By Erin Moonyeen Haley
Want to enjoy the quirky side of Las Vegas? Start with the museums, shops, and shopping malls on Fremont Street and go from there!
Fremont Street in Las Vegas at night as the sun sets. Nevada, USA
Quick Links
- The Quirkiest Museums On Las Vegas's Fremont Street
- The Quirkiest Places To Shop On Fremont Street In Las Vegas
- The Quirkiest Things tTo Do On Fremont Street, Las Vegas
The Las Vegas Strip has a magnetism so strong a person could be forgiven for thinking that it's where Las Vegas as a city crystallized into being its rhinestone-studded self. However, Fremont Street is the actual genesis of Sin City, ranking as one of the many locations beyond the Strip where adventures (and, let's face it, cheeky misadventures) are born. The six-block stretch of road has also been called Glitter Gulch, an epithet bestowed in 1937 after Hoover Dam waters generated electricity that lit up the streets and skies with gaudy, glittery signs.
Fremont Street Experience in Las Vegas
To understand Fremont's lineage, it's important to know that the street was technically built in 1905 and paved in 1925. Its very first gambling club - the Northern Club - was built in 1931 and was only one of six halls to receive a gambling license. Fast-forward a few decades to 1996, and the rough-and-tumble street was converted into a pedestrian mall, a revamping that caused the road to be rechristened the Fremont Street Experience. Now an entertainment hubbub, the Fremont Street Experience has a plethora of shops, eateries, and venues that offer tourists an unparalleled amount of offbeat opportunities, helping them understand how this Vegas niche upholds its reputation as a quirky escape in a city of escapes.
The Quirkiest Museums On Las Vegas's Fremont Street
The Neon Museum is one of the best hidden gems in Las Vegas. It takes a utilitarian concept - making signs that can be seen day or night - and glamorizes it to a fluorescent extreme in the form of a museum. Recognizing that neon signs are a quintessential element of Las Vegas pop culture, the museum not only displays them but provides education about their significance. Visitors can traipse through the Neon Boneyard in Las Vegas, an outdoor exhibition space that contains more than 250 unrestored signs. At sunset, ground lighting illuminates each sign like it's a Thundercats calling card, allowing visitors to gawk at signage for La Concha, Hard Rock Cafe, Wedding services, and even one for a local cleaner.
The North Gallery houses even more unrestored signs that sit like discarded roadside attractions in a dystopian movie. To really get into the garish glamour of it all, tourists can partake in Brilliant!, an immersive audiovisual experience that uses 3-D photogrammetry, structured light scanning, and digital animators to transport visitors to historical moments in Vegas history through sight and sound. With ticket prices starting at only $10, the museum ranks as one of the cheaper ways to find unique amusement in the city that never sleeps. On that note, learning how to budget for a trip to Las Vegas is wise for those with tighter purse strings.
- Address: 770 Las Vegas Blvd N, Las Vegas, NV 89101
- Contact: 702.387.6366
- Hours: Open 7 days a week, 2 pm to 10 pm
- Prices: Starting at $10
Due to the fact that nights sell out quickly, advance purchase of tickets is highly recommended
Also located in the downtown nook right by Fremont Street is the Mob Museum - one of the many unforgettable adventures in Las Vegas - adding a level of criminality to the quirky theme that the street and town are so famous for. With exhibits detailing everything from the Kefauver hearings to the techniques employed by the FBI to secure informants and keep them alive, the building itself used to be a courthouse. Within its storied neoclassical walls, mob bosses once met with the U.S. Senateâs Special Committee in the government's investigation relating to Interstate Commerce. Witnesses such as Moe Sedway, manager of the Flamingo Hotel, were among those who testified in various trials.
Once inside the museum, guests can get up close and personal with the notorious side of history courtesy of such artifacts as a replica of the wall from the St. Valentineâs Day Massacre, a valise with hidden flasks circa Prohibition Era, and an Art Deco flapper dress that would have been worn by a dame having fun on the wrong side of the tracks.
