8 top things to do in Valley of Fire, Nevada

The terrains in state of Arizona, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming are famous for being considered as extraterritorial. There are lot of movies where these amazing lands have being featured as the ones belonging to outer space.

One of such attraction lies at an hour driving distance from Las Vegas, Valley of Fire State Park.
Scattered across an area of 46,000 acres, this state park has derived its name from the red sandstone formations due to shifting sand dunes over 150 million years ago.

We visited this place during the month of September and were lucky because the park was significantly less crowded. Scenic drives, stunning rock formations, mesmerizing shades of color all around the park during the sunlight, are few of the many things which makes this place one of the best daytrips from Vegas.

There is a lot to explore and see in this magical land, but here are the top 8 attractions which you should not miss to see during your visit to Valley of Fire State Park.

Beehives
These are unique/unusual sandstone formations, which appear in few minutes from the main entrance.
They are created by geologic cross-bedding and you can observe layers deposited over each other with grooved lines going in different directions.

You can climb at the top of one of them for some great views of the park.
Spend around 20 minutes here.

Seven Sisters
Next stop is Seven Sisters. You can see seven sandstone rocks together, standing like seven sisters.
Spend 5-10 minutes here to click few pics of the seven sisters and then head forward.

Elephant rock
Situated next to east entrance, this rock formation looks like an elephant.
It is a 1.2 mile easy loop trail, the highlight of the trail being the Elephant Rock.

Rainbow Vista
It is a 1-mile round trip hike through the gorgeous red rocks to the top of a big hill, from where you can get stunning views of the park.
There are lot of options to get color soaked photos here, so take pics from all the angles.

Pink Canyon
This is one of my favorite among all the attractions in Valley of fire and it feels like you are somewhere inside the Antelope Canyons.
There is no official trail for this pastel colored canyon, hence it becomes difficult to locate it.
It is part of wash no. 5 and situated near to Fire Wave and the White Dome trail is how you can find it. Do remember that the spot parking is limited to only two cars.

Credit - Here

The Fire Wave
Fire Wave is one of the most beautiful spots in Valley of Fire. It is a 1.5-mile loop hike to the incredible rock formation, where the coloring of the rocks is breathtaking. This magical spot is highly recommended and shouldn’t be missed.
Just keep your eyes on the path while walking, as there are many holes in the sand.

Credit - Here

White Domes

It is a 1.25 mile round trip moderate hike, because it is downhill at the start and uphill on the return. However, the experience is worth it when you get to walk through a narrow slot canyon.

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5 Best Daytrips from Las Vegas

The moment we hear word “Vegas”, we tend to imagine a different world altogether.
A world, which is defined by Majestic Hotels, Renowned Casinos, World-Class Clubs, Spectacular Shows, Glittering lights, to sum up Flamboyant Lifestyle.

Normally anyone visiting Las Vegas atleast spends 2 days in this magical city.
But Vegas is all about night, as the fun starts in dark, so basically you have time to explore new places in the day time.

If you are wondering what those places are and what to do there, here is the ultimate guide to the
“5 Best Daytrips from Las Vegas”.

1.  Death Valley National Park

     Death Valley is known as the hottest, driest and lowest place in USA and probably also in the
     world. However, there is a lot more to it other than the above three words.

     Situated at 2.5 hours from Vegas, this national park has one of the most dramatic landscapes in
     entire USA, with more than eight different colors of mountains, layers of salt crust forming the 

     lowest point of USA, Sand dunes reaching upto 100 feet, volcanic crater and vast areas of desert.

     There is an entry fee of $30 per vehicle.

     The main attractions that you can cover in a day are:
     - Badwater Basin – The lowest point in USA, but quite dramatic and beautiful.
     - Devil's Golf Course – Not a photogenic place but the structure of land is unique and captivating.
     - Zabriskie Point – One of the best points of the national park. You get to see different colors of
       rocks and the stunning structures.

     - Artists Drive – Amazing drive with Artists Palate as one of the most picturesque spot of the
       national park.

     - Dante's View – From this point you get to see the most breathtaking views of the entire valley.

