Sparks, Nevada

The motto in this eastern Nevada suburb is “It’s Happening Here” — and boy, is it accurate. From theme parks and casinos to breweries, shopping, golfing and more, this little town is downright teeming with activity. It may be just a quick drive to both Reno and Tahoe, but the town’s 100,000-plus residents have no shortage of things to do locally. Seasonal events fill up the community’s calendar, like the Harvest Festival, the West Nugget Rib Cook-off and the Water Lantern Festival; where thousands of handmade, floating lanterns are launched into the Sparks Marina, lighting up the night. There’s also the Nugget Event Center, an outdoor venue run by the iconic Nugget Casino, which hosts big-name acts on a regular basis. (Pitbull, Hall & Oates and Jay Leno are just a few of the venue’s upcoming performers.) But Sparks has more to offer than just a good time. The city also has one of the top school districts in the state, and jobs are more than plentiful. According to state data, Reno employment just hit an all-time high earlier this year, and with Tesla’s Gigafactory now up and running in the area, job prospects should remain strong for years to come. — Aly J. Yale