Las Vegas: Where You Can Bet on Good Fun

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You already know about the glitter and the glitz, the high rolling and the gaming, and decadence in every corner of The Strip, but what you may not know is that Las Vegas is actually a very nice place in which to live.

Thinking that everybody who lives here lives on The Strip would be like thinking that everybody in Indianapolis drives race cars and everyone in New Orleans lives on Bourbon Street, writes one traveler. In reality, people move here for the quality of life. The most popular areas to live include Green Valley, Southern Highlands, Anthem and Summerlin—suburbs nowhere near The Strip.

Non-gaming businesses are located here because of the quality of life and low taxes. In fact, most of the people who live in Las Vegas actually do not go to the strip unless visitors are in town.

The Strip and Beyond

Of course The Strip is fantastic. It’s the ultimate in eye candy and the experience of weaving in and out of opulent casinos and classy-themed hotels must be done at least once. Maybe twice, or as often as you want, if you live there!

Yet most residents have their fun exploring the outdoors. Las Vegas is centrally located within an hour of some great recreation spots. For instance, Mt. Charleston is 45 minutes northwest of Las Vegas and offers snow skiing in the winter, evergreen trees and hiking in the warmer months. It is a gorgeous and temperate place that is, on average, 30 degrees cooler than the temperature in the Las Vegas valley.

Lake Mead is only 45 minutes east of town. The National Park Service says Lake Mead National Recreation Area offers a wealth of things to do and places to go year-round. Its huge lakes cater to boaters, swimmers, sunbathers and fishermen. The desert rewards hikers, wildlife photographers and roadside sightseers.

In fact, three of America's four desert ecosystems—the Mojave, the Great Basin and the Sonoran Deserts—meet in Lake Mead NRA. As a result, this seemingly barren area contains a surprising variety of plants and animals, some of which may be found nowhere else in the world, according to the National Park Service.

Las Vegas Suburbia

Approximately 1.5 million people call Las Vegas home, and to them, home is modern suburbia including shopping centers, churches, grocery stores, community sports and soccer moms. The Clark County school system of Las Vegas is the 10th largest in the nation and encompasses 184 schools teaching approximately 203,000 students each school year.

Now with more than 7,000 new residents moving in each month, Las Vegas has become the fastest growing major city in the United States for 10 consecutive years. So much more than a glitzy gambling city, Las Vegas has become a major commerce center in the southwest. More and more people are populating new neighborhoods and claiming Las Vegas as home.

How about giving it a try yourself?

City Resources

• All About Las Vegas
• Newspapers
• Recreation and Attractions
• Museums and Libraries

The Metro Guide to Greater Las Vegas
Greater Las Vegas—with its “What Happens Here, Stays Here” tagline—has reached fever pitch as a global amusement capital and this site shows you why.

Access Las Vegas
A very informative look at life in Las Vegas—going beyond the glitter.

Las Vegas Internet Chamber of Commerce
Another endless guide to what’s up in Las Vegas living.

The Las Vegas Nation
An online look at local, national news and Las Vegas real estate portal.

Las Vegas at a Glance
A very cool and super informative site that gives you access to any newspaper you’d want on Las Vegas news and information.

Las Vegas at a Glance
What the heck can you do in Las Vegas (besides gamble)? This site is packed with some very non-gaming information and fun things to do.

Las Vegas Insider Viewpoint
A little bit of this, a little bit of that. Find what you need and even some things you didn’t even think of regarding life in and around Las Vegas.

National Park Service, Lake Mead
Find out so much about this beautiful recreation center and what to do there.

Mt Charleston
Terrific information on hikes, outings and FAQ about beautiful Mt Charleston. Go take a hike! This site will show you where and how.

Guggenheim Heritage Las Vegas at the Venetian
In keeping with the other Guggenheim museums, the name has become synonymous with the innovative structures by Frank Lloyd Wright in New York, by Frank O. Gehry in Bilbao, and by Rem Koolhaas in Las Vegas. With the installation of the Guggenheim Heritage Museum in Las Vegas, this prestigious museum brings its extraordinary collections to a national audience.

FYI Los Vegas museums
A complete guide to the numerous museums in and around the Las Vegas area.

The Liberace Museum of Las Vegas
See the famous entertainer’s collection of rare antiques, fabulous jewelry and, unique cars and, of course, the incredible wardrobe of this talented and charismatic performer.

Las Vegas Leisure Guide
Now what is it you wanted to do? Get some great ideas here.

Las Vegas/Nevada Ghost Towns
Boo! Are you scared or maybe even intrigued of the numerous Ghost towns in and around Las Vegas? Get out the map and let this website help you navigate the barren towns of yesteryear.

University of Nevada Libraries
Being a university library it offers an exhaustive array of information that you can’t find anywhere else in town.

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