Death Valley Day Trip from Las Vegas
The classic one-day escape from Las Vegas into Death Valley National Park: a guided drive to the big viewpoints, with the driving, the permits and the heat planning handled for you.
California
Death Valley
Death Valley is the largest national park in the lower 48 states and a place of superlatives that actually hold up: Badwater Basin sits 282 feet below sea level, the lowest point in North America, and the hottest air temperature ever reliably recorded on Earth, 134 degrees Fahrenheit, was measured at Furnace Creek in 1913.
Yet the park is far from empty. Salt flats, golden badlands, rippling sand dunes, a volcanic crater, a ghost town just over the Nevada line and some of the darkest night skies in the country make it one of the most photogenic landscapes in the American West. This guide books it properly: small-group day tours from Las Vegas, sunset and stargazing trips, self-drive 4x4 and audio-tour options, and every must-see viewpoint from Zabriskie Point to Dante's View, then pairs them with the places to sleep, from the spring-fed Inn at Death Valley to gateway towns like Beatty, Pahrump and Lone Pine.
Don't miss
Death Valley Day Trip from Las Vegas
The classic one-day escape from Las Vegas into Death Valley National Park: a guided drive to the big viewpoints, with the driving, the permits and the heat planning handled for you.
Best of Death Valley Small Group Day Tour from Las Vegas
A smaller-vehicle day tour from Las Vegas covering the park's headline stops, with more time at each viewpoint and a guide who can adapt the day to the group and the weather.
Death Valley Sunset and Stargazing Tour from Las Vegas
A late-day tour that times the park's golden hour to the sunset and then waits for full darkness, when the Milky Way spills across one of the darkest skies in the lower 48.
Badwater Basin
The lowest point in North America, 282 feet below sea level: a vast white salt flat you can walk out onto, with a sign on the cliff far above showing where the ocean would be.
Things to do in Death Valley
Hand-picked: every experience here has strong traveler reviews and a verified booking link.
Best of Death Valley Small Group Day Tour from Las Vegas
A smaller-vehicle day tour from Las Vegas covering the park's headline stops, with more time at each viewpoint and a guide who can adapt the day to the group and the weather.
Death Valley Sunset and Stargazing Tour from Las Vegas
A late-day tour that times the park's golden hour to the sunset and then waits for full darkness, when the Milky Way spills across one of the darkest skies in the lower 48.
Death Valley National Park and Rhyolite Ghost Town Small Group Day Tour
A small-group day from Las Vegas that pairs Death Valley's big viewpoints with the ruins of Rhyolite, a boom-and-bust gold town just across the Nevada line.
Self-Guided Audio Driving Tour in Death Valley National Park
A downloadable audio guide for people driving themselves: turn-by-turn commentary, the history and geology of each stop, and the freedom to choose your own pace and picnic spots.
Death Valley National Park Self-Drive 4x4 Trip from Las Vegas
Rent a capable four-wheel-drive vehicle, follow a planned route and drive into the park at your own pace, with the vehicle and route support arranged for you.
Private Hidden Hot Springs Tour near Death Valley
A private four-hour outing to natural hot springs in the desert near Death Valley, for travelers who want a soak and a quiet landscape instead of a full-day drive.
Private Luxury Day Trip to Death Valley from Las Vegas
A fully private, premium vehicle day trip into Death Valley, with a driver-guide, a flexible itinerary and the comfort to match.
Beyond Death Valley: Eastern Sierra Small Group Adventure
A small-group adventure that continues past Death Valley into the Eastern Sierra, linking the desert's lowest basin with the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada.
4-Day Death Valley, Yosemite and San Francisco Tour from Las Vegas
A multi-day group program that links Death Valley, Yosemite National Park and San Francisco, with camp or lodge nights along the way.
Badwater Basin
The lowest point in North America, 282 feet below sea level: a vast white salt flat you can walk out onto, with a sign on the cliff far above showing where the ocean would be.
Zabriskie Point
The park's most photographed viewpoint: a short walk from the car to a ridge above golden, wrinkled badlands, with Manly Beacon rising at the centre and a sunrise glow that people drive hours to see.
