Best Day Trips From Las Vegas In 2023-2024

Here are the best day trips from Las Vegas, updated for 2023-2024 that you can complete in less than day, and come back in time for your evening show! If you are still unsure where to go from Las Vegas, explore the many national parks, famous landmarks and other destinations located around the city. Tours and day trips abound in Vegas - just decide where YOU want to go! I'll be your own Las Vegas tour guide and will show you where to go and what to see - the most scenic tours from Vegas to other popular destinations. Best places to go in Las Vegas are the Grand Canyon and Skywalk, Hoover Dam, Hollywood, Disneyland, Red Rock Canyon, Death Valley, Valley Of Fire, Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park, and of course the famous Gold Mine!

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon tours from Las Vegas

Trip duration: 2 hours to Grand Canyon West, 4 hours to Grand Canyon South Rim

The Grand Canyon definitely tops the list of the most popular places to go in Las Vegas! You can take day trips from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon's the South Rim, North Rim, Grand Canyon West. There are tours that combine a visit to the Grand Canyon with Hoover Dam. Grand Canyon is one of the most amazing parks in the world! There are plenty of ways to get to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas - by helicopter, by train, by bus, by jeep and even by airplane. Tour prices vary from $100 for a simple bus trip to a bit over $500 for a tour that includes helicopter, boat and Skywalk.

You can combine day trips from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon with a visit to Skywalk. Skywalk is an observation bridge with a glass floor, built at the edge of a canyon on the territory of Grand Canyon West, owned by Hualapai Indians. It offers a 360 unobstructed, awe-inspiring view of the Grand Canyon. Skywalk became a popular tourist destination on its own right. You can find your perfect Las Vegas trip to Grand Canyon Skywalk among the multitude of tours offered.


Hoover Dam

Hoover Dam tours from Las Vegas

Aficionados of mighty structures will appreciate the engineering marvel that is the Hoover Dam! One of the most popular places to go in Las Vegas, Hoover Dam is located in the Boulder city, only about 25 miles (40 km) from Vegas, and is easy to reach. During Hoover Dam day trips from Las Vegas you can not only learn about the sad history that accompanied its construction - there are plenty of things to do at Hoover Dam. For example, sunbathing, water skiing or cruising the Lake Mead that the dam impounds.

Hoover Dam tours from Las Vegas

We know there’s a lot of fine art to see while visiting Las Vegas but when you want to view something special and get out of Sin City for a while, then book one of the Las Vegas day trips to Seven Magic Mountains. The artwork created by Swiss-born artist Ugo Rondinone is fabulous, unique, and superbly situated in the Mojave Desert with the colorfully painted seven totem pole-style stacked boulders sculptures offering great contrast against the stark Mojave Desert. There are lots of options for you to choose from to this wonderful place that combines other great sightseeing attractions such as the Valley of Fire State Park, Hoover Dam, the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign, and you can even opt in to go to the Grand Canyon or you can choose to rent a stylish CanAm Ryker Trike and explore the area with a personal guide.

Los Angeles and Hollywood

Hollywood tours from Las Vegas

Day trips from Las Vegas to Los Angeles and Hollywood are quite popular as well. You can take a Hollywood Freedom tour with bus transportation included (same day return to Vegas). Or get a luxury transfer to Los Angeles from Vegas, and enjoy a day or two on your own and stay at a hotel in LA, and then come back to Vegas. Here are some ideas on things to do in Hollywood on your tour!

1) Take the hop on hop off bus tour of Hollywood with around 50 stops. 2) Visit the world-famous Universal Studios to see how movies are produced. You can either opt in for a Skip the Line Admission and enjoy it on your own, or take a VIP Experience tour that will make you feel like a star and show you the best special effects and the most interesting locations of the Studios. Universal Studios is also one of hop on hop off bus stops, so you can combine the two. You can also take a walking tour or a movie locations tour of Hollywood, or find other fun tours in Los Angeles before coming back to Las Vegas on your luxury transfer bus.


