Day Trips From Las Vegas
Las Vegas is famous for its glitzy casinos, over-the-top entertainment, world-class restaurants, and club scene - but did you know about the wide variety of outdoor adventures and wonky Americana-themed points of interest?
So when you're ready to take a break from the lights of the Strip, here are some of our best day trips from Las Vegas:
Table of Contents
- Valley of Fire State Park
- Seven Magic Mountains
- Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
- Grand Canyon National Park
- Area 51 and the Extraterrestrial Highway
- Zion National Park Utah
- Route 66
- Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend
- Mojave Desert ATV Tour
- Pioneer Saloon
- Techatticup Mine
- Boulder City
- Colorado River kayak Trip
- Hoover Dam
- Lake Mead
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Valley of Fire State Park
Just 60 miles from Las Vegas, the aptly named Valley of Fire State Park is full of swirling red Aztec sandstone formations, jaw-dropping views, and otherworldly landscapes.
You can see most of the popular viewpoints along with two of the main roads, so it’s totally possible to do most of your sightseeing within the comfort of your car. But if you’re like me, you’ll want to get out and scramble along some of the beautiful trails for a closer look.
Many of the hikes are along Mouse’s Tank Road, which is also where the famous curvy viewpoint is.
Rainbow Vista - a quick 1-mile roundtrip with gorgeous views over the Valley of Fire
Fire Wave - This white and sandstone red striped sandstone area is absolutely wonderful and a great place for photos.
Pastel (Pink) Canyon - easily one of the quickest hikes for a good payoff - the pink textured walls are really stunning.
White Domes - a wonderful and slightly challenging hike that leads to some interesting slot canyons.
Atlatl Rock - staircase leading to beautiful petroglyphs!
You can totally do Valley of Fire in a day, but remember to leave early in the morning so you have the option to have some chill time on the trails.
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Seven Magic Mountains
Just 20 minutes away from Vegas lies the colorful and fun art installation called the Seven Magic Mountains. They’re really worth checking out since they aren’t meant to be permanent art installations.
They are comprised of 7 carefully stacked boulders, each painted a bright pastel color. It was only supposed to be there until 2018, but they got an extension to be on display until the end of 2021.
The best way to get there is by Uber, rental car, or a group tour. Since Uber will cost you quite a bit, it might make sense to rent a car or join a tour and pair the Seven Magic Mountains and another day trip location on this article such as Red Rock Canyon or Lake Mead.
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
Located 30 minutes from the Strip, this is an easy day trip, especially by car. The easiest option is the Scenic Drive Loop but you’ll probably want to get out of the car for some of the trails on the loop.
Some of the recommended hikes are:
Calico Tank - a 2.5-mile loop with some scrambling involved, you’ll get to see a nice view in the middle of the hike.
Ice Canyon - this is a 2.6 mile in n out loop that is rated as moderate to strenuous. You don’t have to complete the whole thing to enjoy all the views.
Calico Hills - what most people think of when imagining Red Rock, this strikingly red area has two hiking trails, one that’s 6 miles and the other that is 2 miles.
A great option is to visit via 4x4 with a guide taking you to all the best places!
Grand Canyon National Park
One of the greatest natural wonders of the world, you can easily visit the Grand Canyon on a day trip from Las Vegas. The two best ways would be either by helicopter or car.
If you take a helicopter, it would fly over the Las Vegas Strip, Hoover Dam, and Lake Mead with a stop at either the Skywalk or the base of the Grand Canyon. This would be the more expensive option, but give you unforgettable and amazing aerial views the whole way there and back.
If you take a car or go with a tour group, you’d have the option of going all the way to either the south or north rim of the Grand Canyon - but my recommendation would be to go to the closer West Rim and check out the Grand Canyon Skywalk before heading back to Vegas. If you have the time, you can stay a night and ride a mule to the canyon base to experience the Grand Canyon fully.
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Area 51 and the Extraterrestrial Highway
Ever wanted to see Area 51, the famous US government base supposedly housing secret alien and UFO technology? Well, you can’t actually go inside the base, but you can get close to it by driving on State 375 (Extraterrestrial Highway).
