The Ultimate, Mega, Definitive, Endless FAQ to Answer All Your Downtown Las Vegas Questions

You can’t visit downtown Las Vegas without noticing the huge canopy hovering over Fremont Street. The canopy is actually a high-resolution screen made up of millions of energy-efficient LED lamps and concert-quality speakers. The Viva Vision light shows engulf the downtown Las Vegas crowds in a spectacular display of visuals and sounds and are a must-see while visiting Fremont Street Experience. Best part? It’s completely free. The Viva Vision screen recently received a $32 million upgrade. Read more.

Depending on the season, the Viva Vision light show schedule may vary slightly. In general, the light shows will start at 6:00 p.m. and run every hour until 1:00 a.m. Each show is approximately six minutes long. However, Viva Vision is currently undergoing a major upgrade and will be brighter than ever with 49,299,456 LED bulbs! This means that, for the first time, Viva Vision light shows can be seen during daylight hours.

There are several hotels in downtown Las Vegas. However, there is a smaller list of partner hotels that contribute to Fremont Street Experience, the marketing umbrella for those hotels. These include Binion’s, California, The D, Four Queens, Fremont, Golden Gate, Golden Nugget and Main Street Station. Additionally, Downtown Grand, El Cortez and The Plaza offer accommodations.

Yes, some of the Fremont Street Experience partner hotels have no resort fees as part of promotional deals throughout the year, so be sure to ask when booking your reservation. However, Four Queens still offers accommodations without resort fees all year!

Yes, many hotels in downtown Las Vegas have pools you can enjoy during the warmer months of the year. In fact, Golden Nugget has one of the most breathtaking award-winning pools in the world. The Tank features a 200,000-gallon shark aquarium and a waterslide that goes directly through the shark tank! You can also enjoy sunbathing on the pool deck, private cabanas, waterfalls, poolside dining and drinks.

There are many perks to staying in downtown Las Vegas versus the Strip. For one, everything is walking distance and you’ll save on time and money by being able to easily bounce from place to place. Accommodations are also much more affordable, with some hotels waiving resort fees altogether! With so many things to do in downtown Las Vegas, you have access to all the Fremont Street Experience action with free concerts, the Slotzilla zipline, Viva Vision light shows, the best gambling odds in Sin City and that unique vintage Vegas vibe you won’t find anywhere else.

Downtown Las Vegas has plenty to offer to daytime visitors. Fremont Street Experience is home to the world-famous Slotzilla zipline, downtown Las Vegas casinos, restaurants, bars and epic people-watching. Grab a slushy drink, test your luck at video poker, take a ride down Slotzilla, then grab lunch or happy hour at one of the awesome restaurants along Fremont Street. Other options include the Downtown Container Park and the Mob Museum.

If you thought Fremont Street Experience was fun during the day, just wait until you see all the action happening at night. The Viva Vision light shows are a dazzling visual spectacle on the world’s largest LED canopy screen that towers high above the downtown Las Vegas crowds. You can also take a ride on the Slotzilla zipline, rock out to free, live entertainment on three stages, plan an epic bar crawl or enjoy a fantastic dinner and drinks with friends. Here are some options for dining and drinking.

Downtown Las Vegas has two unique museums that pay homage to the history of Sin City itself. The first is the Neon Museum, which is only minutes away from Fremont Street Experience. You can see some of the most iconic neon signs that graced historic Vegas casinos throughout the decades and learn a little about the science of neon signs as well. Then there is the Mob Museum. Housed in the old Las Vegas courthouse, you can easily walk there from Fremont Street Experience. Learn about the history of organized crime and law enforcement with interactive displays and award-winning exhibits.

Downtown Container Park is an outdoor retail center built from real shipping containers. Yes, every restaurant, store, and art gallery is housed in a recycled shipping container! This hip artistic area of downtown is walking distance from Fremont Street Experience and offers a fun environment for the whole family. In addition to locally-owned boutique shops and restaurants opened by Las Vegas chefs, there is a massive playground and treehouse for the kids to enjoy.

Downtown Las Vegas has always been easy on the wallet when compared to the inflated prices you’ll find on the Strip. Fremont Street has some of the best restaurants in town, even if you’re on a budget. Be sure to check out great casual spots like:

• Chicago Brewing Co. at Four Queens
• Benny’s Smokin’ BBQ & Brews at Binion’s
• American Coney Island at The D
• Cadillac Mexican Grill at Golden Nugget
• Triple 7 at Main Street Station

Check out more awesome downtown Las Vegas restaurants.

