Las Vegas has a reputation as an adults-only playground thanks to an iconic stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard. However, just beyond the Strip, residents enjoy pleasant suburban communities, world-class restaurants and beautiful parks undisturbed by the glare of neon lights.

Cultural institutions like the Smith Center for the Performing Arts and numerous museums offer quiet alternatives to the Strip, while nearby state and national parks – including Lake Mead, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, Spring Mountain Ranch State Park and Valley of Fire State Park – offer ample opportunities to enjoy the outdoors.

It seems like there is always something happening in Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Food and Wine Festival, along with the myriad celebrity chef restaurants on the Strip, keep foodies busy, while bibliophiles gravitate toward the annual Vegas Valley Book Festival.

For better or worse, Las Vegas' popularity as a tourist destination, combined with its recent population growth, can give the metro area a revolving-door feel. Many Las Vegans are not native to the area, and recent economic growth means that new people are continually moving here.