Guide to Vintage Vegas: The Top 10 Best Retro Experiences in Las Vegas

Old-school glamour is still alive and well in Las Vegas, and lovers of all things retro come from around the world to experience this one-of-a-kind city. If you search beyond the mega-resorts on the Strip, it’s easy to find vintage Vegas charm almost everywhere you look. Our list of the 10 best retro experiences in Las Vegas will transport you back to the glitzy golden era of this incredible city.

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1. Stay at a Retro Vegas Hotel

If you’re looking for a vintage Vegas experience, the best place to start is booking a room in a retro hotel. The Cabana Suites at El Cortez Hotel and Casino are exclusive accommodations fitted out with retro-modern furnishings and décor that transport you back to the 1950s. Better yet, you’ll be located right on Fremont Street East – an area of Downtown that practically oozes old-school Vegas charm.

Oasis at Gold Spike is an adults-only boutique hotel in Downtown Vegas that’s a one-of-a-kind flashback to the 50s. Created by gutting and reimagining a classic Vegas motel, this unique hotel features funky retro rooms and a lively nightclub. Oasis at Gold Spike is just steps away from the famous Fremont Street Experience.

Flamingo is the oldest hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, having opened in 1946. The infamous mobster Bugsy Siegel once ran this classic Vegas hotel. Today, the hotel still honors its past with its famously glamorous neon sign, lush gardens, and 1950s vibe. Staying at Flamingo will get you right in the heart of the action on the Strip.

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2. Explore The Neon Museum

Your retro Vegas adventure just wouldn’t be complete without visiting The Neon Museum. This unique attraction in historic Downtown Las Vegas is the place where neon signs go when they die. Over 200 neon signs from the city’s past have been collected in the Neon Boneyard, making it one of the best selfie spots in Vegas. Go there for a night tour and you’ll get to see the neon signs glittering and glowing.

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3. Hang Out with Elvis

Some say The King is alive and well, and he pretty much is in Las Vegas! If you’re an Elvis fan, you can start your Las Vegas vacation off just right: by being picked up at the airport in a pink Cadillac by the legend himself. Well, an impersonator – but a good one! The King will drive you to your hotel or any location on the Strip, and you’ll get some unforgettable photos with him on the way.

Las Vegas is where Elvis loved to perform, and you can still see The King in concert at an Elvis tribute show. All Shook Up plays at Planet Hollywood, taking you on a journey through Elvis’s legendary music career. Spirit of the King features one of the best Elvis impersonators in the country, and will have you dancing and singing along.

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4. Stroll Down Fremont Street Experience

Downtown Las Vegas is the home of all things retro – it’s the “old Vegas” and still embodies the glitz and glamour of Vegas’s golden days. 

Right in the middle of Downtown Vegas, you’ll find Fremont Street Experience: a pedestrian walkway lined with the flashy neon signs of vintage casinos, street performers, and tacky souvenir shops. The ceiling is made of the world’s largest LED screen, giving awe-inspiring light shows. Taking a walk along Fremont Street Experience is guaranteed to blow your mind!

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5. Dine at a Classic Vegas Steakhouse

Going back in time has never been so delicious! Among the world-class steakhouses in Vegas, there are a few legendary restaurants that have stuck around since the old days. Top of Binion’s Steakhouse offers top-floor views of Downtown Vegas and an atmosphere that oozes vintage glamour. 

Frank Sinatra and Elvis both dined at the Golden Steer, and you can follow in their footsteps. Barry’s Downtown Prime, located at Circa Resort, reinvents the glitzy ambiance of an old-school Vegas steakhouse with a modern take.

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6. Shop for Vintage Finds in the Arts District

Las Vegas’s Arts District is a heaven for vintage shoppers. This eclectic and colorful neighborhood is just 10 minutes from the Strip and a must-see for retro-lovers. Here you’ll find vintage boutiques, thrift stores, and antique stores. 

You’re sure to find one-of-a-kind souvenirs at Barter Beer + Mall – the Arts District’s newest antique mall that also serves beer. Echo is an intimate bar and vinyl listening lounge, and Mid Mod Crisis is an amazing retro furniture store.

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7. Have a Drink at a Retro Bar

Ready to go out on the town? Vegas has several retro bars and lounges, each with its own unique atmosphere. Peppermill and Fireside Lounge is a classic Vegas bar that’s like a time capsule from the 70s – think plush booths, neon lights, and flaming drinks. 

For a total Las Vegas throwback, visit Frankie’s Tiki Room with exotic drinks and kitsch Polynesian-inspired décor. Atomic Liquors is Sin City’s oldest freestanding bar, with an atomic-age theme and a local dive bar vibe.

Some of Las Vegas’s retro bars are hidden in plain sight. Find the secret entrance of one of the best Vegas speakeasies and you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into the Prohibition era. 

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8. Play Classic Games at the Pinball Hall of Fame

The Pinball Hall of Fame is a 10,000 square-foot museum filled with classic pinball machines and arcade games from as early as the 1950s. All of the machines are in mint condition, and yes, you can actually play them! Whether you used to be a pinball wizard or you’re a newcomer to vintage arcade games, this is a retro Vegas attraction that provides good old-fashioned fun.

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9. Visit the National Atomic Testing Museum

Did you know that in the 1960s, there was an atomic testing site just 65 miles outside of Vegas? Hotels on the Strip would have viewing parties where guests could marvel at the mushroom clouds in the distance! The National Atomic Testing Museum provides a fascinating look at what life was like during the atomic era, with interactive exhibits and pop culture artifacts. Here, you can even experience a simulated explosion in a theater that looks like a bunker.

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10. Swing with the Rat Pack

Frank Sinatra was about as Vegas as you can get, paving the way for Las Vegas show business as we know it. The Rat Pack Is Back is an awesome tribute show performed in the Copa Room at the Tuscany Hotel & Casino, the actual room where the Rat Pack began their careers. 

For a unique fine dining experience, Sinatra is one of our favorite Italian restaurants at Wynn Las Vegas that celebrates Frank Sinatra’s legacy. Enjoy sumptuous dishes that Frank Sinatra loved himself, to the classy soundtrack of the crooner’s greatest hits.