Showgirls, the Mob, Liberace, Elvis, the Rat Pack, the Sahara…all remnants of the Las Vegas of a bygone era, right? Maybe not entirely. While it's true that Las Vegas has experienced tremendous change in the past thirty years, classic Vegas can still be found in Sin City--if you know where to look.
1. The Rat Pack defined the 1960s in Las Vegas. Frank, Sammy, Dean, and Joey (and sometimes Peter Lawford as well) were the biggest ticket in town as they performed (and partied) onstage at the Sands. The Sands was destroyed in 1996 to make room for the Venetian, but two Rat Pack tribute shows, The Rat Pack is Back and Sandy Hackett's Rat Pack Show, can take you back to those ultra-cool days for a few hours.
2. Piano virtuoso Liberace was the toast of Las Vegas during the 1970s and defined Las Vegas as the glitzy, glamorous, over-the-top destination we know it as today. When he opened at the Riviera in 1955, he was the highest paid entertainer in Las Vegas History. He had several homes, one of which was in Las Vegas. Upon his death, many of his priceless treasures were lovingly preserved and are now on display at the Liberace Museum. Visitors can see Liberace's stunning jewelry, one-of-a-kind costumes, dazzling pianos, and custom car collection.
3. Las Vegas is still synonymous with showgirls, but there are few Las Vegas shows left that actually feature them. Sure, there are plenty of shows featuring beautiful women on the Las Vegas strip, but where can you actually go to see the ones who wear the big feather headdresses and not much else? Jubilee! at Bally's is the show that will give you your Las Vegas showgirl fix. There are beautiful women, elaborate costumes (some costing as much as $7,000 each), and perfectly choreographed dance numbers.
4. The Sahara Hotel and Casino opened its doors in 1952 and has managed to keep its old-Vegas appeal even with several facelifts. This property still has the Morrocan-desert-inspired theme that made it seem so exotic back in the day. Performers at the Sahara have included Liza Minelli, Judy Garland, and yes, Frank, Sammy, Dean, and Joey--this is the only Rat Pack hotel still standing.
5. If you're bitten by the Elvis bug while in Vegas, there are still Elvis impersonators to be had, and if you are so inclined, you can even have an Elvis impersonator perform your wedding ceremony. If you're looking for the true essence of Elvis in a contemporary atmosphere, The new Cirque du Soleil show Viva ELVIS may fit the bill. Yes, there's the requisite Cirque du Soleil abstract performance going on (Elvis on stilts, anyone?), but along with that are plenty of Elvis greatest hits and rare footage and recordings of the King as well. Viva Las Vegas indeed.
Related:
Ten Sexy Things to Do in Las Vegas
Ten Freaky Things to Do in Las Vegas
