Any reason to go downtown

My trips over the last 5 years I have not ventured off the strip for gambling or eating.

I tend to gamble on the strip (mid roller $25 to $150 BJ player) and have been fortunate, for the most part, to get comped rooms on most of my stays. I have stayed at various hotels which include: Venetian, Paris, TI, MC, Ballys, Flamingo, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay etc. I enjoy staying on the strip which usually means I gamble and eat around where I stay. I did visit downtown once about 5 years ago for a day, and have not been back since.

I am planning an upcoming trip and I'm not sure if I should bother venturing downtown again to check out the hotels, entertainment or dining options. I have read some posts on the new DTG, which has mixed reviews.

Am I missing anything by not visiting the downtown hotels?

Thanks for your input!

 

The people who love downtown, love downtown. The people who hate downtown, hate downtown. Take a trip down and see what it's all about. There are some pretty cool spots down there and the casinos are pretty good from a gaming standpoint. Check out
http://www.vegasvideonetwork.com/pub-crawl-110-a-detour-through-downtown-vegas/
for some downtown reviews in an entertaining way.

 

There is a whole 'nother vibe downtown The Strip can't match. Don't get me wrong, I visit The Strip every time I'm in LV (which is about every 3 weeks). But, Downtown is a destination in itself. People walking on The Strip always seem to be headed elsewhere. People Downtown seem to be hanging out and just enjoying being Downtown.

Downtown has all those bars on the street. And, it has Container Park as well. In addition, everything downtown is easily walkable. Downtown blocks are small - whereas blocks on The Strip are HUGE.

Bill

 

Downtown

Agree with UTE, downtown has its own vibe, better pay tables for vp. I have my best times there. I enjoy downtown blackjack as we'll, there are tables to suit all styles.

 

If you want bed sheets with high thread counts, expansive casino's, multiple high end restaurants and high end service, then the strip has more to offer. If you want the better gaming conditions, can take care of your own needs, and want the most bang for your buck or have limited means available, then downtown will work the best for you. Not every place is for everybody, so pick accordingly. However, I would take one day and brake out of your normal routine, just for the experience.

 

Since you stated you spent a day there 5 years ago, I say "skip it"... you already know what it's like. Sure there's been some improvements, but the die-hard downtown fans report those changes have only made things more "strip-like".

 

Blue Sky - I'm with you in that I definitely have been a Strip person almost entirely since my first trip back in '97 for my 21st B-Day. Most trips I'll stay at Harrah's and some times I don't make it north of Palazzo or south of Bellagio as everything I need seems to be in that one small block of the strip. Going for March Madness this year but unless the group I'm going with has any plans of a low-rolling crawl down Fremont (which I'm definitely up for) I don't foresee us heading down that way.

 

I don't think you are missing anything by not visiting Downtown. Everyone has different tastes and respond to different vibes. You mentioned you visited 5 years ago and haven't been back since. This means Downtown did not "capture" you like it does to others, like myself.

Do what you enjoy, you might try visiting Downtown again to see if you would like it, but in a nutshell, if you enjoy low stakes gambling with favorable odds, then that is basically what Downtown is known for. Amenities compared to the Strip is substantially lower.

 

If things like Bottle Service are important to you, and you're not bothered by playing 6:5 Blackjack, then there is no reason to come Downtown.

TFK

 

In general if you have been happy on the strip, I would say just stay on the strip. Downtown isn't some amazing thing that will blow your mind.

That said, they may treat you better, but in some cases they will have difficulty giving you a lot more. I love Main Street Station and for the level you play it will be easy to get free rooms. My issue with MSS is that they could give me a ton of food but I'm still limited with offerings. Now I'm not one to complain and I'm happy with what MSS gives me. If I were to be given $500 in food comps, I honestly have no idea how I would spend it. If CET or MLife gave that to me, I'd have an option or 2 in every casino.


I really do like the gambling at MSS and California. I do like Binions and others as well but I have never stayed anywhere other than MSS. I don't expect much. I want friendly dealers, friendly staff, reasonable limits and somewhere to stay. If your minimum is $25 then sadly I'm not sure if downtown is going to offer you much. You can go anywhwere on the strip and get $25 tables.

 

I did not bother to stay at or even visit the Downtown area during my trip to LV but I'd consider visiting and/or staying in the Downtown area next time if I'm in a mood to play a lot of poker. I have no idea if there's anything else that is worthwhile Downtown and I wonder if there is a noticeable difference in the demographics of Downtown versus Strip dwellers. What is the Downtown night life like?

 

I agree--OP knows what it is. Some on the board like downtown, and that's fine. I was there once--in 1994--and I'm in no rush to return.

