Staying Downtown vs. the Strip – A Comparison

Key Points:

• Rooms, gambling, drinking, and dining tend to be less expensive downtown vs. the Strip.

• Downtown has a less “corporate” feel, and casino leaders are known to mingle & interact with customers.

• Fremont Street is “grimier” than the Strip, and noise levels can make sleeping difficult into the wee hours of the morning.

I’ve logged stays at nearly every hotel in Las Vegas at this point, but only recently did I start branching out to Fremont Street.

It’s odd, because I prefer almost everything about downtown – the gaming options, the “closeness” of everything, and the old-school vibe… I’ve historically struggled to hit the “book now” button.

As a gambler, a contributing factor is my connection to loyalty programs on the Strip and the availability of complimentary rooms that result from them.

It was time to break free.

The driving force behind my inaugural stay downtown, however, was the renovation and re-opening of Binion’s Hotel Apache after a decades-long hiatus.

As a Vegas history dweeb, staying in a property with that much historic value was on the bucket list.

Since that stay, I’ve booked rooms at Main Street Station, El Cortez, Golden Gate, Plaza, and Downtown Grand, among others.

I’m not the only one with a renewed interest in downtown Las Vegas, either. According to the LVCVA, 52% of visitors visited downtown in 2024, an increase from pre-pandemic levels.

It’s safe to say that Fremont Street is on the rise.

I thought it would be fun to highlight the differences you can expect when staying Downtown vs. the Strip.

Downtown Can Be a Better Value

A frugal traveler myself, affordability is a major factor in my decision-making.

Now, I don’t have much of a relationship with loyalty programs downtown, but room rates are, on average, cheaper than on the Strip.

According to the LVCVA, the average nightly room rate on the Strip in 2024 was $206.12, almost 2x the $104.65 average downtown.

While rooms downtown are certainly less expensive on the whole, I’d be remiss to ignore the fact that rooms downtown, broadly speaking, are less impressive than their Strip peers.

Resort fees are also much lower than at resorts on the Strip. In fact, Binion’s and 4 Queens are resort fee-free.

Historically, downtown slots have been slightly looser than those on the Strip, though that relationship has oddly reversed in recent years. The “Circa effect”?

While 000 roulette on the Strip has spread like COVID in early 2020, Plaza offers a player-friendly single-zero wheel, commonly offered at a $10 minimum.

Lastly, video poker players will also have a better chance of finding an advantageous paytable in Fremont than on the Strip.

Here’s a good recap of where to find good video poker pay tables downtown from Vegas Advantage.

Airport Transportation Can Be CHEAP

Public transportation isn’t usually my cup of tea, but taking the CX (Centennial Express) from the airport is too easy.

Catch it at level 0 of either Terminal 1 or the departures level of Terminal 3. A one-way ticket costs only $2, amounting to big savings. An Uber/Lyft by comparison will typically run $20+.

You can also take public transportation to a hotel on the Strip, but it usually requires a transfer and is more cumbersome as a result.

Related: See more on airport transportation options available in addition to public transportation.

Food & Drink Options

There’s no shortage of dining downtown, spanning the spectrum from White Castle to upscale steakhouses.

I tend to gravitate toward the budget side of things, which means pizza by the slice at Pizza Rock & Evel Pie, the new food hall at Fremont, or even options in the Downtown Container Park.

There are some compelling deals to be had, including a $5.99 steakburger combo at Steak N Shake and a $9.99 pizza & drink combo at Fremont Pizza Company.

Check out my rundown of cheap eats downtown for more inspiration.,

Splurging on a nice meal downtown is also less painful. Upscale restaurants like Hugo’s Cellar, Top of Binion’s Steakhouse, Andiamo, and Oscar’s at Plaza tend to be cheaper than peer restaurants on the Strip.

Drinks are also affordable.

The Boyd’s (Cal, Main Street Station, and Fremont) offer $4 Heineken & Modelo around the clock, and there’s an ABC store that’ll allow you to stock the room inexpensively.

There are also myriad happy hour deals along Fremont Street that I keep updated.

The best being Golden Gate’s “The Night Starts Here” promotion, which is an open bar from 6-7pm daily. Along with free cocktails, they hand out an envelope with a mystery amount of freeplay to all attendees.

Just get there early to sign up for the loyalty program (if you have yet to do so) and pick up your wristband/freeplay.

You’re More Than a Number

The connection that casino leadership has developed with the public at certain resorts downtown is admirable.

Derek Stevens, owner of the D, Golden Gate, and Circa, is often posted up at Circa’s Megabar. He’s always willing to share a few words, a handshake, or a beer with folks who approach him.

The same can be said about Plaza’s CEO, Jonathan Jossel, who often mingles with guests on the casino floor. They legitimately care about their customer and provide a great experience.

Now I’m a big MGM & Caesars fan… but when is the last time you saw Bill Hornbuckle or Tom Reeg sipping a Modelo with Tom from Omaha? You haven’t.

Binion’s Hotel Apache, originally opened in 1932, is said to be haunted.

El Cortez was owned at one point by mobster Bugsy Siegel, and their recently renovated “Original 47” Rooms are above the casino floor and have been in service since 1941.

The Mob Museum provides a fascinating education on organized crime in America and Las Vegas, and the building itself is an artifact, having served as the venue for the Kefauver Hearings on organized crime in the 1950s.

On the topic of educational attractions, The Neon Museum is home to hundreds of vintage Las Vegas signs and can be toured during the day and at night.

The museum’s Brilliant! Jackpot display even brings signs in their North Gallery back to life with projection technology.

You Can Still Find Luxury

As downtown’s first resort built from the ground up in decades, Circa packs a luxurious punch similar to high-end resorts on the Strip.

Signature amenities run the gamut from top-tier dining options, an amphitheater, a rooftop pool deck, to the biggest sportsbook on earth.

Circa caters to customers that downtown has neglected for some time – Rest assured, there are high-end lodging options.

Cons of Staying Downtown

It can’t all be roses, right?

Noise

A good chunk of hotel rooms along Fremont Street are polluted by noise until the wee hours of the morning thanks to live entertainment.

If you need to get to bed early or don’t want to contend with the noise, stay a few blocks back at Main Street Station, California, Downtown Grand, or El Cortez. Kindly ask for a quieter room near the back of the property if staying right on the Fremont Street Experience.

I recently stayed in a Superior Room in Downtown Grand’s new Gallery Tower. It was blissfully quiet, and a great option for those who need beauty sleep.

Check out my guide detailing the quietest hotel rooms on Fremont Street, where we steer you towards towers, room types, and views that provide a quieter stay.

Rougher Crowd

The crowd tends to be a bit seedier downtown as well.

Street performers commonly show an abundance of skin or hold obscene signs. Not the type of place I’d bring kids.

There’s also a prevalent homeless population that can make some feel uncomfortable, but they rarely cause trouble.

Restrictive Open Container Laws

Downtown has different alcohol and open container laws than the Strip.

Yes, you can drink out in the open on Fremont Street, but your drink must be in a plastic cup and purchased from a casino bar. You can’t purchase canned/bottled drinks at the convenience store and crack them open.

Ultimately, the pros outweigh the cons for this guy. Staying on Fremont Street and visiting the Strip instead of vice versa is one of the better swaperoos I’ve made.

Although I still frequently take advantage of free rooms on the Strip, I’ve been back to stay on Fremont Street multiple times since my inaugural stay a few years back.

Although downtown hotels have a “more dated” reputation, there’s something for all tastes and budgets now that Circa is open.

See Also: Las Vegas Hotels With Recent Renovations.