I always thought I'd only visit Las Vegas once. That was back in 1996 as a three-day stop over after time in Northern California, Colorado and New Mexico and before heading home to New Zealand.
We stayed in a hotel designed as a mock mediaeval castle across the road from a pyramid. We flew to the Grand Canyon, walked the strip, shook our heads in bemused amazement and left.
In the early 2000s, close friends, Jane and Robert, moved there for work (unrelated to the casino business) and the relatively inexpensive real estate. It's a great base for travelling to Utah, Arizona and California. Get off Las Vegas Boulevard and there are superb restaurants that won't break the bank.
There's also a rich cultural life, especially with the benefit of local knowledge. On one visit we went to a house party in the neighbourhood. Most guests were from the various Cirque de Soleil shows in town. It was a multinational mix and the impromptu entertainment and talent on display were extraordinary.
The whole region gets very hot in summer, but it's dry heat so much more tolerable than humidity. I've mainly visited in autumn and early winter, when it can get chilly overnight and the days are fine and comfortably warm.