"Downtown/Freemont Street" Las Vegas Travelogue by Krumlovgirl

It's not as glamorous as the strip, and I always feel like I should watch my purse a little more closely, but there is something about downtown that just feels...homey. It's small and easily walkable, as opposed to the casinos on the strip which make you feel as if you have walked a mile when you're just going from one to another. The casinos themselves are smaller and for the most part, shabbier, but those who gamble (REALLY gamble) say they're better. Who knows.

You can still find some good bargains when it comes to dining downtown. A few of the hotels offer $5.99 steak dinners and cheap buffets. And yes, I did see a couple of 99 cent shrimp cocktails as well. On the other hand, there are some fine dining restaurants to be found as well.

I would not say that downtown is a good place for kids. I say this because at one point, I was under 21 and visited downtown and there was nothing to do. It's fine for a couple of hours, the light show is cool, but that's about it. This is a place to walk around and gamble, and drink. No big shopping areas or large casino-hotels to gawk at. No fun rollercoasters or children's activities. This definitely feels more grown up.

Some say that downtown feels more like "old Vegas." I don't know about that. I wasn't alive when "old Vegas" was in its heyday. Neither was anyone under 35. We'll never see Elvis at the Hilton or the Rat Pack (although the impersonators are pretty darn good) or Liberace perform. People will never put on their tuxedos and sequin dresses to play blackjack again. But, at least downtown, some of the older hotels that were around in that era are still standing. They're not all in the greatest of shapes, but they're there. So yes, there is some feeling of nostalgia. And maybe if you look at them out of the corner of your eye and try to ignore the glaring lights of the Freemont Street Experience and the fannypacks and tennis shoes, you might for a minute feel like you stepped back in time.