It’s extremely hard for me to escape the magnetic pull of Las Vegas. Ask my husband, who has to literally bribe me from the casinos when it comes time to leave. After visiting the area multiple times for birthdays and random fun, my most recent trip there was the first time I skipped the Strip to discover the best day trips from Las Vegas.
The Best Day Trips from Las Vegas
While we all know that Las Vegas is in the state of Nevada, it may be surprising to learn it’s also in the heart of the Mojave Desert. Along with that natural landscape comes incredible exploring opportunities.
To access any of these locations, you’ll need some sort of transportation. Consider renting a car in Las Vegas or utilize one of the many tour companies located along the Strip.
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
Not many people know there’s actually a National Conservation Area within 17 miles of the Las Vegas Strip. With nearly 200,000 acres and 26 trails, Red Rock Canyon is one of the best day trips from Las Vegas. The fiery Aztec sandstone of which the park gets its name are actually 180 million-year-old sand dunes that existed during the Jurassic era. If you’re lucky, you may even see some prehistoric dinosaur footprints!
If you don’t feel like hiking, spend your day trip from Las Vegas driving the 13-mile scenic road. Winding through the incredible desert environment, you’ll see contrasting colors of stone and access multiple picnic areas and trailheads.
Read More: Why Red Rock Canyon is the Perfect Day Trip from Las Vegas
Valley of Fire State Park
A short 50 minute drive from the Strip is Valley of Fire State Park, one of the best day trips from Las Vegas. The rocky land in Valley of Fire bleeds stark red, contrasting with the desert environment around it. At a total of 46,000 acres, there are incredible exploring opportunities to get you out in nature for the day.
With more than 22 miles of trails in this park, you won’t be disappointed with hiking here. White Domes Road holds some of the best areas like Rainbow Vista, Mouse’s Tank and the White Domes.
Read More: Must-See Spots in Valley of Fire State Park
Lake Mead National Recreation Area
A popular National Recreation Area just 40 minutes east of Las Vegas is Lake Mead. Encompassing more than 1.5 million acres, the rugged terrain here was flooded after the construction of the Hoover Dam. That harsh terrain, now underwater, helped form many canyons and coves, accessible by boat today. Come to Lake Mead, one of the best day trips from Las Vegas, to experience boating, fishing, hiking and camping.
Hoover Dam
An easy 40 minute drive to the east will bring you to the Hoover Dam, one of the best day trips from Las Vegas. The iconic 90’s Vegas Vacation movie is to thank for bringing popularity to the Hoover Dam, which sees nearly 7 million visitors annually. Constructed in the 1930s and considered one of America’s greatest engineering feats, the Hoover Dam provides water and hydroelectric power as far west as Los Angeles. Sitting smack dab on the Nevada-Arizona border, you can walk on top of the dam during your visit or take a dam tour to see how exactly it operates.
Read More: Visiting the Hoover Dam from Las Vegas
Grand Canyon – West Rim
If you’re heading out to the Lake Mead area or the Hoover Dam, consider continuing to the west rim of the Grand Canyon. At just over 2 hours from the Strip, it’s a worthy day excursion to see this massive natural wonder. The Grand Canyon Sky Walk and Eagle Point is a popular attraction for those coming from Las Vegas.
Seven Magic Mountains
A short 20 minute drive south of the Strip will bring you to one incredibly unique place. Standing awkwardly in the dry desert are the Seven Magic Mountains, a Nevada Museum of Art‘s display by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone. In hopes of brightening the drab desert environment, Ugo created seven colorful towers of stacked boulders which stand more than thirty feet high.
Death Valley National Park
And now we’re on to the best day trip from Las Vegas which doubles as my favorite place on earth. Death Valley National Park is like nowhere else on the planet and you can reach it in just over 2 hours from Las Vegas.
Featuring a multitude of otherworldly places, it’s home to century-old ghost towns, abandoned mines and mills and the hottest spot in the world. Exploring this massive 2 million acre area can take much longer than a day so I’d recommend making a 2-day excursion of it!
Read More: Spending 2 Days in Death Valley
Joshua Tree National Park
If you’re willing to travel a little further, make the 3+ hour trip out to Joshua Tree National Park. Home to those iconic Joshua Trees, the 800,000 acres in the park protects the merging of the Mojave and Colorado deserts. With more than 60 off-roading routes and hiking trails, it’s a worthy trip to make from the Vegas area.
Read More: Driving & Hiking Joshua Tree National Park
If you’re heading into any of these natural areas, it’s imperative that you’re familiar with the “Leave No Trace” principles. Read More: Leave No Trace: The 7 Rules of the Backcountry. Learn more about Leave No Trace on their website here.
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