- Address: 300 Stewart Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89101
- Hours: Open 7 days a week, 9 am - 9 pm
- Prices: Tickets start at $29.95 and up
The Mob Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
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The Quirkiest Places To Shop On Fremont Street In Las Vegas
Billed as an âoffbeatâ shopping oasis, downtownâs Container Park has a roster of stores that fit the quirky paradigm to perfection. Lording over the area is a 40-foot-tall metal praying mantis that had originally been constructed for the Burning Man Festival. Now it is a nightly pyrotechnic extravagance, burning about 50 gallons of liquid propane and spewing out flames that reach about 6 stories high.
Some of the quirkiest shops within the park include House of 1000 Pins (707 E. Fremont St, #89101), a boutique packed with pins and stickers by local artists. Black Spade Tattoo (707 Fremont St., #1140) soothes customers with mellow energy while inking them with tigers and prismatic pyramids and with artfully applied permanent makeup. Want a skeleton goblet or a trio of salamander-green aliens in a âsee no evilâ, âhear no evilâ âspeak no evilâ pose? Then swing by Gift Envy (707 Fremont, #2330) for eccentric trinkets and souvenirs.
Restaurants and eateries are just as kooky, with dessert destinations such as Waffelato (707 E. Fremont St., #1300) serving up gelato in giant waffle cones. For the culinarily curious, the Olive Branch is a spiceologistâs nirvana. The theme of the story is experimentation, as rubs and seasonings run the gamut of Greek Freak to Black & Bleu to a Cajun Black Magic Blackening rub.
- Address: 425 E. Fremont St., Las Vegas, NV 89101
The praying mantis - which took 3,000 hours to build - is an exact replica of a female praying mantis and was designed by aerospace engineer Kirk Jellum. Every sundown, the sleeping mantis awakens to a drum circle call-and-reponse tattoo called âCall to the Mantisâ, so itâs a good thing to arrive a few minutes before the sun goes down.
Related: Fremont Street's Foodie Scene: Discovering The Best Eats In Downtown Vegas
Fremont Street East in Las Vegas, Nevada
The Quirkiest Things tTo Do On Fremont Street, Las Vegas
One of the reasons that Fremont Street still carries the moniker Glitter Gulch is because of the installation of Viva Vision. Not far from the Golden Gate Hotel & Casino, is a 1,476-foot-long gallery that is absolutely star-smothered with 12 million LED bulbs on a renovated screen with 16.4 million brilliant pixels. Starting at 6 pm and going until the witching hours of the night, there is a stratospheric light show that lasts for approximately 6 minutes, making audiences feel as though they are being swallowed by a time warp or riding out an electric storm that heralds the arrival of Thor.
Some of the light shows are cultivated around specific sounds and musicians. For instance, renowned DJ, Steve Aokiâs pulse-ripping throbs of punk rhythms, ambient techno and EDM stimulate new wave visuals that seemingly belong to music videos from the earliest days of MTV, while Shakiraâs Viva Vision show synergizes âWhenever, Wherever,â âHips Donât Lieâ and âCanât Remember to Forget Youâ to a firework of images and hip undulations.
- Address: 425 E Fremont St, Las Vegas, NV 89101
- Hours: 6 pm - 2 am
- Prices: Free
In addition to Steve Aoki and Shakira, shows are also set to music by The Killers, Imagine Dragons, Tiesto, Green Day, and Linkin Park.
SlotZilla Zip Line in Downtown Las Vegas, Fremont Street
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How many streets can boast of delivering adrenaline rushes thanks to zip lines? Once again, Fremont establishes its eccentric street cred thanks to SlotZilla, making it one of the essential and incredible things to do in Vegas in recent times. Billed as a family-friendly dopamine rush, SlotZilla is an 11-story zipline attraction inspired by the shape and construction of slot machines, hence the catchy portmanteau. A multi-million-dollar thrill, SlotZilla allows guests to fly via the Zip-Zilla Zipline and the Super-Hero Zoom Zoomline.
