Day Trips from Las Vegas

Las Vegas is the best base in the country for a day trip you will actually remember. Within a few hours' drive sit two Grand Canyon rims, the slot canyons of northern Arizona, one of the largest dams ever built and three national parks. The hard part is not finding somewhere to go. It is choosing, because almost none of these fit together in the same day.

Here is the whole map, sorted by how far each one is, so you can match a trip to the time you have.

Close to the Strip: under an hour

If you only have part of a day, or you want to be back for dinner and a show, these are the ones. All three sit within 45 minutes of the Strip.

Red Rock Canyon is the easiest escape from the city, a loop of red sandstone cliffs barely 20 minutes out. Our small-group day pairs it with Seven Magic Mountains, the Nelson Ghost Town and the Hoover Dam in one run.

Valley of Fire is Nevada's oldest state park and, for many people, a bigger surprise than the Grand Canyon: the Fire Wave, ancient petroglyphs, Elephant Rock and Arch Rock, all about 45 minutes northeast.

The Hoover Dam itself is about 35 miles southeast, near Boulder City. There is no need for a dedicated all-day trip to see it; it works best bundled with a Grand Canyon West or Red Rock day, which is exactly how we run it.

The big one: the Grand Canyon

This is why most people come. The only real decision is which rim, and the two are four hours apart and nothing alike. We wrote a full West Rim vs South Rim comparison, but the short version:

Slot canyons: Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend

The glowing orange slot canyons all over Instagram are near Page, Arizona, a long haul east, so these run as full days. Upper Antelope Canyon is the famous one with the light beams. Lower Antelope is narrower and more of a scramble. Antelope Canyon X is quieter and often pairs with Horseshoe Bend. If you cannot decide, start with our Upper vs Lower guide.

Further out: deserts and national parks

Death Valley is the hottest, driest and lowest national park in the country, and far stranger in person than photos suggest. Our Death Valley day trip leaves at dawn for Badwater Basin, Zabriskie Point and the sand dunes.

Bryce Canyon & Zion are the two Utah parks, done together in a single small-group day with both admissions and lunch: Bryce's hoodoos and Zion's red cliffs and the Mt Carmel Tunnel.

Every day trip, side by side

These are the tours we operate, with the starting price per person and roughly how long each day runs door to door:

How to choose

• One day only? Grand Canyon West Rim. It is the single best use of a full day out of Las Vegas.
• Half a day, or a show that night? Red Rock Canyon or Valley of Fire, both close in.
• Here for the photos? Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend near Page, Arizona.
• Want it quiet? The small-group tours cap at 13 guests and pick you up at your own hotel door, rather than a shared meeting point.
• Two or more days? Pair one far trip (Grand Canyon or Antelope Canyon) with one close one (Red Rock or Valley of Fire). Do not try to stack two long ones back to back.

Common questions