Looking to get out of Sin City? There are so many cool towns and places to visit in Nevada. Here are the 3 best day trips from Vegas.
WHY YOU NEED TO GO ON DAY TRIPS FROM VEGAS
The city of Las Vegas is amazing for many reasons. You have The Strip, Downtown, Art’s District, Summerlin, Henderson, and more.
But the cool thing about Las Vegas is that it’s also central to a lot of really fun day trips from Vegas. You can explore different parts of Nevada or if you are interested in going further, you can even go out to Southern Utah.
Taking road trips from Las Vegas should be on every visitor and local’s bucket list!
WHEN SHOULD I GO
Going on a road trip from Las Vegas is great at any time of the year. However it can get very very hot (over 110 degrees) in the summer, so sitting in the car for a while could get uncomfortable. If you have an older car, it also might be best to skip the summer.
My favorite times to go on a day trip from Vegas is October to April.
WHAT SHOULD I PACK
It is important to make sure you are packing all the right things for your road trip from Las Vegas. Here are some of the key things you should bring:
- Water and lots of water: It gets really dry in all of Nevada so it’s important to pack water in your car. You can always pick some up from the gas station if you need it, but it doesn’t hurt to be safe
- Snacks: Of course you need road trip snacks. Try packing a sandwich if you don’t want to eat your typical processed foods.
- Backpack: You’ll want a nice backpack to take with you. Your backpack can include your water, snacks, dog gear, etc. My favorite pack is the Topo Designs Mountain Pack (similar here)
- Collapsible Dog Bowl: So much easier to pack than a normal dog bowl
WHAT ARE THE BEST DAY TRIPS FROM VEGAS
I did a lot of exploring when I lived in Las Vegas. There were some really fun adventures, some that were just ok, and then a few in between.
Here are the 3 best day trips from Vegas if you enjoy the outdoors!
1. Nelson Ghost Town
Nelson Ghost Town is a cool abandoned gold mine 45 minutes from The Strip. It is open for optional tours but you can also just check out the restored buildings and cool relics.
It is free to explore the town but you can also pay $15 to sign up for their tour which lasts a little over an hour. We personally did the free version and just walked around the town, taking photos of the old buildings.
Go to Nelson Ghost Town if you are looking for a chill day with some sightseeing but no crazy lines. This is definitely one of the best day trips from Vegas!
TIP: If you have extra time, keep driving down Route 165 to reach the Colorado River! This is a great spot for night photography.
2. El Dorado Dry Lake Bed
The El Dorado Dry Lake Bed is only 35 min south of the Strip. It is a really cool, vast area that used to be a lake but has now dried up.
El Dorado Dry Lake Bed makes for a great photoshoot session or a place to run around with your dogs. The area is huge and you can completely run around without worry of cars or anything coming by!
3. Valley of Fire
I have to mention Valley of Fire because it is truly one of the best bang for your buck day trips from Vegas. It is 1 hour from Vegas but could take longer if there is traffic to get into the park.
Valley of Fire has the most gorgeous hiking trails and is fairly easy for all types of hikers.
It can get very very hot in the summer. I would recommend going in the fall, winter, or spring. If you are going in the summer, either go early (enter the park before 11AM) or go late (enter the park after 3PM).
Looking for other hikes near Vegas? Check out my Ultimate Hiking Guide to Las Vegas.
Here are my favorite hiking shoes / boots if you are heading to Valley of Fire:
Sun protection is also super important if you are going hiking. The Vegas heat and sun are no joke and I’ve definitely gotten sunburned before because I wasn’t careful.
Have you been on any day trips from Vegas? What did you think?
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6 Comments
I used to go to Vegas a lot when I lived back in the States. I didn’t know about the amazing hikes around the city. Definitely want to go to Nelson Ghost town with the fam.
We love to hike in Red Rock Canyon with our kids. There are great rocks to climb on, and the kids will spend hours there.
I actually have been on a day trip from Vegas and it was the best day of my whole trip. I find the strip really overwhelming and overpriced, so it was nice to get away. I’m going to save this post for when I eventually go back some day.
Great information! I always like getting out of the city and exploring! These sound like fun places to explore! Thanks for sharing!
I‘ve never been to Vegas, partly because I didn‘t realise there was still stuff to do beyond the strip! The Valley of Fire looks gorgeous!
Wow thanks for sharing this. I can’t wait to go on a trip to Vegas. My partner and I have been planning to go maybe on August and trust me we really needed this info.