Are you planning a trip to Las Vegas and want to know your options for the very best day trips and tours available? Perfect! Having personally explored Las Vegas and the surrounding areas extensively, we will walk you through the top 10 day trips from Las Vegas that we think are the most popular, the most realistic and the most achievable for your visit to southern Nevada.
Why only 10 Las Vegas day trip options?
Well, how many day trips are you realistically going to take on your Las Vegas vacation? One, two or maybe even three at the most?
We don’t want to overwhelm you with a long list of obscure places. Instead we will show you only the 10 day trips that most visitors typically take from Las Vegas.
In this guide we will show you:
- What are the best day trips from Las Vegas?
- Do it yourself or take a tour for each destination
- Full details on each Las Vegas day trip with top things to do
- Bonus hidden gem day trip and lesser known options
Let’s take a look at the 10 best day trip options for your visit to Las Vegas!
*Please note this post may contain affiliate links. If you click on one, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the free content we provide! Read more in our disclosure policy.*
What Are The Best Day Trips From Las Vegas?
So what are the “best” day trips from Las Vegas and how did we select them?
The 10 best day trips from Las Vegas are as follows (in order of our ranking):
- Grand Canyon South Rim – Best landscape
- Valley of Fire – Best for photographers
- Red Rock Canyon – Best close option for hiking
- Zion National Park – Best for iconic hikes
- Death Valley – Best for underrated landscape
- Bryce Canyon – Best for unique topography
- Grand Canyon West Rim – Best for tour selection
- Hoover Dam – Best for a quick family day trip
- Seven Magic Mountains – Best easy day trip
- Page, AZ – Best for specific attractions
How we selected this list:
- Quality – Desirability and popularity of destination
- Activities – Things to do upon arrival (hiking, photography etc)
- Distance – Driving achievable in one day?
It is important to note that there are a whole host of other day trip options from Las Vegas which would be more suited to locals or regular visitors to the area.
We will list more places later in the guide but in a much shorter format.
Should You Do It Yourself Or Take A Tour?
The most important question you need to ask before planning a day trip from Las Vegas is whether you want to drive it yourself or have someone else drive for you as part of a guided tour.
Both ways have pros and cons.
Do It Yourself
If you have your own car or you hire a car in Las Vegas, most of the day trips listed below are easy enough to drive to yourself.
The closer day trip options like Seven Magic Mountains and Hoover Dam should certainly be driven yourself if you have a car.
But, for example, we personally wouldn’t drive all the way out from Las Vegas to Page, AZ for Antelope Canyon. We’d leave the car in Vegas and take a tour.
The bad news about driving yourself is you miss out on learning from locals who are very knowledgable about a place. But you will save money and you have more flexibility to explore at your own pace.
Take A Tour
If you are not driving to Las Vegas and you don’t intend to hire a car at Harry Reid airport (it’s not McCarran anymore), then you will be looking for tour options only.
The cost of a tour will be similar to hiring a car unless you are a large group. Plus, this way you benefit from learning about the landscapes around Las Vegas.
Top Las Vegas Day Trip Distances
Let’s take a quick look at distances and drive times from the Las Vegas Strip (Bellagio) to each day popular day trip listed below:
- Grand Canyon South Rim – 280 miles / 4h 30m
- Valley of Fire – 50 miles / 55m
- Red Rock Canyon – 18 miles / 30m
- Zion National Park – 165 miles / 2h 45m
- Death Valley – 118 miles / 2h 10m
- Bryce Canyon – 266 miles / 4h 25m
- Grand Canyon West Rim – 127 miles / 2h 15m
- Hoover Dam – 39 miles / 45m
- Seven Magic Mountains – 22 miles / 30m
- Page, AZ – 276 miles / 4h 30m
Our advice is to consider how much driving you actually want to do.
If you are dead set on seeing the Grand Canyon or Bryce Canyon for instance, both require a fair amount of drive time.
Our Experience In The Southwest
We’ve spent a lot of time exploring the American southwest and have found ourselves in Las Vegas on several occasions at different times of year. We know how important it can be to escape for a few hours!
Las Vegas is unquestionably one of the best places to visit in the USA but sometimes you just need to take a day away from the non-stop hustle and bustle on the strip.
We have been to each and every place recommended below with the exception of West Rim, so you can rest assured everything you read is taken directly from first hand experience.
The 10 Most Popular Day Trips From Las Vegas
Here are the 10 places we would recommend the most to visitors looking for potential day trips from Las Vegas.
We have ranked each day trip in order from 1-10, with 1 being our top selection.
