- I've lived in Las Vegas for two years, and I've noticed several misconceptions outsiders have of the city.
- Most Americans only think of Las Vegas as a hotbed of tourism, gambling, and partying.
- But I've discovered a city that has much more to offer — including a strong community that is proud to call Vegas home.
Las Vegas is one of the world's most popular tourist destinations, with nearly 7 million tourists visiting the city from around the world last year.
Most outsiders know Las Vegas only as a partying and gambling hotspot in the middle of the desert. While the city's famous Strip does feed into stereotypes of the city, as do shows like "CSI" and "Las Vegas," that's far from the only side of the city.
There's actually a sprawling city beyond the Strip with a rapidly growing metro population of 2.2 million people.
I moved to Las Vegas in 2017 — after years of never wanting to visit — when my girlfriend got a job with the new NHL team, the Vegas Golden Knights. It only took a few weeks for me to realize the city has plenty more to offer than casinos and hotels.
Here are the biggest things people get wrong about Las Vegas.
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Las Vegas is located in a barren, flat desert
Yes, Las Vegas is extremely dry, and technically in the middle of a desert. But one of the best parts about Las Vegas is its proximity to several amazing geographic features and beautiful national parks.
Lake Mead, thanks to the Hoover Dam, is essentially part of the city and offers every recreational water activity imaginable.
Valley of Fire State Park offers Mars-like landscapes just an hour to the northeast.
Not too far away is the Grand Canyon and national parks such as Bryce Canyon, Zion, and Joshua Tree. All are more-than-doable day trips.
Directly to the west of the Strip, not even 30 minutes away, is the beautiful Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. Not far beyond that is Mount Charleston, which often offers a peek at snow each winter.
The city is blazing hot all the time
Because of its desert location, Las Vegas is often falsely believed to have hot temperatures year-round.
That's not true. The past two winters have seen snowfall, including quite a bit of snow sticking to the ground this February.
While Vegas winters might not be full of snowstorms like other parts of the country sees, the city does regularly see winter low temperatures in the 30s and highs below 50.
The fact Las Vegas temperatures regularly reach 120 degrees in the summer really doesn't help this misconception.
The city is nothing more than drunken debauchery
Despite what "The Hangover"— and even the city's own marketing slogan — might have taught us, there's more to Vegas than forgetting what happened.
Yes, a party can be found pretty much 24/7, but there are many sober-friendly activities, too.
Plenty of great outdoor activities lie within close proximity of the Strip. There are cool museums like the Mob Museum, Neon Museum and the National Atomic Testing Museum.
Meanwhile, the Springs Preserve offers a neat look at the Old West past and natural flora of Nevada.
Vegas has all the amenities of other major cities, and then some.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider