15 Las Vegas Day Trips You Don’t Want to Miss

Las Vegas is one of the best destinations to visit in the United States. The sights and sounds of the Strip are unlike any other city. But slot machine noise and crowds can be a bit overwhelming after a few days. Luckily, it’s easy to find some peace and quiet by taking a few Las Vegas day trips. Southern Nevada is full of amazing public lands, historic cities and engineering marvels. Here are a few ideas for you.

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Day Trips From Las Vegas

From shorter day trips in the general surrounding area to longer national park road trips, the opportunities for exploring around Las Vegas are endless. As someone who has traveled to Vegas more than 25 times – and drives there from Georgia several times a year – I know a few things about the city. It also helps that my daughter lives nearby – so I’m constantly adding new places to my list of Vegas day trips.

I also think it’s important to focus on destinations that truly work as day trips from Las Vegas. I often see people recommending Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, and other spots that are five or six hours away – which just doesn’t make sense to me. The desert can be exhausting and you need time to enjoy the scenery without feeling rushed. Every destination on this list is within a manageable three-hour drive.

That way you can maximize your time – enjoy a few sights outside the city center without spending too much of your trip on the road if returning to Vegas. You’ll still have plenty of time to get back to your hotel for a nap before heading out to enjoy the nightlife and things, to do in Las Vegas.

Lake Mead National Recreation Area

If you only have time for one Las Vegas day trip, then my recommendation is visiting the largest man-made lake in the United States Lake Mead. A true oasis in the desert, this national park is full of beautiful, diverse landscapes with scenic drives, easy hikes and even a chance to see some wildlife.

The best way to appreciate Lake Mead is by getting out on the water if you can. Boats, kayaks and jet-skis are available to rent for the day at most of the marinas in the park. There’s even a resident paddle boat – the Desert Princess – available for dinner and sunset cruises.

For those that prefer to stay on land, Lake Mead National Recreation Area offers dozens of trails and hikes for every skill level. The Historic Railroad Trails are the perfect, easy introduction to the park and provide some of the most epic views of the lake.

The trails follow the old railroad beds previously used for carrying supplies to the Hoover Dam project. Besides terrific vantage points for seeing the lake, you might just encounter a big horn sheep or two.

If you happen to visit in summer, then Lakeshore Road is the perfect scenic route for the viewing the lake and snapping photos from your vehicle at the various pullouts along the way. And don’t forget to stop in at the park visitor center for a passport stamp, Junior Ranger activities, souvenirs and stickers.

Hoover Dam

A visit to the Hoover Dam is also one of my favorite Las Vegas day trips. If you’ve only seen the dam in movies or photos, do yourself a favor and make the short drive to experience it in person—you’ll truly appreciate its scale and engineering.

Named after the 31st U.S. president, Herbert Hoover, the dam was built during the Great Depression and completed in 1935. It spans the Colorado River, dividing Nevada and Arizona, and remains one of the most impressive landmarks in the West.

There are a couple of ways to tour Hoover Dam. The free option is by parking in one of the public parking lots on the Arizona side and walking the short distance to the dam. Along the way are plenty of spots to snap photos, see the intake towers – where the water enters – and the spillways – last used in 1983 – when the water was much higher.

To go inside the dam, tour the generator room and see other features, The Bureau of Reclamation – aka the government agency that oversees the dam – offers three different tour options you can choose from. Their website has all the info for online booking or in person at the dam. Additionally, you could book an organized tour from Las Vegas like this popular one here.

Southerner Says: don’t miss the fancy bathrooms at the top of the dam as you walk across the dam.

Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge

Highway 93 to the Hoover Dam used to be the only route across the Colorado River in this busy area of southern Nevada. Daily traffic, including large trucks, tour buses and pedestrians visiting the dam was the cause of a lot of congestion on this route.

For better traffic flow and four lane highway, Nevada and Arizona worked together to construct the Hoover Dam Bypass. Part of that project included adding the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge – a new four-lane bridge crossing the Colorado River, replacing the road that went across the dam.

And the new bridge isn’t just any bridge – it’s the widest concrete arch in the Western Hemisphere, the second highest bridge in the United States and the world’s highest concrete arch bridge. However, one of the best things about the new bridge is the pedestrian path alongside – giving you the perfect view of the Dam.

To visit and walk across the bridge, follow signs on Highway 93 to the bridge’s designated parking area. There’s a dedicated parking lot along with an assessible ramp that leads to the walking path. Along the path don’t miss signs with educational info about the area and the Dam.

