All that's left of old Vegas pretty much resides in the downtown casinos, and the best of those is the Golden Nugget. A big remodel last year has left it with a supercool James Bond style pool with a shark tank pierced by a water slide that has to be seen to be appreciated. The close proximity of pedestrian friendly Fremont Street allows you the opportunity to walk off that big meal you had, or some of that buzz from all those drinks you polished off gambling.
Speaking of gambling, I don't do it often because it makes me feel sad, but the Sopranos penny slots here are loads of fun. You get a little snippet of the show every minute or two. Hey look! I won $3 AND watched Tony beat up that guy with the attitude! Sweet.
Overall this place is just more fun than any Strip casino I can think of, while being more reasonably priced and authentic. A real "gold mine".