Some highlights include the Alien Research Center, the “Black Mailbox”, and the Little A’Le’Inn. If you’d like, you can stay the night at the alien-themed Little A’Le’Inn!
Zion National Park Utah
Zion National Park, just one of many spectacular national parks in the USA, is only a 2.5-hour drive from Las Vegas. I’d recommend renting a car, leaving very early in the morning, and doing a combination of scenic drives and hikes. You could even combine it with a drive through the Valley of Fire State Park. For foreign tourists - National Parks like this are just one of many things to know when planning your visit to the United States!
Recommendations:
Zion Canyon Scenic Drive - easiest, the most bang for the buck if short on time
Angel’s Landing Hike - this is a strenuous 5.5-mile hike but if you’re in shape and have the time, it’s worth it!
Narrows - make sure to bring or rent waterproof shoes, trekking poles, and a waterproof pack for this!
Route 66
Take a trip to the Wild West along the storied Route 66 in Arizona.
Start by driving towards Oatman, AZ, which was a major hub for miners and ranchers back in the day. Grab a drink at a saloon and soak in the Wild West goodness!
Then head over to Cool Spring Stations, which was one of the original inspirations for the movie Cars.
Kingman, AZ is next and has an interesting Historic Route 66 Museum.
Hackberry, AZ has a famous general store that is worth a stop.
Finally Seligman, AZ is a great stop to catch a bite to eat and recap your Wild West road trip before heading back to Vegas!
Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend
Two of Arizona’s most famous outdoor attractions are within striking distance from Vegas if you’re up for the somewhat long round trip drive (4 hours each way).
If you have the time I’d at least spend a night in the area to have some time to enjoy the sights, but if you’re short on a time - a day trip is totally possible!
In addition, the Antelope Canyon is only accessible via a registered guide, so make sure to book a tour here.
Mojave Desert ATV Tour
For the adventurer in you, blasting an ATV up and down the sand dunes of the Mojave Desert is an adrenaline-inducing experience like no other!
Most tours will pick you up from the Vegas Strip and then give you somewhere between 1.5 to 2.5 hours of ATV time in the Mojave Desert.
Some of the ATVs are solo while others are paired, so if your significant other or traveling buddy isn’t into ATVs make sure to grab a solo ATV!
Pioneer Saloon
Another great Wild West option, Pioneer Saloon is located in Goodsprings, Nevada, which was a booming mining town back in the day.
It’s only 25 miles southwest of Vegas and retains its Gold Rush character to this day.
The main draw is the Pioneer Saloon, which looks like something taken from a Hollywood Western movie. There are other well-preserved buildings here such as the General Store.
You can combine the Pioneer Saloon with an ATV Tour of the Mojave Desert.
Techatticup Mine
One of the most famous gold mines in Nevada, the Techatticup Mine is open for tours and is a great place to learn about the historic Gold Rush. During the tour, you’ll be able to see the quartz veins in the rock, the mining process, and all the Hollywood set locations that have been filmed here.
Boulder City
This quaint city was originally built to house workers building the Hoover Dam and is one of the only places in Nevada where gambling is illegal. In fact, drinking was illegal here until 1969, so you can pretty much view Boulder City as the polar opposite to Vegas in some ways.
The Boulder City Dam Museum is an interesting place for those who want to see how the Hoover Dam was built.
Boulder City is also a great place to book excursions and kayaking guides on Lake Mead.
For some adventure, you can take a high-altitude zip line with insane views of Lake Mead and the whole area at Bootleg Canyon.
Colorado River kayak Trip
Most people don’t know that you can find some amazing kayaking and paddleboarding just 45 minutes from the Vegas Strip! You can find this at the Black Canyon Water Trail along the Colorado River.
It’s a great place for both beginners and experienced kayakers. You can do it as part of a day trip or camp overnight here!
Hoover Dam
This massive engineering marvel is worth a visit, especially by helicopter! It was built during the Great Depression era in the 1930s and is responsible for creating electricity for Nevada, Arizona, and California as well as controlling floods and providing water.
Lake Mead
You might see Lake Mead if you do a helicopter tour or check out Hoover Dam, but it’s actually quite fun to kayak or boat Lake Mead. If you’re experienced you can probably kayak around Lake Mead yourself, but it’s advised to hire a guide to take you around.