Neon Boneyard – Where the lights go to die

The bright lights of Vegas draw you in, but it’s the stories of the past that really shed light on this adult’s playground. Trading in my party shoes for a clunky moon boot, (nursing a broken foot caused by said party shoes), I was so excited to discover there’s more to Vegas than hangovers, regrets and empty wallets. If you’re looking for a break from the pool parties, excessive drinking and craps table, the Las Vegas Neon Boneyard is a great place to visit.

Just 15 minutes from the Strip, this outdoor museum holds the decaying and restored signage from famous Vegas landmarks and casinos, dating back to the 1930s.

I was excited to capture the exposed light bulbs, bright colours, rust and peeling paint, but to my surprise it was more than just “a photographer’s dream.”
For $15, an hour-long guided tour will not only teach you about the original art form of these handcrafted neon signs, but you’ll hear tales about the casino kingpins, mafia bosses and secrets behind the restored artifacts that made Vegas what it is today.

I was fascinated by stories like how Howard Hughes (businessman, filmmaker and aviator) purchased the Silver Slipper in the 60s so he could stop the sign rotating. He was paranoid that the CIA was spying on him in his bedroom at the Desert Inn, visible from the Silver Slipper.

You’ll get up close to some of the most well-known signs of Las Vegas like the Golden Nugget, Binion’s Horseshoe and the Stardust. You can’t help but wonder if today’s Vegas is what Bugsy Seigal, ‘the father of Vegas’, envisioned when he dreamed of building a gambling mecca in the Nevada desert.

  

As you’re already in Downtown Vegas, why not finish the day by checking out the Fremont Street Experience. You’ll be dazzled by the bright lights dancing along the LED canopy above your head.

The Other Sally xx