Within each day trip you will find the best things to do and why it is one of the best Las Vegas day trips.
At the end of each day trip we will list a handful of the top rated tour options in case you won’t have a car available.
Let’s begin!
1. Grand Canyon South Rim
Grand Canyon South Rim is one of few places on Earth that will make you gasp for air the first time you see it. Even after multiple visits, we still get an overwhelming sense of awe when we stand on top of South Rim.
The number one day trip from Las Vegas is to the Grand Canyon.
However, we want to make it clear that South Rim is different to West Rim. Most tours from Las Vegas run to West Rim, which we will cover later.
South Rim is the quintessential Grand Canyon you have seen in photos and heard about from friends.
Here are our popular guides:
Things To Do At Grand Canyon South Rim
- Find the best Grand Canyon views to take photos of the extraordinary landscape
- Drive to more vantage points east of the village
- Take a shuttle up Hermits Rest and walk the flat rim
- Hike down a portion of Bright Angel Trail or South Kaibab Trail for a more immersive experience
- Day hike South Kaibab to Bright Angel Trail via Phantom Ranch (rim to river)
Why Is Grand Canyon South Rim One Of The Best Day Trips From Las Vegas?
Grand Canyon South Rim is a heck of a drive out and back from Las Vegas for a day trip.
But if you’ve never seen the majestic canyon and you’re not sure when you’ll be in this part of the world again, it is a day trip you simply have to take.
The good news is that unless you want to hike down into the canyon, you will be able to see the best of Grand Canyon South Rim in just a few hours before returning to Las Vegas.
Grand Canyon is one of the best national parks in the USA and we think everyone deserves to see this truly iconic landscape at least once.
DIY Or Take A Tour?
Tour – Both are solid options for day tripping to Grand Canyon South Rim from Las Vegas. However, we personally wouldn’t fancy 9 hours of driving so we would take a tour here.
Even if you have a car you might want to consider a tour option.
Top Rated Grand Canyon South Rim Tours From Las Vegas
There are a number of tours you can take from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon South Rim. Taking a tour to South Rim is a much more relaxing way to spend one day of your Las Vegas vacation days.
Here are the top rated tours available:
Viator
1. Full Day Bus Tour – This is the most basic and cheapest option, taking around 15-16 hours total with several pick up and drop off spots along the Las Vegas Strip. Entry to Grand Canyon South Rim is included in the price, which makes this a bargain.
2. Route 66 Combo – This full day 14 hour tour combines Grand Canyon South Rim with visits to the Hoover Dam and a portion of Route 66. Hotel pickup and drop off included, as well as lunch provided. Excellent price to tick off 3 major southwest attractions.
Get Your Guide
1. Helicopter Tour – This is a helicopter tour originating at Grand Canyon South Rim and flying for 45 minutes over South Rim. This tour is available to anyone who drives themselves to South Rim rather than taking a bus tour. It is the only helicopter tour available over South Rim so don’t miss out!
2. Valley Of Fire
Valley of Fire is one of the most underrated natural landscapes in the US southwest.
Most people visit the national parks, but Valley of Fire is equally as unmissable in our opinion.We couldn’t get enough of sunrise hikes to otherworldly topography and countless awesome photo ops.
Valley of Fire is one of the easiest and most rewarding day trip options available from Las Vegas.
We would put it as number one on the list for anyone who is short on time in Vegas and enjoys photography. It only loses out to Grand Canyon because it is a global icon.
Here are our guides for further reading:
Things To Do In Valley Of Fire
- Hike Fire Wave Trail
- Take the iconic Mouse’s Tank photo
- Hike White Domes Trail
- See well preserved petroglyphs at Atlatl Rock
- Hike several other fun trails
- Photograph weird and wonderful rock formations
Why Is Valley Of Fire One Of The Best Day Trips From Las Vegas?
Valley of Fire is features stunning rock formations like Fire Wave and Pink Canyon, plus it is under one hour drive from Las Vegas.
If you enjoy short easy hikes leading to incredibly photogenic geologic features, this is the perfect Las Vegas day trip for you.
Our advice is to leave Las Vegas super early in the dark at least 1.5 hours before sunrise.
Drive into the park and head for Fire Wave. Hike to the alien landscape right in time for the sun rising for an unforgettable memory.
DIY Or Take A Tour?
DIY – This is an easy and short drive, so as long as you have a car, it is a DIY day trip for Valley of Fire.
Top Rated Valley Of Fire Tours From Las Vegas
No car? No problem.
You can still see the incredible Valley of Fire landscape on one of several tour options.
