Neon To Nature
Beyond-the-Neon Day Trips From Vegas
Route Distance
60 to 210 miles
Suggested Time
1+ Day Per Route
Las Vegas is pretty good at keeping people occupied. But if you’re looking for places to go beyond the glow, this three-pronged package of mini road trips from Las Vegas will have you exploring world-famous Hoover Dam, outdoor playgrounds like Red Rock Canyon and Valley of Fire, exciting attractions, and charming towns—and still get you back in time for your dinner reservation, spa treatment, or Elvis-officiated wedding. Whether you’re curious about Las Vegas day trips or just-close-enough overnight adventures, the Red Rockin’ Loop, the Fire and Water Loop, and the Colorado River Corridor—the three spokes of the Neon to Nature road trip—have you covered.
Highlights
- Tour a famous wonder of the engineering world at Hoover Dam
- Hike, cycle, or rock climb at Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
- Wander among wildlife and ancient petroglyphs at Valley of Fire State Park
The Very Best Day Trips From Las Vegas
Where to Go Beyond the Glow
With day trips from Las Vegas in every direction, there’s plenty to satisfy your get-outside side without traveling too far from the Entertainment Capital of the World. Hit the Red Rockin’ Loop and hoof it around lush, oasis-like Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, stunning Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, and a ghost town with its own saloon. Venture the Fire and Water Loop to Valley of Fire State Park, Gold Butte National Monument, Mesquite, and Lake Mead. Or cruise the Colorado River Corridor to tour Hoover Dam, chow down in Boulder City, tour a historic gold mine, and live it up on the Laughlin Riverwalk.
COMMUNITIES ON THIS TRIP
Glovebox Essentials
Prepare for Your Adventure
Get ready to come chase some horizons with this handy tool kit. Here, you’ll find all the Neon to Nature road trip essentials, including downloadable directions, maps, and podcasts, and tunes to complement your upcoming adventure.
Download Route
Loop 1
Red Rockin’ Loop
60 to 110 mi
- Take a guided hike or yoga class in lush Spring Mountain Ranch State Park
- Drive, cycle, or e-bike 13-mile Red Rock Canyon Scenic Drive
- Chase spirits in Goodsprings ghost town, then sip ’em at the Pioneer Saloon
Pack the snacks and book it to the Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center to view a live desert tortoise habitat and get hiking recs from rangers. Plan ahead and book a timed entry on Red Rock Canyon Scenic Drive, the looping scenic drive Las Vegas visitors cherish for its stunning vista points and popular trail access. Next stop: tranquil Spring Mountain Ranch State Park, a verdant oasis full of hikes, historic buildings, and unique ranger programs. Add a trip to Goodsprings Ghost Town to wind down with burgers ‘n’ beers at the storied Pioneer Saloon.
The Red Rockin’ Loop proves why we call this suite of day trips from Las Vegas “Neon to Nature.” And all this outdoor action is sure to make that hotel pillow feel extra plush. Here are our fave places to crash Downtown.
Circa Resort & Casino
Las Vegas
El Cortez Hotel and Casino
Las Vegas
Oasis at Gold Spike
Las Vegas
Four Queens Hotel and Casino
Las Vegas
Downtown Grand Las Vegas Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas
Plaza Hotel
Hikers head to Calico Basin’s larger-than-life landscapes. Climbers go crazy for more than 1,200 named routes, from short sport to 20-pitch pushes. Meanwhile, solace-seekers steal away to Spring Mountain Ranch State Park.
Goodsprings Ghost Town
Goodsprings
Blue Diamond Loop
Las Vegas
Vegas Off-Road Tours
Jean
Red Rock Canyon Scenic Drive
Las Vegas
Seven Magic Mountains
Las Vegas
Cottonwood Valley Trails
Las Vegas
Spring Mountain Ranch State Park
Blue Diamond
Badger Pass Loop
Las Vegas
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
Las Vegas
If those original stamped tin walls could talk! The 1913-built Pioneer Saloon is home to legends, folklore, and Food Network-approved fare—all washed down with some notoriously killer drinks. Worth those extra miles, trust us.
Fergusons Downtown
Las Vegas
Pioneer Saloon
Goodsprings
Peppermill Las Vegas
Las Vegas
Cottonwood Station Eatery
Blue Diamond
Loop 2
Fire & Water Loop
120 to 175 miles
- Navigate gleaming, striped rock formations at Valley of Fire State Park
- Go as off-the-grid as it gets at Gold Butte National Monument
- Discover Ancestral Puebloan culture at Lost City Museum
Valley of Fire is one of the most popular Las Vegas day trips—and with good reason. Nevada’s first and largest state park, formed when dinosaurs roamed the Silver State, offers unparalleled vistas of (or atop) other-worldly sandstone formations, plus chances aplenty to spy desert bighorn sheep and stone-carved calling cards from Nevada’s earliest human inhabitants. But push on to discover fascinating museums, eye-catching art, off-road adventure, golf galore, and some amenity-packed resorts where you can rest your head in style.
The border town of Mesquite is home to art, culture, great restaurants, and nine golf courses—all set against a stunning Virgin River Valley backdrop. Here are some of our favorite places to make a night of it in Mesquite.
Eureka Casino Resort
Mesquite
CasaBlanca Resort & Casino
Mesquite
Virgin River Hotel & Casino
Mesquite
Leave early to beat the crowds (and heat) to Valley of Fire. Then uncover American Indian history at Lost City Museum and cruise on to Mesquite for an amazing art gallery, artifact-packed museum, and high-octane activities.