Note that anyone under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. There are also height and weight requirements to consider before riding, so check the website or fact sheet before going.
- Address: 425 E Fremont St #160, Las Vegas, NV 89101
- Email: Fill out the contact form
- Hours: 7 days a week, 12 pm - 1 am
- Prices: Tickets start at $54
The Zip-Zilla launches riders from 77 feet in the air. Flyers are seated and land about halfway down the Fremont Street pedestrian promenade, betwixt and between the Queens and Fremont casinos. The Super-Hero Zoom Zoomline is for the committed daredevils, chucking flyers from a platform that is over 114 feet high (more than 10 stories up). In synch with the âsuper-heroâ title, flyers are launched in a superman-to-the-rescue position.
FAQs
What is special about Fremont Street in Vegas? âș
Situated north of the Las Vegas Strip in Downtown Las Vegas, Fremont Street was the city's actual birthplace, famous for block after block of the city's most iconic neon signs and marquees adorning some of Las Vegas' first casinos, like Binion's Horseshoe, the Golden Nugget, the Pioneer Club, and many more.
How long should you spend at Fremont Street? âșEstimated Visiting Time
The Fremont Street Experience has a lot to offer, and in order to experience it all, you will have to keep coming back to old Las Vegas. The night tour takes around 3.5 hours, and you will need at least one hour to witness the beautiful light shows of the Viva Vision.
Admission to the area is free, though some of the attractions located under the "Viva Vision" canopy will cost extra. The Fremont Experience occupies five city blocks that run from Las Vegas Boulevard East to 8th Street and from Ogden Street South to Carson.
What is the description Fremont Street? âșFremont Street Experience is a five-block entertainment district in historic downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. The centerpiece of Fremont Street Experience is Viva Vision, the world's largest video screen. The Viva Vision screen is 1,375 feet long, 90 feet wide and is suspended 90 feet above the pedestrian mall below.
What is Fremont famous for? âșIt is noted as the site of the Tesla Factory as well as the site of the Warm Springs / South Fremont BART station.
What is Fremont most known for? âșSpeaking of families, residents are attracted to Fremont's nationally-recognized high-ranking public schools and our stunning parks and hiking vistas. There's plenty to do and see in Fremont, including beautiful Lake Elizabeth, Central Park, and Mission San JosĂ©.
Can you wear shorts at Fremont Street? âșDressing for the Nightclub
Shorts, torn clothes, sneakers, flip flops and t-shirts are out. If you must wear a shirt without a collar, such as a t-shirt or pull over, dress it up with a jacket. Suitable dresses, skirts, blouses, button down shirts, slacks, jeans and jackets are all okay.
Things get interesting in downtown Las Vegas on the first Friday of each month. That's because of a wildly popular downtown event called, wait for it, First Friday. Read more about the official First Friday. The crowds that result from First Friday mean additional visitors to Fremont Street Experience as well.
What is the dress code on Fremont Street? âșFremont Street Dress Code
Generally casual wear is okay, as long as you look neat and well groomed.
Fremont Street has been around since Vegas was founded in 1905 and became the city's first paved road in 1925. Because of this, our part of the city has been a part of every bit of Las Vegas history, making Downtown far superior to the Strip. You can even still stay in the first hotel in Las Vegas!
How much does it cost to Uber from the Strip to Fremont Street? âș
Depends on the time of day but it's a short ride less than 10 minutes and between $12 to $15 one way.
How much does it cost to ride the Fremont Street Zipline? âșLocated at Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas, SlotZilla is a 11-story slot machine-inspired zip line attraction and is one of the best things to do in Las Vegas. SlotZilla zip line offers two ways to fly, the lower âZiplineâ and upper âZoomline.â It's $54 for the Zipline, $74 for the Zoomline.
