Locals Only: Silverton Hotel & Casino
The Silverton is a casual, relaxed place located three of miles off the Strip. I actually like this place because -- unlike the Coast or Station casinos -- there is no air of pretentiousness. Even though both the Coasts and Stations are really local haunts, you still get the occasional stuck-up customer or couple, but not here. Upon entering the Silverton, you'll immediately notice the 117,000-gallon saltwater aquarium, housing thousands of fish, stingrays, and sharks, plus the occasional underwater dancer (predictably, more tanks and general fishery may be found in the Silverton's enormous Bass Pro Shop). Initially a haven for bluehairs and serious redneckery (and still doing a huge business with the RV and motorcycle crowd), a recent, massive expansion and reno took the Silverton more upmarket. Hotel rooms, casino, bars, restaurants, and other public spaces all received a major contemporary facelift, mostly in a modern ranchy style. Patrons skew older early in the day, but younger off-Strip locals begin creeping in after dark. The casino still favors slots, but it's large and comfortable, and dealers at table games are uniformly friendly. On the dining and entertainment end, my favorite of the casino's four restaurants is Twin Creeks for its foresty/western feel and amazing fried chicken. Various touring acts and charming geezer bands perform on the Silverton's packed schedule (in March it's Juice Newton, Eddie Money, and KC and the Sunshine Band). Hootie and the Blowfish play here thrice yearly; the band is even on the casino chips. Silverton has also partnered with MTV's Pimp My Ride and West Coast Customs to remodel boats and cars, some of which are already on display in the casino. Though development continues to boom in the immediate area, the Silverton is still a little isolated location-wise. However, several shuttles run to and from the Strip if you need to get back in the thick of things.
Silverton Hotel & Casino [Official site]
Previously: Cheap Blackjack Hunt, SuperTour Hotel Panopticon, Locals Only: Station Casinos, Locals Only: Coast Casinos, Bourbon Street Implodes