Fremont Street Experience, Fremont East District and Container Park make for a downtown breakfast trifecta. There’s always somewhere open for breakfast! On Fremont Street, choose between:

• Denny’s at Neonopolis
• Magnolia’s Veranda at Four Queens
• Binion’s Cafe at Binion’s
• Market Street Cafe at The Cal
• The Grille at Golden Nugget

You also can’t go wrong with Eat, AmeriBrunch Cafe or Downtown Terrace at Downtown Container for weekend brunch.

Get your grub on with an epic lunch in downtown Las Vegas at some of the hottest restaurants on Fremont Street. Check out:

• Chicago Brewing Co. at Four Queens
• Therapy in East Fremont
• Carson Kitchen also in the Fremont East District
• Downtown Terrace at Container Park

Or, if you’re really starving, Garden Court Buffet at Main Street Station. Bon appetit!

Downtown Las Vegas is chock full of restaurants that have enticing dinner menus. Some of them include:

• The romantic Hugo’s Cellar at Four Queens
• The charming Redwood Steakhouse at The Cal
• The upscale Vic & Anthony’s Steakhouse at Golden Nugget
• The intimate Andiamo Italian Steakhouse at The D
• The stunning Top of Binion’s Steakhouse on Binion’s 24th floor

Between epic happy hours and drink specials, you’ll get the most bang for your buck in downtown Las Vegas. For the best happy hour specials, you’ll want to swing by:

• Cadillac Mexican Kitchen at Golden Nugget
• 8 East at Circa
• Triple 7 at Main Street Station
• Hennessey’s Tavern
• Park on Fremont

Also, check out D Bar at The D and OneBar at Golden Gate for a frozen drink or well cocktail that won’t break the bank.

The list would never end if we named every bar and club in downtown Las Vegas, but here are the most popular destinations you should add to your list. Enjoy classic Vegas vibes at Bar Prohibition at Golden Gate, 17 flavors of slushy drinks at D Bar at The D, a fun patio setting at Whiskey Licker at Binion’s, specialty cocktails at Filament Bar at Fremont and live music at the only nightclub on Fremont Street Experience, Troy Liquor Bar at Golden Nugget. You’ll also want to visit Fremont East District, which is only steps away from Fremont Street Experience, for trendy bars and live music.

It’s true, some bars are bigger than others and can accommodate larger groups a little easier. If you happen to be with a big party, you should pop by Gold Spike, which has oversized backyard games, beer pong, a stage for live entertainment and great drinks. Also, visit Cadillac Tequila Bar at Golden Nugget, Triple 7 Brewery at Main Street Station, Patio Bar at Four Queens and Hennessey’s Tavern on Fremont Street. You should also consider hosting a bar crawl to make the most of all the downtown Las Vegas watering holes!

Downtown Las Vegas is the place to go if you’re looking for local Las Vegas brands and handmade products. Shoppers can enjoy specialty and boutique stores at Downtown Container Park, including Athena Jewelry Box, Bombs and Bubbles, Live at Your Own Pace Clothing Co., Sassy the Boutique, Third & Arrow and Art Box. Check out their full list of retailers. Another popular shopping destination in downtown Las Vegas is the Las Vegas North Premium Outlets.

If it’s karaoke you’re looking for, there are a few places in downtown Las Vegas that will tickle your fancy. Ninja Karaoke in the Arts District is one of the most popular karaoke bars in Las Vegas! Backstage Bar & Billiards in the Fremont East District periodically hosts karaoke nights in their venue, so check their event calendar for details. Oddfellows in downtown Las Vegas also features “Karate Karaoke” on Tuesday nights. A recent addition is Cat’s Meow in the Neonopolis shopping mall.

Apart from the obvious Slotzilla and Viva Vision attractions, there are countless things to see on Fremont Street! To name a few, you can take a photo with a million dollars (literally) at Binion’s, take in the iconic neon of Vegas Vic, see the world’s biggest keno board and rub a piece of the Blarney Stone at The D, have your minds blown as you watch our flair bartenders and dancing dealers, check out the famous shark tank at the Golden Nugget pool and so much more. For those on a budget, here’s a list of things to do on Fremont Street if you’ve blown your gambling allowance.

Downtown Las Vegas has recently undergone a number of revitalization efforts, and many attractions are in the process of being upgraded. For one, the Viva Vision screen will be brighter than ever with a $32 million renovation, making it possible for the light shows to be seen during the day. Some Fremont Street properties are also upgrading and expanding, including the addition of Whiskey Licker Up and Hotel Apache boutique accommodations at Binion’s and a new sportsbook at Golden Gate.

Fremont Street Experience is also anticipating the opening of Circa, a world-class casino and resort right here in downtown Las Vegas! Check back for updates on this exciting new development.