The 1980s was a formative era for me growing up, with my wanna-be rocker tendencies and alternative haircuts bordering on a shopping mall stylist’s worst nightmare. Even so, there was a coolness factor in the ‘80s I managed to make my own, along with a close group of friends who shared my love of wacky style and progressive music.

That’s why I pinged one of my besties from high school when I heard The B-52s would be playing a residency at The Venetian in Las Vegas. We had to plan a retro 80s weekend in Las Vegas to celebrate our long-lost youth.

My friend Patti was all in. and we grabbed our spouses to head for Las Vegas and a few days of music and memories. The weekend centered on seeing The B-52s live in concert, and we found so many other activities and fun experiences in Las Vegas that fit our theme. Grown up with kids of our own, we were quick to admit our rocker youth is years in our past but it all came roaring back – with modifications and slight upgrades of course.

The B-52s Plays the Soundtrack of Our Lives

In 1979, I was introduced to a little-known band from Athens, Georgia called The B-52s and life soon changed for the better. Never had I heard such quirky lyrics with atonal melodies that made me want to dance all night long. Created by a rag-tag group of modern weirdos, the music of the B52s was so odd, so strangely compelling, that I was an instant fan. My vinyl album of their first release, The B-52s, held a permanent spot on the turntable in my high-school bedroom, and when the Wild Planet album was released in 1980 I was already a solid gold fan along with my high school besties. We became dedicated groupies.

Soon I lost count of the number of B52s concerts we attended throughout California throughout the 80s, with the lyrics to every single song inscribed indelibly in our brains. To this day if I was a contestant on Name That Tune and the host of the game show played a single note from a B52s song, I would likely identify it instantly. Yep, that’s a special kind of dedication.

Even now in my more “mature” years, their music still makes me smile and want to dance. Yes, I love the early hits like Planet Claire, Dance This Mess Around and of course, Rock Lobster. But it’s the underrated hits that bring me joy now – songs like Legal Tender, Mesopotamia and Hot Lava.

The B-52s Residency in Las Vegas

I guess it was inevitable that The B-52s would score a residency in Las Vegas, playing dates throughout 2024 and 2025. (Check this link for current B-52s concert dates at The Venetian.) The are that kind of beloved group, earning their stripes across decades of hits and dance parties. Our recent live experience was spectacular, and the scene was not overly staged as some Vegas shows can be styled. The B-52s stage is clean so that the band members can take the spotlight, backed by an impressive visual display on screens throughout the showroom. Patti and I were thrilled to be there and relive our 80s youth.

When Kate, Cindy and Fred came on stage, the crowd – made up of mostly my peers – went wild at the initial sighting. Their first song was Planet Claire and we sang along so loudly I think the band could actually hear us, along with the other 1,800 people in the sold-out audience all doing the same.

And boy did we dance. We danced in our seats, we danced in the aisles, we danced with strangers and we danced with each other. We truly did dance our messes around, and both Patti and I enjoyed a thorough reliving of our best moments of the 80s through this amazing concert set. From 52 Girls to Deadbeat Club, and from Give Me Back My Man to the Loveshack finale, we were in B52s heaven.

More 80s Weekend in Las Vegas

The fun did not stop after the last B52s song was played. We carried the 80s theme throughout the weekend, and as best we could the four of us experienced a number of throw-back attractions to chalk up a decent 80s weekend in Las Vegas. (Some more loosely tied to the actual 80s than others, but we made it work!)

Fremont Street Experience

Fremont Street is officially the original casino center of Vegas, and was definitely happening in the 1980s so it qualifies for our 80s weekend in Las Vegas tour. It’s also known as Glitter Gulch, for good reasons. At the beginning of that era, Fremont Street was bustling with casinos, clubs and “other entertainment venues”. By the end of the decade, interest had shifted to the Las Vegas Strip and Fremont Street lost its luster. In the 1990s, the Fremont Street Experience was developed to attract visitors back downtown.

During our visit here, we enjoyed the gambit of scenery here. Everything from 1980s-era showgirls with headdresses and feathers to very modern amusements like ziplines and anomated light shows. For us, it brought back memories of early c0llege years and the flagrant debauchery and excess that sometimes comes with inexperienced youth. (Cough cough.)