 

Fremont Street seems to have more of the slot machines the Strip casinos got rid of in the last 10 years. You know, the good ones! It pisses me off when I go to Las Vegas practically screaming, "TAKE MY MONEY!" and the Strip casinos remove all the fun slot machines.

In my opinion, a smart casino would have a few of EVERY slot machine. I'm sure they hate to pay IGT and others that little extra amount when they can just use thousands of crappy generic slot machines. Many people are happy to play them.

I can recall a few years ago when it seemed the MGM casinos got rid of practically all IGT slots. Dumb, dumb, dumb. I was forced to move to the center and north Strip to get my slot machine fix. Maybe Tropicana still had some.

 

If your playing $25-$150 a hand at BJ, you will not find better rules Downtown, if your playing at Mlife Properties like Bellagio. And I assume playing that level you know what good rules are. Sure the Elco might have a lower house edge, but they hate people that play at that level, and you will likely get backed off with even a modest spread. I've been there.

 

I would say go. Spend a few hours down there. I would recommend from late afternoon until you tire of it.

Of course, if you're the kind of player who arrives and typically spends most of his Vegas-time in one casino, then there would likely be 'nothing to see here' when it comes to downtown.
If, on the other hand, you like to bounce from one property to another, there is significant appeal to downtown. There's not a lot of 'glitz' or high-end stuff...that part hasn't changed. The food, while still inferior to the options & choices you have on the strip, has really improved in downtown compared to those years back when you were last there.
The 'demographic' is generally "older" than the strip...but don't let that scare you - East Fremont, & the new-ish bars there, draw a bit younger, and the vibe at places like 'theD' & Golden Gate has certainly shifted 'younger' over the last couple of years. Live music under the FSE canopy creates a bit of a 'party atmosphere' that you may enjoy.
If you let yourself, you might even accidentally have fun while bumping from casino-to-casino-to-casino-to-casino in less time than it takes you to walk from a Mirage blackjack pit to one in Caesar's.
The DD blackjack, at $50+, is 3:2, H17, DAS and can be found at Golden Gate & 'theD'. Plaza, LVC & El Cortez have low-limit DD with the same rules.
The boyd properties & 4-Queens are low-limit DD, but none of them allow DAS. (I've read here that DTG offers DD with DAS at $25, but I cannot yet confirm that personally).

So - put on your jeans and sneakers, skip shaving one morning, and head downtown after a $30 strip lunch. You can call it 'slumming-for-a-day'. You really might be pleasantly surprised.

 

Fremont East may be the reason to go downtown. Not for gambling but for meeting people. The clubs there trend younger and more local in flavor. This might be a welcome change for you.

TomTWI

 

I'd recommend going downtown at night. It is rather dead in the daytime.

Then it depends on your taste in places. I stay there most of the time, but I am very frugal. My wife came for the beginning of my trip last October and picked some Trump Tower rooms at about $180 a night. When she left, I had 12 solo nights at El Cortez, The D, and Four Queens for a total of $149 for the whole dozen. And I could easily walk and roll luggage from one frugal deal to another.

I like frugal. I find my dreams are the same in either locality.
I also grabbed a cheap 15 day all access senior bus pass ($17) and downtown is a hub of bus routes to everywhere in Vegas. You can't buy those passes on the strip.
I also only like to low roll gamble when it is in my advantage, so the VP downtown and the live poker at the Nugget (especially, when bonus hands are doubled) draws my play and it is a great place to do a coupon run. Also, downtown gives good bus and free shuttle access to the same sort of advantage games out Boulder Highway.

So, it really becomes a question of what you want to do. We seem a bit different. It may not meet any of your wishes.

 

I'm with Dewey, and most of what he described ... except, we now use a rental car on every trip, as we do a lot of coupon runs all over town, in & out, hit & run.

It is easier to get room & food comps downtown, with a lot less play than on the Strip. The Strip is obviously fancier & glitzy, but guests end up paying for all of that one way or another. I guess it all depends on each person's desires & expectations, and we prefer the various downtown benefits.

 

If you're looking for a change go for it. You can always try it for one trip and if you hate it? Don't return. you'll receive better comp value for your level of play but can they give you the amenities that you're looking for?

I'm a downtown guy, but I'm also a $10 BJ player who likes to casino hop.

 

On my next trip to Vegas I want to play some poker, relax and enjoy some working girls - I was thinking of staying for a week. if I'm a bit picky when it comes to the working girls whose services I would like to purchase, is there any Downtown property where I'd be best off staying or should I just stay on the Strip?

Is the Golden Nugget the best place for high stakes poker games? How about low-roll daily tournaments?