Southerner Says: here’s your chance to snap a pic of the Nevada state sign from the bridge as you return to the parking lot.

Boulder City, Nevada

“The city that built the dam” better known as Boulder City was crucial in the history of Hoover Dam and southern Nevada. The area where the city is now is where the government housed workers during the construction. After it completion, so many people stayed that a town was formed. Everywhere you look around in Boulder City is a reminder their contribution to the dam.

To learn more about Boulder City;s past – and the Hoover Dam – start your visit at Boulder Dam Hotel. This historic hotel is quite famous and has hosted dozens of celebrities. Not to mention, it’s home to one of the most educational museums about the project and focuses on telling stories of the people who built a dam in the middle of desert.

Most of the buildings in Boulder City were built during the dam construction so walking through downtown is like going back in time. You’ll notice dam-themed art, murals and artifacts displayed everywhere.

While in town, pick-up a coffee or a Boulder City souvenir at the Boulder City Co Store, sit down for the best breakfast you’ll ever have at the Coffee Cup Cafe or nosh on a burger from The Dillinger. You can gamble at the Railroad Pass Casino – one of the oldest casinos in Southern Nevada, hosting visitors since 1931.

Southerner Says: start your morning in Lake Mead National Recreation Area, have lunch in Boulder City and finish the day at the Hoover Dam.

Valley of Fire State Park

Before you even get to Valley of Fire State Park, you’ll see where it gets its name and why it was Nevada’s first state park. Its fiery red Aztec sandstone rock, formed from ancient sand dunes more than 150 million years ago, are easy to spot before entering the park.

The colors are so outstanding, that it actually appears to glow in the otherwise pretty monotone desert setting. Inside the park and up close, you’ll find those red rocks in a variety of unique formations like domes and arches, offering an otherworldly experience. Plus, the park holds some of the most impressive two thousand year old preserved petroglyphs I’ve ever seen.

Valley of Fire State Park is easy to get to from Las Vegas and many of the popular stops can be seen in a day. Even if you didn’t pack your hiking boots, you can still see places like Atlatl Rock – where the petroglyphs are – Arch Rock and Elephant Rock that don’t require any strenuous hiking.

Southerner Says: to combine a visit to Valley of Fire and Lake Mead, spend the day in the state park and then return to Vegas via Lake Mead’s Northshore Road (Road #167) for some of the best lake views. And don’t miss Valley of Fire’s brand new visitor center.

Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area

Some of the prettiest sunsets I’ve ever seen in my life have been in Southern Nevada and one of my favorite places to watch the sun go down is in Red Rock Canyon. This protected land is managed by the Bureau of Land Management and is a perfect Las Vegas day trip.

The landscape, marked by towering red sandstone cliffs, rugged rock formations and stunning desert scenery, is the result of millions of years of erosion, creating unique shapes and patterns.

Red Rock Canyon offers a diverse array of plant and animal life. In many places Joshua trees, yucca plants and various types of cacti dot the landscape as far as you can see. And wildlife like desert tortoises, bighorn sheep, burros and wild horses can be found here as well.

No time for a hike? No worries. Many of the park’s main highlights can be seen via its thirteen mile scenic drive. Reservations are required between October 1 though May 31 to enter the park but they can be made ahead of time at Recreation.gov or by calling 877-444-6777.

Tip: Red Rock has a resident burro named Jackson that you can meet. Visit his Facebook page for more details.

Mount Charleston

There’s nothing more surprising than leaving the heat of the Las Vegas behind and finding snow. Yes, snow! Mount Charleston, part of the Spring Mountain Recreation Area, is the fourth highest peak in Nevada and receives about 100 inches of snow a year. That’s enough for a small ski resort on the mountain.

Even though the snow doesn’t stick around all year, if you’re lucky enough to be visiting Las Vegas in the late fall or winter, you might get the chance to see those snow topped peaks in the distance from the Strip. In the summer months, hop on the Bristlecone Skyway – the resort’s chair lift taking you to the top of the mountain.

Weather permitting, drive the 41 mile scenic loop and watch the scenery change from desert scrub to wooded alpine. This route offers a multitude of viewpoints along the way and a visitor center to check out as well. Stretch your legs on one of two of the easier hiking trails in the area like the Desert View Overlook Trail or the Kunav Huveep hike.

Southerner Says: keep you eyes open for wild burros that roam the area.

Overton, Nevada + The Lost City Museum

At the north end of Lake Mead, Overton, Nevada was once home to Ancestral Puebloans. This area of Nevada is often is referred to as Pueblo Grande de Nevada or simply – the Lost City. While cliff dwellings like the ones found in Colorado and Arizona aren’t found in Nevada, the remnants of pit homes, have been found in the region.

