Welcome to “From The Vault”, a special series of episodes of Jeff Does Vegas!

Over the five years I ran this podcast, from 2019 to 2024, I released over 180 episodes and along the way, I talked to some very cool Vegas insiders, entertainers, and local experts. I also shared lots of tips & travel advice, and explored the fascinating history of the city.

I thought it might be fun to take a little trip back in time and re-share some of those episodes. So, whether you’re a long-time follower looking for a re-listen or you’re a Vegas fanatic who just happened to stumble across the show, welcome!

As frequent listeners to the podcast know, one of my favorite parts of visiting Vegas is the food.

Over the last several years, Las Vegas has become a Foodie's paradise with dozens of new restaurants opening each year, featuring celebrity chefs and cuisine you can possibly imagine. But you know what? No matter how hard you try, you just can't beat a classic.

The Golden Steer, located just off the strip on Sahara Boulevard is Las Vegas's oldest continually operating steakhouse. They opened back in 1958 and over the course of it's almost-65 year history, they've become legendary not only for their amazing steaks but for the incredible service, old Vegas atmosphere, and their famous (and infamous) customers.

My guest for this episode of the podcast is Nick McMillan, Managing Partner of the Golden Steer. Nick and I talked about the early days of the Golden Steer, it's evolution from "western roadhouse" to "cool celebrity hangout", their place in Vegas Mob History, and what makes the Golden Steer different from other Las Vegas steakhouses.

If you want to learn more about the Golden Steer and make a reservation for your next Vegas trip, visit their website. And for drool-worthy pics of their awesome food, be sure to follow them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate!

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

Welcome to “From The Vault”, a special series of episodes of Jeff Does Vegas!

Over the five years I ran this podcast, from 2019 to 2024, I released over 180 episodes and along the way, I talked to some very cool Vegas insiders, entertainers, and local experts. I also shared lots of tips & travel advice, and explored the fascinating history of the city.

I thought it might be fun to take a little trip back in time and re-share some of those episodes. So, whether you’re a long-time follower looking for a re-listen or you’re a Vegas fanatic who just happened to stumble across the show, welcome!

"The only constant in life is change" - Heraclitus

There's nowhere else in the world where that statement is more accurate than Las Vegas.

It's constantly evolving, always trying to find new ways to bring new people - and revenue - to the city. And from the late 1980's through to the early 2000's, Las Vegas made the conscious decision to cater to a group of travellers whom they'd never attempted to attract before:

Families.

From castle-shaped hotels, to pirate battles in the desert, to full-blown amusement parks, Las Vegas made no secrets about who they wanted to come to the city during that time in history. But where did it all start? And how did it end up?

My guest for this episode of the podcast is UNLV professor and Las Vegas historian, David G. Schwartz. David & I discussed some of Las Vegas's early attempts at being family-friendly, what led to the push to try to attract families to the city, and the eventual shift away from that strategy.

Want to learn more about Las Vegas's family-friendly era of the 1990's? Visit these links:

- "Family Friendly Las Vegas: An Analysis of Space and Time" - Diana Tracy Cohn

- "Column One: Las Vegas Gambles on Families" - LA Times (Sept 23, 1994)

- "The Sun's List Of Shuttered Family Friendly Vegas Attractions" - Las Vegas Sun (Feb 23, 2012)

- "Family Friendly Las Vegas of the 90's" Panel Discussion (Video) - The Neon Museum (2016)

And as discussed, check out the "Treasure Island: The Adventure Begins" TV special that ran on NBC-TV in 1994 to promote the opening of the Treasure Island Resort.

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate!

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!

Welcome to “From The Vault”, a special series of episodes of Jeff Does Vegas!

Over the five years I ran this podcast, from 2019 to 2024, I released over 180 episodes and along the way, I talked to some very cool Vegas insiders, entertainers, and local experts. I also shared lots of tips & travel advice, and explored the fascinating history of the city.

I thought it might be fun to take a little trip back in time and re-share some of those episodes. So, whether you’re a long-time follower looking for a re-listen or you’re a Vegas fanatic who just happened to stumble across the show, welcome!

Over the last several years, there's been a push in the travel industry for people to practice what's called "Responsible Travel". This is travel that's all about making choices to minimize the negative impacts of your travel in favor of ones that are neutral or contribute positively.

My guests for this episode are Erin Hynes & Kattie Laur, the hosts of Alpaca My Bags, a Canadian podcast that explores Responsible Travel.

During our conversation Erin shared what got her interested in travel & what inspired her to start blogging and podcasting as well as how she connected with Kattie & brought her into the fold, the ladies shared their experiences of their own Las Vegas vacations, and we discussed how to apply the principals of Responsible Travel to when visiting a city like Las Vegas - known best for total irresponsibility.

You can learn more about Responsible Travel by visiting Erin's website/blog as well as by following her on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok. You can also follow Kattie on Twitter and visit her website as well. And be sure to listen to Alpaca My Bags wherever you get your podcasts.

__________________________________________________________________________

Jeff Does Vegas is an official Vegas.com affiliate!

Help support the podcast & get exclusive deals by booking your hotel stays, shows, attractions, tours, clubs and even complete vacation packages (including air & hotel) with our special link!