Next time we’re here, we agreed we’d like to sit down to play blackjack and poker in one of the Fremont Street casinos and practice our games on their low-limit tables.

Mob Museum (National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement)

Steps from the Fremont Street Experience is the Mob Museum, and this was a surprisingly indepth experience we recommend allowing several hours to enjoy. The museum is housed in a former federal courthouse building-slash-post office from the 1930s. It occupies three floors with 17,000 square feet of interactive exhibits full of history about organized crime. With my own family roots in Sicily, I was particularly interested in learning more about La Cosa Nostra (the Italian mafia).

Of course, the Mob Museum covers the early beginnings of organized crime in the United States, all the way through to the present. Illegal gambling, prostitution, drugs and murders are all part of this colorful history, fronted in Las Vegas by the likes of famous gangsters including Bugsy Siegel, Meyer Lansky and Frank Costello. Of most interest to us for this trip was the section of time in the 1980s when the mob’s role was changing in Las Vegas through a series of tough FBI crackdowns.

If you visit the Mob Museum, don’t miss the speakeasy in the basement. They make their own hooch at an onsite moonshine distillery where you can sample tastings for a separate fee. The speakeasy bar does not take reservations, and can get busy at peak times. We did the tasting, but did not have time to wait for a seat in the bar. Next time for sure, as this experience was a great addition to our 80s weekend in Las Vegas.

Find out more about tickets to the Mob Museum here.

Dita Von Teese

Also still very popular in the 1980s Las Vegas were burlesque and stage shows, in which women dressed in little more than feather boas and headdresses would strut their stuff nightly. Even some of the world’s most famous performers of the 80s were picking up on burlesque acts and styles, including Madonna, Grace Jones and Cher. Strip tease is a Las Vegas mainstay, and during the 80s it took center stage in performances at major casinos including Bally’s Jubilee! I saw this show in the 1980s and it was quite the extravaganza of glitter, jewels, feathers and girls in stilettos and pasties.

Dita Von Teese has been singlehandedly bringing back the genre since the 90s. Now she has her own residency in Las Vegas at Voltaire at The Venetian and it’s spectacular. Updated for modern sensibilities and staged impeccably, her show is classy and entertaining. Yes, there is quite a bit of skin shown, but the lack of total nudity would make even my own Catholic mother shrug and say whatever. There’s even men in the show for equal representation.

And tying this back to the 1980s in style, the costumes worn by the talent in Dita Von Teese’s show were purchased from Jubilee! They harken back to those 80s roots.

Click the link for ticket information about Dita Von Teese at The Venetian.

Other Fun Things to Do in Las Vegas

In addition to our 80s weekend in Las Vegas theme, we had some other great experiences I can highly recommend.

Brunch Saturday at La Mona Rosa – Nothing to do with the 1980s, but helluva lot of fun. They supply pink party favors and offer a drink menu of pink concoctions. We loved the Pink Monkey (mezcal, prickly pear, hibiscus and strawberry) and the Rosarita (prickly pear margarita). The brunch menu was great too, and the atmosphere was fun with a live DJ and lots of interesting people watching.

Level Up at the MGM Grand Hotel – 80s Night and live 80s bands on Monday nights.

Carnival Court at Harrah’s Las Vegas – 80s band the Whip-Its plays flawless renditions of favorite 80s hits.

Spazmatics at South Point Hotel Casino – New wave 80s every Saturday in the showroom (off strip).

Back to the 80s Cafe – Off strip café that delivers the 80s experience, from the flooring and decor to the music and food.

Chill Out at the Vdara Hotel

Amid all this excitement, music and dancing during our 80s weekend in Las Vegas, we wanted to stay at a hotel where we could chill out and relax. We chose Vdara Hotel, part of the MGM group, because it does NOT have a casino or entertainment onsite, and there is no smoking allowed. An all-suites hotel, the vibe at Vdara is calm, peaceful and luxurious without all the hype of typical Las Vegas.

We’ve stayed at Vdara with kids, and liked the experience for those same reasons. It’s great to venture out and enjoy all that Las Vegas has to offer. And it’s great to return to a quiet place to relax away from the hustle and bustle. Read more about our family’s stay at Vdara here.

Click here for rates at Vdara and other MGM properties.