How to dress on Fremont Street Las Vegas? âșDRESS CODE FOR FREMONT STREET:
This dress code goes for both men and women, it is casual wear but neat attire is highly encouraged. Bar Crawl items that are PROHIBITED: Vapes / Large E-cigs.
| Owner | FSE, LLC |
| Length | 0.8 mi (1.3 km) |
| Location | Las Vegas |
| East end | Las Vegas Boulevard |
| Construction | |
|---|---|
Fremont Street is the epicenter of nightlife in downtown Las Vegas. From dueling piano bars to giant yard games to craft cocktails or domestic beers, the area has everything you need for a night filled with fun. Grab your gang and head down to Fremont Street for a night you won't forget.
What is a fun fact about Fremont? âșSeveral silent movies were filmed in Fremont in the early 1900's, including five Charlie Chaplin films. Remember "The Tramp"? Yep, filmed in Fremont. Chaplin didn't live in the area long, history says he didn't really like it, but still he left his mark.
Why is Fremont so happy? âșFREMONT, CA â Fremont has been chosen as the happiest city in America, according to research by WalletHub, because it is one of America's least stressed cities and the second-best place to raise a family, it's ranked fifth as the most caring city in the U.S, and it's the city with the lowest separation and divorce rate ...
Is Fremont Street older than the Strip? âș1920 â 1933: Paving the Way
Fremont Street, the old Strip, was paved in 1925 as the downtown area developed. The ban on gambling was lifted in 1931, which would later spark a massive casino development movement in downtown and what would later be known as the Strip. In 1933, Prohibition was repealed.
Las Vegas' second most famous street after The Strip, Fremont Street is the place where vintage Vegas meets the wonders of modern technology. Named after explorer and anti-slavery campaigner John Charles Frémont, Fremont Street is situated in the heart of downtown Vegas' casino corridor.
What is Fremont Street nickname? âșThe abundance of neon signs, like cowboy Vegas Vic, earned the street the nickname of "Glitter Gulch". Fremont Street is designated between Main Street and Sahara Avenue in a northwestâsoutheast direction, although auto traffic actually begins at Las Vegas Boulevard.
What does Fremont mean in English? âș
Fremont as a boy's name is pronounced FREE-mont. It is of French and Old German origin, and the meaning of Fremont is "noble protector; protector of freedom".
Can you wear jeans in Vegas? âșFeel free to dress casually as you explore Vegas, meaning nice jeans or slacks with a collared shirt for men and a casual dress or slacks for women. At casinos, the dress code is also casual during the day though it becomes a bit more formal in the evening.
Are drinks still free in Las Vegas? âșYes. While casinos are tightening up their free drink policies, people can still get free drinks. However, you need to be careful how you do it. In this article we'll give tips on how to get the most free drinks in Vegas casinos.
Can I wear jeans to the club? âșCasual. This is the most laid back you can get for a club, pretty much anything goes as long as it's not board shorts and flip flops. Jeans, t-shirt and shoes and you're in. The one problem is on busy nights as bars casual dress code can turn into smart casual dress code.
Are drinks free at the Fremont Street in Las Vegas? âșThere may be no such thing as a free lunch, but there are free drinks when you're in downtown Vegas and you're gambling! Casinos downtown serve drinks to gamblers free of charge. Different casinos have different policies about free drinks, so make sure to ask a bartender or cocktail waitress about the policies.
Where should I get dropped off at Fremont Street? âșIf you take a taxi (the expensive option) or rideshare (the less expensive option), ask for a drop off at one of the casinos that flank the Fremont Street Experience, such as the Golden Nugget, Binion's, or Golden Gate.
Are backpacks allowed on Fremont Street? âșVisitors to the Fremont Street Experience will be required to go through metal detectors, bag checks and be subject to age requirements to enter the Las Vegas pedestrian mall in a new step to curb increased violence.
Do you have to wear a mask on Fremont Street Las Vegas? âșNo. Governor Steve Sisolak suspended the indoor mask mandate in Nevada on February, 10th, 2022 citing a sharp decline in cases.
What are the new rules for Fremont? âșJuly 9, 2022, at 6:56 p.m. LAS VEGAS (AP) â Visitors to the Fremont Street Experience will be required to go through metal detectors, bag checks and be subject to age requirements to enter the Las Vegas pedestrian mall in a new step to curb increased violence.
