Las Vegas Day Trips

"The location for the rink is amazing," said Harold Johnson, general manager for the hotel. "There is no other place to skate outside where you have views like this, an atmosphere like this, and snow. I expect the rink to be a major attraction, especially during the weekends, for adults and children alike. Not only does it provide entertainment, it provides a change of scenery from the desert." The rink, designed by hotel owner, I. Zaidman, took two months to complete. It is available for birthday parties and holiday event parties throughout the year. For information regarding rink times, rentals and ice-skating parties, please contact 702.872.5500.

New Mt. Charleston Hotel
Event and Conference Center, located at 2 Kyle Canyon Road, is 30 minutes from downtown Las Vegas. Situated high in the crisp, clean air of the Toiyabe National Forest, it is unlike anywhere else in Southern Nevada for taking time to get away or holding events. Since changing ownership in late 2004, it has undergone extensive renovations, including a new outdoor patio, sparkling duck pond, a year-round outdoor ice-skating rink and upgraded rooms featuring cozy fireplaces, flat screen televisions, DVD players, hooks-ups for video game systems, featherbeds, balconies (in select rooms) and views of the surrounding mountains. The hotel, known for its gorgeous location, attracts hundreds of destination weddings, corporate meetings and events, as well as private functions yearly, planned by Član Events, it's exclusive event coordination firm specializing in full-service event planning. Amenities include The Bistro with homemade foods and gourmet coffees, The Steakhouse, The Lounge featuring signature drinks, overstuffed leather couches and a plasma TV, spa services, special discounted ski packages and more. Perfect for those in need of time away from the normal routine, couples looking for a romantic getaway or for the outdoor enthusiast, it is conveniently located near numerous hiking and mountain bike trails, as well as the Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort. During the week, the hotel welcomes those in the hospitality and casino industry to enjoy half-price stays. The hotel can be reached at 702.872.5500. The Web site can be viewed at
www.mtcharlestonhotel.com

Adventure Canyon - splash in the Wild West
31900 S. Las Vegas Blvd.
Buffalo Bill's Resort & Casino
Primm, NV 89019
702-679-7433
(45 miles)

Bonnie Springs Ranch/Old Nevada 
Cool 1880s mining town.
1 Bonnie Springs Ranch Road
Old Nevada, NV 89004
702-875-4191
(25 miles)
The Wild West is still as wild as ever in Old Nevada, a replica of an 1880's mining town built on the 115-acre Bonnie Springs Ranch.
Las Vegas is the epitome of the fast-paced, ultra-modern city - swank, glittering, and exciting; but just a short, 30-minute drive away, you can visit the past again. Bonnie Springs Old Nevada is John Wayne country. Boarded sidewalks that creak pleasantly under your feet, saloons, tumbleweeds, stagecoaches, and even a Boot Hill Cemetery.
(check their website out for more info)

Extraterrestrial Highway/Area 51 - Check out the UFO hotspot near Area 51.
Extraterrestrial Highway 375
Rachel, NV 89191
(140 miles)
A lonely and  desolate stretch of rural highway has been transformed into an attraction that draws hundreds of visitors every year. In 1996, a then-Governor Bob Miller re-christened State Route 375 as the Extraterrestrial Highway. He proudly displayed a "Speed Limit Warp 7" sign (no sign actually appears on the highway).
Suppose to be a place for UFO activity because of its proximity to Area 51, a top-secret government installation. In the tiny town of Rachel (population 100), you can visit the Area 51 Research Center, which claims to expose many  secrets. Rachel is the only town on the route, which covers approximately 100 miles. Those staying overnight can check into the "Little A'Le'Inn" - just look for the building with the bug-eyed spaceman painted on the side.
The highway itself, located 140 miles north of Las Vegas, winds through barren desert and mountains, and there are a few starkly beautiful vistas along the way. (check out the website)

Lake Mead National Recreation Area
601 Nevada Highway
Boulder City, NV 89005
702-293-8906
(26 miles)
Lake Mead National Recreation Area (NRA) offers a wealth of things to do and places to go year-round. Its huge lakes cater to boaters, swimmers, sunbathers, and fishermen while its desert rewards hikers, wildlife photographers, and roadside sightseers. Three of America's four desert ecosystems - the Mojave, the Great Basin, and the Sonoran Deserts - meet in Lake Mead NRA. As a result, this seemingly barren area contains a surprising variety of plants and animals, some of which may be found nowhere else in the world.

