Is Going To Vegas Solo Depressing?

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http://www.vice.com/read/las-vegas-is-the-most-depressing-place-on-earth-to-be-alone?utm_source=vicetwitterus

Couldn't disagree with the premise of this article enough, what a tired re-hash of the stereotypes of solo travelers. If you travel alone, you must somehow be broken, or sad, or depressed, or unlovable, or desperate. Just the mere suggestion that someone may actually CHOOSE to travel, or god forbid, LIVE alone is unthinkable to this writer. So condescending and shallow. Just like media and society portray single people over the age of 30 as damaged, or crazy, or surrounded by dozens of cats in a small apartment. Media and advertising naturally reinforce the "nuclear family" trope. Families buy a lot more useless shit than single people. Think about it.

In my 8 trips, I've never once felt alone or lonely in Vegas...you're surrounded by, for the most part, friendly people of all ages and from all walks of life who typically are in town for a few days or a week of pure relaxation and enjoyment. If you want a "melting pot" of cultures and lifestyles, Vegas has it in spades. Most people are smiling and gregarious and more than willing to engage in conversation with you, whether you're amid a group or rolling solo. When I was there over Xmas last year I hooked up with a girl from Australia for fuck's sake, how likely is that in Boise or Wichita?

The writer does make a few valid references to babies on the Strip (which IS pretty ridiculous, if you want a family vacation Disneyland is a couple hundred miles away) and some not-so-subtle white trash references. I will admit, and this may sound elitist, but coming from a fairly sophisticated city like San Francisco the fanny packs and Dale Jr. shirts and backward bro caps can be a little grating, but it's more comedic than anything in Vegas. You can always seek out the more sophisticated venues...but if you hang out at PBR Rock Bar on a weekend you get what you deserve.

This blog is a personal journal of my Vegas trips, but in a small way I hope also to aid in the rolling back of the narrow-minded junk journalism of articles like this...Vice, you're better than this.

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