Travel Dates: May 2022 (Updated July 2024)
Things to do outside of Las Vegas:
Death Valley – Located in California, it takes 2.5 hours to drive from Las Vegas but it’s totally worth it. We had a Tesla so had to stop at Beatty for a full charge before heading into the Valley. Be prepared as you will be in the desert, so bring enough water and make sure you have enough fuel for your vehicle.
We started at the north end at the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, which was amazing but very hot. Be aware of dust devils (sand whirls) as we saw one nearby.
From there, we headed south and stopped by Artists Palette and Badwater Basin. Artists Palette is a one-way loop so if you do want to hit these two spots, go to Badwater Basin first. The basin is a salt water flat and the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level. This is the hottest point in Death Valley so they advise to not hike here in the summer (temperatures go above 100ºF).
Artists Palette is where you can see colorful “rainbow” hills on the mountainsides. It’s interesting to see the blue and purple hues in the rocks but it’s not as vibrant as it appears in some pictures online.
We then drove northeast to Zabriskie Point and Dante’s View. Zabriskie Point is a breathtaking, panoramic view of the badlands and Dante’s View is a magnificent overlook of the valley and Badwater Basin. Of all the stops in Death Valley, we definitely recommend these two.
You’re supposed to pay an entrance fee for Death Valley at a fee machine or visitor center. We weren’t aware of this and realized you can just drive through Death Valley and not pay. Though I believe if you do pay, you’ll have a receipt that needs to be taped to your window in case rangers do come around and check cars.
Valley of Fire – A little under an hour drive from Las Vegas, this state park can also get very hot so make sure you pack enough water. Also, be on the lookout for bighorn sheep and white-tailed antelope squirrel as we were able to see them during our trip.
Driving into the Valley of Fire, you’ll first see the Beehive Rocks, which are sandstone formations that look like beehives. Then you can either drive a loop or do partial of it to see the Arch Rock and Atlatl Rock. The former was unimpressive but Atlatl rock was worth the stop. There is a flight of stairs to see Native American petroglyphs up close on the rock.
Driving further down, you can either make a left to the visitor center and drive to several hiking spots or go straight to see a few more rock formations. If you’re pressed for time, we recommend skipping the rock formations because the only major one is the Elephant Rock, which was subpar in our opinion. We recommend stopping at Mouse’s Tank (past the visitor center) instead. You don’t need to walk more than 5-10 minutes until you’re able to see more petroglyphs on the rocks.
There is an entrance fee of $15, and there’s a pay station you have to stop at in order to drive into the park.
Hoover Dam – ~40 minute drive from Las Vegas, the Hoover Dam sits on the border between Nevada and Arizona. You can drive across the dam to see it close up or do a bridge walk to have an overlook view. It’s free to visit Hoover Dam but if you want to go inside, you have to pay for a guided tour.
Zion National Park – We did an impromptu day trip from Las Vegas to Zion, which took almost 3 hours each way (note there is a time zone change as Zion is one hour ahead). As it was busy season, only buses are allowed on the Zion scenic drive, so we had to park at the visitor center. Because we didn’t have too much time, we took the bus to the last stop, Temple of Sinawava, which is where people hike The Narrows. We spent about an hour here in order to have enough time to visit the Canyon Overlook Trail.
Taking the bus back to the visitor center, we drove 16 minutes to get to the Canyon Overlook Trail. There is a small parking lot on the right just after the tunnel, which is also across from the trailhead. If there is nothing available, you can drive further down or loop around the other side of the road for additional parking spots.
The hike is relatively easy and took us ~35 minutes round trip. The hike is along the mountain cliffs, so be careful as some parts do not have railings and can be a steep drop.
One recommendation we have is if you’re interested in the other spots before the Temple of Sinawava on the Zion scenic drive, it may be best to see them first. Otherwise buses coming back from the Temple of Sinawava towards the visitor center are always packed, and many people at the subsequent stops have to wait for the next bus.
Things to do in Las Vegas:
“O” by Cirque du Soleil – We highly recommend this show with acrobatics, synchronized swimming, and diving. “O” takes its name from the French word for water “eau” which is pronounced the same way, thus the water theme–the stage is essentially a huge pool with a rising platform.
