8 things locals learn to love while living in Las Vegas
Whether you've lived here your entire life or just recently stopped over, there's definitely something unique about living in Southern Nevada. Between 24-hour access to just about everything to regularly spotting Elvis near downtown Las Vegas, there are certain things a resident grows to love while living in Sin City.
Here are a few of those things:
Family and friends traveling to us
With all that the city has to offer, Las Vegas residents rarely have to travel out of state to visit their family and friends. Why? Because they come to us.
Although it can get tiring always being the hotel and/or tour guide for friends and family, it's comforting to know that it doesn't matter if they're traveling to Las Vegas to attend a convention or they're just coming here for vacation, people tend to always find a reason to visit us.
The city running on its own time
We've all heard people rave about how jealous they are that Las Vegas bars aren't bound by "last call," but more importantly, locals are especially fortunate that grocery stores as well as restaurants and everyday services are available 24 hours.
The actual "size" of the city
Although the Las Vegas Valley is a city of about 2 million people, it often doesn't feel like it because the degrees of separation between residents seem to be pretty small.
Almost nothing being off-limits
After you spend a decent amount of time living in Las Vegas, you realize things that would be somewhat surprising to people who reside elsewhere have become everyday life for locals.
Between meeting someone who makes a living as a professional bettor, seeing signs at strip joints for hiring high school grads, playing slots where you buy your milk or learning that $20 can get you a lot more than you thought, almost nothing surprises a local.
That it actually pays to live in Las Vegas
It's (understandably) sometimes difficult for locals to remember how lucky they are when it's 115 degrees in July, but as locals, they're privy to discounts on some of the most sought-after shows and restaurants in the world.
If there's not a discount for simply being a Las Vegas resident, flash your casino employee, teacher, or fire or police I.D. and there's often an industry discount.
On top of that, those who were born and raised in Las Vegas have never had to experience the pain of losing some of their paychecks to a state income tax.
Escaping from reality is really, really easy
If locals want to stay close, they can venture to Mount Charleston or Lake Las Vegas. If they want to go a little bit further, they can be in Huntington Beach in under five hours or hit the slopes in Brian Head in three hours.
Or, you know, there's that big road with all of the tall buildings in the center of the valley ready for a staycation.
There's truly something for everyone
No matter what your taste buds are craving, what you're shopping for or what you feel like doing, there's something for everyone in Las Vegas.
Outside of the numerous entertainment options at your disposal, there are various educational institutions available to help Las Vegans pursue a career in something they love. Beyond the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, you can attend a specialty school to learn how to deal cards, sell real estate, tend bar, learn massage therapy or work in the hospitality industry.
The weather
Yes, it gets really, really hot in that "dry heat" summer, but if you look at it in the context of other regions, the heat is Las Vegas' only main threat.
Missing something? Contact Caitlin Lilly at clilly@reviewjournal.com. Find her on Twitter: @caitiesmith
