The Sin City, the City of Lights, the City of Neon Signs – this is not a complete list of Las Vegas’ names.
However, there’s actually much more to Las Vegas than the nightlife, lights, hotels and casinos. You’ll find many other interesting places around the city, and the daytime life can be just as intense as the nightlife.
Want to check it out? Then the following day trips will help you to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the big city and enjoy the time spent in the wild. Of course, you will need to book Las Vegas car rental under 25 in order to get there. The car will give you freedom of movement and will allow you to get a new experience of traveling in the United States. So where to go from Las Vegas?
The Springs Preserve
Not far from Las Vegas, around the artificial sea that feeds the city with water, a unique wildlife reserve was opened in 2007. It introduces the amazing contrast of desert and green oasis that gave life to the city. The wildlife area is located just 5 km from Las Vegas. Therefore, the trip to this oasis on your rental car will be quite short and won’t tire you anyway.
Now in the reserve you can take a walk in a gorgeous botanical garden, walk through galleries, museums, and open-air concert venues. Follow special routes through the wild desert and impenetrable swamps. During the tour, you will learn how a person survives in such conditions and how to make a real paradise out of them.
On the territory of the reserve you’ll see the exhibition of modern technologies provided for the construction of cities among the sands of the desert – they tell about the rational use of water, solar energy, and wind.
Hoover Dam
Hoover Dam is the greatest construction of the 20th century and a famous Las Vegas landmark. The dam is located 48 km from Las Vegas, on the border of two states – Nevada and Arizona. It will take you about an hour to get there by car rental.
This majestic concrete structure, built in 1936, was the most colossal structure that the modern world has seen. The dam was not only the tallest in the world, but also the largest hydroelectric power plant.
Today, the Hoover Dam is a place of pilgrimage and a monument to the stunning determination and courage of the 21,000 people who built it.
Tours are held at the dam, during which you can get acquainted with the history of its construction, watch a film, visit the engine room and observation deck, which offers a panoramic view of the Colorado River, industrial facilities and the largest reservoir in the country – Lake Mead.
Red Rock Canyon
This natural area is located on the border of Arizona, Nevada, Utah and California. The total length of hiking trails in Red Rock Canyon is over 30 km. Travelers often rent a car and come there from bustling Las Vegas to enjoy the tranquility and beauty of nature, as well as to see the unique landscapes of the Mojave Desert.
The road that runs through the Red Rock Canyon winds its way to the most beautiful places with views of the red rock formations. The highest local point is 2,485 meters high Mount La Madre. There are 26 hiking trails along the canyon – each one leads to a completely new, unique landscape.
Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon is one of the seven natural wonders of the world, dating back about 6 million years. This natural landmark of Arizona annually attracts the attention of tourists from different parts of the world.
If you are in Las Vegas, and you have a rental car at hand, then you just have to get there! The canyon is located in northwestern Arizona, 280 km from the Sin City.
This majestic and grandiose canyon with deep gorges of bizarre shapes, sheer cliffs, caves and multi-colored layers of rocks was created by the Colorado River, whose waters over the years pierce the gorge deeper and deeper.
It’s home to hawks and vultures, snakes, lizards and scorpions, squirrels and bats, beavers and raccoons, lynxes and foxes, deer, bighorn sheep and many other animals.
Valley of Fire State Park
The park is placed in the Mojave Desert, but getting there on your car rental will be easy, since the local roads are of high quality. The area got its name from the color of the landscape: red, rocky formations of Aztec sandstone rise among the dunes and desert vegetation.
The valley stretches for 19 thousand hectares, rising almost 1,000 meters above sea level. On the east side, it is adjacent to Lake Mead National Recreation Area, and 80 km to the south-west is the famous resort city of Las Vegas.
The park is open daily from dawn to dusk, and there’s a small fee at the entrance. Two campgrounds are organized for visitors. The campsites are equipped with tables, grills and water, as well as toilets and showers.