If you’re looking for a place to vacation this summer, you might not have that far to go. In fact, many of the nation’s best places to go for vacation are right here in our backyard.
This info comes from Attractions of America. They recently released their “35 Best Places to Vacation in the US in 2023” list. Those of us who live in Las Vegas might be looking outside of Nevada to get away. But it appears a lot of people are looking to come here.
Five of the 35 locations listed are in or around Las Vegas. And for comparison, the entire East Coast, from Florida all the way up to Maine, had 10 on the list combined. The whole state of Hawaii only had one.
The Pacific Northwest did bring in eight of the locations. So, if you’re looking to fly or drive a little further for your summer vacation, you have plenty of options there. San Francisco was number two on the list for all the culture and landmarks you can see. Sacramento was number 10 for its historical sights.
The whole Oregon coast and Portland landed at number 21 and 22, respectively. They have all the beauty and outdoor recreation you can take, and the uniqueness of Portland just can’t be found anywhere else.
If you’re looking to travel a little more than a few hours to the east of Las Vegas, there’s Colorado. Colorado Springs, Telluride and Denver all landed on this list. Those are great options, if you want to travel 10-12 hours in the car or pack the whole family on an airplane. If you don’t mind that much travel, Colorado has a lot to offer.
On the other hand, Nevada does too. So if you want the feel of a vacation without going too far from home, consider checking out one of these places. Heck, check them all out this summer. With what you’ll save on travel, you definitely could. – Wendy Rush
1. Southern Utah
If you are an avid outdoorsman, you have to put Southern Utah on your bucket list. Landing on the list at #32, this area of the country is full of beautiful, untouched nature. Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon and Angel’s Landing are just a few of the places you should see. And it’s only a 2 hour drive to the closest spot.
2. Moab
Moab is one of the longest drives you’ll do for a vacation spot from Las Vegas. But it’s still only 6 hours. For that drive you’ll get some of the most scenic hikes in the country. Bike trails are plentiful too if that’s your thing. Or there are lots of places to do rock climbing. Bonus: Moab is right at the gate of the Canyonlands National Park. And if someone in your party isn’t so outdoorsy, there are many bars and restaurants for them to check out. Moab was #28 on the list.
3. Lake Tahoe
At 7 hours away, Lake Tahoe (#14) is the longest drive you’ll have to make from Las Vegas to vacation. But oh man is it worth the trek. Lake Tahoe has everything you could want in one place. Hiking, jet skiing, historic spots and even gambling if you’re on the Nevada side. Of course, with it’s ski resorts, Tahoe is also a great vacation spot for winter.
4. Grand Canyon
We’ve all seen the photos of the Grand Canyon from the sky. But there’s a lot more to this national park than just a scenic view from a helicopter. There are lots of activities available for visitors. For just a four hour drive from Vegas, you can choose from river rafting on the Colorado, a mule or train ride through the canyon, camping and more. The Grand Canyon landed at #13 on the list of best places to vacation.
5. Las Vegas
Of course Las Vegas itself was going to land on this list. To those of us who don’t see it everyday, it’s still a pretty cool vacation spot. Las Vegas came in at #6 of the top 35 vacation spots in the U.S. So if you’ve never done that famous Las Vegas staycation locals talk about, it might be time to try it out.
