Going to visit friends in Las Vegas the first week of August(I know it will be very hot)but I don`t want to spend all day in the casinos so I am open to hear about fun day trips or even an overnighter that makes sense this time of year.

You have to get to Hoover Dam if you haven't seen it yet. Take the "Hard Hat" tour. That is the best one and takes you all through the dam. Very interesting.

Also, got to the canyons and red rock. Those aregreat trips also. Have fun!

This would be an over-nighter. Drive up I-15 towards Cedar City; and see Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Cedar Breaks (no particular order, they're all great). When you leave, you'll wonder why anybody would prefer the artificial attractions of Vegas to the REAL beauty of sites just down the road.

If you're ambitious (and don't mind making a few calls), reserve a place near the Grand Canyon and do an overnighter there. This is more beautiful than those others put together!

Red Rock Canyon is only a short ride from the Strip but it is a different world. You can take a short tour, hike, or just drive around the loop road. Continue on to a Ranch Tourist Attraction (I think the name is Spring Ranch. It is not much farther but you are sure to see wild burros on and around the road.

We visited Death Valley but that was a long day.

Bryce and Zion are outstanding! Beautiful drive on I-15. You could even go all the way to Salt Lake City for an overnighter and cool off!

We were there about 10 years ago and took a helicopter tour from Vegas that took us over Hoover Dam and than anded in the Grand Canyon. Was a very memorable ride - not cheap, but still worth it. Beats the long, hot rides into the desert. Was very enjoyable.

Just took a vacation in that area. Near Vegas there is also Valley of Fire. We did go to Death Valley,(it does take all day) It was really hot and beautiful-it was 119 degrees in the shade at the welcome station, even hotter at badwater at -282 feet below sea level (129 degrees). We liked Zion National Park better than the Grand Canyon. Grand Canyon North's entrance road is under construction, but it should be fixed by August. Bryce Canyon is different from all the others, the hoo doo's give it a totally different look (pillars). Where ever you decide to go, be at the place early because the afternoon usually has rain showers.

Please skip Death Valley!! We are having an incredibly hot summer out here and it will be intolerable in Death Valley. If you've never experience 120 degree heat, you can't begin to imagine it. There are also flights to Flagstaff and from there you can take a train to the South Rim of the GC--might be fun--do you have any kids coming along? You can do an overnight in Sedona and a day trip up to GC also. Lots of cheap airline fares right now---look into flyng instead of hours in the car.

I just came back from Vegas...yeah, it was 114 degrees but bearable. If you are adventurous...do what I did...call "Escape The City Streets".....and take a mountain bike trip to Red Rock Canyon...an experience I will never forget!

My hubby and I just returned from first trip to LV.
IT WAS REALLY HOT!!! We took a day trip to a little known area of the Grand Canyon called the west rim. It is on the Hualapai Indian Reservation. The tour company takes only small groups (we were the only ones that day) in jeeps, durangos, etc. You drive to the bottom (river's edge) and then view the canyon from the top. No crowds, tour buses, because not too many people know about this part of the Grand Canyon. The west rim is somewhat closer to LV than the south rim. It is by far the most exciting tour we've ever taken. E-mail me if you want the name of the company or their web address. Good Luck!