I've been to Vegas 3-4 times and love it. Mainly Fremont street at night. I and my wife are coming back in march and we are bring 3 other people that have never been here and we want to take them to Fremont street in the evening for the light show and the performers etc. We will be here probably here Friday to Friday, but is there more action there (interesting things to see) on Fremont street on the weekends or not necessarily? I have been to Fremont Street on occasion and it was dead compared to other times. I don't remember what days were more lively/entertaining than others.
They seem to have more bands playing on the weekends. Here's the calendar, March isn't showing anything yet. http://vegasexperience.com/calendar/
I love Fremont. If you're lucky enough that one of the Friday's is 17th March then you'll be guaranteed a weekend party for St.Patrick's Day!
I go to Fremont for multiple nights every trip. In my experience the only big difference between the Weekends and Weekdays are makeup of the crown. Tourists are a constant on any night of the week and it's always pretty busy IMHO in the evening. What changes on the weekend (as far as I can tell) is that you get more sketchy looking townies and vagrants. During the week nights the clientele on average is nicer and comprised almost entirely of tourists. That's just my impression. I can't say for sure that my read is correct but that's how I see it.
I was down there today, boy what a sketchy area. I would be seriously hesitant to go down there in the evening.
We enjoy downtown, the strip and outlying areas so I'm curious what bothered you about downtown? What area did you go to and what were your concerns?
Saw two guys running through the street and fist fighting, a few panhandlers (the kind that sidle up to you and ask for money), a few mumblers, a few very talented street performers. I had my Mother, my Wife, My 21 year old son, and his girlfriend. My head was spinning trying to watch them all.
The weekend evenings are probably more lively with more people on the street but you should have a good time anytime after dark, no matter the day of week. If you're going for the light show and entertainment and need something to do between performances, try the Binion's 1,000,000 million dollar photo, the Sigma Derby at The D, or search for the Golden hand at The Golden Nugget. Fremont can be dull during the day but comes alive at night. I think you'll have fun any night.
Fair enough. My head spins too sometimes with what I see when on vacation, no matter the city. Las Vegas IS a head spinner! Thing is, I've often seen many talented street performers in downtown Vegas. I've seen mumbling panhandlers and also talented bands. Heck, I've probably even danced in the street with a drink in hand once or twice over the years. I've seen cops escorting people away and people who are wearing less clothes than I would like to see them in but honestly, that's part of the allure of Vegas. I've never felt it was sketchy. Downtown is fun and I just wanted to give another side of the experience. I've never felt the least bit concerned about safety on Fremont Street.
+1 We've spent at least five times as much time downtown in the last twenty years as we have on the strip. We are Senior Citizens (God, I hate to admit it), and have never felt threatened. We are out on the street at all times, though we are usually in bed by 1am. We walk individually between the casinos, and over to Container Park, and to EAT, off Fremont to MSS, Cal, and DTG, and don't remember anything bad happening. Yes we are approached by panhandlers, and yes the "performers" are questionable. They wouldn't be there if people wouldn't give them money!) We've seen police involved on the strip more often than downtown. We've also seen cars on the strip jump the curb and nearly kill people. (Also seen drunk people crossing the strip and only by the grace of God make it. It's not Rodeo Drive downtown, but it doesn't try to be.
Ha! I'm guessing that a lot of folks here remember when almost all of downtown was an honest-to-goodness sketchy area. The transformation over the years has made things much safer and friendlier for visitors. But I must admit I do miss that adrenaline-filled midnight walk to the Western for some fun and cheap blackjack....
go off the strip a couple blocks and you will find sketchy also. There is nothing on FSE that would be considered a problem
We went to the Western around 11pm after we were asked to leave the Gold Spike . We didn't last long at the Western. We were the only ones not chain-smoking and they didn't take kindly to us.
If you got kicked out of Gold Spike, you should have fit in at the Western. Lol. I also got kicked out of the Spike, but I went to Lady Luck. No way would I have gone to Western at 11pm. Those were in my good old drinking days.
Lots of friendly people on that walk to the old western, everyone was wondering whether I "need anything", or if I'm "looking" for anything. A little off topic, but a buck a drink tip at the western would practically get you a lapdance.
We bought a drink at one of the sidewalk bars under the canopy. Cost me $8 and I swear the bartender put half a bottle of Crown Royal in it. We took it to the Gold Spike, played some blackjack, drank the large drink, got into some discussions with various employees there and were eventually told it would probably be a good idea if we left the premises. Being the fine, upstanding citizens that we are, we took the not so subtle hint and left. There was no one on the street to ask us if we needed anything. In fact, the only folks we met were two guys in a van that must have locked their keys in a car based on the way they were trying to use a coat hanger to open the car's door. The Western was a sad, depressing place. Holy crap. The blank stares at us and the forlorn expressions on everyone's faces through the haze of smoke made us yearn for refuge under the canopy.
You are right about the dazed, forlorn looks, I said it appears that everyone, including the workers, look like they're on something. I remember one time i put a real beatdown on them at the BJ tables, I bought in with maybe $20 and cashed out a whopping $55, as I was cashing out the phone rang and the cashier remarked "55' as no doubt the pit had inquired. they would also yell out checks play if you bet $10 or more, those were good times, I miss them.
