When most people think of Las Vegas they picture the lights and extravagance of the Vegas Strip. Downtown Las Vegas used to be an afterthought to the Vegas Strip but that’s been changing in recent years. Similar to the Vegas Strip downtown Las Vegas has undergone a big change with new businesses.
The average visitor to Las Vegas is getting younger. According to the Las Vegas Visitors and Convention Authority the average age of the average visitor decreased from 49.2 in 2010 to 45.2 in 2014. That trend is expected to continue when the 2015 visitor profile is release.
While not trying to shoo away older guests, the Vegas Strip casinos are renovating to appeal to this younger audience. Meanwhile, downtown Las Vegas has been changing to partially shed its “Old Vegas” image to become an area more appealing to all tourists and locals. Downtown Las Vegas still has its vintage appeal but in the past few years new bars, restaurants, retail outlets and casinos have opened.
One of the many things that are great about Las Vegas is that there’s something for everyone. You can enjoy the Vegas Strip, downtown Vegas or the areas surrounding both parts of town where the locals mostly live. Let’s take a look at a few things to see if downtown Las Vegas is right for you.
Hotels
There are a lot of differences between the Vegas Strip and downtown Las Vegas but this might be the largest. Hotels on the Vegas Strip are built on a larger footprint which allows for more amenities like spas, more (larger) theaters for shows, more restaurants, vast pool arrangements and more. Hotels in downtown Vegas are mostly built inside older buildings are much smaller by every comparison.
According to Vegas Seven, the average daily hotel room rate in 2015 was more than twice as expensive on the Vegas Strip than downtown Vegas. The average daily room rate on the Vegas Strip was $130.40 while it was $61.31 in downtown Las Vegas hotels. The higher prices haven’t scared people away from the Vegas Strip as 90.2% of rooms were occupied. While this was a slight increase from the year before even more people stayed in the modest hotels in downtown Las Vegas. You get what you pay for on the Vegas Strip and plenty of people are happy to pay the price.
Entertainment
As previously discussed the larger hotel footprint allows for more and larger theaters to house larger shows. Without a doubt, the biggest shows are on the Vegas Strip. You can say the same thing where seven of the most popular nightclubs in the world are on the Vegas Strip according to DJ Magazine.
Downtown Las Vegas offers entertainment but not on the same scale as the Vegas Strip. You can find smaller shows and concerts in downtown Las Vegas hotels but the best entertainment might be found for free outside of the hotels at the Fremont Street Experience. There are 3 stages offering mostly free concerts ranging from national touring acts to local bands.
Dining
You see a big difference in the two parts of Las Vegas when it comes to dining. The Vegas Strip has the biggest celebrity chefs and some of the finest dining in the world. On the other side of the coin downtown Las Vegas offers mostly moderately priced independent restaurants. This is a real case of David versus Goliath – The Vegas Strip has Michelin Star chef Joël Robuchon and downtown Las Vegas has 11-time World Pizza Champion Tony Gemignani.
There are interesting and very different types of restaurants opening regularly in both parts of Las Vegas. Do you want big names and don’t mind the price or do you want high quality and interesting dining concepts that come with moderate prices?
Casino
Casino gaming has changed almost as much as it remains the same. People come to Las Vegas, in part, to hit the casino floor. Gaming revenue is decreasing as an overall part of the pie for all casinos but it’s still a part of the fun in Las Vegas. The difference in gaming in the Vegas Strip versus downtown Las Vegas is drastic.
In general, the odds and rules for all games on the casino floor are more in favor of the player in downtown Las Vegas casinos than Vegas Strip casinos. Likewise, the experience is very different. Most downtown Las Vegas casinos look almost the same as they did 50 years ago with new decor. Vegas Strip casinos are being renovated for a younger guest and offer a different flow and gaming footprint with lounges and dedicated areas for different guests.
Conclusion
The Vegas Strip and downtown Las Vegas offer a different Las Vegas experience. This isn’t to say that one if better than the other. It’s just a matter or priorities. The choice on the experience you want is personal.
One day there may be a strong desire to spend the day at the spa, eat the greatest meal of your life, see a fabulous show, throw a few dollars down in the casino then head up to a beautiful hotel room. On another day, you might want to play relax in a coffee shop listening to classic rock on vinyl before grabbing a delicious burger and playing $5 blackjack all night.
These experiences are often unique to each area. The great thing about Las Vegas is that you can enjoy both of these experiences on the same or different visits. After all, variety is the spice of life.
Photo: Wikimedia
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