9 ways to experience ‘classic’ Las Vegas

When the Riviera closed for good last week, the city was a little nostalgic. As the “Rs” were pulled from the door and the “Crazy Girls” butts were removed, Las Vegas lost a major part of its history, like the Stardust and New Frontier before it.

After the closure, we gave you nine things you can’t experience in Las Vegas anymore, whether it closed 10 years ago or 10 days ago. To make up for that, here are nine ways you can experience “the good ol’ days of Vegas,” whenever those truly were.

Eat at the Golden Steer

This steakhouse, tucked away in a slightly off-strip shopping mall at 308 W. Sahara, has been open since 1958. The interior was inspired by the Gold Rush era and has only been redecorated once, but it definitely retains the charm of the days when Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin were regulars. Elvis Presley, Nat King Cole and actress Natalie Wood had also stopped in at some point.

Grab a drink and maybe some swing at the Cosmo

The Chandelier in the center of the Cosmopolitan offers signature drinks bound to take you back in time, like “The Infinite Playlist,” a twist on an Old Fashioned with 12-year aged rum. Every now and then, you might catch a jazz or swing band at the bar. A visit to the Cosmo means an excuse to dress up, too, if you’re so inclined.

Play blackjack at the El Cortez

When the El Cortez was built in 1941 for $245,000, it was the first of its kind on Fremont Street. The hotel-casino passed through a few hands (including Bugsy Siegel) and has been renovated three times, but still brings old-school charm to the ever-changing Fremont East District. The El Cortez has won Best of Las Vegas’ top spot for full pay 2-3 single and double deck blackjack.

Eat at The Peppermill

Often called the “time capsule” restaurant of Vegas, the Peppermill Fireside Lounge is the brightest dark room, lit with pink and purple neon strips and lined with mirrors. It’s been remodeled several times since the 1970s, but its never really changed. The bar-restaurant has a pretty reliable menu, too.

Check out the Mob Museum

Get to know Vegas the way some remember it — as a hot spot for the mob. It’s in downtown, where you can soak in both sides of the story and get your names right. The museum is made up of information collected from the FBI, former police, experts and historians. It was even featured in “CSI” in 2011, when someone tries to assassinate a fictionalized-but not former Mayor Goodman at a fake opening.

Croon at Champagne’s or Dino’s

Dino’s Lounge (1516 S. Las Vegas Blvd) and Champagne’s Cafe (3557 S. Maryland Pkwy) are both contenders (or winners) for best dive bar in Las Vegas every year. Dino’s opened in 1962, after Dino himself reportedly bought a bar from mobster Eddie Trascher. Champagne’s has been around just as long, as shown through its wall hangings of the Rat Pack, the juke box in the corner and velvet walls. Both have lively (actually live) karaoke on the weekends.

Get to know Nevada at the Atomic Testing Museum

This museum, located at 755 E. Flamingo Rd in the same building as Desert Research Institute, is $22 for adults, with multiple discounts offered. You’ll be an atomic bomb expert after strolling through the two-hour self-guided tour and seeing videos, technology, artifacts and even a simulated atmospheric bomb blast.

This is some of the stuff you’ll see there:

Drink at Atomic Liquors

Speaking of bombs and Las Vegas history, this bar at 917 Fremont St, toward the end of Fremont East, can almost act as a supplement to the museum. Just a three-minute walk from the El Cortez mentioned above, this is the oldest free-standing bar in Las Vegas. Those in the know claim it was named for a time when people would watch the atomic blasts from the roof of the bar — which features some explosive cocktails.

Visit the Neon Boneyard

What’s more iconic of Las Vegas than the neon? This is the place where those glitzy signs go to die, at 770 Las Vegas Boulevard North. The two-acre area features more than 150 neon signs, including famous ones from imploded hotels. You’ll learn more about classic Vegas during their guided tour than you’d think.

Miss anything classic in town? Contact Kristen DeSilva at 702-477-3895 or kdesilva@reviewjournal.com. Find her on Twitter: @kristendesilva