California

California day trips from Las Vegas

Sometimes you just need a break from the hustle and bustle of Sin City. Many visitors to Las Vegas decide that experiencing day trips from Las Vegas to California is just the ticket. Day trip like these are amazing with numerous options for transportation like a private SUV, a customized touring van with WI-Fi and large windows, or maybe you like the idea of a large comfortable coach. But what really makes these day trip special is experiencing the places in California which are unique and one-of-a-kind. Once you arrive in California your experience changes with options from a VIP wine tasting to the splendid nature of Death Valley National Park or star gazing in the park to walking along Hollywood Boulevard and checking out the Hollywood Walk of Fame to eating ice cream on the Santa Monica Pier while gazing at the Pacific Ocean. The sky’s the limit on what you can see and do in California with other exciting things like a stop at Universal Studios or Warner Brothers Studio, a shopping spree on Rodeo Drive, and don’t forget to check out all the celebrity mansions in Beverly Hills while taking a photo of the Hollywood sign.

Utah

Utah day trips from Las Vegas

Taking day trips from Las Vegas to Utah is exactly what you need when you want to experience something truly special while vacationing in Las Vegas. There are plenty of convenient options for transportation from a private car to a large coach to specialized viewing vans with large windows and Wi-Fi. The places you go have the best scenery and landscapes within the Southwest. Experience places like Bryce National Park with its famous orange colored Hoodoos, take a hike at Horseshoe Bend while snapping photos of the Colorado River, and tubing down the Virgin River in Zion National Park while checking out the towering cliffs in the park are great suggestions for a wonderful time. There are tours that will customize day hikes, take you exploring through the famous Narrows, and the excitement doesn’t end there with other options from hiking the slot canyons at Antelope Canyon with a Navajo guide to viewing the incredible landmarks within Monument Valley to combining a day trip to several national parks all in one day.

Red Rock Canyon

Red Rock Canyon tours from Las Vegas

Trip duration: 20 min

Rock Canyon day trips from Las Vegas are extremely popular! Activities at the Red Rock Canyon include hiking, biking, tours by bus, exotic cars and even three-wheel scooters! Red Rock Canyon is a gorgeous park located only about 30 minutes from Las Vegas, and it's one of those hidden gems locals are proud of! It's a small gem and is perfect to escape to from the buzzing city. They come here to hike, camp, bike, ride horses and rock climb. If you don't want to do all that, you can just drive and take a tour around the Scenic Loop that shows the best of the canyon. Located only a short drive from the Sin City, Red Rock Canyon is among easily accessible places to go in Las Vegas. It's famous for unique geological rock formations that have a bright red color. You can also find here rock paintings left by the ancient Indians, unique Joshua trees that are so big they will blow you away, and of course, animals. The Red Rock Canyon has interesting and rich history. Red Rock Canyon is also home to 2 ranches that offer attractions of their own and are worth a visit - Bonnie Springs and Spring Mountain State Park that you can also visit during Las Vegas day trips.

Valley of Fire

Valley of Fire tours from Las Vegas

During Valley of Fire day trips from Las Vegas you will get a feeling that you are visiting another planet - Mars, perhaps. The rock formations have very unusual shapes - they look like sculptures in a museum under an open sky. The most famous statue is the Elephant Rock. In bright sun, when sun rays are reflected from the surface of the rocks, they appear to be on fire.

The valley's unusual beauty made is one of the poplar destinations for outdoor weddings or even helicopter weddings, as well as one of the most fun places to go in Las Vegas! But if you are not ready for the big step yet (ha-ha), you can find excellent ATV and dune buggy tours. Riding a Mini Baja Buggy is actually safe for kids 3 years and older, and it's hard to think of a better way to spend a day out than taking one of the best Las Vegas day trips you can imagine!


Death Valley

Death Valley tours from Las Vegas

Day trips from Las Vegas to Death Valley are a great idea if you think you might enjoy the lowest, the driest and the hottest place in the United States! Death Valley boasts some of the most gorgeous landscapes and truly is a photographers' and movie-makers' paradise.

