16 Amazing Weekend Trips From Las Vegas

Over the past few years, I have been flying into Las Vegas Navada, to experience something amazing. I am not really a gambler, so I don’t go to the Las Vegas Strip. Instead, I head out to the many amazing cities, parks, and towns that are located nearby. Las Vegas is in the center of many great outdoorsy destinations, and the best part is that the plane tickets are pretty reasonable. So below, I list some of my favorite weekend trips from Las Vegas that I have taken in the past.

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you click one of them, I may receive a small commission (for which I am very grateful for) at no extra cost to you.

Download my free Outdoor Photography Guide

Download Now!

Weekend Trips From Las Vegas

Zion National Park

Distance: 160 mi / 2 hrs 30 min
Things To Do: The Narrows, Angels Landing, Observation Point
Where to Stay: Cable Mountain Lodge, La Quinta by Wyndham at Zion Park/Springdale, Flanigan`s Inn

Zion National Park is the first national park I visited, so it has a very special place in my heart. The bright red, orange canyons and the incredible hikes, makes you fall in love with this park.

You need a permit for Angels Landing (the most popular hike), but you don’t need one for the Narrows, which is the second most popular hike. I recommend hiking both trails on your weekend trip.

Bryce Canyon National Park

Distance: 266 mi / 4 hrs 15 min
Things To Do: Navaho Loop and Queens Garden Trail, The 4 Main viewpoints: Sunrise Point, Sunset Point, Inspiration Point, and Bryce Point
Where to Stay: Bryce View Lodge Part of the Ruby’s Inn Resort, Best Western PLUS Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel

Bryce Canyon is a small but breathtaking national park. It is packed with outstanding bright orange views of formations called hoodoos. You only need a few days to see all of this park which makes this a perfect weekend getaway from Las Vegas.

Death Valley National Park

Distance: 133 mi / 2 hrs 15 min
Things To Do: Artists Drive And Artist’s Palette, Zabriskie Point, The Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
Where to Stay: The Inn At Death Valley, The Ranch At Furnace Creek

Death Valley National Park is the strangest national park I have ever seen in my life! The formations and landscapes are so wild that you will not believe it is all packed into one park. There are colorful bright pink, blue, and purple mountains, sand dunes, moving rocks, a basin filled with salt, craters, and waterfalls. This national park is packed with endless activities.

Valley Of Fire State Park

Distance: 53 mi / 1 hr
Things To Do: Fire Wave Trail, Pink Canyon, Rainbow Vista, White Domes Trail
Where to Stay: North Shore Inn at Lake Mead

You only need one day to see most of Valley Of Fire State Park. This park is perfect for people with small children or families. The hikes are pretty easy, the views are outstanding, and it is a pretty small park.

I went in the winter, and it was pretty hot, so just make sure you bring plenty of water and sunscreen.

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area

Distance: 24 mi / 30 min
Things To Do: Calico Tanks, Calico Hills, Ice Box Canyon
Where to Stay: JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort and Spa, Vdara Hotel & Spa at ARIA Las Vegas, Hampton Inn & Suites Las Vegas Convention Center

Red Rock Canyon is the closest park to Las Vegas on this list. It is only 30 minutes away. But, you need a full weekend to enjoy this park. It is so stunning! There are canyons that are a bright red-orange color, and there are mountains as well. I only allocated one day for this park, but I feel like you need more than one day to explore.

It is a highly underrated park. I wasn’t expecting much when I went, but it blew me away how incredible it was!

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area — One of the best short trips from Las Vegas

Joshua Tree National Park

Distance: 182 mi / 3 hrs
Things To Do: Cholla Cactus Garden, Skull Rock Nature Trail, Hike Arch Rock Trail, Ryan Mountain Hike
Where to Stay: Fairfield Inn & Suites Twentynine Palms, Sure Stay Plus by Best Western Twentynine Palms, Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Twentynine Palms

For some reason, Joshua Tree has some of the wildest sunsets I have ever seen. The beautiful rock formations and trees makes this park, a photographer’s paradise. There is so much to see and do here, including hiking, rock climbing, stargazing, and photographing those cute teddy bear trees.

Havasupai

Distance: 223 mi / 4 hrs
Things To Do: Mooney Falls, Havasu Falls, Beaver Falls
Where to Stay: Campground or Lodge

Havasu Falls was one of the best backpacking trips I have ever been on. But this gorgeous waterfall is not for everyone. Getting to the trail requires some hiking/backpacking. Also, the permits which go on sale once a year can be pretty difficult to obtain. But if you are ok with these obstacles, you should hike this trail. The views are so worth it.

Read More: The BEST Havasu Falls Hike Guide!

