Casinos, brilliant shows, and noisy weddings – that’s what usually comes to mind when thinking on Las Vegas. At the same time, here you can find a much more than expected.

Many tourists already on the spot are surprised that the lifeless desert of Nevada has wonderful landscapes that are worth seeing even for sophisticated travelers.

If you arrived in the Sin City for a few days and don’t rush anywhere, then why not rent a car to explore the local natural beauties situated near the city. Of course, you will need a car with off-road capabilities, and Las Vegas Jeep rental will perfectly suit your needs. There are also many other SUV options on Rental24h.com if you can’t exactly rent a Jeep. Just go to the website and fill out the search form.

After reserving a car, it’s time to start exploring places to go near Las Vegas!

Red Rock Canyon

This reserve is located only 24 km away from Las Vegas, so it turns out to be easy and simple to decide on a day outing from the city to enjoy the beauty of the Red Rock Canyon. Moreover, the Red Mountains, in which the canyon is located, often attract the eyes of many tourists who are in Las Vegas due to their proximity, as they are visible from almost anywhere in the city.

The road through the Red Rock Canyon takes travelers to the most beautiful places, providing incredibly beautiful views of the red rock formations of bizarre patterns. Through the efforts of sandstone and the so-called castle stones clinging to each other, entire walls, peaks and mountains were laid out there.

Some of them reach the height of 900 meters becoming real bait for climbers. The highest point of the Red Rock Canyon is 2,485-meters-high Mount La Madre. In general, about 26 routes lead to a completely new and unique landscape.

Gardens at Springs Preserve

If you’re a little tired of casinos and city noise, then it’s time to go outdoors. The 73-hectare Springs Preserve is situated just 5 km away from Las Vegas. Therefore, a trip to this oasis surrounding the city will be very short and give you a lot of pleasure.

In the reserve, you can’t only walk along its many scenic trails, but also admire the local Botanical Garden dedicated to desert plants, as well as attend an innovative interactive exhibition with informative laboratories, and even an open-air amphitheater.

In addition, in the reserve there’s the Nevada State Museum. It stores a lot of natural exhibits about the history of the region and the development of springs that feed the nearby reservoir, which, in turn, provides water in the middle of the Las Vegas desert.

Hoover Dam

For over 80 years, this huge dam on the Colorado River has been a source of energy not only for Las Vegas, but all of Nevada and neighboring Arizona and California. 

Built during the Great Depression, the dam provided jobs for thousands of people in need. Now it looks no less impressive than in the 1930s, and it will be a great idea to get there from Vegas by a rental car.

Valley of Fire

55 miles north of Las Vegas is Valley of Fire – Nevada’s largest state park. While driving along red sandstone and endless desert beauty, it’s easy to guess why the park got this name. 

There are campsites, hiking trails and areas where you can have great time. Filming scenes on the planet Mars, in the movie ‘Total Recall’ were shot in the Valley of Fire, like many other films in which it was necessary to show cosmic landscapes.

Spring Mountain Ranch

Once owned by millionaire Howard Hughes and several other celebrities, the ranch is now a state park, and the main house has turned into a museum that is open to visitors. 

The ranch is situated just 15 miles from Las Vegas and looks like a 520-acre green oasis in the desert, where it’s always 15 degrees colder than in the city. This is a great place to spend a day away from the hustle and bustle. 

During a tour, ask to show secret rooms that are accessible through cabinets and created so that the owners have a safe place in case of robbery of the ranch.

Mount Charleston

Mount Charleston is another great natural getaway for road travelers. In the warm season, when the Nevada desert literally burns you with its hot air, at an altitude of 3,000 meters above sea level, you will feel complete comfort.

The dense green pine forest and many walking paths will give you unforgettable moments in the middle of the wild. Of course, a picnic is allowed on the territory, and even if you want to stay overnight there’s no problem. Numerous campsites are happy to shelter you.

In winter, Mount Charleston also has something to offer, as its area is covered with dense snow, providing ideal conditions for skiing and snowboarding.