For anyone who keeps a Pinterest Board for their Summer Bucket List, be sure to add this Las Vegas Pop Culture Walking Tour. A few weeks back, I spent some time in Las Vegas and want to share what you can expect on this walking tour.
What to Expect
To begin, this Las Vegas walking tour is approximately 90 minutes long taking you through
the historic Casino District and ending in a swanky little bar in Container Park called Bin 702.
The tour is led by a knowledgeable guide who was formerly the City’s Cultural Planner, who also once ran the Neon Museum. This tour has a six guest maximum giving you a private-like experience. All guests must be 21 years of age and should have a moderate level of physical fitness.
Next, it is important to note that while your tour can be booked directly online from the website, we found discounted tickets on Groupon or you could save money using the Digit app for your next trip!
The Mob Museum, 300 Stewart Avenue, Las Vegas, NV
The tour begins outside of the Mob Museum where the guide gives an inside view of how the museum started and the role of the Mob in Vegas history. It’s all pretty interesting. We spent about 10 minutes here before moving on down the street to the Downtown Grand.
Admission to the Mob Museum is not included in this tour and should be purchased separately.
The Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino, 206 N. 3rd St, Las Vegas, NV
The Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino is considered an upscale Boutique Hotel as it doesn’t host as many rooms as mega-resorts on the Las Vegas strip.
If you are unfamiliar with what a mega-resort is, it is a type of destination which is of an exceptionally large size, sometimes featuring large-scale attractions such as casinos.
What I appreciated most about this hotel wasn’t the casino, but it’s live music options and art. In the Art Bar, you will find that the ceilings are adorned with famous replica paintings. The bar also has eclectic seating, mini exhibits by local artists, and a basic bar bite menu.
The Fremont Street Experience, 425 Fremont Street, Las Vegas, NV
From there, our tour took us through the Fremont Street Experience visiting a variety of casinos and learning history and interesting facts. If you are unfamiliar with the Fremont Street Experience, it is a pedestrian plaza in the heart of Downtown Las Vegas.
In fact, it is one of the greatest performance streets in America with zip line tourists, live music on three stages, a canopy with the longest video screen in the US, fabulous neon signage everywhere, and historic casinos.
During our time, we visited multiple casinos, both new and old including but not limited to the following:
- Binion’s Gambling Hall
- Casino at the Plaza Hotel
- Circa Resort & Casino
Don’t forget to check out this post, Is Fremont Street Kid-Friendly!
Vegas Vic and Vegas Vickie
Outside of the casinos, we stopped and chatted about two of the most famous neon signs in Las Vegas which includes the venerated cowboy Vegas Vic and his glamorous girlfriend Vegas Vickie, These two are known as the neon royal couple of Downtown Las Vegas.
Did you know that there was even a ceremony for them?
After concluding our time on Fremont Street, we walked further into the arts district, a neighborhood of famous wall murals, cozy restaurants, and swanky bars. We passed some of the coolest murals, art, and restaurants such as Evel Pie.
Evel Pie is a pizza bar with Evel Knievel memorabilia, pizza, and beer. While this stop is not a part of the tour, we headed back there for lunch once the tour was over.
El Cortez Hotel and Casino, 600 Fremont St., Las Vegas, NV
Not too far from the pizza bar is Casino at the El Cortez Hotel, 600 Fremont St., Las Vegas, NV. This spot is a historic and legendary casino that’s on the National Register. The El Cortez Hotel and Casino is the longest continuously-running casino in Las Vegas.
In fact, it was once owned by famed Mobster Bugsy Siegel. It’s old school classy with the city’s last coin operated slot machines.
Downtown Container Park, 707 Fremont St., Las Vegas, NV
Container Park is a fun and quirky shopping complex made of shipping containers. As you enter, you are greeted by the famed Flame Shooting Praying Mantis fire sculpture from Burning Man and a heart of love which reminds me of the Love Lock Bridge in Paris.
As you enter Container Park, you can see that it is all built and situated around a two story childrens treehouse with flowers throughout the park.
We ended our tour with a toast and complimentary drink at Bin 702 located in Downtown Container Park.
Final Thoughts and Things to Note
The tour is definitely worth adding to your summer bucket list if you are in the Las Vegas area. Keep in mind that face masks are encouraged and having your ID is needed for admission into somee casinos.
Lastly, not only did we receive a complimentary drink, but we also received a limited edition souvenir map of the tour from our tour guide. Be sure to tip your tour guide.
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