As intriguing it could be to live on movie-set quality architecture, I liked staying off the strip to see what Vegas was like without the glamour but I had trouble getting myself out of the city and into visiting the national parks. I'm not a gambler so I was very interested in its growth as a city too. As Scott D. describes, its only an oasis for a certain class. I'd never call it a tourist trap though. Just don't try to walk three blocks in the summer.