Last updated on June 9th, 2024 at 01:07 pm

Guest Posted by Chris Heckmann from Around The World With Me

Las Vegas is one the most visited tourist destinations in the world. But many people don’t realize that there are tons of scenic drives near Las Vegas due to its excellent geographic location in the United States. There are so many amazing day trips from Las Vegas that you must add onto your gambling and partying. So here I’ve listed out my top 10 Las Vegas day trips, in no particular order.

I spent two years of my life living in Las Vegas. From 2008-2010 I went just about everywhere in an 8 hour radius of the city. So you can trust this list is legit and comes from a Las Vegas local. And let’s get one thing straight before we get into this list: these are day trips. Don’t trust any list that tells you Grand Canyon National Park or Bryce Canyon National Park are day trips from Vegas. Grand Canyon is four hours on the road each way. However, you can  see the western

part of the canyon within 2.5 hours from Vegas, but that’s on private land owned by Native Americans. I’ll cover it here but for the best Grand Canyon experience go to the National Park! 

All the day trips listed below are a 2.5ish hour road trip from Vegas or less. If you are looking for a weekend trip from Las Vegas then there are so many other amazing places near Vegas which I’ve listed at the end of this post. So rent a car at the airport and let’s get going. The Mojave Desert awaits!

1. VALLEY OF FIRE STATE PARK (45 MINUTES)

Valley of Fire is a Nevada state park just north of Las Vegas. Full of red sandstone rock formations and colorful valleys, the park is becoming more of a hotspot every year. The highlights of the park can easily be seen in half a day, including some hiking and rock scrambling. Drive the main road through the park and stop at the various viewpoints and points of interest. As an alternative to the famous “The Wave” in Arizona, check out the Fire Wave trail, where your Instagram photos will look just as cool as that famous spot in Vermillion Cliffs.

2. RED ROCK CANYON NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA (20 MINUTES)

Red Rock Canyon was my favorite place to go hiking when I lived in Vegas. It’s literally just outside the city, maybe a 20 minute drive from the Strip. It features a mountain of sandstone boulders to the east, a dry valley and the foothills of the Spring Mountains to the west. The hike to the top of the boulders is more rock scrambling than an actual hike and there are many ways up. Park in one of the parking lots and make your own path to the top for a great view of the city of Las Vegas. Note that due to its proximity to the city it can get very crowded, especially on weekends with locals.

3. DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK (2 HOURS)

The Las Vegas to Death Valley day trip is only two hours each way. Death valley is one of the most underrated parks in the US. A vast and barren land located below sea level, Death Valley features some of the most fascinating salt rock formations you’ll ever see. If you leave the city early enough you’ll have time to see the park’s main attractions, get a bit of hiking in and get back to the city in time to hit the clubs. Just be careful if you decide to go in summer. It’s literally the hottest place on the planet and summer temperatures can be deadly. The best time to visit would be late fall or early spring. 

If you do not want to rent a car, then there are plenty of Death Valley tours from Las Vegas.

4. LAKE MEAD NATIONAL RECREATION AREA (45 MINUTES)

Just outside of Las Vegas, Lake Mead is a man made lake that was formed by the damming of the Colorado river. It’s known locally as a place to go out on your boat and drink beer. But the national recreation area is more than just the lake and has a stunning natural side. The lake shores feature rocky cliffs mixed with pebbled beaches, making hiking along the coast a beautiful endeavor. 

In the more remote parts of the park you can find red rocks and mountains devout of trees. The lake itself is huge though, so you’ll probably just want to stick to the part closest to the city. It’s managed by the national park service so you’ll pay a fee to enter the park unless you have the interagency pass. And if you’d rather just hop on a boat and drink with the locals, you can do that too! Just rent a boat at the marina and you’re ready!

5. ZION NATIONAL PARK (2.5 HOURS)

The furthest spot on this list, Zion will take you 2.5 hours with no traffic. A day trip to Zion National Park from Las Vegas will make for a long day but if you get out of town early enough you’ll have plenty of time to explore the park. Zion is a fascinating landscape of red rocks and cliffs that everyone should experience at some point in their life. Unfortunately it’s becoming more and more crowded every year as its beauty is shared all across social media. You’ll need to park by the main visitors center and take the free shuttle into the heart of the park. But you’ll still have an awesome day even with the crowds. It’s just that beautiful. 

6. MOUNT CHARLESTON (45 MINUTES)

If you’ve had enough of the desert and long to hike through an alpine wilderness high in the mountains, well you can do that in Vegas too! Mount Charleston is barely 45 minutes from the city. At 11,916 feet, it’s the highest peak in the Spring Mountains. Throughout winter it’s covered in snow, clearly visible from almost anywhere in the city. For skiers there is a ski slope in the winter, though it doesn’t quite hold a candle to the ski areas of Utah, where most Las Vegans go to ski. 