Here are the top rated tours available:
Viator
1. Hiking Tour – This 5 hour Valley of Fire hiking tour includes hotel pickup and drop off, option to choose hiking level between easy, moderate and hard, plus full guided tour of the area.
2. Double Bubble – This 8 hour guided tour combines Valley of Fire with Seven Magic Mountains to tick off two of the top attractions in one hit. This is perfect for the photographers and social media users as both stops are among the most photogenic.
Get Your Guide
1. Hiking Tour – This 4-6 hour guided hiking tour of Valley of Fire features hotel pickup and drop off, choice between easy, moderate or hard hiking routes and is top rated.
2. Fire + Zion – This 14 hour full day guided tour gives you entry into both Zion National Park and Valley of Fire in one amazing day. It’s a newer tour with no reviews but the price is reasonable and it takes in two of the top southwest landscapes.
3. Red Rock Canyon
Red Rock Canyon is the best hiking arena within easy striking distance of Las Vegas.
In just 30 minutes drive time from the strip you can be taking on several adventurous hikes surrounded by a harsh but picturesque red and white rocky landscape.
If you’re into hiking and you need to escape Las Vegas for a day blasting the cobwebs off, Red Rock Canyon is definitely the place for you.
Here’s our guide:
Things To Do In Red Rock Canyon
- Hike Calico I, Calico II and Calico Tanks
- Experienced hikers should take on Turtlehead Peak
- Adventure seekers will want to hike Ice Box Canyon
- Geology lovers can hike Keystone Thrust to tectonic plates
Why Is Red Rock Canyon One Of The Best Day Trips From Las Vegas?
Red Rock Canyon is the closest place in this entire list that you should consider taking a day trip from Las Vegas. There are plenty of hikes for all levels to suit most visitors and it is a surprisingly photogenic area.
Our advice is to arrive early or late in the day.
The road around Red Rock Canyon is a one-way loop so you want to avoid the morning rush arriving all at the same time. Don’t miss Ice Box Canyon near the end.
DIY Or Take A Tour?
DIY – The same as Valley of Fire, if you have a car you can easily drive to Red Rock Canyon without considering a tour option.
Top Rated Red Rock Canyon Tours From Las Vegas
Without a car you can still hike, enjoy and learn about the landscape on one of many tours out of Las Vegas.
Here are the top rated tours available:
Viator
1. Sunset Horseback Ride – This 5 hour Red Rock Canyon horsesback ride and barbecue tour is extremely popular and top rated. Guided horseback riding for 90 minutes through the quieter part of the canyon, with all transport and entry included.
2. Scooter Tour – Instead of driving or horsesback riding, why not take a popular scooter tour through Red Rock Canyon?! This one has a ton of top ratings and only takes 4 hours total roundtrip back to Vegas.
Get Your Guide
1. Pink Jeep Adventure – This 4 hour guided tour in a pink Jeep Wrangler takes in Red Rock Canyon with bonus off roading adventure up Rocky Gap road. Includes hotel pickup, drop off and all costs.
2. Electric Bikes – This 3 hour half day tour of Red Rock Canyon includes hotel pickup and drop off, electric bikes with safety gear and all costs included.
4. Zion National Park
Zion National Park is home to some of the best hikes in the US including Angels Landing, The Narrows and The Subway. Millions each year head to southwest Utah to hike adventure trails and look up at towering canyon walls.
Taking a day trip from Las Vegas to Zion is perfectly within reason and you will be able to hike a handful of trail to get a taste for the park.
Truth be told, you won’t be able to do all of the best bits in one day, but you can definitely put a dent in it.
Here are our popular Zion guides:
- 20 best hikes in Zion National Park
- 5 different ways you can spend one day in Zion
- Where to stay near Zion National Park
Things To Do In Zion
- Hike the death defying Angels Landing Trail (permit required)
- Day hike The Narrows bottom up
- Hike family friendly Emerald Pools Trail
- Watch sunset from Zion Canyon Overlook
- Hike in the less busy area of Kolob Canyon
- Day hike The Subway bottom up (wilderness permit required)
Why Is Zion One Of The Best Day Trips From Las Vegas?
Zion is a bucket list US national park perfectly suited to adventurous hikers and outdoorsy people.
The drive time is just about within reason but you’ll need an early start and a late finish if day tripping from Las Vegas.
In one day you can hike Angels Landing (get a permit before visiting) and a portion of The Narrows. With more time you can hike some of the smaller trails.
DIY Or Take A Tour?
Either – Both will work here.
Families or those not interested in hiking should take a tour but we would say hikers should do it yourself because that way you have more control over your itinerary.