Some of those objects are on display at the Lost City Museum – the location of significant archaeological find in the 1920s. One of the galleries actually features a real pit dwelling home! Other items displayed in the museum include pottery, tools, jewelry and other artifacts that give a glimpse into the daily lives and traditions of the Puebloans.

Outside the museum you’ll find reconstructed pueblos and a huge petroglyph panel on display. With the looming Virgin Mountains in the background, it’s easy to see why they chose this place to call home.

Southerner Says: Overton is very small but does offer a few food trucks and even a restaurant from celebrity magician and illusionist Chriss Angel named Cablp.

Gold Butte National Monument

There’s no shortage of public lands in southern Nevada but out of all the the day trips from Las Vegas, one of the most impressive is Gold Butte National Monument – a protected area of desert wilderness managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

Located between Grand Canyon Parashant National Monument (another little known Grand Canyon National Park viewpoint) and Lake Mead, Gold Butte is full of unique desert landscapes, rugged mountains and colorful rock formations in every hue. It’s not the easiest place to get to but worth it if you have the time and a high clearance, four-wheel drive vehicle.

Some of the best things to do in Gold Butte include visiting Little Finland, an area filled with delicate, otherworldly rock formations unlike anything else in the desert. You can also hike to the Falling Man petroglyph, one of the park’s most fascinating rock art sites. And don’t miss the small historic dam built by the CCC in the 1930s.

Friends of Gold Butte – the non profit organization that promotes responsible visitation of the park – offers events and group hikes from time to time. Check their website for current opportunities and projects.

Kayaking in Laughlin, Nevada

Laughlin is what I imagine Las Vegas looked like in the 60’s or 70’s – smaller, fewer casinos, less glitz and way less crowds but still a place you’d want to spend some time. And while some people come to Laughlin to gamble, its location on the Colorado River is the perfect spot for kayaking and other water activities.

The Colorado River runs through town, forming the border between Nevada and Arizona. Because Laughlin sits just south of Davis Dam – another dam similar to Hoover Dam, though smaller – the water here is remarkably clear; even at depths of around 30 feet, you can often see the bottom. It’s the perfect place to go kayaking

Desert Rivers Outfitters offers river tours on the lower Colorado and provides the equipment you need to get out on the water. You can book directly with them on their website.

Southerner Says: to make a complete loop on this day trip from Las Vegas, drive Hwy 95 to Laughlin and return to the city via Hwy 93.

Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park is one of the most unique places in the United States. It’s also the closest national park to Las Vegas so it makes perfect sense to include it as a day trip from Las Vegas. Not only is it the lowest point in North America, it’s one of the hottest places on earth and it’s the largest national park in the lower 48 states.

There are several ways to get to Death Valley National Park from Las Vegas but my favorite route is via the small Nevada town of Beatty or Pahrump. Both of the routes take you through some of the most spectacular landscapes. Even better – you can enter through one of these gateway cities and exit the other making a complete loop back to Las Vegas.

Once in the park, don’t miss places like Dante’s View, Badwater Basin and Zabriskie Point. Also, don’t miss visiting the Furnace Creek visitor center to see the big thermometer displaying the temperature. Most of these popular stops in the park the same area and can be reached in a passenger car – no four-wheel drive or special equipment necessary.

Just make sure you pack plenty of water and if visiting in summer stay informed about the weather and use caution when driving, staying on the paved or properly maintained roads. My 21 Useful Things You Need to Know About Death Valley National Park can help you plan a safe visit.

Southerner Says: don’t miss the sea level sign on the mountain above the parking lot at Badwater Basin to get an idea of what 282 feet below sea level feels like.

Grand Canyon West

For reason, one of the most popular day trips from Las Vegas is visiting the Grand Canyon. But visiting the National Park Service’s South Rim in Arizona makes for a super long day and can take five hours one way. I’ve done it on a bus tour and wouldn’t do it again. The solution – Grand Canyon West.

This tribal park is owned and managed by the Hualapai Indians and is the closest Grand Canyon viewpoint you can visit to from Las Vegas. The Western Rim has the same canyon views as the South Rim, just from a different perspective. In fact, you are a bit lower and and more on an eye level of the canyon.

Another standout feature at Grand Canyon West is the glass Skywalk, which extends out over the canyon and lets you look straight down 4,000 feet to the floor below. You can also enhance your visit with add-on experiences like ziplining, whitewater rafting or a scenic helicopter tour.

