Its 'Old Vegas' neighborhood had a higher profile in the 1970s, before the ascendancy of the Strip’s mega-resorts, a shift crystallized by the opening of the The Mirage Hotel & Casino in 1989. With one of the oldest casinos in the city (first opened in 1946), the 2,419-room Golden Nugget has endured in the face of overwhelming competition from the Strip. It’s worth considering Excalibur Hotel and Casino, which is along The Strip and offers a plethora of family-friendly features. On the plus side, all come with flat-screen TVs, free basic Wi-Fi, and hairdryers. But guests should be forewarned: booking rooms is a crapshoot, as some smell of smoke, some are a bit dated, and some are subject to late-night noise. Live entertainment and a nightclub are also available on-site. Top restaurant options include a steakhouse, sushi at Red Asian Cuisine, and Grotto Italian Ristorante, and an all-day buffet. The property may be smaller than its peers on the Strip, but it still offers plenty of entertainment options, with its 45,000-square-foot casino, two pools (one with a waterslide through a shark tank and another for adults only), multiple bars and restaurants, and a small spa and fitness center. Located on Fremont Street in Downtown Las Vegas, the upper-middle-range, 2,419 Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino is an off-the-Strip alternative for travelers seeking a different side of Sin City.
