Let’s be clear: Las Vegas is an excellent place to spend a few days of hedonism gambling and drinking your way through the city. If you have money and want to spend it in the many bars and casinos that Vegas is famous for, there is a lot to do in the city in the desert. The city in the desert did not become legendary for no reason.

However, after a few days of nonstop partying, you may feel the need for a brief respite. And what could be a more enjoyable way to do it than by renting a car and driving through the breathtaking landscape that surrounds the city? Continue reading for some fantastic ideas for road trips starting in Sin City that will help you become acquainted with the surrounding area and see more of it.

1. Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam are ranked first

Just a little over an hour and a half is all it takes to drive from Las Vegas to the world-famous Hoover Dam. The dam, which was constructed amid the Great Depression, was without a doubt the most impressive example of engineering of its kind at the time that it was finished. Because it is the primary source of water and electricity for the city, it continues to play an important role in the day-to-day activities of residents and visitors in Vegas.

Lake Mead is the name of the reservoir that was made by the Hoover Dam, and it is the reservoir that is currently the largest reservoir in the United States that was created by human intervention. When you get there, taking a lake tour by boat is the activity that will allow you to take in most of the natural beauty that is all around you. You also have the option of chartering your boat and going on an adventure of your choosing. You must go to Boulder Beach, particularly in the event that if you plan on going swimming or having a picnic t

2. The Nelson Ghost Town and the Eldorado Canyon Gold Mine

If you’re curious about how people used to live in Nevada a few decades ago, there is a curiosity 45 miles outside of Las Vegas’s city limits. If this piques your interest, don’t pass up the chance to see it. When the gold mining town of Nelson’s residents left decades ago because there was no longer enough gold to justify staying, they left behind many of their possessions.

Nelson’s current name, Eldorado, was given by the Spanish settlers who discovered gold in the area, and it has since become a popular tourist destination. People come from all over the world to see what life was like in Nevada in the past by taking photos and experiencing it firsthand. There are numerous tours available around some of the older mines, and if you’re lucky, you might even find a nugget on one of them!

3. The Valley of the Dead

If you thought Las Vegas was hot, wait until you see Death Valley. There is a lot more heat there. This national park is only about two hours from the Strip. This national park, appropriately named Furnace Creek Ranch, holds the record for the hottest temperature ever recorded anywhere on the planet (56.7 degrees Celsius in 1913).

Death Valley National Park not only has some of the world’s hottest temperatures, but it is also the United States’ largest national park that does not include Alaska. Traveling through the desert on one of the many long, straight roads that cut through the landscape, you will come across incredible salt flats that were once the floor of an ancient ocean. If you pitch your tent here and do some stargazing, you will be treated to some of the clearest skies in the world.

4. The Zion National Park

If you are willing to travel a little further into Utah, you will be able to visit the magnificent Zion National Park, which is located in that state. Before you can reach what is quite possibly the most beautiful national park in the continental United States, you are going to have to make your way through the desert for a distance of 160 miles.

The park’s surprising level of greenery is especially remarkable given its location in the middle of the desert. Because there are so many trails, visitors to the park can appreciate the breathtaking vistas while walking through the park. In addition to this, you can drive up to any one of the numerous lookout points that are scattered along the road.

5. National Park of Joshua Tree (also known as JTNP)

You will have traveled west for three hours before arriving at one of the national parks in the United States that is considered to be among the most distinctive in the country. During June, July, and August, the park’s temperature rises to an average high of 38 degrees Celsius due to its location in one of the driest deserts in the country. The park was given its name because of the unique trees that grew in the surrounding area.

If you schedule your vacation for March or April, you will be able to experience the breathtaking natural spectacle that is produced by the abundance of wildflowers that carpet the ground during their blooming season. This natural spectacle is known as the “flower carpet.”

The Strip and its casinos, hotels, and bars are only a fraction of what Las Vegas has to offer. There’s a lot to see on road trips leaving from the city, and you’ll have plenty of options if you rent a car at the airport.

While we’re on the subject of airports, our final piece of advice is that if you’re flying from Europe, you should get your ESTA visa well in advance of your arrival in Las Vegas. If you want to learn more about the nationalities that are eligible for the visa as well as the application process, check out this ESTA guide.