Drive 161.3 miles • 3 hours, 7 minutes

Sure, Las Vegas is the world’s undisputed gambling mecca, but it isn’t the only hot spot in Southern Nevada. Take this trip to learn about the diverse ways to have fun at the bottom tip of the Silver State. (Don’t worry, we didn’t exclude Vegas).

Horace Langford Jr

1. Pahrump

Starting Point • Food, History, Outdoor Recreation, Sports

Nevada = gambling, right? Sure, there’s plenty of that in Pahrump, but there’s much more in this vibrant desert community. Tee up at the Lake View Executive Golf Course, voted best “Mid-Sized Course in Nevada.” History buffs can peer into the area’s hardscrabble past and learn about miners, pioneers and cowboys at the Pahrump Valley Museum. Sip award-winning wines at a local winery, then grab high-speed thrills at Pahrump Valley Speedway as bombers, coupes and street stock racers scream by.

2. Las Vegas

63.7 miles, 1 hour, 17 minutes • Entertainment, Food, Quirky

Vegas is an alternate universe where you can see a stellar show or bet the farm on high stakes gambling. Roll the dice at jaw-dropping, world-famous casinos like the Luxor Hotel and Casino, the Venetian Las Vegas and much more. Stroll the original Vegas strip—still going strong—at the Fremont Street Experience and belly up to an all-night buffet. Get married in a helicopter, and then take Stripper lessons to keep things interesting. You can even fire an automatic weapon at Machinegun Vegas.

RECOMMENDED STOPOVERS

Canyon Trail RV Park – Boulder City, NV – (702) 293-1200

3. Searchlight

58.6 miles, 1 hour, 3 minutes • Entertainment • History • Outdoor Recreation

Things slow down in Searchlight, population about 600. Sure, you can get your gambling fix at joints like Terrible’s Casino, but you’ll also enjoy Cottonwood Cove Resort and Marina on Lake Mohave for boating and fishing. Experience the area’s mining heritage on the Eldorado Canyon Mine Tour, and check out the Searchlight Historical Museum, too. Hollywood icons Clara Bow and Rex Bell resided at the Walking Box Ranch, now on the National Register of Historic Places.

4. Laughlin

39 miles, 47 minutes • Entertainment, Outdoor Recreation, Sports

Two million visitors a year can’t be wrong: Laughlin’s the hot spot in southern Nevada. Casinos? You bet, but there’s more to do in this town on the shores of the Colorado River. Go kayaking or jet boat touring. Drop a line with or without a local guide, shoot a round of golf or go adventuring on horseback. Feeling stressed from all the action? Relax at a spa, and then enjoy picnicking under clear blue Nevada skies.