No matter how you tackle Sin City, Las Vegas requires a suspension of disbelief, as you’re consumed within the whirling, swirling haze of non-stop gratification. Beyond the blaze of temptations bracketing the Las Vegas Strip, I ventured north to Fremont Street and the Downtown district, to dip into the Vegas of old, in search of the city’s heritage and golden age character. Fremont is the storied cradle of Las Vegas, it’s where the city was established in 1905, spawning the first hotels and splashes of neon. Celebrating its 110th birthday, the Golden Gate is the city’s oldest hotel, at the head of Fremont Street and holding the distinction of introducing Vegas to the shrimp cocktail in 1959, which remains an iconic seller at Du-par’s Restaurant, just off the casino floor.

Encased within a soaring barrel vault canopy that stretches for four blocks, a cluster of old-style casino hotels including the Golden Nugget, Four Queen’s, California and Binion’s flank the Fremont Street Experience. Betty Binion was quite the trail-blazer, introducing seating and carpets to casinos. She also pioneered the insidious allure of complimentary drinks for casino patrons. Within this pedestrianised promenade is also where you’ll find the legendary neon cowboy, Vegas Vic and his cowgirl, Vegas Vicki, who was previously called Sassy Sally. The street erupts into techni-coloured excess from dusk, with the Viva Vision sound and light extravaganza, powered by 12 million LED lamps and 220 speakers.  The latest addition is SlotZilla, a mind-blowing zipline ride, tearing above the full length of the street, 12 storeys high, after hurtling out of the world’s largest slot machine.

From there I grazed from the Cultural Corridor, the city’s heritage precinct which is continuing to flourish. Liberace, the king of bling, is the latest to be immortalised in the precinct with a dedicated collection of his luxury cars now joining the Hollywood Cars Museum. Liberace’s favourite Rolls-Royces are in good company. Exhibits include the DeLorean from “Back to the Future,” Herbie the Love Bug, five James Bond cars including the Lotus Esprit submarine car,  the coffin dragster from “The Munsters,” General Lee from the “Dukes of Hazzard,” and KITT from “Knight Rider.”

I also headed to the Mob Museum, for an enlightening warts-and-all look at the ruthless world of organised crime, which, at times, has engulfed Las Vegas. The most engrossingly macabre feature is the photographic gallery of mob killings, which leave nothing to the imagination.

Next up, head to the Neon Museum and Boneyard, for an intimate stroll through Las Vegas history. Dedicated to saving and preserving vintage neon signs, there’s currently over 200 signs in their stash – many of which graced legendary establishments. Flush with fascinating anecdotes, volunteer guides will lead you through the open-air exhibition space, which only opened 3 years ago. If you’ve ever wondered who designed the globally recognised Welcome to Las Vegas sign, it was a creative woman called Betty Willis. The city mourned her passing last year, at the age of 92. Stand-out specimens include the signage from the Stardust, Sahara and Desert Inn. All of the signs are donated and salvaged from properties, prior to their demolition. It’s a photographic feast. www.neonmuseum.org

An established pastime in Sin City is Casino Death Watch, which keeps tabs on what properties are set to be blown-up in a controlled implosion. The Riviera is on death row, earmarked for demolition to clear the way for the city’s new Convention Centre. Asbestos detection has delayed the implosion, but you can keep tabs on scheduled implosion spectacles at www.lvrevealed.com/deathwatch/

For another flavourful scoop of Viva Las Vegas heritage, I ventured out to Casa De Shenandoah, the staggering estate of Wayne Newton.  Described by Entertainment Tonight as “The Smithsonian of Sin City,” it’s only been open to the public since September. Most Americans know Wayne Newton as “Mr Las Vegas”, an old-school entertainer who performed alongside the Rat Pack, Nat King Cole and Elvis, and at last count has clocked up over 30,000 live shows in Sin City. Newton established his ranch in 1966, which has grown from its formative 5 acres to 52 acres today. Tours feature his enduring passion for Arabian horse breeding (there’s currently 61 horses on site), his magnificent luxury car collection, his personal museum and a walk through the family mansion, which he only stopped living in 2 years ago. Lavishly furnished in Louis XV- period style, a highlight is the dining room, with its Carpathian Elm wood panelled ceiling. 7 American presidents, Michael Jackson and Elvis have all been dinner guests. Casa de Shenandoah embodies Newton’s star-power and provides a personable insight into the golden age of Sin City. www.casadeshenandoah.com

If you’re mulling over what shows to see on the Las Vegas strip, nostalgia-buffs should definitely plump for Vegas! The Show. It’s now been running for five years, intertwining a wonderful monologue with a feast of signature musical hits synonymous with Las Vegas. The high-octane extravaganza starts on a poignant note with Ernie, a caretaker at the Neon Museum, reflecting on the golden age of Las Vegas. What ensues is a 75 minute song and dance blockbuster from 40 performers, including sizzling renditions of show standards from Elvis, the Rat Pack and Tony Bennett. www.vegastheshow.com

Home to the 10 biggest hotels in the world, finding a sharply-priced Las Vegas room isn’t difficult, although weekends tend to be more expensive and watch out for those resort fees.  I booked my Las Vegas accommodation through Hotels.com, which was effortless, efficient and packed with great deals.  Hotels.com Rewards gives you one free night after 10 nights booked– which can be banked for future holidays. Rewards members and mobile app users also have exclusive access to Secret Prices. I found the Hotels.com mobile app to be a simple, fast and secure way to book your perfect hotel, on the go.

Hawaiian Airlines provides one-stop services, via Honolulu, from Auckland to Las Vegas, plus ten other mainland USA destinations. Celebrating three years in New Zealand, you get a generous 2x 32kg baggage allowance! That’s a whole lot of shopping. For best rates and flights to suit, head to www.hawaiianairlines.com

Mike Yardley is Newstalk ZB’s Travel Correspondent on Saturday Mornings with Jack Tame. 11.20am