       Here is a map showing the different points and the sequence of doing them so that it takes the
       minimum time to cover everything.

2.  Hoover Dam + Valley of Fire State Park

      Another awesome daytrip from Vegas is to Hoover Dam and Valley of Fire State Park.
      Start with Hoover Dam, which is 45 minutes drive from Las Vegas. Spend around 30 minutes
      clicking pics of the Dam and iconic Mike O'Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge which  

      connect Arizona and Nevada. If you are quite keen in knowing the history of Dam, you would 

      probably need to take an hour tour which will cost around $20 per person.

      I would personally suggest skipping the tour, clicking some nice pics and heading over to
      Valley of Fire.

      Valley of Fire State Park is one and half hour drive from Hoover Dam and an hour drive from Las
      Vegas. Filled with amazing pink and red rock formations, scenic vistas, stunning drives,
      adventurous hikes, the visit to this state park is a breathtaking experience.

      Major points to cover here are:
      - Beehives – These are unique sandstone formations, which appears in few minutes from the main
         entrance. You can climb at the top of one of them for some great views of the park.
      - Elephant rock – Next to east entrance, this rock formation looks like an elephant.
      - Rainbow Vista – It is a 1-mile round trip hike to the top of a big hill, from where you can get   

        stunning views of the park.
      - Pink Canyon – This is one of my favorites among the Valley of fire attractions and it feels like
        you are in some part of Antelope Canyons. Parking is limited to only two cars.

      - White Domes – It is a 1.25 mile round trip moderate hike, because it is downhill at the start and
         uphill on the return. However, the experience is worth it when you get to walk through a narrow
         slot canyon.
      - Seven Sisters – Take a quick stop to click few pics of seven sandstone rocks together.
     -  The Fire Wave – One of the most beautiful spots in Valley of Fire. It is a 1.5-mile loop hike and
         the path has many holes in the sand, so keep an eye on the ground while walking.
     

3.  Grand Canyon Skywalk – West Rim

     One of the natural wonders of the world, Grand Canyon is a famous tourist destination in US.
     Formed over millions of years of corrosion and cutting down by air and water, this steep sided
     canyon preserves Earth’s geological history.
     It is 277 miles long and there are various observation points to observe the breathtaking      
     panoramic views of the Canyon. The South and North Rim of the Canyon are famous among  

     tourists, because they offer a wide range of scenic points, but if you are short on time, the one-day 

     trip to Grand Canyon Skywalk – West Rim is worth the visit.

     Normally it is over 4 hours one-way drive to either of South or North Rim.

     The Grand Canyon Skywalk is an amazing architectural masterpiece standing at staggering
     heights of 4000 foot, over the West Rim of Grand Canyon. You get to walk over the transparent 

     glass floored structure and experience jaw-dropping views of the canyon right below your feet.

     It is a 2.5 hours drive from Las Vegas and you need to park your vehicle at the visiting center from
     where shuttles take you to different viewpoints. The admission ticket is of $69 which covers the
     below :
     - Eagle Point
     - Guano Point
     - Skywalk Ticket
     - Hualapai Ranch
     - Shuttle service

Credits - Here

4.  Red Rock Canyon

     Just 20 minutes from Las Vegas lies the perfect escape from the hurly-burly of the Sin city, Red
     Rock Canyon. It is best for those who loves hiking and rock climbing.

     It has around 30 miles of hiking trails and 13 miles of scenic drive.

     Though we didn’t get time to visit this place, but it is definitely a recommended daytrip from Las
     Vegas, in case you have visited the places listed above and have an extra day.

     The entry fee is $15 for a non-commercial vehicle.

Credit - Here

5.  Lake Mead Recreational Area

     Lake Mead Recreational Area is around 40 minutes drive from Las Vegas. It is one of the largest  

     water bodies near Vegas, hence a great area for swimming, boating and enjoying water   

     activities. It is massive 1.5 million acres with mountains, canyons, valleys, and two huge lakes.

     You can do various other activities, like driving the scenic Lakeshore Road, taking a cruise to
     enjoy the beautiful views around or hiking the 35-mile river mountain loop trail.

