Las Vegas is famous for being the “Entertainment Capital of the World” and each year many travellers are drawn to the bright lights and excitement. Too few, however, are aware of the spectacular desert landscape that surrounds the city in the stunning state of Nevada. Las Vegas is the perfect gateway and after spending time enjoying the sights and sounds of this fun-filled city, why not rent a car and head off to explore the desert? Read on to find out the driving times to hidden gems in the “Silver State” of Nevada within hours of Las Vegas…

Under Three hours – Pahrump and Death Valley National Park
Just a short drive north of Las Vegas, Pahrump serves as the eastern gateway to Death Valley National Park. As the hottest, driest and lowest of all the National Parks in the USA, Death Valley is a land of extremes. Extreme sports lovers will find adrenaline-pumping hiking and cycling trails in the region’s high-desert terrain, while history buffs can explore several ghost towns in the area deserted after the gold and copper dried up. The nearby Amargosa Valley has 20,000 acres of wetlands, and Ash Meadows Wildlife Refuge provides sanctuary to plants and animals found nowhere else in the world.

Under Four Hours - Rachel and the Extraterrestrial Highway
Journey 147 miles north of Las Vegas and you will find the Extraterrestrial Highway (Highway 375) in Sand Spring Valley. Highway 375 stretches for 98 miles and the tiny town of Rachel is a popular stopping point for UFO fans hoping to learn more about the highway and the mysterious former military testing facility, Area 51. The E.T. Highway earned its moniker in April 1996, thanks to the hundreds of claims of UFO sightings along the lonely stretch of road, which is close to top-secret Area 51. Even today, visitors and locals report seeing strange lights in the night sky. As a result, the E.T. Highway draws hundreds of curious visitors. Day-trippers from Las Vegas routinely stop in Rachel before venturing off to hopefully discover the unexpected. The Little A’Le’Inn, Rachel’s local restaurant, bar and inn, is the ideal place to chat with residents about recent “sightings.”