With a wide variety of places to stay in Las Vegas, it can be difficult to choose, but I do love history, so we opted to stay in Vegas’ oldest operating hotel and casino, the Golden Gate.

Back in 1906 Las Vegas was a nothing town in the middle of the desert, a train stop en route the Pacific Ocean. But that isn’t what John F. Miller thought, he thought Las Vegas could be so much more. Miller opened Hotel Nevada at 1 Fremont Street, across the street from the train station. The hotel had ten rooms, which guests could sleep in for $1 a night, complete with electricity and those wishing to try their luck could do so with various games of chance. The following year Miller installed Vegas’ first ever telephone with the easy to remember phone number of 1.

The gambling aspect didn’t last long, as it was outlawed in 1910, but that didn’t stop Las Vegas from growing. In 1925 Fremont Street was paved, and in 1927 the hotel got its first outdoor electric sign. When gambling became legal once again in 1931, the hotel also experienced a name change, becoming Sal Sagev, no that isn’t someone’s name, it’s just Las Vegas backwards.

Soon Las Vegas was becoming a hot spot, and by 1955 the hotel experienced its third name change, becoming what it is today, the Golden Gate, thanks to new ownership from some Bay Area boys. The fellas also brought with them the Shrimp Cocktail, introducing it to Las Vegas for the first time in 1959.

Fast forward to 2012, and Las Vegas has changed quite a bit, but the latest owners take pride in the hotel’s unique history, doing an extensive renovation and expansion. The lobby features artifacts from the hotel’s history, including ledger’s from the hotel’s earliest years and highlights its first ten rooms as a unique piece of Las Vegas history, one of which we just had to stay in.

As mentioned earlier, the hotel’s address is 1 Fremont Street which places it at the beginning (or the end, depending on which way you’re walking) of The Fremont Street Experience, the historic downtown core of Las Vegas that is closed to car traffic and covered, and offers live entertainment on multiple stages and a zip-line. Our room was small, but charming and overlooked the end of the zip-line and one of the stages.

Step back in time at the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino at 1 Fremont Street in Las Vegas. Book your stay in one of the ten original rooms (or a larger, newer suite if you prefer!) on their website.

It’s important to note that Las Vegas is pretty much a 24/7 town, and the old walls and windows do not provide much soundproofing. The live entertainment on the stage outside our window went until about two o’clock or so in the morning. So if you’re not a late night party person and prefer a quieter night, one of the original ten rooms might not be for you.

Other Las Vegas Destinations

Burlesque Hall of Fame

Diamonds are Forever Filming Locations

The National Atomic Testing Museum

The Neon Museum

Twilight Zone Mini Golf

Sources
Lochhead, Colton. “Golden Gate still shines 116 years after opening in downtown Las Vegas.” Las Vegas Review-Journal, 13 January 2022.
“Our Story.” Golden Gate Hotel & Casino.