A highway you finish on foot
Las Vegas is walked because the casinos face the sidewalk and the free shows run outside. The miles between one door and the next are the day.
- On May 15, 1905, a railroad auction laid out the townsite, with Fremont Street as its business row. On March 19, 1931, Nevada legalized casino gambling, and the new casinos later lined the highway outside that grid. Those two dates still split the city on foot.
- Las Vegas Boulevard is that highway. It was U.S. 91 to Los Angeles, and the casino frontage now runs for miles from the south end toward downtown. At the busiest crossings the way across is a pedestrian bridge: stairs, then an elevated sidewalk.
- The habit is to walk after dark. Neon works only at night, summer afternoons cook the sidewalk, and regulars cover one district on foot, then ride the bare blocks between the north Strip and Fremont.
What to eat
Shrimp cocktail — In 1959 the Golden Gate on Fremont sold it in a sundae glass for fifty cents, a cold snack priced to stop people at the casino door.
Casino buffet — The highway casinos ran a chuckwagon buffet and priced it below cost so a fed guest would stay and gamble.
Steak and eggs — Coffee shops stayed open all night because dealers, cooks, and gamblers changed shifts long after midnight.
Prime rib — A roast could be carved for hours, so casinos made prime rib the usual comp and the late plate in the coffee shop.
Before you go
Wear cushioned walking shoes; the boulevard is miles of concrete, and the bridges add stairs.
From June through September, walk before 9 a.m. or after sunset.
The fountains, the Bellagio Conservatory, and the Fremont canopy are free; the Neon Museum, the Mob Museum, Sphere shows, and the High Roller are ticketed separately.
The sidewalk costs nothing, but parking, the monorail, and a ride from the north Strip to Fremont are paid on their own.
Don't forget the ticket
If you want the inside, buy it before you go. The walk still works from the street.
SphereInterior visitSee tickets ›The Mob MuseumInterior visitSee tickets ›The Neon MuseumInterior visitSee tickets ›The STRAT Observation DeckInterior visitSee tickets ›