     The entrance fees to the recreational area is $25 per vehicle.

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Top 10 attractions in Las Vegas..!!

“What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”, is one of the most popular phrases in the world today.
The two words, “Las Vegas”, stealthy conceal a different world under the curtains.
This world is thrilling, exciting, flashy, ecstasing and adventurous.

So let’s raise the curtains and explore the magical world of Las Vegas.
Before that a small briefing on how we got there. 

We drove all the way from San Jose to Vegas, one hell of a road trip it was.
It took us around 8.5 hours to cover 500+ miles, which is pretty decent. We were lucky not to find much traffic on the way, especially because of any accident or other stuff.

The road trip is full of scenic moments, where it will be highly impossible to resist yourself from taking out your DSLR.
Magnificent mountains, curvy roads and vast water bodies on either side, are a treat for all nature lovers. 

The moment you enter Nevada, flashy lights and casino banners glittering all around gets you into a feel that the magical city is just a few miles away. 

Las Vegas the most populous city in the state of Nevada is known internationally for gambling, nightlife and luxury. 

Here are the top 10 attractions in Vegas that you can’t afford to miss.

World Famous Casinos
 If you are in Vegas, you will definitely give your luck a try.
The iconic and spectacular casinos in Vegas are home to world famous poker players.
Caesars Palace, Bellagio and Venetian are the top class hotels with mega casinos to place your bet.

Eagle view of Vegas from StratosphereSee the jaw dropping view of the glittering Vegas from the tallest building of the city.
Not only this, there are some awesome rides, Big Shot, X-Scream, Insanity : The Ride and SkyJump which will enhance your adventure experience.

Strip Lane tour
Strip lane is where all the fun begins in Vegas and never come to an end.
You can see the whole word here, right from Eiffel tower to State of Liberty and much more.
If you have a car, start from Stratosphere and drive all the way to MGM Grand.
Otherwise there are double-decker hop on and off buses that you can get at filthy cheap $8
for a day long.

Dancing Fountains at BellagioThe signature Dancing fountains at Bellagio are one of the main eye catching attractions in Vegas.
The fountains go live every half-hour beginning at 3 p.m. and every 15 minutes after 8 p.m.

World class ClubsIf you are in Vegas, you can’t miss to visit a club depending on your interest and taste.
Hakkasan at MGM Grand, 10AK at The Mirage, Marquee at The Cosmopolitan, TAO at The Venetian and Hyde Bellagio at “The Bellagio” are some of the best options available where you can get a great nightclub atmosphere.

Pool PartiesAlmost all the Big Hotels have their own pool parties.
In recent times the demand for pool parties has increased drastically.
Get your ticket for one of them as they are just as crazy as the nightclubs and offer you a great crowd to enjoy with.

Shop till you dropThe Fashion show mall along the strip lane, Forum shops at Caesars Palace and Grand Canal Shoppes inside the Venetian and Palazzo are home to some high end retailers which can satisfy your shopping desires.

Enjoy a showThere are lot of shows in the town, some international shows where you will get to see a celebrity perform, while the other famous ones are city’s production shows.
While we were there, Jennifer Lopez concert was scheduled to happen at Planet Hollywood.
We were short on time so had to miss it.

Treat for taste budsWith a series of world famous hotels in Vegas, the dining options to treat your taste buds increases manifold. Menus range from lip smacking seafood to unparalleled dishes of cuisines from all over the world.

Helicopter RideThough I won’t recommend this much but if you have extra money to spend , go for the Helicopter ride which will give you a break taking aerial view of the city.
It will cost you some 100 bucks, I suppose.

Some pics from the trip -:

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RoadTrip from San Jose to Las Vegas..

Though this is not the first road trip of my life but it is definitely among the memorable ones.
We drove from San Jose to Las Vegas.  It took us around 8.5 hours to cover the distance of 500+ miles.

Scenic views, curvy roads, great company and rocking music made it one hell of a road trip \m/

Here are some of the pics from the trip -:

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Road Trip from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon

On our road trip from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon which was around 125 miles, we were fortunate enough to capture some of the scenic beauty that kept us in high spirits for the whole trip.

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