Valley of Fire State Park
Overton
Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Boulder City
Mesquite Fine Arts Center & Gallery
Mesquite
Gold Butte National Monument
Gold Butte
Camel Safari
Bunkerville
Adventure Rentals
Bunkerville
Skydive Mesquite
Mesquite
Virgin Valley Heritage Museum
Mesquite
Lost City Museum
Moapa Valley
Sweeten your trip with a milkshake at The Inside Scoop, or settle on breakfast, lunch, pizza, or all three at Criss Angel’s CABLP—both in Moapa Valley. If you think your day’s work has earned you a huge, juicy steak: Katherine’s Steakhouse.
Cablp: Criss Angel’s Breakfast, Lunch & Pizza
Moappa Valley
The Inside Scoop
Moapa Valley
Katherine’s Steakhouse
Mesquite
Swing into action at a famous golf tournament, join a cele-BRAY-tion of one of Nevada’s sweetest wild critters, or sample your way around a rib festival or old-fashioned pomegranate party.
Loop 3
Colorado River Corridor
70 to 250 miles
- Catch a tour of Hoover Dam, or a vista of it from an 886-ft-high bridge
- Hiking, paddling, and hot springing along the mighty Colorado River
- Antique-shop, café-hop, and hit up museums in charming Boulder City
- Get wild on the water or in lively resorts along the Laughlin Riverwalk
Without Hoover Dam, there’d be no Vegas. Tour the modern marvel and test your camera’s panorama mode from the 886-ft-tall, 1,905-ft-long viewing bridge—the longest of its kind in North America. Then explore Boulder City, the quiet, Art Deco-obsessed town that built it, where fascinating museums, cute shops, outdoor activities, and amazing eats abound. Stop for a tour of Techatticup Mine and poke around Nelson Ghost Town en route to Laughlin, where the party continues, in the resorts and, of course, on the Colorado River.
If your day ends in Boulder City, choose from a Colonial Revival-style gem, a swanky B&B, or a retro-chic motel (there’s that neon again). If you push on to Laughlin, settle into one of nine riverfront overflowing-amenity resorts.
Hoover Dam Lodge & Casino
Boulder City
Pioneer Hotel & Gambling Hall
Laughlin
El Rancho Boulder Motel
Boulder City
Harrah’s Laughlin Casino Hotel
Laughlin
Tropicana Laughlin Hotel & Casino
Laughlin
Boulder Dam Hotel
Boulder City
Don Laughlin’s Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino
Laughlin
Aquarius Casino Resort
Laughlin
Sands Motel
Boulder City
Milo’s Cellar & Inn
Boulder City
Got extra days? Take ‘em. Otherwise, your work’s cut out choosing how to stack this action-packed out-and-back. This trip delivers for history buffs, outdoor enthusiasts, water lovers, and just about everyone else, too.
Colorado River Historical Society Museum
Bullhead City
Bootleg Canyon Mountain Bike Park
Boulder City
Colorado River Heritage Greenway Park & Trails
Laughlin
Erick Begay Native American Jewelry
Boulder City
Gold Strike Hot Springs
Boulder City
River Mountains Loop Trail
Henderson
Lake Mead Cruises
Boulder City
Rocky River Adventure Center
Laughlin
Laughlin Riverwalk
Laughlin
Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters
Boulder City
Treat yourself to famous Dole whip floats at Chilly Jilly’z, mom-and-pop classics at the postcard-perfect Coffee Cup Café, and “killer” burgers at The Dillinger—all in BC—or steak your claim at Laughlin’s chop houses.
Pioneer Hotel & Gambling Hall
Laughlin
Chilly Jilly’z Bakery & Cafe
Boulder City
Don Laughlin’s Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino
Laughlin
Aquarius Casino Resort
Laughlin
Harrah’s Laughlin Casino Hotel
Laughlin
The Dillinger
Boulder City
The Chicken Shack
Boulder City
Coffee Cup Café
Boulder City
Tropicana Laughlin Hotel & Casino
Laughlin
From 4-day film fests, smoked meat celebrations, and the largest juried outdoor art fest in the Southwest to rallies for mountain bikes, off-road rigs, and motorcycles, these Colorado River towns know how to get down.
Hitting the Road? Here’s the Map.
Our 10 Nevada Road Trips
Searching for road trip ideas? Look no further. Go ahead. Scroll around and click the road trip icons for the inside scoop on Nevada’s 10 best road trips, with detailed itineraries, maps, and tips for getting off the beaten track.
#NeonToNature
![What are the real luxuries in life?
💜 Time freedom
💜 Slow mornings
💜 A peaceful mind
💜 The perfect cup of coffee
💜 Finding your way back to love
I'm grateful to experience these on a daily basis but when I travel it truly reminds me of all the little things in life that add up to make a luxurious one.
What's your favorite luxury?
[Travel inspiration, travel reflections, simple life]
#travelgram #adventureawaits #naturelovers #explorer #wanderlust #discoverearth #landscapephotography #nevada #mojavedesert #valleyoffire](https://snapsea.fra1.digitaloceanspaces.com/7f48045f-f3ae-43b8-8db9-ee0f35d8c458/th/acf73237-e736-4e6c-b6c1-af31fb75ce5b.jpg)
