Expedia: Speakeasies and Slot Machines: A GUIDE TO EXPERIENCING OLD LAS VEGAS IN MODERN DAY

The Mob Museum and Expedia Viewfinder teamed up to offer tips for a vintage-style trip to Vegas.

Forget about a time machine. Enter an era of cigar-smoking mobsters, pearl-laden flappers, and seductive temptation in modern day Las Vegas. Between Expedia Viewfinder’s passion for exploration and The Mob Museum’s fascination with the gangster scene, it was an easy decision to partner up and provide suggestions for a vintage-inspired Vegas vacation. Our ideas make it possible to experience the allure of lawless Las Vegas without turning back the hands of time. From gangster hangouts to secret speakeasies, old-Vegas charm is still alive and kicking in these sinful spots:

The Mob Museum

First, set the stage for an old-fashioned Vegas rendezvous and get into the gangster frame of mind at The Mob Museum. Discover the sinful secrets of Vegas’ past, sift through the artifacts of organized crime, and learn about outlaws and Mob busters alike.

El Cortez Casino

Next, deal Lady Luck in for a night on the town. Risk it all on roulette or brave the baccarat table at El Cortez Casino. Back in the day, this iconic joint was turf for famous gambling gangsters. In fact, notorious mobsters Bugsy Siegel, Moe Sedway, Gus Greenbaum, and Meyer Lansky purchased the casino and added it to their lucrative empire in 1945. With its real-life ties to the godfathers of Las Vegas, this historic casino is a Mob artifact in and of itself. Gamble on the retro coin-operated slot machines and channel some luck from the spirits of the ol’ racketeers.

The Laundry Room

While barflies no longer secretly sip on cocktails in teacups at the local speakeasy for a taste of sin, it’s still thrilling to pretend. Next on the itinerary, make reservations at The Laundry Room at Commonwealth to receive a secret password to this underground operation. Play the part and look both ways before slipping into the private Prohibition-era bar. Embellished with chandeliers and vintage photos of Hollywood’s most seductive femme fatales, this cloak-and-dagger lounge serves up damnable cocktails. It may not be bootlegged whiskey, but it’s just as appealing.

1923 Bourbon & Burlesque

Cap off the Mob-themed adventure with a saunter over to 1923 Bourbon & Burlesque for a ravishing evening of 1920s-inspired allure. This come-hither speakeasy lounge dazzles with flirtatious ensembles, barrel-aged whiskey, and custom cigars. With an expertly crafted cocktail in hand, a view of the tantalizing burlesque dancers, and jazz rhythms in the air, you can explore the enchantment of the Roaring Twenties at its finest.

While the streets of Las Vegas were once a dodgy place, there are still spots that retain old-vintage charm, sans the corruption and conspiracy. So stack on the pearl necklaces, work that slot-machine swagger, and follow our tips for a classic getaway in this city.

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