Death Valley is one of the most fascinating, albeit the hottest park located within about 2,5 hours drive from Las Vegas. Death Valley is comprised of several unique places that you won't see anywhere else in the world. For example, there is a region called Badwater Basin - the lowest point in the Northern Hemisphere. It's bottom is covered with hexagonal salt formations.

Other points of interest in Death Valley are Ubehebe Crater formed during a volcano eruption, Devil's Golf Course with salt formations completely different from those in Badwater Basin, Racetrack Playa with stones that move all by themselves. If you decide to go on a day trip from Las Vegas to Death Valley, don't miss the opportunity to visit the ghost town of Rhyolite and it's Goldwell Open Air Museum.

Lake Mead

Lake Mead tours from Las Vegas

Lake Mead is another great place for day trips from Las Vegas - probably because the city is located in the middle of a desert! There are plenty of things to do on Lake Mead year round - you could rent canoe, kayak, jet ski or a houseboat. You can combine Lake Mead tour from Las Vegas with a boat cruise with a delicious dinner and make it a perfect romantic evening!

Zion National Park

Zion National Park tours from Las Vegas

Day trips from Las Vegas to Zion National Park are perfect if you want to escape all the hustle and bustle of Vegas - it's an incredibly beautiful gem located in Utah.

Zion is famous for interesting rocks created by the Virgin River. Among points of interest in Zion are: Canyon Overlook Trail, Observation Point from where you can see the stunning Angel's Landing, hiking down The Narrows trails, and for the most experienced with permission - The Subway hiking trail that looks like a tunnel.

Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon tours from Las Vegas

Bryce Canyon is one of the most photographed parks in the world! Since they are all located pretty close, you can combine Bryce Canyon day trips from Las Vegas with a visit to Zion National Park and to the Monument Valley (described below).

Bryce Canyon is famous for very special rock formations called "Hoodoos" which look like tall, thin pyramids. Paiute Indians believed that these Hoodoos are actually people turned into stone for bad deeds. The flora at Bryce Canyon is also very unique and consists mostly of fir trees that look incredible in winter, all covered in snow. If you hike down Bryce Canyon - you will be amazed by it's beauty! Other activities you can include into Las Vegas day trips to Bryce canyon are snow shoeing in winter and horseback riding in summer. Thanks to very light pollution, at night in Bryce Canyon you can see stars without having to look up in the sky - the Bryce Canyon claims to have one of the brightest skies in the world!

Area 51

Area 51 day trips from Las Vegas

One of the more intriguing day trips from Las Vegas that has you exploring for aliens is the Area 51 Day Tour from Las Vegas. Your 10-hour adventure is a great thing to do in Las Vegas for anyone interested in life beyond our planet and begins with complimentary hotel pick-up service. Once on board a comfortable 4x4 luxury SUV you head out to McCarran International Airport to view the suspicious Janet Airlines that transport workers to Area 51 on a daily basis. From here your guide will fill you in on all the conspiracy theories of aliens as you travel through the Mojave Desert viewing Joshua Tree National Forest until you reach an ancient dry lake bed. Here you will see incredible 6-foot tall Indian petroglyphs that mimic alien forms and view the ancient lake where many individuals have reported seeing UFOs in person. As you continue to travel the Extraterrestrial Highway you will stop for a free lunch at the iconic Little A’le’ Inn which was featured in the movie Independence Day. Moving onward to Area 51, you will spot numerous cameras and listening devices amongst the cacti when you finally see the warning sign that reads “Top Secret Military Facility, Keep Out, Use of Deadly Force Authorized. Your day chasing aliens concludes with drop-off service back at your Las Vegas hotel.

