Not Almonds

February 15, 2010 6:19 AM

What's it like to live in Blue Diamond, Nevada?

While in Las Vegas last week, I accidentally discovered the small village of Blue Diamond about 10 miles southwest of Las Vegas. It looks like a bohemian enclave of some sort. Wikipedia gives a few facts here, but I wondered what the place is really like and what the history is. It seems totally different than Las Vegas. Have any MeFites been there, lived there, know anything anecdotal about the place?

posted by Xurando to Travel & Transportation (4 answers total)

My father-in-law who lives in Henderson has a friend who owns a bike shop in Blue Diamond says it is a spirited little town with lots of outdoor opportunities. There is an outdoor theater nearby that is popular with locals and Las Vegans. The town is surrounded by public lands so it is likely to stay pretty small.
posted by a22lamia at 8:36 AM on February 15, 2010

I have found the city data forum useful when trying to find out about a US region.
posted by cda at 9:45 AM on February 15, 2010

Blue Diamond is a bedroom community for people who work in Vegas but prefer a more laid-back lifestyle. Quite a few professors who work at UNLV live there. There's a library and fire station, but for groceries, you have to drive to Vegas. The view is gorgeous. It tends to be cooler than in the city, it smells much better (Vegas has natural sulfur deposits, a lot of cars, and garbage); and the vegetation is more abundant. Houses tend to look more individualistic rather than the beige-and-terracotta McMansions Vegas has. The people are very nice and tend to be protective of the environment and community. Memail me and I may be able to put you in touch with someone who actually lives there.
posted by xenophile at 5:02 PM on February 15, 2010

A friend and I rented bikes in Blue Diamond and made a lovely friend who ended up giving us a ride back to vegas when our 3 day bike trip was over. We spent about five hours in the park there, talking with locals in the general store. Most people we met there were friendly and open.
posted by milestogo at 9:54 PM on March 22, 2010