Can you carry alcohol on Fremont Street? âșNote that it is lawful to carry closed glass or aluminum containers of alcohol on Fremont Street as long as it is stapled closed in the package store bag with the receipt attached.
Is it better to gamble on Fremont Street? âș
Guests can walk from casino to casino in just a matter of minutes. Many gamblers prefer Fremont casinos because they generally offer better odds and lower blinds/minimum bets on table games. There's a greater mix of locals with tourists and fewer establishments that require a dress code.
What is the most famous Strip in Vegas? âșLas Vegas Boulevard â the world-famous Las Vegas Strip â is the central artery of Sin City and the main line to a majority of the city's best sights, gambling, food and fun.
Are there shuttles from Fremont Street to the Strip? âșAre there shuttles to Fremont Street? There is the Downtown Loop, which is a shuttle around various locations in Downtown Las Vegas, including Fremont Street. There aren't any shuttle from the Strip to Fremont Street, however, the RTC transit bus runs a route from the Strip to Fremont Street.
Is it cheaper to take a taxi or Uber from Las Vegas airport? âșIs Uber Cheaper than a Taxi in Las Vegas? Yes, taking an Uber is cheaper than riding in Vegas taxis. We have found that it costs roughly $10 to get to the Strip and around $15 to be taken to downtown Las Vegas. The cost of a taxi ride is roughly double that, so Uber is an excellent choice for the budget-savvy consumer.
How much is a taxi from the Strip to Fremont Street? âșThe most affordable way to get from Las Vegas Strip to Fremont Street is to bus and line 206 bus, which costs $12 and takes 45 min. What is the fastest way to get from Las Vegas Strip to Fremont Street? The quickest way to get from Las Vegas Strip to Fremont Street is to taxi which costs $30 - $40 and takes 7 min.
How to get to Fremont Street for free? âșPublic Transportation in Downtown Las Vegas
The Downtown Loop is a free (yes, we said FREE) shuttle service that will take you to all the biggest attractions in the area, including: Fremont Street Experience (stops at Circa and Main Street & Ogden) The Arts District.
Must weigh between 60-300 lbs. Maximum 6'8â height for lower Zipline. Flyers cannot be under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
Does it cost to park at Fremont Street? âșThe basic cost of parking at Fremont Street Experience is $4 per hour, with a daily maximum of $20. (The lost ticket charge is $20.) On rare occasions, a flat fee will be charged, such as in the case of concerts or large-scale events nearby (such as the Life is Beautiful Festival).
What should I wear to Fremont Street? âșFremont Street
This area of town is super casual. Jeans, a nice top, and decent shoes will be fine. I saw people dressed every which way last time I was down there.
Each and Every night, 6:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
What is the $20 trick in Vegas? âș
What is the $20 Dollar Trick? The 20 Dollar Trick, sometimes called the sandwich trick, is a $20 tip sandwiched in between the necessary ID and credit card required at the hotel front desk check-in. In the past, this was a great way to get a complimentary upgrade.
How much is the ride in Fremont Street? âșLocated at Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas, SlotZilla is a 11-story slot machine-inspired zip line attraction and is one of the best things to do in Las Vegas. SlotZilla zip line offers two ways to fly, the lower âZiplineâ and upper âZoomline.â It's $54 for the Zipline, $74 for the Zoomline.
Can you walk around Fremont Street with alcohol? âșThe Fremont Street pedestrian mall prohibits open glass or aluminum containers within 1000ft of a packaged liquor store. It is also illegal to carry an open container within 1,000 feet of a hospital, school, liquor store, church, and homeless shelter in the area.
Is Fremont Street better at night or during the day? âșDowntown Las Vegas at Night
It's actually the best time to visit downtown Las Vegas because you can experience the full spectacle of the Viva Vision light shows, soar past the flashing neon lights on the Slotzilla Zipline and enjoy free nightly entertainment in the pedestrian mall.