Sightseeing away from LV by car [Archive]

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genew

10-24-2005, 08:37 PM

:) We are coming to LV Dec 6-13. We rent a car and like to find unusual things to see & do. Any suggestions ? Last year we went to Oatman, Az. & the Winery in Parump.... Thanks for your help..

sonntex

10-24-2005, 09:02 PM

Take a drive up Hwy 55 into Utah. There is some beautiful scenery up there and some places where you can get off the main drag and go up into the mountains. Beautiful in December.

cindyinnj

10-25-2005, 06:51 AM

We are renting a car the last day we're in LV just to drive around outside of the city! Thanks for that tip Sonntex, but is that a long drive? We'll only be driving around for the day so we can't go too far. We'll try the ET Highway (not sure if that's hwy 55 or not), just see the sights/scenery. Hope there are gas stations and food out there! Have to be back before 5:00!

Never Enuf Vegas

10-25-2005, 08:42 AM

I come to Vegas a few times a year and at least once I make sure to do the following drive:

Just before you get to Hoover Dam there will be a sign for the Alan Bible Visitors Center entrance to Lake Mead National Recreational Area. Enter the Rec Area here and make the drive north trough the park to Valley of Fire State Park. The scenery is amazing if you like desert topography. Very desolate and awe inspiring. Every color of rock and sand combination possible. There is a natural sulphur hot spring that you can visit and wade in too. It has a small waterfall that I always stand under. I think it's called Rogers Spring. Drive thru the Rec Area to VOF takes about two hours. Once you get to VOF, you will see great red sandstone formations. They have a good visitors center and hiking trails (Mouse's Tank is my favorite). Lots of ancient Indian petroglyphs around. Then to get back to Vegas, exit VOF on the other side which connects you to I-15 and you're back in town in 45 minutes. Total trip takes a good half day. If you go to Hoover Dam first and then enter Lake Mead Nat'l Rec Area on the way back it can take the whole day.

beckw925

10-25-2005, 10:26 AM

The Valley of Fire is truly amazing. I would rate it 5 stars. It resembles a mini Moab Utah. Take the camera

Also nice is the Red Rocks State park - opposite direction. Closer, easier, but not nearly as dramatic.

High_Iron

10-25-2005, 01:59 PM

Another vote for VOF. We did it in July, so getting out of the car was miniml...had to see the petrified logs though. Scenery is Unreal. We started at lake mead, had lunch at the marina, then drove through VoF.

Have fun

Vegas Vic

10-25-2005, 02:25 PM

The petroglyphs at Valley of Fire are amazing. One gets to see messages left hundreds to thousands of years ago by Native Americans. No one knows what they mean but they are there to be looked at and wondered at. We enjoyed the Mouses Tank trail....

hockeymom26

10-25-2005, 05:17 PM

If you like roller coasters, you could drive south to Primm and go to Buffalo Bills casino and check out the roller coaster. It used to be the worlds fastest. Hubby and brother rode it and loved it. There is also an outlet mall there too.

sonntex

10-25-2005, 07:02 PM

Oops, that's Hwy 15 not 55. (Was confusing w/Mississippi.) It takes about 2 hours just to get into Utah, then another 30 minutes or so to see the really pretty stuff. So, it would be an all day trip to go there and back to L/V.

sawsman

10-25-2005, 10:23 PM

Don't miss the scenic Lake Las Vegas area in Henderson, about 30 minutes or so from the strip.
Beautiful, with several top of the line resorts, all having great views of the Lake. Fun gaming insmall casinos too.:rolleyes:

Grif

10-26-2005, 10:53 AM

Since you went to Oatman, AZ, last year you'd probably also enjoy Chloride, AZ. Like Oatman it's a semi ghost town with a lot of history and interesting scenery. It's located just east of Highway 93 between Las Vegas and Kingman, AZ (probably about 45-50 minutes past the Hoover Dam). For more info on Chloride go to http://chlorideaz.com/

I agree with the other suggestions, particularly the Valley of Fire.

goldenage

10-26-2005, 09:27 PM

Jilara

10-28-2005, 04:33 PM

Another vote for Valley of Fire, and a second on Mt. Charleston (to the northwest). There was a substantial amount of snow up there in March, but it was still worth the trip! Gorgeous! Just don't expect to go hiking. (We actually found it purely by accident, when my sister-in-law made some wrong turns and got us lost, and then we decided to see where "lost" would take us. ;)

vegasbelle

10-29-2005, 08:29 AM

:) We are coming to LV Dec 6-13. We rent a car and like to find unusual things to see & do. Any suggestions ? Last year we went to Oatman, Az. & the Winery in Parump.... Thanks for your help..

You should go to Laughlin ... Just moved here in April and started to see the sights outside of Vegas. Laughlin is 1-1/2 hours away and it is off the Colorado River and has about 9 casinos and a beautiful River Walk along side of the casinos and they have a Boat Ride and it is just a nice little get away. Driving thru the mountains is always lovely and you are still able to be back to Vegas in a short time.
Vegasbelle

amurray

10-31-2005, 07:36 PM

We have made many day trips from Las Vegas. Besides those already mentioned you might consider:
1. Red Rock Canyon (only about 1/2 hour west from the strip)
2. Death Valley National Park. December is a good time to visit although the last time I checked the road to Dante's View was still closed due to road being washed out almost a year ago. Well worth the trip.
3. Mesquite ... a small 'city' about 90 minutes north of Las Vegas. A nice ride through the desert to find a green oasis at Mesquite. Several casinos to visit here.
4. No one's mentioned the Dam yet, if you haven't seen it make it a top priority.
5. Lake Las Vegas is only about 30 minutes east of the strip is a nice ride with a couple of beautiful casinos, hotels and golf courses here.

Enjoy!

margekate

11-01-2005, 05:23 PM

We rented a car this summer in LV. Very hot. We drove to Mt. Charleston. Really a nice drive and beautiful in the mountains. It is only about 45 minutes from LV. We drove to Primm another day but that was a waste of time.

Nevada

11-05-2005, 06:49 PM

we usually drive somewere every trip to vegas to cut down on gambling losses one year drove to los angles ca. and another to death valley we are from east coast so every day trip or longer is a great way to see new sites. as you can tell don't mind the driving:)

andrea

11-08-2005, 08:32 PM

cindyinnj

11-09-2005, 08:34 AM

at red rock canyon, there is a 13 mile scenic drive that takes you through the colorful calico mountains. it's a short distance from the strip or I15. i take all my out of town visitors there. great photo ops and view spots. little places to eat picnic lunch and a museum of local and natural history.

Thanks for the great info Andrea, but I've never been out of the LV strip area before, so which direction from the strip do I get onto I-15 for the Red Rock Canyon? Just want to make sure I'm going the right way...LOL!

Thanks
Cindy