Your first instinct when planning a trip to Vegas may be to book a room on the Strip. After all, it puts you right in the center of the action, right? Well not all the action in Vegas takes place on the Strip. Over the last several years Downtown Las Vegas has been revamped and is increasingly popular as a destination unto itself. The Fremont Street Experience is a lively outdoor attraction offering a variety of entertainment, gambling, and dining options, and it serves as a gateway to some of the older and less expensive casinos of Downtown. You can find penny slots and other kinds of “bargains” compared to the newer, fancier strip. But one of the best reasons to stay in downtown Las Vegas hotels is to have an old school Vegas experience. The oldest hotels and casinos in town are located here, and they give you a glimpse into the earlier glory days of Sin City. If you decide to stay in a Downtown hotel be sure to check out these following Vegas gems.

The Golden Nugget is one of the oldest Vegas hotels, built in 1946, and became one of the more successful casinos in the 1970’s. It has over 2300 deluxe rooms, which has earned it the AAA Four Diamond Award for the past 32 years. The hotel has recently gone through multimillion dollar renovations which include a $30 million pool area with shark tank, private cabanas, and more. Stay here for a luxury experience in one of the classic and famous Vegas hotels.

Another vintage Vegas experience can be found at the El Cortez Hotel and Casino. This property is even older than the Golden Nugget, built in 1941. The hotel has been owned by several different groups throughout the past decades, including major organized crime figures, and it has gone through several renovations. Despite these changes, it has maintained roughly the same vintage appearance up to this day. It is currently owned by Jackie Gaughan, a legendary Vegas casino operator who continues to live in an onsite penthouse and frequents the casino floor.

These are many other Las Vegas hotels and casinos in the downtown area that will allow you to have an old school Vegas experience, and where you might even save some money on lodging. Downtown is only a few minutes’ drive from the Las Vegas Strip.