Las Vegas has long had the nickname of Sin City—likely due to its long history of gambling, partying, and other late-night entertainment—but these parts of the city are mostly used and enjoyed by tourists, not locals. With a number of great job opportunities in the entertainment industry, a relatively low cost of living, and more locally-known and appreciated hotspots, Las Vegas can be a great place to live.
So, if your want to become a local, here are a few tips for living in Las Vegas.
1. Avoid the Strip to be a Las Vegas local
When outsiders think of Vegas, they think of the Strip. When locals think of the Strip, they think of the neighboring city of Paradise, NV. In short, the Strip is not in Las Vegas. And while it’ll be a fun place to visit when you’re friends come into town, there’s other spots you should check out such as Summerlin or Downtown Las Vegas, which is home to the Fremont Street Experience. This entertainment district covers seven blocks of the historic area, which includes restaurants, bars, gambling opportunities and more.
2. Know how to get around Las Vegas
The main way to get around Las Vegas is with your own car. Yes, the city has public transit, but most folks get around on their own set of wheels. A few tips further on this point include knowing—and avoiding—I-15. The 15 Freeways runs along the strip and is full of tourists, taxis, and more. Avoid it if possible to make sure you get to where you want to go fast. Most places are within a 40 minute drive in the city, if not closer.
3. The entertainment community is key in Vegas
According to Casino.org, one in every four employees in Nevada is directly employed within the leisure and hospitality industry. That being said, there’s a good chance that you’ll be employed in tourism and enjoy a lot of the gambling yourself. Being such an integral part of life in Vegas, you should definitely work on learning gambling lingo—such as hedging your bet, the over/under, or hitting a 5-spot—and learn to network with bartenders, waitresses, hosts, and more. Lastly, and more importantly, learn how to tip well. Being so close to the industry, most Las Vegas locals know and appreciate a good tip. For instance, most locals tip a standard 10% of their winnings to bartenders and bar staff.
4. Don’t get caught off by the heat—or the cold.
Las Vegas is in a desert climate; it gets hot here. That being said, don’t let the heat catch you off guard. For example, if you’re going to park your car for a couple hours, try to find that spot in the shade to avoid it getting too hot, or at least leave a window cracked. On the other side of the coin, many folks are caught off guard by how cold it can get at night—especially in the winter, when temperatures can get freezing.
These are just a few things to help you get familiarized and settled to Las Vegas, do you have something you want to offer? Let us know in the comments below! In the meantime, we also want to recommend Las Vegas self storage. A storage unit in Vegas will help you get more space for less cost.
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