South Las Vegas - Las Vegas, NV

Las Vegas started off as a small town in the 19th century when Mormon explorers established the Las Vegas Mormon Fort. Mining drew more residents into the area at a steady rate, but the advent of gaming in Las Vegas boosted the economy and attracted thousands of new Nevadans to the desert. Enterprise, Paradise and other areas popped up to accommodate the population boom in Las Vegas. The city retains its gaming reputation, but families and other travelers now make safe and quiet homes in the area.

Tourists who want to learn about Vegas history go to the Mob Museum in downtown Las Vegas, where they can learn about organized crime’s role in the growth of the city. Art fans host parties at Design & Wine, where groups can paint their own works and take them home. Locals go to Vegas craft shows and Renaissance Fairs for more cultural activities.

Enterprise and South Paradise residents, while farther removed from the Las Vegas city center than others, still have ample opportunities to visit restaurants and bars in their areas. Buffets, American diners and Thai places dominate the restaurant scene on those outer edges, centered on South Highlands Parkway and St. Rose Parkway.

Inhabitants on the southern edges have their own breakfast place on weekend mornings. Rise & Shine: A Steak & Egg Place specializes in steak and eggs, as stated in the name, and locals agree that this place cooks it well. Get a perfectly cooked rib-eye steak, or try the chicken and waffles, another breakfast favorite. Guests enjoy the pot of bread, a cinnamon roll stuffed in a cup along with coffee. Come with a hearty appetite, and prepare to fill up with tasty breakfast food.

When you get a craving for buffets but don’t want to travel up to the Strip, Studio B at The M Resort Spa & Casino puts on a Sunday brunch that attracts scores of locals to the hotel. From unlimited beer and wine to lobster mac ‘n’ cheese, Studio B displays a vast array of fine gourmet foods for customers to enjoy. Remember to leave room for the many desserts.

Off the Strip Bistro & Bar on Southern Highlands Parkway sits several miles from the Strip, but its food compares to that of many casino restaurants. People looking for a fine dining experience in a casual atmosphere get it at Off the Strip. Choose the Thai chili bacon-wrapped prawns to start off, and make sure to try the beef Wellington. Locals adore the homemade cheesecake for dessert, so save some room after the meal.

The neighborhoods in Paradise and Enterprise feature a few watering holes, including Distill, a local bar. Many people come to the bar for the food and stay for the drinks. The Bar Bermuda & St. Rose serves food as well but mostly caters to its regular patrons with fresh cocktails. Elixir — A Local Lounge in Henderson features music over the weekends.

Enterprise and Paradise residents hoping to dance can make the drive up to the Strip, where they find plenty of clubs. LIGHT Nightclub at Mandalay Bay, located on the south side of the Strip, headlines with exciting shows every weekend.

The wide, suburban layout of most of Enterprise means that people get places faster by driving than walking, biking or waiting for public transit. Las Vegas bus routes go down to south Paradise, but locals on the outer parts of Enterprise have no luck as far as transit goes. Fortunately, Blue Diamond Road/Highway 160 takes residents east to Pahrump and west to Interstate 15 for a jaunt to downtown Vegas.

Residents can get bus services while they shop or play on the Strip and central Las Vegas, but going back out to outer Enterprise can be difficult. You can call one of the many Vegas taxis to take you home, or go online to find ride-sharing partners, although neither Uber nor Lyft operate in Las Vegas.

Still, locals prefer driving when they can. They find plentiful parking in outer Enterprise and south Paradise, unlike the more condensed parts of the Strip and downtown Las Vegas. Pedestrians can walk around for exercise, but commercial spaces prove to be too far away for a reasonable trip via walking.

Bicycle fans have access to bike lanes and flat roads in outer Enterprise and south Paradise. However, some of the major thoroughfares, including Highway 160, can accrue a lot of traffic. Cyclists should take caution while riding around Enterprise.

Residents in the Enterprise and Paradise areas benefit from being close to a few large, entertaining recreational areas. Exploration Peak & Exploration Park off South Buffalo Drive feature natural, western-themed parks and a mountain peak. To view the community of Mountain’s Edge, hikers and bicyclists can walk and ride up the peak. The park features playgrounds, western village and Indian village replicas, and a water play area that kids love. Enter for free, and bring your dog along to enjoy the outdoors.

Mountain’s Edge Regional Park, also on the outskirts of Enterprise, functions as a fitness park for people to do outdoor climbing and play sports. Biking features help children learn how to use their bicycles safely. Overall, families like to exercise together and take in views of the Las Vegas Valley from outer Enterprise.

Both Enterprise and Paradise can be affordable places to live for Vegas metro inhabitants. Living in Enterprise costs slightly more than the national average, and life in Paradise costs slightly less. Those who can use public transit plan to pay $2 for a single ride on Vegas buses and $65 for a monthly pass. Visitors on the Strip find the passes to be more expensive; a two-hour pass to the Strip and downtown Vegas costs $6. Expect to pay about $4 for a beer.

A one-bedroom apartment in the outer Enterprise and south Paradise regions costs about $905 for rent per month. What residents pay for in rent, they make up in gas; the average cost for a tank of gas in outer Enterprise and south Paradise costs 2 percent less than the national average.

Enterprise and Paradise shoppers usually go to Town Square Las Vegas to get clothes and hang out at a neat outdoor mall. Town Square houses retailers, including Sephora, Gap, Apple, and H&M, as well as hangout places, such as Yard House. Las Vegas residents find more upscale shopping down near the Strip, where they can get to Gucci and other famous brands.

Vegas tourists and Enterprise locals looking for a fun outing like to visit GultenDye Creative Playground, a store that allows customers to make their own jewelry and play with beads, books, clothing and more. In addition to creating unique pieces, shoppers can purchase goods from local designers and artists. Haute Chix Boutique in Southern Highlands may not have the same creative kick, but Enterprise residents still love the shop for its trendy clothes and accessories.

Trader Joe’s, Walmart and Smiths dot the Enterprise and Paradise landscape, giving grocery shoppers some options. Glazier’s Food Marketplace, a smaller grocer, advertises weekly savings on its various foods and contains a food court. The Vegas area hosts various farmers markets for people looking for organic food, such as the Country Fresh Farmers Market and the Farmers Market LV storefront.