I've been going to gun shows for 40 years. Ive gotten some of my best buys on firearms and ammo at them, and almost never miss one. In my opinion, unless you have a very friendly and well-stocked LGS that you frequent regularly, guns shows are one of the only places you can satisfy your curiosity about the feel of a wide variety of makes and models of guns in your hands by politely asking to handle them, and assess whether the price you're seeing on-line or at a LGS is reasonable. They're also one of the few places (other than friends and forums like this) where you can ask and maybe find a rare part/mag/ammo you haven't been able to find elsewhere.
Are they as great as they were in the 1980s? I don't really know, but my impression is that with the price of everything rising, including fuel for the dealers to travel to the show with a bunch of inventory and with the prices of guns and gear way up, we're lucky to have a few gun shows still in the area. Frankly, I'm happy they're still happening at all.
If you like guns, go and support the show organizer and the sellers that travelled there and have a fun few hours. Like a high school date, maybe you'll score, maybe you won't.