If you want to hike Angels Landing, The Narrows or The Subway, you will need to be on your own time frame.
Top Rated Zion Tours From Las Vegas
If you would prefer to take a tour of Zion, you can put your feet up and relax with one of several top rated tours right out of Las Vegas.
Here are the top rated tours available:
Viator
1. Zion Only – The cheapest option for just a visit to Zion is this 11-13 hour bus tour which includes pickup and drop off in Las Vegas, entry into Zion and 6 hours exploring time in the park. This gives you time to do your own thing in Zion, but make sure you get a permit if you want to hike Angels Landing.
2. Zion + Bryce Canyon – This full day 14 hour small group guided tour includes both Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. Hotel pickup and drop off in Las Vegas included, as well as entry to both parks. You will get less time in each park, but you get to see both parks in one day.
Get Your Guide
1. Zion + Bryce Canyon – Similar tour to above but you can compare prices and choose preferred tour group. Includes both Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. Hotel pickup and drop off in Las Vegas included, as well as entry to both parks.
5. Death Valley
Death Valley National Park appears a harsh and bleak environment at first, but then you realize it is remarkably unique and actually quite beautiful.
Salt basins, sand dunes, rugged canyons and colorful mounds are flanked by gigantic mountain ranges in Death Valley.
Death Valley is an easy national park day trip option from Las Vegas.
It is close enough to make a real go at seeing the best of the park in one day. Our advice is to drive a clockwise loop from Vegas, leaving via Rhyolite ghost town.
Here are our guides:
- How to see Death Valley in one day from Las Vegas
- 13 best hotels around Death Valley National Park
- 10 key things to know about visiting Death Valley in December
Things To Do In Death Valley
- Stand at the lowest point in the contiguous 48 states on Badwater Basin
- Hike Golden Canyon Trail and Mosaic Canyon Trail
- Walk out onto Mesquite Sand Dunes
- See vibrant colors at Artists Palette
- Watch sunrise at Zabriskie Point
- See the sunset at Dante’s View
- Drive the amazing 4WD Titus Canyon
Why Is Death Valley One Of The Best Day Trips From Las Vegas?
Death Valley is the closest national park to Las Vegas and it is easy enough to tick off the best bits in a long day trip.
Choose Death Valley over Zion or Grand Canyon if you want something a bit different or if you’ve already visited the others.
Only take this day trip option from Las Vegas if you are visiting outside of the summer months. Death Valley is not somewhere you want to find yourself in July or August!
DIY Or Take A Tour?
Either – We would say do it yourself if you want to tick off as many top sights as possible.
Otherwise, put your feet up and relax on this one. See the best of Death Valley with someone else driving and learn about the landscape.
Top Rated Death Valley Tours From Las Vegas
Without a car you can still hike, enjoy and learn about the landscape on one of many tours out of Las Vegas.
Here are the top rated tours available:
Viator
1. Full Day – This full day 10-12 hour coach tour of Death Valley is top rated and easily affordable. You will see the top highlights of the park, with hotel pickup and drop off, plus brunch and all entry fees included.
2. Small Group – This 10 hour small group guided tour travels by SUV or mini-bus and covers double the amount of sights in Death Valley. It is more expensive but you will have a more immersive experience.
Get Your Guide
1. Full Day – This 10 hour tour is highly rated and the cheapest option for Death Valley. You will see the top highlights of the park, with hotel pickup and drop off, plus lunch and all entry fees included.
6. Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon is centered around a small but uniquely striking bowl shaped amphitheater filled with needle-like orange sandstone rock towers called hoodoos. It is incredibly photogenic, particularly at sunrise and sunset.
Taking a day trip from Las Vegas to Bryce Canyon is going to be a long day.
If you’re going to make the effort, you should visit both Zion and Bryce Canyon together.
Although we typically suggest 3 days for Zion and Bryce Canyon, you can at least drive through both and see some highlights in one day.
Here are our guides:
Things To Do In Bryce Canyon
- Hike Queen’s Garden Navajo Loop Trail
- Drive the scenic road to Inspiration Point
- Find the best Bryce Canyon photography spots
- Watch sunrise and sunset over the amphitheater
Why Is Bryce Canyon One Of The Best Day Trips From Las Vegas?
Bryce Canyon is exceptionally photogenic and easy to visit.
The amphitheater filled with oddly shaped rocks is fascinating and can either be seen from the rim or by hiking down among the sandstone formations.
If it were closer, Bryce Canyon would be higher in this list of Las Vegas day trips.
With that said, we still think Bryce Canyon is definitely worth seeing, even if just for an hour or two.