Where to stay
Hotels we would book ourselves, from splurges to good-value bases.
The Inn at Death Valley
Furnace Creek, inside the park
The park's historic hillside hotel at Furnace Creek: stone-built in the 1920s, with palm gardens, a spring-fed pool and terraces that look out over the salt flats and mountains.
Check rates →The Ranch at Death Valley
Furnace Creek, inside the park
The family-friendly resort village at Furnace Creek: pools, a saloon, a general store, a golf course and plenty of rooms, in the middle of the park.
Check rates →Stovepipe Wells Village Hotel
Stovepipe Wells, inside the park
A small desert village on the road to the dunes, with a motel-style hotel, a pool, a saloon and a store, and a quieter pace than Furnace Creek.
Check rates →Panamint Springs Resort
Panamint Springs, western edge of the park
A remote, independent roadside resort on the park's west side, with motel rooms, a restaurant, fuel and wide views over Panamint Valley.
Check rates →Amargosa Opera House and Hotel
Death Valley Junction, southeast park gateway
A quirky, historic stop at Death Valley Junction: a small hotel beside a hand-painted opera house, with a cafe and a sense of old desert theater.
Check rates →Stagecoach Hotel and Casino
Beatty, Nevada, northeast park gateway
A classic Nevada casino hotel in Beatty, the gateway town on the park's northeast side, with a restaurant and easy access to Rhyolite and the Daylight Pass entrance.
Check rates →Best Western Pahrump Oasis
Pahrump, Nevada, southeast gateway
A reliable chain hotel in Pahrump, the Nevada town on the road between Las Vegas and Death Valley, with the comforts of a modern motel.
Check rates →Pahrump Nugget Hotel and Casino
Pahrump, Nevada, southeast gateway
A casino hotel in Pahrump with restaurants, entertainment and rooms, a lively alternative for evenings after a day in the desert.
Check rates →Dow Villa Motel
Lone Pine, California, western approach
A historic motel in Lone Pine, the Eastern Sierra town on the park's west side, with Hollywood film history, Alabama Hills nearby and Mount Whitney on the skyline.
Check rates →Tour + stay
Ready-made pairings: a top sight and a hotel that suits it. Add both to your trip and book each when you are ready.
Do
Death Valley Day Trip from Las VegasStay
Best Western Pahrump OasisPahrump, Nevada, southeast gateway
Do
Best of Death Valley Small Group Day Tour from Las VegasStay
The Inn at Death ValleyFurnace Creek, inside the park
Do
Death Valley Sunset and Stargazing Tour from Las VegasStay
The Ranch at Death ValleyFurnace Creek, inside the park
Death Valley guides
Death Valley in Two Days: A Sunrise-to-Starlight Itinerary
A practical two-day plan that puts the big viewpoints at the best light, saves the long drives for the right hours, and fits in a hike, the dunes and a night under the stars.
Where to Stay Near Death Valley: Inside the Park or a Gateway Town
A clear guide to the lodging choice: Furnace Creek, Stovepipe Wells, the west and east edges, and the gateway towns of Beatty, Pahrump and Lone Pine, matched to season and trip style.
Best Time to Visit Death Valley: Seasons, Heat and Wildflowers
Why Death Valley is a winter and spring destination for most people, what summer is really like, and how to plan around wildflowers, crowds and the moon.
Death Valley from Las Vegas: Guided Tour or Drive Yourself?
How to choose between a group day tour, a small-group or private trip, a stargazing tour, an audio-guided drive and a 4x4 rental, with timings, trade-offs and tips.
Stargazing and Photography in Death Valley: Light, Sky and Sand
Where and when to photograph the badlands, dunes, salt flats and Milky Way, plus the gear, timing and etiquette that make a difference.
Heat, Fuel and Driving in Death Valley: Staying Safe and Comfortable
Practical rules for the hottest, driest, and most remote national park in the lower 48: water, fuel, heat, flash floods, roads, signal and what to pack.
