5 days: Las Vegas and the nearby parks
- Length
- 5 days
- Base
- Las Vegas (+ 1 night in Springdale)
- Best time
- Oct–Apr
- Stops
- 15
Las Vegas is the best-placed city in the West for national parks: Zion, Death Valley and the Grand Canyon are all within a morning’s drive, and Red Rock Canyon and Valley of Fire are closer than the airport is to some resorts. This plan keeps Vegas as the base, with one night out in Zion, so you only pack your bag once.
Hour by hour
Day 1 · The Strip
Afternoon
Pool and check-in
Fly in, pick up the car, check the resort fee at the desk.
18:00
Walk the Strip
From the Bellagio fountains to the Venetian’s canals and the Sphere lit up at night.
21:00
A show
Book the big names ahead; same-day booths sell leftover seats for the rest. See our Las Vegas guide.
Sleep: Las Vegas
Day 2 · Red Rock and Valley of Fire
7:00
Red Rock Canyon
The 13-mile scenic loop, 25 minutes from the Strip; timed-entry reservation needed from October to May. Short hike to Calico Tanks.
12:00
Lunch back in town
Or a picnic on the way north.
14:30
Valley of Fire State Park
An hour north-east: Elephant Rock, the Fire Wave, White Domes and the petroglyphs of Atlatl Rock, glowing at the end of the day.
Sleep: Las Vegas
Day 3 · To Zion
8:00
Drive to Springdale
About 2 h 45 on I-15. You lose an hour entering Utah.
12:00
Zion Canyon by shuttle
Riverside Walk to the mouth of the Narrows, the Emerald Pools.
Sunset
The Watchman
From the Canyon Junction bridge. See our Zion guide.
Sleep: Springdale
Day 4 · Zion, back to Vegas
First shuttle
The big hike
The Narrows (if open) or Angels Landing (permit) — or Observation Point via the East Mesa trail for the view from above.
15:00
Drive back to Las Vegas
Or stay a second night and come back early on day 5.
Sleep: Las Vegas
Day 5 · Death Valley (October to April)
6:30
Leave for Death Valley
About 2 hours west to Furnace Creek via Pahrump.
9:00
Zabriskie Point and Badwater Basin
The golden badlands, then the salt flats 282 feet below sea level, the lowest point in North America.
12:30
Artists Drive and the Mesquite Flat dunes
Pastel hills on a one-way loop, then sand dunes near Stovepipe Wells.
16:30
Dante’s View
The whole valley from 5,000 feet, then back to Vegas. See our Death Valley guide.
If you only have one day
From the Strip: Red Rock Canyon at sunrise and Valley of Fire in the afternoon — two very different landscapes, both under an hour away, with no overnight needed.
The stops on a map
Where to sleep
Center Strip
Walk to the fountains and the shows; parking at most resorts is paid.
Hotels in Center Strip partner linkOff-Strip & Summerlin
Free parking and a fast start for Red Rock and the road.
Hotels in Off-Strip & Summerlin partner linkSpringdale
The night in Zion: walk to the park shuttle.
Hotels in Springdale partner link
Budget, roughly
No made-up totals: prices move with the season and the day. Here is what costs what, from $ (cheap) to $$$$ (splurge), and where you can save. Our USA budget guide has typical ranges.
Hotels
$$$$
Vegas rooms can be cheap midweek, but the resort fee and parking add up every night. See Vegas hotels by neighbourhood.
Car
$$$$
Return rental from the airport; fuel for about 800 miles.
Park entry
$$$$
Zion charges the non-resident surcharge; Death Valley does not. Valley of Fire and Red Rock have their own fees.
Shows
$$$$
The splurge of the trip, if you want one.
Summer warning
Vegas & parks in 5 days: your questions
Which national parks are closest to Las Vegas?
Death Valley (about 2 hours), Zion (about 2 h 45), the Grand Canyon’s South Rim (about 4 h 30). Red Rock Canyon and Valley of Fire, closer still, are not national parks.
Can you visit Zion as a day trip from Las Vegas?
Yes, but it is a long day. One night in Springdale makes it far better.
Is Death Valley safe in summer?
Only with great care: stay near the car and air conditioning, carry lots of water, and do not hike after 10 am.
What is the best time for this trip?
October to April. Spring adds wildflowers in Death Valley in good years.
Written by Kylian Dev · Last reviewed October 21, 2026. Times are indicative; opening hours change with the season.