But unless you do not plan to be back in the US southwest anytime soon, we would suggest planning a separate trip to drive the Utah Mighty 5 road trip.
DIY Or Take A Tour?
Tour – Bryce Canyon is a long old way from Las Vegas. You’ll be better off combining Bryce Canyon with Zion on a guided tour so you can relax in between exploring parts of both parks.
Top Rated Bryce Canyon Tours From Las Vegas
The only tours available for Bryce Canyon originating in Las Vegas also include Zion National Park. They come as a two, which makes sense logistically.
Here are the top rated tours available:
Viator
1. Zion + Bryce Canyon – This full day 14 hour small group guided tour includes both Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. Hotel pickup and drop off in Las Vegas included, as well as entry to both parks. You will get less time in each park, but you get to see both parks in one day.
Get Your Guide
1. Zion + Bryce Canyon – Similar tour to above but you can compare prices and choose preferred tour group. Includes both Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. Hotel pickup and drop off in Las Vegas included, as well as entry to both parks.
7. Grand Canyon West Rim
Grand Canyon West Rim is the most popular day trip from Las Vegas for those who do not have a car and for visitors with a general preference to take tours in new places.
There are dozens of options available from minibus tours to Jeep tours and even helicopter tours all arriving into West Rim.
Skywalk is the centerpiece of a visit to West Rim.
You may have to pay additional entry fees to access the curving glass bottomed walkway but it looks pretty cool.
We haven’t been to West Rim ourselves yet, but we will definitely look into white water rafting and the Skywalk when we do go.
Things To Do At Grand Canyon West Rim
- Gaze into the canyon from Guano Point
- Stand over the Grand Canyon on glass atop Skywalk
- Take a helicopter ride over West Rim
- Take a white water rafting tour
- Zip Line over part of the canyon
Why Is Grand Canyon West Rim One Of The Best Day Trips From Las Vegas?
West Rim provides visitors with a glimpse into the incredible topography, layers and colors inside the Grand Canyon.
It is much closer to Las Vegas than South Rim, so you get to see a part of the Grand Canyon without the extra long travel day.
If you want to get a taster for the Grand Canyon on your trip to Las Vegas, we highly recommend booking a tour to West Rim that also takes in other attractions near Vegas like Seven Magic Mountains and Hoover Dam.
That way you can tick off several of the top Las Vegas day trips in one hit.
DIY Or Take A Tour?
Tour – Most of the day trips from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon go to West Rim. It is the bread and butter of tour providers in this region. You will be able to group together several other attractions with West Rim if desired.
Top Rated Grand Canyon West Rim Tours From Las Vegas
As mentioned, West Rim of the Grand Canyon is the most popular Las Vegas tour destination. There are dozens of variations including other attractions around Las Vegas.
Here are the top rated tours available:
Viator
1. Deluxe Helicopter Tour – This top rated 4 hour helicopter tour is the quintessential luxury splurge for many tourists to Las Vegas. Includes 45 minutes flying time each way over the Las Vegas Strip, Lake Mead, Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon West Rim, champagne toast and hotel pickup / drop-off.
2. Budget Bus Tour – This 10 hour bus tour takes in Grand Canyon West Rim (tickets to Skywalk can be purchased at discounted rate), Hoover Dam and a Joshua Tree forest. It is an affordable way to see West Rim and Hoover Dam on the same tour.
Get Your Guide
1. Full Day Tour – This 12 hour guided tour includes hotel pick up and drop off, lunch and a dinner break on the way back to Vegas. You will see Grand Canyon West Rim, optionally buy tickets for Skywalk and then drive over the Hoover Dam for a photo. It is discounted and the cheapest option at time of writing.
2. Triple Threat – This 11 hour full day tour takes in Grand Canyon West Rim, the Hoover Dam and Seven Magic Mountains in one action packed day trip from Las Vegas. This is one of the best tours to take around Las Vegas as you get to see three of the main day trip favorites at a fair price.
8. Hoover Dam
The Hoover Dam is regarded as one of America’s seven modern civil engineering wonders and it is located just 35 miles from the Las Vegas strip.
Visitors can walk across the dam, learn about its fascinating history and hear the story of how it was built as part of a guided tour.
Driving to the Hoover Dam from Las Vegas is the quintessential day trip almost everyone visiting Sin City takes. It is easy, close by and perfect for the whole family.
Here’s our guide:
Things To Do At Hoover Dam
- Walk over the Hoover Dam
- Take one of three tours running daily
- Walk to the memorial bridge vista
- Learn the history and engineering involved
Why Is Hoover Dam One Of The Best Day Trips From Las Vegas?
