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Places To Discover During A Road Trip From Las Vegas
Sin categorizar, Renter Guest Posts, Trip Ideas & Guides
By Carley Eisley
A long weekend camping trip is a great way to reset and recharge in the great outdoors after the bustle of the workweek. Don’t feel like organizing, packing, unpacking, and cleaning your own camping gear? Rent an Escape Campervan and let the prep work be done for you… all you have to do is hop in and hit the road!
Escape’s weekend specials ($99 for a 3-day trip, and extend to 4 days for an extra $33 – enter code WEEKENDSPECIAL to add on chairs, bedding, and the kitchen kit for free) are an AMAZING deal. Don’t have weekends free or want to avoid crowds? Don’t worry! This deal is good for a 3-4 trip any day of the week, not just on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Here are a few places to road trip from Las Vegas that can help you take advantage of this great deal and get you on the road to some fun.
Enjoy The Beach And Water Sports On Lake Mead During Your Road Trip From Las Vegas
If you’re looking for minimal driving and maximum fun and relaxation, head Northeast out of Vegas to Valley of Fire State Park and Lake Mead National Recreation area. Grab one of the first-come-first-serve campsites in Valley of Fire (72 sites with power, water, and restrooms available) and spend some time hiking among the petroglyphs, canyons, and arches. From there, enjoy some boating, swimming, or waterside relaxation at one of the many campgrounds and recreation areas around Lake Mead.
Want to add a little history to your road trip from Las Vegas? Head east from the Las Vegas campervan rental location to check out the Hoover Dam. When you are finished exploring this feat of engineering, there are several great waterfront areas to explore. Go to nearby Boulder Beach, or take a short drive to the Arizona Hot Springs for a hike and relaxing soak. Head to Willow Beach, where you can kayak (4 miles round trip) to the serenity of Emerald Cove.
Take In The Sights At Some Of Utah’s National Parks
A 3-hour road trip from Las Vegas will take you to Zion National Park, one of the most popular parks in the country and one of Utah’s «Mighty Five.» Spend your days here exploring the canyon, with hikes suitable for all abilities. There are also several companies that can take you on guided canyoneering and jeep tours, for a little something different.
Want to check another park off your list? Bryce Canyon National Park is under 2 hours from Zion. Some other possible destinations in Southern Utah (there are so many… you really can’t go wrong) include:
- Dixie National Forest
- Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
- Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument Kanab (home to slot canyons, old Western movie sets, and the famous Best Friends Animal Sanctuary)
Don’t Forget The Scenery Of Death Valley National Park
A 2 1/2 hour road trip from Las Vegas will take you to the barren yet beautiful scenery of Death Valley National Park. Home to sand dunes, canyons, and Star Wars film sites – Death Valley is a fascinating place to explore.
Visit from November to March to avoid the extreme heat of the summer, when temperatures average over 100°F (38°C) and often exceed 120°F (49°C) (the hottest temps are from May to September). Visitors in the spring may be treated to some desert wildflowers as a bonus! Take a 30-minute side trip from the Furnace Creek Visitor’s Center to check out the Rhyolite Ghost Town, an abandoned mining town.
Rest At Spring Mountains National Recreation Area
If you really want to minimize driving and maximize your nature time? The Spring Mountains National Recreation Area is less than an hour road trip from Las Vegas but will feel worlds away.
Camp at the Mount Charleston area campgrounds (there are six to choose from) and explore miles of secluded hiking trails. Adjacent to this land, the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area has some hiking areas and a scenic loop drive, perfect for a stop on your way back into Vegas.
Spend Time In Awe At Joshua Tree
Joshua Tree National Park is a 3 1/2-hour road trip from Las Vegas. This diverse park combines the ecosystems of the Mojave and Colorado with some unique plants and animals to observe (including wildflowers and the famous Joshua trees!). There are several campgrounds in the park to choose from and hikes and viewpoints to experience the best of the park.
Don’t want to make the trek all the way to Joshua Tree? Head south to Mojave National Preserve (a 2-hour drive from Las Vegas) for a taste of the desert landscape and a Joshua tree forest with a little less time behind the wheel. The colorful stacked-boulder art installation Seven Magic Mountains and Sloan Canyon National Conservation area (with interesting petroglyphs to explore) are both along the route to/from Joshua Tree and Mojave and make great pit stops.
Lastly, Make Sure To Stop At The Grand Canyon During Your Road Trip From Las Vegas
The Las Vegas camper van rental location is one of the closest starting points to visit this incredible (and humongous) park. For a little taste of the canyon landscape, drive 2 hours to Grand Canyon West, a tourist destination near Peach Springs, AZ, that has a skywalk and guided helicopter and river tours.
To get to the National Park areas, you’ll have to spend a bit more time in the driver’s seat. The South Rim is a little closer (4 1/2 hour drive) and is open year-round. The more remote (and higher elevation) The North Rim is 5 1/2 hours from Las Vegas and is closed from December 1- May 15. The scenery is amazing and there are hikes and viewpoints for all abilities to experience the grandeur of the canyon.
These trip ideas are just the tip of the iceberg – play around with some maps, rent a camper van and come up with an itinerary that is all your own. Once you get a taste of your first road trip we hope you’ll be heading back for more trips, be it another 3-day escape or a longer adventure.