This post is all about Southern Nevada truths; the little things we tend to experience in the bottom half of the state.

While Northern Nevada and Southern Nevada have many things in common, there are also a lot of things for which we cannot find a common ground (Go Rebels!). It makes perfect sense. The distance between Las Vegas and Reno is 345 miles – practically separate states.

If you’re from Southern Nevada, you know the following 20 things to be true. If you’re from Northern Nevada, you may be surprised to find you relate to some as well.

  1. It really is a “dry” heat.

Flickr / Karrie Nodalo But to be fair, so is the inside of an oven.

  1. Our sunsets are the most beautiful in the country.

Flickr / James Marvin Phelps Our sunrises are pretty nifty too.

  1. There’s more to Southern Nevada than Las Vegas.

Flickr / Bureau of Reclamation Big Bend of the Colorado River, Laughlin.

Flickr / Pacific Southwest Region USFSW Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge, Amargosa Valley.

Flickr / Larry & Teddy Page Pahrump Valley Winery and Vineyards.

  1. There’s more to Las Vegas than the Strip.

Flickr / Ken Lund Floyd Lamb State Park.

Flickr / Love_Haight Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area.

Flickr / duluoz cats Fremont Street East, downtown Las Vegas.

Flickr / Andrew Springs Preserve.

  1. Speaking of the Strip, the traffic on Las Vegas Boulevard is for suckers.

Flickr / Tony Webster There’s a back way into most casinos, but we’re probably not going to tell you what it is.

  1. Never spend New Year’s Eve on the Strip.

Flickr / kennejima And if you do, you better have a plan to get home.

  1. Pronounce Nevada wrong and we won’t take you seriously.

zipmeme So just don’t do it.

  1. At some point or another we’ll be asked if we’re a showgirl / prostitute/ stripper.

Flickr / Joe Just no. And we don’t all live in hotels.

  1. Dealer here is a reputable career that has nothing to do with drugs.

Flickr/ Ben Stanfield P.S. Don’t forget to tip your dealer.

  1. You can typically drink for free if you’re gambling in a casino.

Flickr / H. C. P.P.S. Don’t forget to tip your cocktail waitress.

  1. Nothing is Southern Nevada is certain but death, taxes and construction.

Flickr / steve mcnicholas Thank goodness for alternate routes.

  1. It rarely rains in Southern Nevada unless you just washed your car.

Flickr / Dale Chumbley It’s not just one of our Southern Nevada truths, it’s also Murphy’s Law.

  1. If it does indeed rain, everyone will instantly forget how to drive.

Flickr / Susanne Nilsson Steer INTO the skid.

  1. Whatever you do, don’t drive into flood waters.

Flickr / Roadsidepictures No really, don’t.

  1. Prostitution is illegal in Clark and Lincoln counties.

Flickr / Bill Walsh Las Vegas is located in Clark County, so don’t be fooled by ads like the one above.

  1. But it’s legal in Nye and Esmeralda counties.

Flickr / Don Barret So there’s that.

  1. Drink water.

Flickr / stvrc Remember Number one?

  1. Save Water

Flickr / U.S. Geological Society There’s a drought in the west. The white bathtub ring around Lake Mead, pictured above, represents the man-made lake’s lowering water level. The water reservoir is at an all-time low, and a water shortage could be looming in coming years.

  1. Life in the desert is never boring.

Flickr / Tom Hart Off-roading in the Vegas dunes.

Flickr / Travel Nevada Seven Magic Mountains near Jean, a two-year exhibition by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone …

Flickr / Gordon Ednie … Mosaic piece called “Sit Here” by Sofie Siegmann in the Goldwell open air art museum at Rhyolite ghost town …

Flickr / Wes Dickinson … International Car Forest of the Last Church near Goldfield.

  1. There’s no such thing as “last call.”

Flickr / Dom Crossley In Southern Nevada, the party never ends.

Did any of these 20 Southern Nevada truths speak to you? Anything we forgot? Let us know in the comments below.

Flickr / Karrie Nodalo

But to be fair, so is the inside of an oven.

Flickr / James Marvin Phelps

Our sunrises are pretty nifty too.

Flickr / Bureau of Reclamation

Big Bend of the Colorado River, Laughlin.

Flickr / Pacific Southwest Region USFSW

Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge, Amargosa Valley.

Flickr / Larry & Teddy Page

Pahrump Valley Winery and Vineyards.

Flickr / Ken Lund

Floyd Lamb State Park.

Flickr / Love_Haight

Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area.

Flickr / duluoz cats

Fremont Street East, downtown Las Vegas.

Flickr / Andrew

Springs Preserve.

Flickr / Tony Webster

There’s a back way into most casinos, but we’re probably not going to tell you what it is.

Flickr / kennejima

And if you do, you better have a plan to get home.

zipmeme

So just don’t do it.

Flickr / Joe

Just no. And we don’t all live in hotels.

Flickr/ Ben Stanfield

P.S. Don’t forget to tip your dealer.

Flickr / H. C.

P.P.S. Don’t forget to tip your cocktail waitress.

Flickr / steve mcnicholas

Thank goodness for alternate routes.

Flickr / Dale Chumbley

It’s not just one of our Southern Nevada truths, it’s also Murphy’s Law.

Flickr / Susanne Nilsson

Steer INTO the skid.

Flickr / Roadsidepictures

No really, don’t.

Flickr / Bill Walsh

Las Vegas is located in Clark County, so don’t be fooled by ads like the one above.

Flickr / Don Barret

So there’s that.

Flickr / stvrc

Remember Number one?

Flickr / U.S. Geological Society

There’s a drought in the west. The white bathtub ring around Lake Mead, pictured above, represents the man-made lake’s lowering water level. The water reservoir is at an all-time low, and a water shortage could be looming in coming years.

Flickr / Tom Hart

Off-roading in the Vegas dunes.

Flickr / Travel Nevada

Seven Magic Mountains near Jean, a two-year exhibition by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone …

Flickr / Gordon Ednie

… Mosaic piece called “Sit Here” by Sofie Siegmann in the Goldwell open air art museum at Rhyolite ghost town …

Flickr / Wes Dickinson

… International Car Forest of the Last Church near Goldfield.

Flickr / Dom Crossley

In Southern Nevada, the party never ends.

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