The Hoover Dam is a gold standard Las Vegas day trip. Despite not having a huge amount to do once you arrive, we do think it is worth seeing.
Taking a tour is the best way to appreciate the Hoover Dam and what it took to build.
Driving to the Hoover Dam is straightforward and you can tie it in with Boulder City, Lake Mead or even Nelson Ghost Town if you want to extend your day out.
Don’t miss the Hoover Dam viewpoint from Mike O’Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge.
DIY Or Take A Tour?
DIY – Hoover Dam is easily reachable for a quick day trip from Las Vegas. You can combine Hoover Dam with Lake Mead and Boulder City to make a longer day out.
Top Rated Hoover Dam Tours From Las Vegas
The Hoover Dam is a very popular place to visit near Las Vegas. There are plenty of tour variations to suit every type of visitor to southern Nevada.
Here are the top rated tours available:
Viator
1. Basic Dam Tour – This 3 hour tour from Las Vegas to the Hoover Dam is cheap, quick and doesn’t take up much of your vacation time. If you really want to see the Hoover Dam, this small group tour is for you. It even has optional upgrade to include Seven Magic Mountains.
2. Comedy Tour – This 6.5 hour guided tour of the Hoover Dam is unique, it is a comedy tour! Liven up your Hoover Dam experience with stand up comedian led tour, plus entry to the Hoover Dam Power Plant Tour.
Get Your Guide
1. Hoover + Magic Mountains – This 5 hour guided tour includes both the Hoover Dam and Seven Magic Mountains, two of the most popular day trips close to Las Vegas.
9. Seven Magic Mountains
Seven Magic Mountains is a one of a kind art installation in the Nevada desert consisting of 7 boulder stacks painted vibrant colors.
The boulder stacks are irregular, odd and completely out of place. However, they are also intriguing and incredibly photogenic.
Anyone who enjoys modern art and photography is going to enjoy the Seven Magic Mountains.
Expect to see social media stars of the world lining up against the boulder stacks for fun perspective shots. You won’t need long here, but it is worth visiting.
Here’s our guide:
Things To Do At Seven Magic Mountains
- Photograph the seven colorful boulder stacks
- Walk around the boulders to gain different perspectives
- Fly your drone to get aerial photos of the surrounding desert
Why Is Seven Magic Mountains One Of The Best Day Trips From Las Vegas?
Seven Magic Mountains is one of the easiest day trips from Las Vegas.
It is quite literally straight down Las Vegas Blvd (or you can jump on I-15 running parallel) from the strip. The art installation is actually really interesting once you look beyond the crowds.
As the social media world continues to explode, we know this is a day trip many of you will not be able to resist!
Our advice is to arrive early or late in the day for soft light and fewer crowds.
DIY Or Take A Tour?
Either – Despite being so close to Las Vegas we think this is a 50/50 split.
It is super close to the strip, easy to access and you can even stop at the Las Vegas sign on your way down Las Vegas Blvd. So you could drive it yourself.
However, the effort required to walk to your car in the hotel parking lot and drive through Vegas just to go a few miles away is a lot.
We would strongly consider a cheap and easy tour option, unless you plan to tick off multiple attractions in one hit.
Top Rated Seven Magic Mountains Tours From Las Vegas
Seven Magic Mountains is easily accessible either by itself or with several other attractions combined.
If you’re in a rush, just take a fleeting trip to the magic mountains, otherwise throw in additional visits to either of the Hoover Dam, Red Rock Canyon or Valley of Fire.
Here are the top rated tours available:
Viator
1. Magic + Hoover – This 3 hour small group guided tour includes both Seven Magic Mountains and Hoover Dam. Hotel pickup and drop off included.
Get Your Guide
1. Basic Tour – This 2 hour guided tour gets you from the Las Vegas Strip to Seven Magic Mountains and back in a flash. You will also stop at the Las Vegas sign, so this is one for the instagrammers and photo lovers.
10. Page, AZ (Antelope Canyon + Horseshoe Bend)
Page is a small town in northern Arizona close to the border with southern Utah.
It is a popular stop off between the Zion, Grand Canyon (North Rim), Monument Valley and Arches areas thanks to being home to Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon.
We’ve photographed Horseshoe Bend at sunrise and sunset and it is seriously impressive. The U bend in the Colorado River is enormous.
However, Antelope Canyon is the bigger draw for Page, again thanks to the influence of social media platforms.
Things To Do In Page, AZ
- Photograph the awesome Horseshoe Bend in the Colorado River
- Take one of several Antelope Canyon tours
- See the Glen Canyon dam
- Take the short hike to Toadstool Hoodoos near Page
- Explore part of Lake Powell
Why Is Page, AZ One Of The Best Day Trips From Las Vegas?
