I’ve visited Las Vegas several times — the best part of every trip is less than an hour outside the city – AOL

I’ve visited Las Vegas several times — the best part of every trip is less than an hour outside the city

Erin Sanchez

Sat, January 24, 2026 at 6:13 AM PST

Erin hiking with her sister on her fourth trip. Erin Sanchez

• I’ve been to Las Vegas several times, and the city’s access to nature keeps me coming back.
• Nothing beats a day trip from the city to Valley of Fire State Park, less than an hour away.
• Now, whenever I visit Vegas, I trade casinos for quiet trails and sun-soaked desert views.

“One time is enough.”

That’s what I’d heard countless times about visiting Las Vegas before making the trip myself. I’d always wanted to go, if only to have that once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Turns out, one time wasn’t enough. I’ve been five times now, and I have no doubt there will be a sixth. The nightlife and gambling aren’t what keep me coming back, though.

These days, I skip the casinos and explore nature instead — and one of my favorite places is about 45 minutes outside the city: Valley of Fire State Park.

There was no turning back once I found a side of Vegas I didn’t know I was missing

Atlatl Rock. Erin Sanchez

In 2013, I went to Vegas to celebrate surviving grad school with a couple of friends.

Being first-timers, we wanted to see everything the Las Vegas Strip had to offer. About 28,000 steps and a midday shoe change later, we felt we’d seen all we could in a single day.

That first trip was a whirlwind of neon lights and shirtless men dancing on tabletops (they don’t call it “Sin City” for nothing). It was fun, but I wondered if there was even more to experience in the area beyond the sensory overload of the Strip.

Flying into Las Vegas from Seattle, I’d noticed the rugged, desert mountains surrounding the city. Those same mountain ranges also caught my eye from the mayhem of the Strip.

A couple of years later, when I returned to the city with my husband, I’d finally get to see them up close.

Valley of Fire State Park looks otherworldly. Erin Sanchez

After a day on the Strip, the two of us decided to get out of the city and visit the Valley of Fire. We didn’t know much about the park, but the impressive Google images and proximity were enough to convince us to check it out.

We rented a car, then headed northeast of Las Vegas and found ourselves in a sea of sand and rocky red outcroppings within an hour.

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