Las Vegas is known as the gambling capital of the world. The bright lights of the casinos, resorts, arenas, restaurants, and bars make Las Vegas a popular tourist destination. While many people choose to fly into Las Vegas and spend a weekend or longer in the city, a better option is to embark on a road trip. Obtaining an international driver’s license from the International Drivers Association means you can explore outside Las Vegas and a road trip is a tremendous experience.
San Francisco
One of the best road trips to Las Vegas starts in San Francisco. This city is worth exploring for a few days and then you can jump into your vehicle and head towards Las Vegas. You can travel over the Oakland Bay Bridge and make your first stop at the impressive Yosemite National Park. You can stay overnight in the park and the following day continue your road trip to Las Vegas via Death Valley, which during the summer months is the hottest place on earth. Continue to Las Vegas, which is around 2 hours away from the Death Valley National Park Visitors Centre. You can spend as long as you like admiring the beauty of Yosemite and Death Valley when having the use of your own vehicle.
Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon
This is a fantastic road trip that can be added to the road trip above or completed on its own. Beginning at Bryce Canyon, this is worth plenty of time exploring because the changing light makes for some spectacular photographs. The next stop is the jewel in the crown of the western United States, the Grand Canyon. It is over 4 hours to drive between Bryce Canyon and the Grand Canyon but you can stop in Paige for some refreshments or overnight. You can take as much time as you like at the Grand Canyon, especially if you are happy to camp. From the Grand Canyon, the next stop on this epic road trip is the Hoover Dam. This is a marvel of engineering and having completed the tour, it is only a 40 minutes’ drive to Las Vegas.
Route 66
Las Vegas is not officially on Route 66 but you can use at as a place to stop for a few days or end your Route 66 road trip. Route 66 starts from Chicago and runs from east to west, ending in Los Angeles. You pass through 8 different states when driving Route 66, including Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California. There are many highlights along Route 66 and it would take months to complete the journey if you were to stop at them all. Once you reach Kingman, you can turn off Route 66 for the short trip to Las Vegas.
With so much to see and do, it quickly becomes clear why a road trip to Las Vegas is a must. Not only do you get to see towns, villages, and natural wonders, but also the opportunity to experience Las Vegas itself.
