The boneyard at
the Neon Museum
Downtown Vegas is to pay homage to its
past. The six-acre boneyard of old casino
signs, billboards and mascots forms a
timeline of Sin City’s infamous past.
The outdoor trail is lined with hulking
relics, from the circa-1930 Green Shack
advert to a space-age Stardust sign to
the cartoonish Ugly Duckling Car Sales
mascot. Arrive with phone batteries
fully charged, as this place is Instagram
heaven.
Check into the Oasis at Gold Spike.
Billed as an upscale motel, the chic
property exudes retro charm—at very
affordable nightly rates. Originally
opened as a gritty casino in the 1970s,
today’s Gold Spike caters to work-hard-
play-hard 20-, 30- and 40-somethings.
Rooms feel plush with a dash of
industrial design, while common
areas host a rotating roster of DJs and
bands. After unpacking, I head to the
property’s backyard pool deck for a
quick dip and a round of giant Jenga.
Seesawing
at Park on
Fremont
36
Refuel at Park on Fremont. Located on
one of the city’s original thoroughfares,
this trendy eatery provides sustenance
with a side of sarcasm. For people
watching, you can’t beat the sidewalk
patio, facing the flashy Fremont Street
Experience, but I request a table in the
leafy back courtyard.
With decor best
described as granny
chic—vintage
lawn chairs, a
wall lined with mismatched plates—
the setting is cool yet unpretentious.
As I wait for my eggplant lettuce
cups to arrive, I peak around the
aforementioned plate wall to find an
adult-size seesaw—and a helpful sign
cautioning against tipsy teeter-tottering.
Place your bets at the El Cortez. Can’t
find it? Just look for the towering neon
“Gambling” sign on Fremont Street.
There’s something oddly refreshing
about the gimmick-free, tell-it-like-it-is
signage. Once owned by gangsters Bugsy
Siegel and Meyer Lansky, El Cortez
maintains an authentic vintage vibe.
For frills-free Vegas gaming, I swing by
the sports book and place a wager on
the Jets to take the Cup. In per capita
gambling dollars, downtown casinos like
El Cortez haul in more cash than their
counterparts on the Strip.
Get a nightcap at a
speakeasy. Just say
the secret word and
gain admittance to
the Laundry Room, a
tiny hidden space in
the back of the larger
Commonwealth bar.
Seating just 23 patrons, the
former laundry facility of the
El Cortez has been reborn as a
not-so-secret boozer. With gilded
men’s-club decor, the room is a genuine
throwback. While the drinks menu is
impressive, bartenders actually prefer
to pour you a custom cocktail, based on
your preferences. For a reservation and
the secret word, you’ll have to send a
modern-day text.
Park
Walk through Vegas history at the Neon
Museum. The best place to get a feel for