Arizona Ghost Towns and Wild West

Arizona Ghost Towns and Wild West

When you want to experience the raucous days of the Old Wild West and see some incredible scenery along the way, then an ideal day trip from Las Vegas to try is the Arizona Ghost Towns and Wild West Day Trip from Las Vegas. The 9-hour journey begins with complimentary hotel pick-up service where you will board a comfortable motor coach. Your first stop is at the Hoover Dam where you can take photographs of Lake Mead, the Black Canyon and the mighty Colorado River. From here you will head to the small mining town of Chloride which has survived since 1860 and now is a ghost town with 250 residents. Here you will also enjoy a free lunch before traveling along famous Route 66 to your next ghost town named Oatman which is haunted by a dead Irish miner named William Ray Flour. While you walk the streets you can take photographs with wild burros, bandits and modern day cowboys as well as experience an authentic Wild West shootout. After a drink in the saloon (added expense) you will travel along the Veterans Memorial Highway while you admire the Mojave Desert. Your last stop is at El Dorado which is a former gold mining town that has been used as the backdrop for numerous movies over the years. After a quick look at the Techatticup Mine you will head back to Las Vegas where your excursion will conclude with drop-off service at your hotel.

Hidden Valley And Primm

Hidden Valley And Primm

One of the most adventurous day trips from Las Vegas is for someone to go to Hidden Valley And Primm and try the exhilarating motorized outdoor activities. Located just 30-minutes outside of Las Vegas, Hidden Valley And Primm is the ideal place to go off-road riding. There are a number of excursions that will have you maneuvering over the landscape while you take in the gorgeous scenery of the Mojave Desert and the McCullough Mountain Range that surrounds the monument. Off-road tours feature a variety of vehicles from customized dune buggies that are perfect for families to super charged ATVs that pack a punch when you hit the gas to BMX style motorcycles that have you flying in the air over the obstacles. Tours range from four to six hours and most include complimentary hotel pick-up and drop-off service.

Route 66

Route 66

The perfect day trip from Las Vegas for history buffs and vintage sign lovers to take is the Route 66 Tour. Your journey into the past begins with complimentary hotel pick-up service where you will meet your informative guide and board a comfortable coach. Your first stop will be at the historic Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign for a quick photograph before you continue to the Hoover Dam which is one of the world’s greatest feats of engineering. As you continue along historic Route 66 you will stop in Kingman, Arizona for a quick look at several vintage signs. Once you Seligman, Arizona you have the opportunity to walk inside the Historic Route 66 Museum where you can view hundreds of pieces of interesting memorabilia associated with the historic highway.

Monument Valley

Monument Valley tours from Las Vegas

3 Day Tour: Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley and Zion

7-Day Camping Tour: Zion, Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley and Grand Canyon South Rim

We are getting farther and farther from Las Vegas, but Monument Valley is the last national park reachable within one day! Las Vegas day trips to Monument Valley will leave long lasting memories. Monument Valley is located on the territory of Navajo Indian Reservation, and it's oh so familiar to many of us who like Wild West movies! Because of it's picturesque and imposing rocks that look like monuments, the valley is a beloved spot of Hollywood producers! Some of the movies shot in Monument Valley include: Wild Wild West (1999), Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), Mission: Impossible II (2000). Other than looking at the unbelievable landscape during Monument Valley day trips, you can try hot air balloon tours and horseback riding.


Mount Charleston

Mount-Charleston-Tour-slingshot

A perfect way for you to get out of the hustle and bustle of Sin City is to take one of the Mount Charleston day trips from Las Vegas. You will be pleased with the many options you have to go to the highest point in Southern Nevada located in the rugged Spring Mountain Range. Summertime takes you hiking through mountain forests filled with wildflowers, picnicking next a mountain stream or you can stretch in a yoga class. You can snap photos with a professional photographer as you drive along the twisting road to the top or view from the sky while soaring in a helicopter. Other adventures include skiing in the winter at Lee Canyon and Kyle Canyon is perfect for tubing down a snowy hill. If that’s not enough then you can drive an incredible replica of the Batmobile and have lunch at the historic Mount Charleston Lodge.

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