Page is the furthest away destination in our list of best day trips from Las Vegas.
The only reason we have listed it in tenth position is because it is so far away. But we know how popular Antelope Canyon is among visitors to the US southwest.
The good news is if you go to Page, you will make natural stops at other places on this list.
This day trip applies more to international visitors or Americans who don’t intend coming back to the southwest, otherwise we would suggest planning a separate trip to southern Utah / northern Arizona.
If you do make it up to Page, definitely stop at Horseshoe Bend as well as Antelope Canyon.
DIY Or Take A Tour?
Tour – Antelope Canyon can only be seen by guided tour, so if you book a day trip tour from Las Vegas you are securing a driver and a ticket for Antelope Canyon.
It is also a heck of a long way for a day trip, so it’s better leaving the driving to a tour guide.
But if you do decide to drive yourself, it would be worth booking into one of the top hotels in Page AZ to split up the long journey.
Top Rated Page, AZ Tours From Las Vegas
Taking a tour Antelope Canyon will naturally include one or more of the other major attractions around the American southwest.
These tours are going to tick several bucket list destinations in one go but they will be a little more pricey.
Let’s take a look at the top rated tours including Antelope Canyon:
Viator
1. Bucket List Bus – This monster 18-19 hour full day tour takes in Grand Canyon South Rim before heading up to Page for both Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend. All entry costs are included and there’s a bonus stop along Route 66 on the way back to Vegas.
Get Your Guide
1. Another Bucket List Bus – This is identical to the tour above but run by Get Your Guide instead. That means you can compare prices for the best deal or use your preferred tour operator of the two companies. All entry costs to South Rim, Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend included.
11. Bonus – Kanab, UT
Kanab in southern Utah is our bonus Las Vegas day trip option.
The small town of Kanab is a true hidden gem in the US southwest, so much so we completely missed it the first time we were in the region. We didn’t make the same mistake second time around!
Why Kanab?
Well, it is filled with fun and adventurous things to do right on the doorstep.
Top of that list is the hike to The Wave, which has the most sought after and most difficult permit to win in the entire US.
The town of Kanab is also a relaxing place to set up base for day trips to Zion, Grand Canyon and Page.
Here’s our popular guide:
Things To Do In Kanab, UT
- Hike the incredible trail to The Wave in Arizona
- Walk a part of Buckskin Gulch slot canyon
- Stand inside Moqui Caverns sand caves
- Visit nearby Coral Pink Sand Dunes for sandboarding
- Walk through the Belly of the Dragon
- Photograph the unique Toadstool Hoodoos
Why Is Kanab, UT One Of The Best Day Trips From Las Vegas?
Kanab isn’t really in day trip distance from Las Vegas but we have included it in case you are able to win one of those coveted lottery slots to hike The Wave during your visit to the American southwest.
If you win a spot and you’re staying down in Las Vegas, you will 100% have to take this day trip.
Without a permit to hike The Wave, we would suggest planning a trip to Kanab another time, rather than taking a day trip from Las Vegas.
With that said, if you’re planning to visit Zion or Page, you can tag on the Kanab area and maybe try one or two of the local attractions.
DIY Or Take A Tour?
DIY – Kanab is a long way from Las Vegas and we would only recommend taking the day trip if you are able to secure a permit to hike The Wave.
It would be a very long day but the end is like nothing you have ever seen before.
Top Rated Kanab, UT Tours From Las Vegas
There are no guided tours to Kanab or The Wave from Las Vegas so you would have to drive this one.
5 Other DIY Las Vegas Day Trips To Consider
If you’re local to Las Vegas or if none of the options above sound appealing due to cost or overcrowding for example, there are plenty more day trips you can take.
Here are some fun Las Vegas day trip alternative options:
1. Area 51
Area 51 is a top secret part of Edwards Air Force Base that the US government didn’t admit was real until 2013. And guess what? It is located just northwest of Las Vegas in the Nevada desert.
Now, you will not be able to access Area 51, but you can drive the Extraterrestrial Highway from Alamo to Tonopah on route 375, stopping in at E.T. themed everything along the way.
2. Sloan Canyon
Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area is home to southern Nevada’s most culturally significant rock art site called Sloan Canyon Petroglyph Site and a hidden gem hike called Black Mountain Trail, on which you will be able to mix with the locals.
We would recommend Sloan Canyon as a Las Vegas day trip option for anyone who wants to see hundreds of petroglyph designs or anyone who wants to take a challenging hike leading to sweeping 360 degree views over the entire region.
