I like to say that living in Vegas is just like living anywhere else, but that just isn't true. There are a variety of things that set Vegas apart as a freak of US nature (while simultaneously touting the unofficial US motto of "Go big or go home!") and, on a lesser scale, things that should be talked about for people who do not come from cities.

So, I guess what I should say is that, when you grow up in Las Vegas, you don't notice the things that non-residents tend to highlight. The things that movies like to showcase are only a very small, tourist-aimed, part of the city. What follows is a collection of observations drawn from my twenty years growing up and living in Las Vegas, and I really hope it helps you guys or, at the very least, is fun to read and doesn't bore you to tears.

—Tess

We all know the stereotypes: Showgirls and blackjack dealers, sexy cocktail waitresses walking the floor taking drink orders, performers of all kinds and things you just don't see every day. Those are all things that Vegas has, but some of the job markets you don't hear about as often are actually prevalent. While we have many, many people working the same jobs you'd work anywhere else, from McDonald's employees to emergency surgeons, many people have some pretty mundane jobs within casinos. They're big places, there are a ton of them, and they take a lot of cogs to run the clock!

Jobs you'll often see within any one casino include (but are not limited to) cocktail waitresses, hotel desk managers, janitorial staff for the casino and housekeeping staff for the hotel, and people working the cash cages and distributing change on the floor.

What some people don't realize is that Vegas casinos are more than just combined casino/hotels. They have many other employment options within, ranging from food court jobs to movie theater employment. Some outsourced jobs you may find yourself contemplating: Arcades, day care (Google Kids Quest for one of our larger childcare chains), movie theaters, bowling alleys, restaurants and bars and, in some of the more high end casinos, retail clothing stores.

While we're on the topic of casinos, let's talk about some facts you may not know. Listverse states it best, so I'll quote them:

Casinos are a psychological minefield. Their architectural design, as well as everything in it, has a methodical function devised to keep you, the player, inside spending your money. Some tactics they use are as conspicuous as the nose on your face, while others are guile and subtle. However, they all play on the players’ psyche and make them feel comfortable, wanted, and most of all, optimistic.

Actually, you know what? Just go read that article I linked above. It's pretty complete and accurate.

You would think that, considering tourism is the backbone of Las Vegas, locals would appreciate them a little more. But, like anyone who comes from a tourist-heavy place knows: We're totally and completely annoyed by our tourists. The thing is, though, a lot of us don't really have to deal with them unless we work near or in the downtown areas. Tourist Vegas and "real" Vegas are two totally different things, which is kind of weird when you think about it. We don't frequent the same parts of town for leisure, we don't eat at the same places, and we don't gamble at the same casinos (more on that later.) So, unless your employer is a tourist-heavy place, you generally don't even notice unless someone tells you they're from out of town. Often, but not always, the tourists who bleed over into the more local places are either visiting family or friends, or used to live in the city.

When you think Vegas you don't really think kids, but Las Vegas has worked very hard to be able to tout its city as family friendly; a place where you can settle down. That's why, when you walk into any casino in Las Vegas, you'll find things you don't really expect in an adult area. We'll talk the casino standard before going into special cases that go all out. Most local casinos tend to have all of the following: A full movie theater, a video game arcade, bowling alleys, childcare for kids from infancy to 12 years, fast food chains (either localized in a food court or spread out), various restaurants specific to the casino (a cafe, a buffet, usually a few specific-food restaurants, a grill or steakhouse, and one or two "nicer" sit down restaurants, at the minimum.)

As I said, though, some casinos seem to be practically based around drawing families in. I'll use a Strip casino, the Circus Circus, as my example. Some features of this casino, which was a childhood favorite of mine, were the circus theme (obviously), a bar designed to look like a carousel, which rotated in the middle of part of the casino, and the full freaking amusement park, complete with roller coasters. Oh, and did I mention that the entire top floor is a full carnival midway and circus with free hourly performances? You can see why kids are a good chunk of the Vegas residents who love the Strip, even with all of its overcrowded hassle.

What makes it strange to grow up in Las Vegas is the realizations you have later in life, especially if you move out of town. For instance, while setting up this game, I told Allie that I realized I had absolutely never been to a movie theater that wasn't in a casino while living in Vegas. I also recounted a story about how neither myself or my husband knew what "last call" was since it doesn't exist in Las Vegas. It was just one of those things we heard on TV shows growing up, but never really understood. In fact, I'll be honest: I didn't actually understand what last call at a bar was until I was about 20. Yeah, seriously.

Now, that's not to say that kids grow up in casinos. When I was a kid, we did all the normal stuff. I'd wander around with my friends, go shopping, go to the park, get into trouble... It's just that, well, some things are just weirdly different. Like the movie theater thing, or how, if you're going out to eat, a good half the time you wind up in a casino restaurant.

Here's something you've probably figured out by this part of the article: Locals don't really frequent the Strip. It's the place you go when your kid's been talking nonstop about the Circus Circus or the Excalibur for a month straight. It's where you go to get hammered on your 21st birthday. It's where you take visiting family. It's where fashion fiends go to get to the Fashion Show Mall. Otherwise? Locals have their own, decidedly more low-key, casinos to hang out at. The Station Casinos are a good example of local-friendly places, because they're all over Vegas and Henderson (so one is always close), and there are a lot of them.

I'll be the first to admit that Vegas is a strange place to grow up in, even if you don't realize it when it's going on. Some things I've noticed (some previously mentioned): There is no last call in bars. A lot of grocery stores, bars, and gas stations have slot machines in them.

Some local gamblers believe certain slot machines are luckier than others, and have a specific machine they will play at, sometimes getting upset or refusing to use a different slot if "their" machine is occupied.

It is never quiet—or dark. Traffic, ambulances, cop cars, fire trucks, street lights... if you're from Vegas you don't even notice any of it, but it seems to never stop, even in residential areas (on a smaller scale.) People from other city areas know how this goes.

Henderson is not actually Las Vegas, but most Las Vegans see it as an extension since the two cities are right on top of each other. If you live in Henderson it is a very realistic possibility to commute to Las Vegas for work.

Prostitution is legal in Las Vegas.
Prostitution is legal in Nevada (we're the only US state to allow it), however it is NOT legal in Las Vegas. This misconception probably came about because of brothels like the Bunny Ranch, the Kit Kat Guest Ranch, and the Sagebrush Ranch in Mound House, NV (about six miles out of Carson City), where it is legal. Currently eight out of Nevada's 16 counties have active brothels; Clark County (in which Vegas is located) is not one of them.

Everyone who lives in Vegas is a gambling addict.
This is simply untrue. While we do have our share of people who just can't say no to a casino, Vegas is full of totally unaddicted people who could care less about spending hours a day at a slot. This sort of goes hand in hand with the misconception that Vegas is no place to live. Large areas of it are totally normal (well, for Vegas) and raising a family in Las Vegas isn't much different from raising one in any other big city.

Vegas is overrun with crime and gangs.
High crime and gang activity isn't so much a misconception as it is slightly blown out of proportion. Like any urban city, Las Vegas has its fair share of both, and on the higher end of the spectrum, but it really does depend on the area you live in.

Vegas is no place to raise a family.
I'm not the best example of an argument against this; I'll admit it. I was a little shit and I had an impressive arrest record by the time I was 16. However, I am not everyone. Vegas may not have the best schools, but raising a family in Las Vegas is common practice and it's a pretty normal experience for a lot of people.