Best Road Trips from Vegas in Under an Hour

Visiting Hoover Dam, which will take you about 55 minutes to drive to from The Strip, should be on your bucket list.The world-famous Hoover Dam has helped Vegas have continuous electricity and water for nearly 100 years. It is also one of the 7 wonders of the engineering world, alongside feats such as the Great Wall of China and the Golden Gate Bridge.

More information about guided Dam Tours can be found here. Pricing starts at $15 per person.

Boulder City was formed for workers to live while The Dam was being constructed. It is a good place to stop for a bit before or after your Dam visit. It has a handful of antique and art-type shops and a few quaint restaurants. Boulder City also has a historic theater.

If you want to extend your road trip, you can take a drive down Northshore Road. This road goes for about 50 miles and connects to the Valley of Fire State Park.

Pahrump is located about a one hour drive from The Strip. It is still a small town, but growing fast (it has its own Home Depot to give you a sense).

There are two main wineries in Pahrump that offer tastings.

The first winery is called Artesian Cellars. Artesian Cellars is in the same location as the former Pahrump Valley Winery, which went bankrupt as a result of Covid-19. Artesian Cellars has a picturesque sit-down restaurant with a menu consisting of sandwiches, flatbread pizzas, appetizers, soups, salads and deserts. Artesian offers wine tastings as well for inexpensive prices.

The other main winery stop in Pahrump is Sanders Family Winery. The tasting room is much quieter than Artesian’s and you will have more of an opportunity to chit-chat with the staff.

Both wineries have space to rent for parties and gatherings.

PREMIER TIP: If you are a wine snob, you don’t need to visit Pahrump. But if you are looking for a fun side-trip to have lunch and taste some wine, we recommend it.

Red Rock Canyon is a National Conservation Area about 30 to 45 minutes west of The Strip and Downtown. There is a fee to enter the park, but it gives you access to trails, picnic areas, overlooks, and the scenic loop. The best way to see all of Red Rock is on the 13-mile scenic loop drive.

Red Rock has tons of great hiking trails for all skill levels. Just be careful to stay hydrated and plan accordingly for the desert weather depending on the season. If you don’t want to hike, there are still plenty of beautiful sights to be seen on the scenic loop. Seeing the formations of red rocks will make you think that you have landed on Mars. It takes about 30 minutes to drive around the loop once you are there – likely longer as you’ll stop for pictures and selfies. There is nothing else like it in the world, in our opinion.

Reservations are now required October through May.

Nelson Ghost Town and Eldorado Canyon – one of Nevada’s most famous ghost towns – are about 45 minutes from Las Vegas. They are located south of Vegas and will give you a great flavor of the “old west.”

Nelson, called Eldorado by the Spaniards, was an old mining town with an active mine until 1945. You can take a 1-hour tour of the old goldmine at various times throughout the day for $15 per person.

You can also take some amazing photos with all the historic props throughout the town. You can pay $10 an hour to get access to all sections of the town for photos. If you’re a history or photography lover, you don’t want to miss this iconic ghost town.

Valley of Fire State Park, part of the Mojave Desert, is around 50 minutes northeast of Vegas. It features a unique mixture of rocks, animals, and some of the most fantastic hiking trails in the area.

The park was once home to Puebloan tribes. Visitors can see amazing ancient petroglyphs throughout the park, especially on the Petroglyph Canyon Trail. The off-season is the best time to visit the Valley of Fire to avoid the intense heat.

Mount Charleston is a chance to beat the heat only 45 minutes northwest of Las Vegas. This recreation area is elevated more than 7,500 feet above sea level.

It’s one of the most beautiful spots around Vegas. There are plenty of hiking trails to take advantage of around the mountain. There’s also skiing, snowboarding, and tubing at Lee Canyon in the winter.

More information about the 4 best places to see snow in Las Vegas.

The Nevada-California state line is in Primm, Nevada, only about an hour from Las Vegas. It has multiple western-themed casino hotels, shops, and restaurants, but the most notable attraction is the Bonnie and Clyde Getaway Car.

Located in the Primm Valley Hotel & Casino, the Bonnie and Clyde Getaway Car is the vehicle Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were in when they were killed in a police pursuit in 1934. If you’re looking for an interesting day trip, this 40-mile adventure is worth the ride.

The other main reason to go to Primm is if there is a large lottery jackpot, you visit the gas station on over the California state line side of Primm to purchase lottery tickets.