Death Valley is a great day trip in the WINTER. Daytime temps at that time run around70-80 degrees. Summer, I wouldn’t go.
If you do go, my route…and I recommend…was to head out of the Las Vegas Valley via Blue Diamond Road up towards Pahrump and then over to Death Valley. On our return we headed directly East towards Beatty, NV and then south on route 95 back into the Las Vegas Valley arriving at dinner time. It was a great day trip.
Valley of fire. Same thing. Great WINTER trip. I wouldn’t go in the summer. Much easier/shorter trip than Death Valley and also good in Spring and Autumn. I was once there in a wet Spring and the place was blanketed with colorful wildflowers. To get there, drive up I-15 and exit onto the reservation. Drive through and come back to the Vegas Valley via route 167 along the edges of Lake Meade.
Mt. Charleston, I believe, is the best Summer excursion from Las Vegas. Temps there can be 20 degrees cooler than in the city. As you drive up to the lodge you hit an altitude where enough moisture is present to allow pine trees to flourish and you get a nice natural pine forest. Have lunch at the lodge and take in the views. A beautiful day.
There are other excursions, but many include seeing towns and stopping into casinos for a break. These three are good casino-less excursions. I love them all.
Stu Merrian