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Distance: 214 mi / 3 hrs 20 min
Things To Do: Zebra Slot Canyon, Peekaboo Gulch & Golden Cathedral
Where to Stay: Red Sands Hotel, Cougar Ridge Lodge, The Noor Hotel

The Grand Staircase-Escalante area is huge! Before you head out, make sure you read up on what you want to do. This area can be pretty primitive. Some of the trails can be difficult to get to (need 4×4), or you need to do some backpacking. Not all activities are difficult to get to, but I still want to warn you because it can be a more complicated park to plan.

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument

Grand Canyon National Park

Distance: 278 mi / 4 hrs 20 min
Things To Do: Ooh Aah Point, Yaki Point, Mather Point
Where to Stay: Yavapai Lodge, Thunderbird Lounge

The Grand Canyon was on my bucket list when I was a child, and I finally got to experience it as an adult. I feel like it is one of those world wonders that everyone should see at least once in their life. What is so great about this park is that it is easy to explore. There are many effortless viewpoints and great hikes. There are also buses that take you to different sections of the park.

Page

Distance: 279 mi / 5 hrs 15 min
Things To Do: Lower Antelope Canyon, Upper Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend
Where to Stay: Lake Powell Resort, Hyatt Place Page Lake Powell, Country Inn & Suites by Radisson

Page, Arizona, is such a magnificent town to explore. I absolutely adore this town! The main activities that you need to see are the Antelope Canyons. These canyons are marvelous and a work of natural art. You need a tour guide to explore the slot canyons, but I highly recommend these tours. This town is also the home of the famous Horseshoe Bend (shown below).

Read More: 5 Amazing Things To Do In Page AZ

Sedona

Distance: 277 mi / 4 hrs 30 min
Things To Do: Cathedral Rock Trail, Soldier Pass Trail, Airport Mesa Trail, Devil’s Bridge Trail
Where to Stay: Hyatt Residence Club Sedona Piñon Pointe, Courtyard by Marriott Sedona, Holiday Inn Express Sedona – Oak Creek

Sedona is one of my favorite outdoor towns to explore! When woman hikers ask me where they should travel solo for the first time, I always recommend Sedona. It is pretty crowded, and the trails are relatively easy with amazing views. The restaurants are also really good! It is crowded, but it doesn’t bug me too much. This area is just too pretty, and I still love exploring it.

Read More: The 13 Best Hikes In Sedona Arizona

Mammoth Lakes

Distance: 315 mi / 5 hrs 25 min
Things To Do: June Lake Loop, Mono Lake, Rainbow Falls Hike, Hike To Crystal Lake, Check Out All The Lakes In Mammoth Lakes Basin
Where to Stay: Hotel Empieria High Sierra Hotel

Mammoth Lakes is one of the most underrated areas I have ever been to. This cute town has mountains galore, beautiful fall colors, and many lakes. If you are a hiker and love to see beautiful turquoise lakes, then this is a must-visit.

Alabama Hills

Distance: 226 mi / 4 hrs 15 min
Things To Do: Off-Roading, Mountain Biking, Hike the Mobius Arch Trail
Where to Stay: Olancha RV Park and Motel, Dispersed camping at Alabama Hills

Alabama Hills has some of the most insane rock formations. My husband loved exploring it with our 4-runner. There are also trails and dispersed camping in the area. It is like an adult’s playground, and it doesn’t have much structure to it, which is why I love it!

Phoenix

Distance: 299 mi / 4 hrs 40 min
Things To Do: Go To First Fridays Phoenix Downtown, Old Town Scottsdale, Desert Botanical Garden
Where to Stay: AC Hotel Phoenix Biltmore, Holiday Inn Express & Suites – Phoenix – Airport North, Bespoke Inn Scottsdale

Phoenix is an amazing city to visit in the Spring, Winter, and Fall. There are many hikes nearby, and the restaurant and bar scene is outstanding!

Vermilion Cliffs National Monument

Distance: 254 mi / 5 hrs
Things To Do: Hike to the wave
Where to Stay: Lake Powell Resort, Hyatt Place Page Lake Powell, Country Inn & Suites by Radisson

The Wave is probably the most sought-after permit in the United States. This amazing place has some of the wildest formations in the United States. But we must protect it since it is so fragile. That is why there is now a permit in place, and you can read more on it here.

Great Basin National Park

One of the most underrated national parks ever is Great Basin National Park. This park is located in Nevada and features stunning alpine lakes and mountains. If you want to visit a national park with low crowds but outstanding mountain views, you should visit Great Basin National Park.

Distance: 303 mi / 4 hrs 50 min
Things To Do: Lehman Caves Tours, Alpine Lakes Loop Trail, Bristlecone Pine Glacier Trail
Where to Stay: Hidden Canyon Retreat

Final Thoughts On Weekend Trips From Vegas

Thanks for reading about the best weekend getaways from Las Vegas. Make sure to check out some of my other southwest blog posts:

Get My PNW Presets!

16 Amazing Weekend Trips From Las Vegas

Download my free Outdoor Photography Guide