3. Mount Charleston
At just under 12,000 feet, Charleston Peak is the tallest mountain in the Spring Mountains of Nevada, which flank Las Vegas to the west.
In the foothills of the Spring Mountains you can find the small town of Mount Charleston, a hugely popular outdoors orientated hiking and skiing arena for locals in Las Vegas.
You can reach Mount Charleston in under one hour from the Las Vegas strip. It is home to picturesque hiking trails leading to waterfalls in summer and ski slopes in the winter.
Views over the Nevada Great Basin Desert are worth the drive up here alone.
4. Mojave National Preserve
The Mojave National Preserve is a large NPS run area of the Mojave Desert between the Nevada state line (on the California side) and Joshua Tree National Park also in California.
You can reach the beginning of Mojave by continuing beyond Seven Magic Mountains on I-15.
What is there to do?
Well, quite a lot actually. You can drive a 4×4 vehicle, walk on Kelso Sand Dunes, visit a Lava Tube with light streaming though openings, hike the Rings Loop to Hole in the Wall and walk among Joshua Trees.
5. Los Angeles
It might sound ridiculous, but LA is only 4 hours drive from Las Vegas, which is closer than Grand Canyon South Rim, Bryce Canyon and Page in this guide!
We didn’t include LA in this guide because it is a place you should really spend a few days, especially on a first visit to Los Angeles.
But if you are traveling internationally and just want to quickly see Beverly Hills, Hollywood or Santa Monica, it is perfectly doable in your Ford Mustang rental car!
Las Vegas Day Trips Map
Click or touch the interactive map above to activate. Zoom in / out and scroll around the US southwest to see locations of the best day trip options from Las Vegas.
Key:
- Orange Icons – Best day trips from Las Vegas
- Blue Icons – Alternate options for locals and regular visitors
Best Day Trips From Las Vegas FAQ’s
Let’s finish with some of the most asked questions about Las Vegas day trips.
Seven Magic Mountains, Hoover Dam, Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire State Park and Death Valley are the best places to visit within 2 hours drive of Las Vegas.
You can do either Grand Canyon West Rim or South Rim from Las Vegas in a day. West Rim is 2 hours 15 minutes drive from Vegas, whereas South Rim is 4 hours 30 minutes drive. However, South Rim is far more beautiful and spectacular when compared with West Rim, so it depends on how much driving you want to do or how much money you want to spend.
Driving 9 hours roundtrip from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon makes for a very long day. If you don’t mind the driving, do it yourself. Otherwise, it might be better to take a tour so you can relax and enjoy the scenery.
Our Popular Las Vegas Guides
Things To Do – Taking a day trip is just one fun thing you can do in Vegas. Read our popular guide to the 40 best things to do in Las Vegas to start creating your Sin City wishlist today.
Best Hotels – Which iconic hotel will you choose on the strip? Read our comprehensive guide to the 25 best Las Vegas hotels on the strip to see which looks the perfect fit for you.
November – Planning a Fall visit to Nevada? Here are the 10 most important things you need to know about visiting Las Vegas in November.
Food Tour – Want to try something unique in Vegas? Read our Las Vegas Secret Food Tour Review to see if tasting celebrity chef dishes is a good fit for your travel plans.
Las Vegas Shows – Can’t decide which show to see in Vegas? Check out the 30 best Las Vegas shows for all ages and budgets.
Our Las Vegas Day Trip Guides
Valley of Fire – The 15 best things to do in Valley of Fire State Park including everything you need to know about visiting from Las Vegas.
Fire Wave – Exactly what you can expect from hiking the amazing Fire Wave Trail at sunrise in Valley of Fire State Park.
Red Rock Canyon – Looking for another awesome place to hike near Las Vegas? Here’s our guide to the 10 best hikes at Red Rock Canyon near Las Vegas.
Hoover Dam – Are you planning to visit the Hoover Dam? Read our complete guide about driving from Las Vegas to Hoover Dam and exactly what you can expect.
Seven Magic Mountains – Do you enjoy photography and art exhibits? Read our guide complete guide to visiting the Seven Magic Mountains near Las Vegas.
Want more Nevada content? Head over to our Nevada Travel Guides to explore State Parks, beautiful landscapes and the best things to do in Las Vegas.
We hope this guide to the best day trips and tours from Las Vegas helps with planning your visit to southern Nevada!
Please let us know if you have any questions about day trips or tours from Las Vegas below in the comments.
Happy Travels,
Mark and Kristen
Enjoy This Guide? Pin It For Your Visit!
