Built on the site of a Union Pacific Railroad Depot, the Plaza opened in 1971. For decades it was a gaudy, cheap-looking hotel attracting package tourists and blue-haired, bingo-playing grandmothers. Although recently renovated with a fresher, more contemporary appearance (think hipsters in '70s getups), the place is far from pretentious – it still packs in loyal gamblers with its rowdy $5 blackjack tables and cocktail waiters who call you 'hun.'


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Las Vegas attractions

1. Golden Gate

0.05 MILES

A gambling hall and hotel have stood on this corner since 1906, one year after the whistle-stop railway town of Las Vegas was founded. It didn't become…

2. Golden Nugget

0.13 MILES

Check out the polished brass and white leather seats in the casino: day or night, the Golden Nugget is downtown's poshest address (not that there's a…

3. Binion's Gambling Hall

0.13 MILES

Binion's Gambling Hall was opened in 1951 (then known as Binion's Horseshoe), by notorious Texan gambler Benny Binion, who wore gold coins for buttons on…

4. Fremont Street Experience

0.15 MILES

A five-block pedestrian mall, between Main St and N Las Vegas Blvd, topped by an arched steel canopy and filled with computer-controlled lights, the…

5. Main Street Station

0.19 MILES

This filigreed casino recreates Victorian opulence with its unique design, detailed craftwork and an extensive antiques collection. Pick up a brochure at…

6. Downtown Grand

0.3 MILES

Reborn from the shell of the Lady Luck casino, the slightly corporate Downtown Grand, just north of Fremont St, combines chandeliers with 'street dice'…

7. Mob Museum

0.32 MILES

The myth and mystique of mobsters from Bugsy Siegel to Al Capone get the museum treatment inside a hulking Downtown courthouse where real gangsters sat…

8. Discovery Children's Museum

0.42 MILES

Designed for toddlers to pre-teens, the Discovery Children's Museum is located in a state-of-the-art building in Symphony Park. Highlights include 'The…