Southerner Says: if you decide to stay overnight, Grand Canyon West has some pretty sweet cabins with terrific views.

Kelso Dunes at Mojave National Preserve

The Kelso Dune complex is one of the oldest and most extensive dune fields in the western United States. The dunes are fun day trip from Las Vegas, taking you through thousands of Joshua Trees and the vast beauty of the Mojave National Preserve.

Created 25,000 years ago and rising 600 feet above the desert, you can see the dunes long before you get there. The trailhead to the dunes, is assessible by a three mile, unpaved dirt road that I drove in a passenger car. Although, I would not attempt to do it after a recent rain.

Once you reach the trail, it’s four miles and approximately 700 feet of elevation gain to the top so it’s not an easy walk to climb the dunes. Fortunately, the beauty of the dunes is not just about reaching them, but in the walk itself and you can walk as much as you want and turn around when it’s too much – it’s still a fun experience.

Visiting in the cooler months will make it much easier. We attempted to do it in summer and it was too hot to walk the entire trail. For a successful summit account, California Through My Lens has an informative article about the dunes at sunset.

Southerner Says: while visiting, be on the lookout for the elusive, desert tortoise that lives in the Mojave Desert.

Snow Canyon State Park

Like Nevada, Utah is blessed with gorgeous scenery 46 state parks. One of the easiest and best day trips from Las Vegas is to one of those parks – Snow Canyon State Park. Located in the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve – in the southwest corner of Utah – it’s a fairly easy and straightforward route from Las Vegas mostly on Interstate-15.

Snow Canyon State Park lies on the now extinct Santa Clara Volcano and is full of lava tubes, lava flows and amazing bright red sand dunes and cliffs as well as mountains of white Navajo sandstone that kind of looks like snow in the desert – therefore the name.

With thirty-eight miles of hiking trails and a three mile paved walking trail, it’s the perfect opportunity to see some of Utah’s otherworldly landscapes and spot some wildlife along the way. Don’t miss Jenny’s Canyon Trail and Pioneer Names trail, both of which are super easy, plus child and sneaker friendly.

Zion National Park

Zion National Park is one of the most popular national parks in the United States. And although, I think it deserves more than a day, it is doable as a Las Vegas day trip. Especially if you don’t have time for a longer Utah Mighty 5 National Park road trip, visiting Zion for the day is a pretty good alternative.

Just like Snow Canyon State Park, the drive to Zion National Park is pretty straight forward. The tricky thing about visiting Zion in a single day is the crowds. Parking and accessing Zion Canyon – the canyon where the most popular sights like Angel’s Landing and The Narrows are located – can be difficult in the busy, high season, since the National Park Service uses a shuttle to cut down on traffic.

To beat the crowds, you can visit Zion National Park from Las Vegas and skip Zion Canyon. There’s plenty to do in other areas of the park. Start at the visitor center and hike the nearby easy Pa’rus Trail or Archeology Trail. Then drive the Mt. Carmel highway to the east entrance for some of the best views of the park – stopping at viewpoints along the way. Don’t miss Checkerboard Mesa and the Mt. Carmel tunnel.

If you have limited time and want to hike a specific trail, like The Narrows, from Las Vegas, then I suggest booking an organized tour with a reputable company. That way they are responsible for getting you in and out of the park and to the hike in a more efficient manner.

Las Vegas Day Trips Tips

A lot of places on this day trips from Las Vegas list can be visited with an organized tour but if you have access to a vehicle – and the time – then I recommend driving yourself. That allows you the freedom to explore on your own schedule and discover some unexpected places along the way.

If you fly into Vegas and don’t want to rent a car for your entire trip, many of the large resorts have rental car agencies onsite making it pretty simple to rent a vehicle just for a day.

Also, you can always return to the airport to pick up a vehicle. Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) is conveniently located right on the way to several of these day trips from Las Vegas. Uber to the airport and pick up a vehicle. Compare rates on rentals by using DiscoverCars.com to search for the perfect vehicle.

Before you head out, plan your itinerary so you can loosely estimate how much time you’ll have. Be realistic about how much you can fit into one day especially if you are visiting in the hot summer months. And if visiting public lands, remember to Leave No Trace principles and leave them better than you found them.

Final Thoughts on Las Vegas Day Trips

Las Vegas is one of the best bases in the southwest USA for road tripping and exploring. With a host of outsdoorsy destinations and historic sites, there is something to see and do for every kind of traveler. Whether you’re seeking natural wonders, are into ghost towns or just want to learn more about the desert, southern Nevada offers a variety of fun, exciting options.

See you on the road!