For hikers there is a strenuous but awesome hike to the top in the summer. It’s an 8 mile hike to the peak from the little village of Mount Charleston, where you can park your car. The hike ascends almost 4000 feet straight up the mountain so come prepared for a challenge. When I did the hike I started very early in the morning. Even though you’re high up away from the heat of Vegas, it can still get pretty hot. Sadly, the Charleston Lodge burned down in 2022 and it’s unclear when it will be rebuilt. Until then keep some beers in the car for a celebratory beer after the hike!

7. MOJAVE NATIONAL PRESERVE (1 HOUR)

Just southwest of Las Vegas you’ll find Mojave National Preserve. This desert landscape of protected wilderness still flies under the radar to this day. People don’t talk about it and hardly anyone ever goes there. But if you make it here you’ll find an endless desert of Joshua trees, cholla cacti, funky rock formations, and desert critters. There are not a whole lot of hikes in the park but there are plenty of dirt roads you can explore. Chances are you won’t run into anybody else so enjoy the solitude!

8. THE HOOVER DAM (45 MINUTES)

The Hoover Dam is truly a miracle of engineering. It’s hard to imagine the workers building this massive dam and hydroelectric power plant in the 1930s. For as many times as I’ve driven over the dam, sadly I’ve never been inside. If you wish to learn about the dam you’ll want to do the guided tour. If you’re not interested in the tour there are plenty of viewpoints. But it won’t take up an entire day trip just to see the dam and take photos. You can do that while driving between Vegas and Phoenix. Or better yet from your plane as it descends in Vegas. 

9. RED CLIFFS NATIONAL CONSERVATION AREA (2 HOURS)

If you really want to visit somewhere off the beaten path then check out Red Cliffs National Conservation Area. Just north of St. George, Utah, this remote wilderness of red rocks and desert vegetation remains off the radar of most travelers heading past it to Zion. If you stop at Red Cliffs you’ll be rewarded with spectacular sandstone rock formations without the crowds on the more popular destinations. It’s about 2 hours from Vegas so you’ll want to leave pretty early to get enough time to properly explore, especially if you’re doing some hiking.

10. GRAND CANYON SKYWALK (2.5 HOURS)

Grand Canyon National Park is too far for a day trip from Vegas. But if you only have limited time and you really want to do the Grand Canyon road trip from Vegas then here’s your option:  The west rim  of the Grand Canyon is outside the park boundary, about 2.5 hours from Las Vegas. Known as Grand Canyon West, it’s maintained by the Hualapai tribe. While it’s not quite the national park a few hours east, there are still plenty of activities at this part of the canyon, like ziplining and whitewater rafting. 

The main draw here, however, is the skywalk. A cantilevered observation deck, it pops you out over the canyon, 4000 feet above the valley below. There are various other viewpoints in the area and a day trip will allow you time to see them all. The unfortunate thing about this part of the Grand Canyon is that it’s privately owned and thus has a significant fee. Just getting into Grand Canyon West will cost you $49 per person. That doesn’t even include the Skywalk, which is an extra $26. Or you can purchase a combined ticket for $64 if you book well in advance.

A FEW OTHER THINGS TO NOTE

Many other lists of day trips from Las Vegas lists have Area 51 on them. That’s just silly. You can’t go to Area 51. Maybe you can see it if you scale a nearby mountain, but there really isn’t anything to see anyways. 7 Magic Mountains is also on many lists, but it’s not really a day trip. There is not a whole lot to see. You can leave Vegas, see the rock stacks, and be back in less than two hours. Hardly a day trip. 

For some overnight and weekend trips from Las Vegas here are some additional places you can check out that are less than 5 hours from Vegas and simply amazing: 

• Bryce Canyon National Park
• Grand Canyon National Park
• Vermillion Cliffs National Monument
• Antelope Canyon
• Horseshoe Bend
• Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
• Great Basin National Park
• Kings Canyon National Park (hiking from the east side of the park)
• Joshua Tree National Park
• Sedona, AZ
• Havasu Falls, AZ

Really the list could go on forever. I sure do miss living in this part of the world!

FINAL WORD 

Las Vegas is situated in one of the most fascinating regions on earth. There are endless desert recreational opportunities within a few hours’ drive of the city and even more if you expand to an overnight trip. These 10 trips from Las Vegas are all fantastic and will leave you wishing you had booked a longer trip to Vegas! Don’t forget to save the pins below and share if you liked this post 🙂

Happy & Safe Traveling!