Hoover Dam 
Highway 93
Boulder City, NV 89005
702-293-8321
(30 miles)
The federal government approved plans to dam the Colorado River, and construction began on Hoover Dam in 1931, and Nevada's governor legalized games of chance that same year. 
For decades, Hoover Dam was the top tourist destination in Southern Nevada, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Though Las Vegas has since added other enticements for the tourist dollar, the Dam remains a must-see attraction. Hailed upon completion as "the Eighth Wonder of the World," this engineering marvel stands 736 feet high, 1,244 feet wide at its crest, and is 660 feet thick at its base. There's enough concrete in its structure to pave a highway across the United States. Two guided tours leave at regular intervals throughout the day. The shorter tour takes 35 minutes; an expanded 60-minute version includes visits to a few harder-to-reach places. Guests are supplied with hard hats that they can keep after the tour is over. (check their website for additional information)

Mesquite
850 W. Mesquite Blvd.
Mesquite Area Chamber of Commerce
Mesquite, NV 89027
702-346-2902
(80 miles)
Mesquite is known as the desert oasis in Southern Nevada. Located approximately 80 miles north of Las Vegas along I-15, Mesquite has grown into a resort destination. Nestled in the picturesque Virgin River Valley, visitors will find over 2800 hotel rooms, RV parks, many wonderful restaurants ranging from casual to fine dining, convention facilities and top name entertainment.
"Pioneering with Pride" is the motto of this friendly city of 10,000 residents, originally founded by Mormon farmers who tilled the fertile soil along the Virgin River. The opening of the Peppermill Resort in the 1980s began Mesquite's conversion into a tourist destination, albeit one that still draws almost all of its business from Las Vegans rather than out-of-state visitors. The Peppermill, now the Oasis, has been joined by the Casablanca and Virgin River Resorts. The Oasis, Palms Golf Club and Wolf Creek Golf Club offer scenic challenges for golfers, without the three- day wait for a tee time. (check the website above for more information)

Pahrump Winery - check out the wine.
3810 Winery Road
Pahrump, NV 89048
702-727-6900
(60 miles) From Las Vegas, drive south on I-15 and take the Blue Diamond Road offramp. Take Nevada 160 west, 70 miles over the Spring Mountains and into the Pahrump Valley.
Was building a winery in the Mojave Desert the supreme act of blind faith? A shoot-from-the-hip venture for a wine loving romantic from the outskirts of California's wine country?  Well, not totally Jack Sanders, looking for a place to produce the perfect wine came upon the desert town of Pahrump. An early settler had grown grapes and made wine of sorts here half a century before; but could high quality, commercial wine grapes be cultivated in Pahrump? An in-depth feasibility study by experts determined that they could, and by using modern methods, fine wine of award winning caliber could be produced. Thus, in 1990, a unique adventure in wine began. Today the Winery in the Desert bursts with sounds and sights and tastes and fragrances that draw 100,000 visitors each year! There are free guided tours of the facility and the grounds, including the beautiful rose garden gazebo that has become a popular wedding spot. The tasting bar offers guests the chance to sample the merchandise, including the popular white Symphony variety. There is also a restaurant and gift shop that will print a personal message on the label of any bottle purchased. (check out the website)

Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area - scenic red sandstone
1000 Scenic Drive
Las Vegas, NV 89124
702-363-1921
(20 miles)
We are probably the  best kept secret in Las Vegas. We receive nearly 1.2 million visitors every year and we hope you will enjoy visiting our homepage. (click above)
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area holds a special place in the hearts of thousands of Las Vegans. In marked contrast to a town geared to entertainment and gaming, Red Rock Canyon offers enticements of a different nature. Peace, Serenity and Beauty are just a few words that will barely begin to describe what you will experience here. The Mojave Desert is not barren as you might think. It is teeming with life and beauty that in my opinion is rare and unique.
Petrified Sand Dunes, frozen in time, offer you a unique perspective of nature as well as the effects of the passing of millions of years. The excitement of suddenly appearing waterfalls, cascading into the canyons, will make you appreciate the mysteries and the hidden dangers of the Mojave. Red Tailed Hawks search for their next meal while drifting on air currents high above the desert floor. 
Whether you are a local Las Vegan, or just visiting, take some time out and enjoy the desert on a personal level. A word of caution, bring plenty of water and a good set of hiking shoes. You will definitely want to get out of the car and enjoy nature the way it was intended: With respect.
Stop by the Visitor Center to find out the latest programs we offer.