Spruce up your visit to Vegas with a day trip outside of the city limits. Whether you want a quick 20-minute trip or a full day getaway, there is much to see and do beyond the Strip. Here are our favorite day trips from Vegas:

Red Rock Canyon
A short 20 miles from Las Vegas is the Red Rock and Bonnie Springs Ranch. Perfect for the outdoorsy type, the area includes miles of hiking loops and rock climbing routes. There is a 13-mile scenic drive too. After your hiking check out Bonnie Springs at the south end of Red Rock Canyon. The Springs is home to abetting zoo, shops, reenactments, train rides and more.

Boulder City, Hoover Dam, and Lake Mead
If you’re planning a trip to the Hoover Dam you’ll want to stop at Boulder City. The city was founded in the 1930s as a base for workers for Hoover Dam. The quaint town is a nice reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the Strip, and it’s only 35 minutes away. While you’re that way make a stop at Lake Mead National Recreation Area and enjoy some water activities, hiking and camping.

Eldorado Canyon
Learn more about Nevada’s history in gold mining at Eldorado Canyon. Just 45 miles from Sin City, Eldorado Canyon is a fun, historic spot that used to be a bustling silver and gold mine. The area is a real Wild West ghost town. But it wasn’t always this way. The Tehatticup Gold Mine Tours will take you through what used to be the state’s richest, most productive mine. Surrounding the mine are old shops to peruse and even a downed airplane. 

Valley of Fire State Park
50 miles from the Strip, Valley of Fire State Park offers plenty of beauty to experience for the nature lover, starting with the bright red sandstone formations. Campgrounds, trails and climbing opportunities are also available. You can even learn more about the park’s history and its inhabitants, which go as far back as 11,000 years ago, with petroglyphs carved into the rocks dating back to about 3,000 years ago.

Death Valley National Park
Take your exploration further out with a trip to Death Valley National Park. Located 150 miles from the city, the park has the distinction of being one of the driest, hottest and lowest places on the planet. The park is home to Bad Water Basin, which has a low point of nearly 300 feet below sea level and the Devil’s Gold Course, which is filled with salt formations from when the desert landscape used to be a lake bed.