I go beyond Las Vegas to discover a few hidden gems on a Nevada road trip. Highlights of a Nevada road trip include a drive along the Valley of Fire Highway, Lamoille Canyon Scenic Byway, Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive as well as the Extra-terrestrial Highway. That’s not to mention the natural wonders of Lake Tahoe and Cathedral Gorge.
Why Use KAYAK to Plan your Nevada Road Trip
For your Nevada road trip it’s important to experience it in the best set of wheels for your budget. Using KAYAK you can compare hundreds of travel websites instantly at the click of a button. Explore not only car rental but also hotels and flight prices with KAYAK. Get the biggest bang for your buck with KAYAK by comparing so many travel websites at once. When you find the best option, simply click through and reserve.
Finding a Hire Car with Kayak
For a Nevada road trip, the car you drive everywhere in is extremely important. Use KAYAK to discover the hire car which will best suit your Utah road trip. Kayak searches hundreds of different car options at once and within seconds. In fact, during your search you’ll likely find options much better value than you ever imagined. Especially in Las Vegas which seems to be one of the best value cities to hire a car in the USA.
Finding a Hotel with Kayak
When it comes to booking hotels on a road trip I believe it’s best not to book them in advance. Consequently, you’ll be able to spend longer in places you love and less in other places. What’s more, you’ll probably discover places you didn’t know existed whilst freely exploring the state. However, if there’s somewhere you know you’ll be like Las Vegas at the start and finish of your Nevada road trip, go ahead and book in advance through KAYAK. Lastly, a good way to book hotels throughout your road trip is to download the KAYAK app on your phone and search by location when you’re there.
Las Vegas
Las Vegas is one of the cheapest places in the USA to rent a hire car. For this reason, I recommend you fly into Vegas and start your Nevada road trip here. Las Vegas needs no introduction but how does a drive down the famous Las Vegas strip sound? Don’t forget to park up at the ‘Welcome to the Fabulous Las Vegas’ sign for an iconic picture. Lastly, read about these famous Las Vegas Landmarks and Las Vegas hotels.
Death Valley
Death Valley National Park is located on the Nevada / California border. It’s the largest national park in the contiguous United States and home to several stunning sights. Let’s start with Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America. What’s more, the hottest ever temperature on earth was recorded here at 134 degrees. What will the temperature be when you visit? Take a photo with the large current temperature sign at the Visitor Center. Other points of interest at Death Valley National Park include, colorful canyons, badlands, photogenic sand dunes, mountain backdrops as well as historic mines and springs.
Read about the second biggest national park in the contiguous United States, Yellowstone National Park.
Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is another natural wonder which shares the California / Nevada border. With crystal clear water and a stunning mountain backdrop, on a clear day Lake Tahoe is one of the most beautiful places in the country. Finally, an interesting fact about Lake Tahoe is it’s the second deepest lake in the US after Crater Lake.
Valley of Fire State Park
Take your Nevada road trip along the Valley of Fire Highway through the Valley of Fire State Park. The Highway is surrounded by dark red sandstone formations which certainly make this one of the most unique drives in the US.
Lamoille Canyon
Escape the dry Nevada landscapes and take a drive on the Lamoille Canyon Scenic Byway. A popular stop off point is the Lamoille Glacier Overlook where you can clearly see the U shaped canyon which was carved by huge glaciers over 250,000 years ago. This is one of the wettest areas in Nevada therefore it’s often more colorful than the rest of the state.
Great Basin National Park
Take a drive on the Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive to view one of the southernmost glaciers in the US. As you wind along this mountain road you’ll be rewarded with stunning panoramic desert views of Snake Valley. Another top sight at Great Basin National Park are Lehman Caves which feature out of this world stalactite and stalagmite formations.
Spencer Hot Springs
Take your Nevada road trip along a dirt road for 10 miles east of Austin and you’ll arrive at Spencer Hot Springs. If you fancy bathing in hot springs with a stunning backdrop then Spencer Hot Springs is worth the journey. As a matter of fact, it’s become quite a popular Instagram spot over the years.
Cathedral Gorge State Park
With a name like Cathedral Gorge, you know you’re going somewhere special. In fact, if you’re a photographer and you only visit one place in Nevada, I highly recommend Cathedral Gorge State Park. Park the car up and take the clearly marked hiking trails through the unique formations and spires.
Grapevine Canyon Petroglyphs
Grapevine Canyon is home to historic petroglyphs which date back potentially 1000 years. The ancient rock art shows the significance of Grapevine Canyon. It’s a half mile hike out to the Grapevine Canyon Petroglyphs.
Lake Mead and Hoover Dam
Hoover Dam is instantly recognisable from several Hollywood movies, most recently Transformers. It’s located on the Nevada / Arizona border and incredibly easy to visit. There’s even a large parking area for you to make a photo stop. If you’re really interested you can take a Dam tour to see how Hoover Dam works. Lake Mead was created by Hoover Dam and is the largest reservoir in the USA by capacity. Lastly, it’s possible to visit several parts of Lake Mead which has its own visitor center.
Extraterrestrial Highway
The E.T Highway is officially known as Nevada State Route 375 . Although you cannot visit, Area 51 is in nearby. However, what you can visit are several alien inspired gift shops and Instagram worthy locations along this route. Strangely enough, the Nevada Lunar Crater is also adjacent to the E.T Highway and you can visit!
Reno
Reno is home to a famous sign, Reno – The Biggest Little City in the World. How about Reno itself? It’s like a miniature, more peaceful version of Las Vegas with some of the familiar casino brands. Read about the things to do in Reno Nevada.
Enjoy Your Nevada Road Trip
Enjoy your Nevada road trip with the freedom to explore at your own pace. I’ve shared a few highlights but there is much more you will discover as you hit the open road.
Visiting the USA? Read about an Arizona road trip, Utah road trip, California road trip, Washington road trip, South Dakota road trip and Colorado road trip.
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