Day Trips from Las Vegas

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Las Vegas is a fun playground for adults if you love to drink, gamble, go to shows and lounge at crowded swimming pools.

Luckily there is a lot to do in and around Las Vegas besides the typical Sin City excitement. One of the best ways to escape the Strip is to take a day trip from Las Vegas. Another idea is to check out some non touristy things to do in Vegas.

There are several attractions outside of Las Vegas for a full or part day trip, weekend getaway or road trip. Let’s go!

Day Trips from Las Vegas

What are some fun things to do in Las Vegas besides gambling? How about checking out the gorgeous desert landscape around the city. Here are destinations near Las Vegas and fun activities that would make an amazing full or half day trip from Vegas.

If you have your own vehicle you can reach most of these places to visit near Las Vegas by car within a few hours. Click here to compare prices on a rental car if you need one. Don’t drive? No worries, there are also several activities including transportation listed below.

What is there to do outside of Las Vegas? Go off the beaten path!

• See spectacular red rock formations at Valley of Fire State Park. A perfect place for a hike, or stay overnight at one of the two campgrounds. It’s about 40 minutes away by car, and is one of the best destinations near Las Vegas. Don’t have your own vehicle? Go on a guided hike with included transportation from the city.

• Craving adventure? Go white water rafting in the Grand Canyon as a day trip from Vegas, you can even take a helicopter back to Sin City!

• Hoover Dam is a popular day trip from Las Vegas. You can get there by car or take a guided tour.

• Want to combine your visit to the Hoover Dam with checking out some ghost towns? Check out this guided tour that will take you to three typical old western ghost towns.

• Kayaking on the Colorado River sounds like an ideal day trip to me. Take a guided tour of Black Canyon including transportation from Vegas or choose between a full day or half day adventure. Or go for a night kayak paddle by the light of the moon! If you prefer not to paddle and relax while rafting, check out this Black Canyon rafting tour.

• If paddleboarding is more your thing, take a half day SUP trip on the Colorado River.

• See Ugo Rondinone’s sculpture of neon painted boulders at Seven Magic Mountains until May 2018.

• Take a 45 minute exhilarating helicopter tour over the Grand Canyon. Or fly in a helicopter to the Grand Canyon and descend 3500 feet to land on the canyon floor and drink champagne by the river.

• Visit Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, it’s just a few miles west of Vegas and offers hiking, mountain biking, rock climbing and the 13 mile long scenic drive is one of the best driving trips from Las Vegas. You can even take an 3 hour electric bike tour of the park.

• Go from your Vegas hotel to sitting atop a horse in the middle of the desert on this half day horseback riding and BBQ dinner adventure.

• Go on a ranger led hike at Spring Mountain Ranch State Park. They sometimes offer full moon night hikes. Located just west of the city, this is a great destination if you don’t want to drive far and is an excellent hiking day trip from Las Vegas.

• Love running and want to experience something a little different? Go on a guided trail run along the Railroad Tunnels trail to Hoover Dam.

• Go kayaking in Black Canyon and the narrow channels of Emerald Cave with a guide.

• Aliens among us? Take a full day tour to mysterious Area 51, learn about the secret military base and local lore. It’s a pretty weird thing to do around Vegas.

• Have you always wanted to visit Antelope Canyon and see the amazing views of Horseshoe Bend? You can do it on this day tour including transportation and a guide.

• Take a full day adventure to Death Valley National Park including transportation and a guide. You can drive there yourself too but I’d recommend spending the night in that case and turning it into an overnight trip.

• Head down to Big Bend of the Colorado State Recreation Area for a fun and relaxing day by the clear waters. Go kayaking, swimming or just lounge at the river’s edge. You can hike and camp here too.

• For a quick escape from the madness of Vegas, go for a walk or jog on the Historic Railroad Tunnels Trail. Here is an excellent guide to the trail. It’s one of the most convenient hiking day trips from Las Vegas.

• A hiking adventure with a warm bath at the end! Check out Arizona Hot Springs also known as Ringbolt Hot Springs. Here is an awesome review about hiking and camping there.

• Wanna see some snow? Head up to Mt. Charleston. In the winter you might be able to ski and in the summer you can enjoy a refreshing hike. It’s only about 30 minutes from the city and would make a good overnight trip from Vegas too.

• Lake Mead is only about 25 miles from the Strip and is one of the top attractions outside of Las Vegas. Lake Mead offers plenty of outdoor activities including boating, hiking, camping and fishing. You can even learn stand-up paddleboarding! Here’s some information about the best places to go swimming at Lake Mead. It’s great for a day trip, and check here for information about an overnight adventure.

Check out these other day trip activities:

Be sure to also look at our 13 favorite weird things to do in Las Vegas and the best overnight trips from Vegas.

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