there for that question. And I've got a feature story on the Cosmopolitan in next week's issue, which has both a Star Trek and a Doctor Who reference in the opening few paragraphs, if the editors don't cut them. I try to slip them in every now and then.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

And thanks for reading, Locutus. I don't usually pimp my writing around here, but I figured I might as well point people there for that question.

You're welcome, and by all means, if it fits the subject matter, pimp away.

And I've got a feature story on the Cosmopolitan in next week's issue, which has both a Star Trek and a Doctor Who reference in the opening few paragraphs, if the editors don't cut them. I try to slip them in every now and then.

Heh, that's cool. I look forward to reading it.

Yeah, the advertising blitz for The Cosmopolitan has been (understandably) very heavy here in SoCal. It helps to have a couple of catchy tunes and a memorably quirky commercial promoting it.

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REdE-YyVmdQ&feature=player_embedded[/yt]


Love the avatar, by the way.

 

[Shatnertage]

^ Thanks! I've been so plugged into the Cosmopolitan for the past week (I've written about 3,500 words worth on them) that I feel like I live there. If two-person soaking tubs with a Strip view are your thing, that's the place for you. Those aren't in all the suites, though.

 

[Captain Ice]

What about if you're there with kids (ages 6-14)? Fremont or The Strip?

With kids, definitely Fremont Street. There is so much going on there, and so much that has nothing to do with the gambling/casinos that I don't think the kids will get bored

We go to Vegas regularly, and we've never been downtown.

The Strip is where it's all happening.

You have absolutely no idea what you are missing. The Strip is nice, but Fremont Street is that and much, much more. You need to go.

 

[tomalak301]

When I was talking about the Fremont Experience, I was really just talking about that two block section from the beginning of the Zipline (Really under that big screen) to what I guess used to be the Plaza Hotel.

After spending two nights there, I'm changing my tone a little bit, mainly because of the Size. The strip has so much to see, so much to do, and it provides some great walking, and it's probably the way to do Vegas. The Experience is a nice strip mall but not something I would do on a regular basis.

I will say I still think the atmosphere is a lot better at the Experience though. I mean the people seem to be nicer, you don't have the guys trying to hand you cards for Porn (I really wanted to give one of them an "accidental" broken arm and say "They got in my way" but that would have been a Crime and I'm not that way), was a family, but party atmosphere, and the free concerts and "Viva Vision" are worth it, if it's just a night to two. That, and the casino's are bundled together which is also nice.

If there's an analogy I would use, it would be the Experience is the Middle Class, the Strip is the Rich. Not saying that to be mean, but the demographics are so different. I walked into the Aria I think my final night (Thursday) on the Strip and man what a fancy place that was. What was also interesting was the age group was pretty young, but very serious-looking. There's fun to be had on the Strip and it's really Vegas in a nutshell, but I think I love the crowd at Fremont better.

To put it in a very simple way, if I were one place on New Year's Eve, I would want to be underneath that screen, look up, be with the party-goers in costumes, and have an absolute blast.