Las Vegas: Las Vegas…also known as Sin City, Lost Wages, the Gambling Capital of the World, the City that Never Sleeps, and the Entertainment Capital of the World, is one of the top vacation destinations in the USA. Visit the world-famous hotels and casinos on the Strip, watch a live show, and look out over the city from the tallest observation tower in the United States.

Hoover Dam: Less than an hour drive from Las Vegas lies the Hoover Dam, one of the largest dams in the world. You can walk or drive across the dam, and you can stop at the pullouts along the road to get the best photos of the structure. Tours are also available at the Visitors Center and through these you can explore the inside passageways of the Hoover Dam and learn its history.

Valley of Fire: The Valley of Fire State Park is a brilliant, colorful outdoor destination located in Nevada, just one hour from Las Vegas. Filled with panoramic vistas, hiking trails, petroglyphs, scenic drives, and stunning red and pink rock formations, the Valley of Fire makes an excellent day trip from Vegas.

Red Rock Canyon: Just 30 minutes from downtown Las Vegas is Red Rock Canyon, an outdoor playground for hikers, families, and outdoor adventurers. Go mountain biking, rock climbing, explore the hiking trails, and enjoy the view on the scenic drive through the park. If you want to escape the bright, neon lights and all-you-can-eat food buffets for a little outdoor adventure, Red Rock Canyon is calling your name.

Great Basin National Park: Great Basin National Park is one of the least visited national parks in the United States; however, its remote scene makes Great Basin a true outdoorsman’s paradise. Here, you can see some of the oldest trees on earth, explore Nevada’s largest cave system, climb soaring peaks, and experience some of the best star-gazing in the country. The park’s truly remote setting and dark skies make Great Basin a perfect destination for all nature-lovers.

Gold Butte National Monument: Gold Butte National Monument stretches across 300,000 acres of rugged landscape where vibrant red-rock formations rise from the ground. The area is known for its petroglyph panels, intriguing history, and unique wildlife sightings.

Lake Mead National Recreation Area: Lake Mead is the largest manmade reservoir in the United States, and with the amount of land the lake encompasses there are plenty of mountains, canyons, cliffs, and rock formations to explore around the reservoir. Additionally, Lake Mead offers water sports, swimming, and some of the best fishing in Nevada. Also, though it is a manmade lake, Lake Mead is home to unique amphibians and fish that cannot be found elsewhere, and the vast reservoir attracts desert bighorn sheep, thus making Lake Mead a great site for wildlife spotting.

Lake Tahoe State Park: As the largest alpine lake in the United States, Lake Tahoe is a beautiful destination to take some time to relax. With wide beaches that descend into crystal-clear water, a wild backcountry to explore, trails to hike, and many cultural landmarks, Lake Tahoe has something for every traveler to enjoy.

Death Valley National Park: On the border of California and Nevada lies Death Valley, the hottest, driest, and lowest place in the United States. But don’t let its foreboding name and seemingly barren landscape discourage you from planning a trip here. With barren salt flats, towering mountains, mysterious sailing stones, shifting sand dunes, rainbow-colored mountains, and canyons to explore, there is a lot to do here.

Road Trip the American Southwest: Las Vegas makes the perfect start or end point to an American Southwest road trip. Travel through Nevada, Arizona, Utah, and California to visit breathtaking national parks, canyons, and rock formations.