Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
29 minutes from downtown (20 miles)
Make the short drive out of Vegas and you’ll feel like you are in the middle of nowhere! A beautiful collection of towering red cliffs, abundant wildlife and natural desert beauty. More info here. Pics here.
Lake Mead National Recreation Area
39 minutes from downtown (31.8 miles)
With crystal clear water, 759 miles of shoreline, countless exclusive coves, and average water temperatures OVER 70 degrees (5 months out of the year), I’ll put this lake up against any lake MN has to offer. Did I mention it’s open YEAR ROUND? More info here. Pics here.
Hoover Dam
44 minutes from downtown (33.6 miles)
Completed in 1935, this power house generates 4.5 MILLION MEGAWATT HOURS per year serving up power to ~8 MILLION people. To put that in perspective, the huge solar farm just outside of town generates ~400,000 megawatt hours per year on 4,000 acres of land—and tax payers are on the hook for a large share of the cost.
Nellis Air Force Base
18 minutes from downtown (9.4 miles)
Home of the world famous Thunderbirds and one of the most advanced fighter pilot training programs in the world (similar to Top Gun). Nellis also hosts “Red Flag,” bringing ally pilots from all over the world for two-week aerial training exercises. More info here. Pics here.
Mount Charleston & the Spring Mountains
45 minutes from downtown (39.2 miles)
At nearly 12,000 feet, Mt. Charleston reaches a nice cool 80 degrees in the heat of the summer. With 52 miles of hiking trails, 200 camp sites, and over 150 picnic areas, this area is a nice little escape. More info here. Pics here.
Lee Canyon Ski / Snowboard Resort
51 minutes from downtown (48.9 miles)
Who would have thought you can SKI in the DESERT?! Less than an hour away, this area gets an average of 240″ of snowfall per year! More info here.
Valley of Fire State Park
50 minutes from downtown
Red sandstone formations that look like they’re on fire at sunset. More info here. Pics here.
Grand Canyon Skywalk
Day trip
A glass bridge over the western rim—worth the drive. More info here. Pics here.
Death Valley National Park
Day trip
The lowest, hottest, driest national park—an enormous 5,200 square mile landscape. More info here. Pics here.