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1) Road Trip from Las Vegas to Tecopa, Death Valley, CA
Tecopa, Ca is located in Death Valley. It is an hour and 20 minute road trip from Las Vegas. Make sure you bring a lot of water on the trip because Death Valley can get extremely hot.
Due to the unique climate of the Tecopa, there is a date ranch right outside of town.
China date Ranch is a must see. There is a cute gift shop inside the building and the date shakes are amazing!
There is also a picnic area out back with beautiful hiking trails.
It is highly recommended that you don’t hike in the summer months though, due to possible death. And make sure you’re brakes are working because the road down to the ranch is a little steep!
Death Valley Brewing is located in the center of town. It is open Thursday through Sunday and has craft beers as well as a non alcoholic rootbeer on tap.
The Kit Fox Cafe is right next door. It offers has pizza, drinks and avocado toast.
The hot springs are the main attraction in Tecopa. There are two “free for all” hot springs.
One was built by a man in the 70’s who’s house burnt down. The other is right outside of town.
The manmade one is maintainted by the community, which they affectionately call “syphyllis springs.” The other is a naturally occuring.
We opted not to go because we were told by the locals that the surrounding grass was infested by spiders.
There are also two hot Springs resorts with cabins or RV/camping options.
Delight’s Hot Springs has one large pool with three hotter areas attached. There are also three private rooms with 30 minute timers.
2) Lake Havasu
Lake Havasu is a resort town 2.5 hours outside of Las Vegas.
The main “strip” is the Colorado River. Both sides are filled with restaurants, shop, and river activities.
The river is connected by the London Bridge, which was actually brought over from London, and there is a sandy beach right off the main drag open to the public.
We stayed at the London Bridge Resort, which is right on the main drag and close to all the major restaurants.
There also a beach with white sand aLake Havasu park. It was 20 dollars for a day pass and well worth the experience.
3) Road trip from Las Vegas to Oatman, AZ
Oatman, AZ is a two and a half hour drive from Las Vegas, NV.
It is an adorable town filled with little shops and vendors selling food for the wild burros that you can often find in the middle of town.
The only time they make themselves scarce is during the desert wild bloom.
The mayor himself is actually a donkey that lives right outside of town. You can visit him and throw him apples and food.
There is live music at Judy’s Saloon, Outlaw Willies, and the Oatman Hotel Restaurant and Bar.
Just make sure you plan to come out in the day because the town closes very early. The latest bar, Judy’s Saloon, closes around 8 pm.
4) Road trip Tonopah, NV
Tonopah is a 4 hour drive from Las Vegas but well worth the experience. There are two ways to get there.
There are two ways to get to Tonopah from Las Vegas. We went North on 95 to get there, which is where you can find the iconic area 51 store,
Tonopah is an old mining town with a few hotels. The clown motel is world famous, right next to the Tonopah Cemetary.
The Tonopah Casino has 24/7 gambing and a salloon and restaurant inside.
On the way back, we took 93 South and stopped at the Little Alein, which was the model for one of the scenes in the movie “Paul.”
It’s a super cute cafe with gifts and sandwhiches, as well as beers and spirits, including “Tequilien.”
5) Road Trip to Joshua Tree, CA
Joshua Tree, CA is a four hour road trip from Las Vegas.
Make sure you take the backroads because they are a lot more scenic and actually ended being quicker than the highway due to less traffic.
If you take the back roads you’ll go through “Nipton,” a tiny town made famous from the game “fallout.” There is a cute thrift shop in the middle of town.
The road trip is not complete without a trip to “Roy’s Cafe” in the town of Amboy.
They have all the basic necesity and some exotic drinks. We couldn’t resist the “jerky soda.”
Joshua tree itself has a quaint feel with some art museums and shops. It is full of musicians.
The Joshua Tree Saloon is at the center of town. It features a cute outsdoor seating area with live music and open mics.
There is also plenty of hiking. The most popular outdoor activity is the Joshua Tree National Park.
Places near Joshua Tree….
Twenty-Nine Palms
Twenty-Nine Palms is right outside of the Joshua Tree. It has a cute downtown with artists and some art galleries.
“Kitchen in the Desert” is my absolute favorite restaurant there. It is a tapas style restaurant with vegan and gluten free options.
It is also a hot spot for celebrities. While we were eating, Miya Kileefa was actually at the next table over.
Pioneer Town
Pioneer town is 20 minutes outside of Joshua Tree. It was the actual site for many Westerns. There are some cute shops and a restaurant. It is well worth the 20 minute drive from Joshua Tree.
The Integradon
The Integradon is just 10 minutes outside of Joshua Tree. It is open Wednesday through Sunday from for sound healings. Make sure you call a day in advance to confirm their hours.
It is closed June 20 to September 3rd due to the heat.
6) Palm Springs
Palm Springs is a five hour road trip from Las Vegas. It is about an hour past Joshua Tree. It is full of amazing restaurants.
Palm Springs is a little warmer than Las Vegas so there is outdoor seating with heat lamps year round. You can find every kind of food imagineable there.
Late night karaoke is very popular in palm springs, and you can find lots of live music inside and on the streets.
8) Road trip To Ely, NV
Ely, NV is a four hour road trip from Las Vegas. It is a mountain town with a charming downtown.
There are plenty of bars and a lot of live music. It is very cold in the winter, but a perfect place to get away from the scorching summer months in Las Vegas.
The locals were incredibly nice and warm. We really felt like we had made friends by the time we left.
8) Boulder City
Boulder City is just 30 minutes outside of Las Vegas, but offers a very different vibe from the city.
It is known for is antique shops.
There are also several restaurants and bar. Just make sure you make it an early in the day because most places close around 8 pm.