People Reveal What They Miss Most About Las Vegas, Answers Are Very Entertaining

What do people miss most about the modern Las Vegas experience?

As OutKick readers know, I’m a huge fan of Las Vegas. I go to the tourism hot spot at least once a year, and I always have a great time.

You can read about my latest crazy trip here. It’s simply an awesome city full of good times, cold beer and hot blackjack tables.

Reddit thread shines a light on what people miss about Las Vegas.

As I’ve said before, Las Vegas is always changing. New resorts and restaurants are constantly being built and the old stuff gets cycled out.

A fascinating Reddit thread popped up with people explaining what they miss most about Sin City. Check out the answers below, and let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com:

• The original O’Sheas, was a special place for many of us and took over once Boardwalk was gone. Yea, I like the dumps.
• Free parking at every Casino on the strip
• And also Fremont street. Free parking pretty much everywhere. No hoops to jump through, no obligation, no player’s card, no questions asked.
• Someone mentioned themed casinos, and expanding on that, I miss the general campiness and gaudiness that made Vegas was it was for so many years. Everything like the theming, decorations and especially how showgirls would dress (like, are they even still around?) was over-the-top and it made for such a fun experience. Today, everything feels just so sanitized and corporate to the point where it’s hard to tell the difference between casinos. The theming, decor and ambiance comes across as boring and it honestly gives the impression of “we are here just to take your money.” Granted, I am not a romantic and I know that corporations have been around in Vegas for decades, but at least back in the 90s it wasn’t so glaringly and unapologetically obvious. I do know that this is a recurring trend worldwide, however. When I was a kid, McDonald’s restaurants were bright and fun. Today, they look like a place where I would conduct a business meeting outside of the office.
• 24 hour gyms and grocery stores. Cheap casino buffets
• The Treasure Island pirate show … the original version. Amazing show and I hate that Vegas is not what it was back then … no more S+R Secret Garden, Dolphin habitat, Mirage Volcano, baby Lions at the MGM, etc.
• The Beach Club. A 24-hour coffee shop in every casino.
• Themed casinos. Yes there are some, but not like it was 20-30 years ago.
• Modestly priced buffets. The few buffets that are open are priced too crazy. Nobody is eating $40+ worth of food. If it’s a crab legs thing at some buffets, make crab night more expensive but regular nights should be 20 bucks or so.
• 1.99 steak and eggs, potatoes, and bread between 12AM till 8 AM (southpoint)
• The mafia running Vegas
• Buffets at Station Casinos and Suncoast.
• Cheap drinks and buffets
• Free parking in the strip for every casino. And also resort fees. Getting out of hand.
• <$10 beers at the pool!
• The Mirage.
• $5 steak and eggs

A lot of great answers, and there’s only one for me that really comes to mind. I definitely miss The Mirage. The iconic Vegas resort closed for good over the summer and it represented the end of an era in the city.

The Mirage sparked a domino effect of mega-resorts being built with unique themes. It was an awesome place, and over the past few years, it felt like walking into a time machine.

I stayed in the penthouse a few years ago, and it was one of my best trips to Las Vegas. Now, it’s closed and will reopen in a few years as the Hard Rock Las Vegas.

I walked past it when I was in Vegas this past August, and it definitely felt a bit eerie. Truly the end of an awesome era.

Do you have a great Las Vegas story or is there something you miss about the city? I want to hear about it at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.