Looking for a day trip from Las Vegas? You’ve come to the right place.
Here are the top 11 day trips from Vegas that get you out of the hustle and bustle of Vegas and into the beautiful nature of the American Southwest.
A day trip from Las Vegas is a great way to break up a Vegas trip and see some new scenery.
If you’re coming to Vegas for a conference and have extra time, these are some great places to see if you want to extend your trip. Some of them are within an hour of the strip, while others are up to 4 hours away.
If you have access to a car, you can drive yourself to these locations. There are also many guided tours from Vegas, which I will share throughout this piece. The nice thing about guided tours is that they often pick up at your hotel and make things very simple to plan.
More On Your Vegas Trip
Here are some more posts to help you plan your Las Vegas trip.
Day Trips From Las Vegas Within an Hour
Las Vegas is located within the Mojave Desert in the beautiful Southwest of the United States.
When you get even a little bit outside of Vegas proper, you can see beautiful red rocks, Joshua Trees, and vegetation native to the Desert. If you come in the wintertime, you can even see snow and ski on Mount Charleston.
If you plan to hike on your own at any of these places, I highly recommend researching and downloading trail maps prior to leaving Las Vegas, as cell phone reception can be spotty or nonexistent in many of the parks.
I use AllTrails+ for my offline trail maps.
Because it can be dangerous to hike alone, especially if you’re not used to the desert, I’ll share plenty of guided tour options in this piece as well.
Also, please research the weather and climate as they can vary greatly with elevation. Especially in the desert, come prepared with plenty of water and sun protection for hiking and outdoor activities.
Red Rocks Canyon National Conservation Area
Red Rocks Canyon is home to stunning rock formations, hiking, wildlife, and nature. The park is a loop you can drive around, stop at scenic lookouts, and walk.
Red Rocks is just a short drive from the strip, about 30 minutes, but it truly feels like a world away.
If you want a quick escape from the lights and hype of Vegas, this is the place to go.
There are many options for guided tours of Red Rocks, including fun 4×4 Jeep Tours.
Valley of Fire
Valley of Fire is a Nevada State Park, only 45 minutes from Las Vegas.
Stunning natural features, including majestic Sandstone rock formations, petroglyphs, and petrified trees, fill the park.
Valley of Fire feels like a world away from Vegas, and like you’re in the middle of nowhere, even though you’re within an hour of Vegas.
Book: Red Rocks + Valley of Fire Guided Tour
Hoover Dam
The Hoover Dam sits 45 minutes away from Vegas. The Hoover Dam controls and stores water from the Colorado River and aids in hydroelectric power.
You can learn more and tour the dam easily from Las Vegas.
Book: 3-Hour Tour to Hoover Dam
Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Lake Mead is a water escape from Vegas within a 45-minute drive.
Here you can relax on boats, canoe, kayak, hike, and bike around the 200 miles of trails around Lake Mead.
Lake Mead Cruises offers “Desert Princess,” a popular paddlewheel-style boat that cruises Lake Mead with views of Hoover Dam.
Mount Charleston
Within 45 minutes to an hour of Vegas, you can sit in the mountains at greater than 7000 feet of elevation, hike through mountains without the heat of the desert in the summer, walk through snow, and even ski.
Yes, Mount Charleston is a mountain resort near Vegas where you can retreat into nature, ski in winter, and hike in summer.
If you want to get out of the desert heat, Mount Charleston is generally 10-20 degrees cooler than the city, so pack layers.
Book: Day Trip to Mount Charleston Resort
More on Mount Charleston
Zion National Park
If you want to visit a National Park from Las Vegas and have not been to any on this list, I recommend starting with Zion. It’s magical.
Zion National Park is only 2.5 hours from Las Vegas in Utah and offers incredible natural beauty. Even the drive from Vegas to Zion is stunning.
Zion National Park is home to famous trails such as The Narrows and Angels Landing. If you are early to rise, it is completely doable to drive to Zion from Vegas, hike The Narrows of Angel’s Landing (if you have a permit) and drive back in the same day.
As of the writing of this piece, you do need a permit to hike Angel’s Landing, so plan accordingly.
- Read more: How to Hike the Narrows at Zion.
- Book: Zion Day Trip from Las Vegas
Death Valley National Park
Death Valley National Park sits below sea level and is the lowest-elevation national park, as well as the hottest.
Home to sand dunes and badlands, this unique park is only 2 and a half hours from Vegas.
Book: Death Valley VIP Tour from Las Vegas
Grand Canyon National Park
Grand Canyon National Park is a popular day-trip destination from Las Vegas, with many tour operators running buses from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon.
The Grand Canyon is 4 hours from Vegas, which is quite a drive for a single-day trip.
This is a nice side trip to take with a group tour because you can sit back and relax on the bus during the drive.
Book: Day Trip to Grand Canyon From Vegas
Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend
Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend are located in Page, AZ. While this is over 4.5 hours from Vegas, it’s a popular destination for day trip tours.
Antelope Canyon is stunning and a must-see if you’re in the Southwest. To get there, it is a bit out of the way from other popular destinations, so taking a day trip from Vegas is a logical choice.
Book: Day Trip from Vegas to Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend
Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park is also around 3.5 to 4 hours from Las Vegas.
Bryce Canyon offers some epic geological views unlike any other place on this list. Bryce is filled with irregular columns of stunning rock.
The park is filled with many epic lookout points and day hikes that you can do in a couple of hours.
Book: Las Vegas to Bryce Canyon + Zion Day Trip
Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park also sits 3.5 to 4 hours from Las Vegas in the high California Desert. It’s filled with its namesake Joshua Trees as well as many unique rock formations and desert beauties.
If you want to see Joshua Trees during your Vegas stay, I have seen them on the drive out to Mount Charleston, as the elevation is high enough to support their growth.
I don’t know of any group tours that go from Vegas to Joshua Tree; it’s a destination you’d drive yourself. Or, if you are extending your Vegas trip by going to California, you can drive from Vegas to Joshua Tree and visit Palm Springs for a weekend, which is close to Joshua Tree.
Recap: The Best Day Trips From Las Vegas
If you want to escape the lights of Las Vegas for a day, there are many options for trips that get you out of the city and into nature.
Whether you want to go just 30 minutes to an hour, or drive several hours, there are many landmark locations within a day’s drive of Las Vegas.