Because water and diving are involved, there’s a slight splash zone if you sit in the first few rows. We sat in Section 200 (“Loge Upgrade”) and thought it was perfect. The prices are in between the cheaper balcony seats and the expensive orchestra seats, and there’s only one row in this section so there’s no one directly in front of you blocking your view.
I guarantee you will not regret spending the money (although pricey) to watch “O.” You’ll be impressed by everything from the stunts to the set design, and of course since it’s technically a circus, you’ll get some laughs in as well.
KÀ by Cirque du Solei – Compared to “O,” KÀ is more martial arts based and theatrical, with a storyline. It’s still entertaining with their infamous vertical wall battle, but we did enjoy “O” better if you only have the opportunity to see one show. If you do watch KÀ, make sure you arrive early as performers will be walking around the theater lobby area, and get to your seats at least 15 minutes before start time to watch the pre-show.
Where to eat in Las Vegas:
It’s highly recommended to make reservations well in advance or else wait times for popular restaurants can take up to 2 hours or you’ll have to see if there’s availability for walk-ins at the bar.
Bazaar Meat by José Andrés – A great spot for meat lovers who want to celebrate a special occasion (the restaurant is pricey). It’s tapas styled, and out of everything we ordered, we enjoyed the Bagel & Lox cone and Caviar cone the most. The restaurant is primarily known for their fire pit and we jumped on the opportunity to try the Washugyu (Wagyu-Angus crossbred) bone-in ribeye, smoked over oak-wood. Make sure you order the meat first because it takes about an hour to cook. There was a piece of plastic in our drink, and the manager at the restaurant showed us top-notch hospitality by comping the drinks and giving us a free appetizer, dessert platter, and carajillo (coffee cocktail). With great food and great hospitality, we definitely recommend Bazaar Meat.
Bacchanal Buffet – If you’re looking for a buffet, especially one that has a lot of seafood, this is the place for you. Don’t expect top quality seafood as it is a buffet after all. The ability to have all you can eat lobster claws and crab legs alone justify the price tag, not to mention delicious prime rib and other smoked meats at the carving station.
Ramsay’s Kitchen – We couldn’t get a reservation for Gordon Ramsay Hell’s Kitchen so opted for this one instead. We ordered the beef Wellington, scallop with pork belly, and sticky toffee pudding. The beef Wellington was good and the sticky toffee pudding was delicious though very sweet (they pour a good amount of toffee sauce on top but you can ask them to leave it on the side). Overall, our meal was expensive so I would only recommend this if you want to try beef Wellington and want to treat yourself out.
Sakana – This unlimited sushi restaurant is only $30 per person during dinner. The food was mediocre but a good bang for your buck given its cheap price. You only have 75 minutes and they don’t seem to take reservations (we tried calling a few hours before arriving and the phone was busy). We arrived at 7p on a Sunday and had to wait 45 minutes.
Where to stay in Las Vegas
Elara by Hilton Grand Vacations – The Elara is located on the Strip and close to some of the other major hotels (i.e. Bellagio, Paris Las Vegas, etc.), shops, and restaurants which is great for convenience. The benefit of the Elara is that not only do they have free self-parking, but they also offer free 2-hour EV charging, and not all hotels have an EV station.
Typically all the hotels on the Strip are very vast because they are attached to casinos, restaurants, shopping area, and sometimes theaters or nightclubs. Because of this, it can take 10 – 20 minutes to walk over to a hotel next door or right across the street.
We stayed at the Elara because Hilton was offering a great deal if we sat through a timeshare meeting. Otherwise, there was nothing too special about the hotel.
Waldorf Astoria – Across from Elara, the Waldorf is strictly a hotel with no casino, shops, and only minimal dining options. This made it less crowded and, in our opinion, more enjoyable. There are free water bottles in the room and there’s only valet parking here for $45/day. They also offer free car service within a 2-mile radius but it is first come, first served and during busy periods there may be a 25-30 minute wait.
The Palazzo at The Venetian Resort – Connected to its sister property, the Venetian, both hotels have many restaurants, shops, and casinos on premise. You can also pay to take an indoor or outdoor gondola ride like the ones in Venice. We stayed at the Palazzo for a conference, and wouldn’t really recommend it as it was very crowded. But if you’re interested in the Italian theme and pizzazz, then this is for you.
Globe Trotter 