Today, June 15, is Nature Photography Day in America the Beautiful. If you enjoy a good road trip and taking photos of natural scenic wonders, it is easy to indulge your passions on your visit to Las Vegas and Tahiti Resort, a Pacific island-themed property just three miles from the world famous Las Vegas Strip.
In accordance with Nature Photography Day, we thought now would be a good time to reveal our Top 5 favorite destinations. All of them offer breathtaking vistas and wonderful photo opportunities. Best of all, they’re just a short drive from family friendly Tahiti Resort on West Tropicana Avenue.
RED ROCK CANYON (NEVADA)
20 MILES FROM CLUB DE SOLEIL
Visited by more than two million people each year, the Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area showcases a set of red sandstone peaks and walls called the Keystone Thrust. The walls are up to 3,000 feet high, making them popular hiking and climbing destination. The 13-mile scenic loop provides vehicle access to many of the features in the area and offers breathtaking views of the rock formations. A visitor center is located at the start of the loop road inside the park.
Home to some of the best rock climbing in the world
Rich eco system
Has host of petroglyphs throughout park
$7 per car to get in
Abundant wildlife
Open from sunup to sundown
Most trails are well marked
DEATH VALLEY (CALIFORNIA)
142 MILES FROM CLUB DE SOLEIL
Located about three hours’ driving time from Las Vegas is the deceptively-named Death Valley, an area teeming with locals, tourists and wildlife. Here you’ll discover Furnace Creek, the perfect spot to stop for a bite to eat before heading on to landmarks like Zabriskie Point and Stovetop Wells. Be careful when traveling during the summer; temperatures in Death Valley are known to reach 130 degrees!
Below sea level
A great place to visit is Scotty’s Castle
An organization coordinates a desert marathon in the summer
Lots of fault lines throughout the park
Lots of wildlife
Telescope Peak is one of the highest points in the park
Lowest being Bad Water Basin
Close to no shade throughout park (if needed be sure to bring your own)
Very easy to get lost; a large part of park is considered off grid and does not have cell service; GPS does not work in many areas
There is a path that you can drive through and see some of the sights without getting out of your car
ANGELS LANDING AT ZION NATIONAL PARK (UTAH)
165 MILES FROM CLUB DE SOLEIL
Angels Landing is one of the world’s most renowned hikes, and is an unforgettable short adventure hike worthy of all bucket lists. The views of Zion Canyon’s 270 million-year-old rock layers will time travel you back to the Triassic period when this section of the Colorado Plateau was a flat basin at sea level. Anyone in average physical condition can make this heavenward trek, but it can be mentally challenging with its steep switchbacks and sheer drop-offs. There are chains bolted into the cliff to provide secure handholds. People who have a severe fear of heights should not attempt the final stretch, but they can enjoy the trail all the way to Scout Lookout.
Three-hour drive from Las Vegas
Home to some of the largest sandstone walls in the world
Park provides transportation to main/remote areas in the main canyon
East side has rock tunnels that were created by the Conservation Corps in the 1920s and `30s
A great spot to visit on the way up is Oscar’s Café & Restaurant
Dogs are allowed on only one trail (Pyrus Trail)
Observation point is about an eight-mile hike
Less busy in winter
Famous for a hike called the Narrows
Home to some of the busiest and best “Big Wall” and “Canyonier” climbing areas
GRAND CANYON (ARIZONA)
275 MILES FROM CLUB DE SOLEIL
One famous landmark you won’t want to miss while on vacation in Las Vegas is the Grand Canyon. Located about four hours from the city is the Grand Canyon Skywalk, where you can get a breathtaking view of the area that you’ll never forget. You can even ride a donkey or hike deep into one of the most unforgettable natural landscapes in the entire world.
One of the 8 Wonders of the World
One of oldest geological sites
There is a hotel at the bottom of the canyon called Phantom Ranch
The Conservation Corps made abundant improvements throughout the canyon to make the sights more accessible
John Wesley Powell was the first person to navigate and tap the waters of the Grand Canyon
Has become one of the most valued water resources since its acquisition
MONUMENT VALLEY (ARIZONA-UTAH BORDER)
401 MILES FROM CLUB DE SOLEIL
Monument Valley, a red-sand desert region on the Arizona-Utah border, is known for the towering sandstone buttes of Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. The park, frequently a filming location for Western movies, is accessed by the looping 17-mile Valley Drive. The famous, steeply sloped Mittens buttes can be viewed from the road or from overlooks such as John Ford’s Point.
Not a national park and on a Navajo Reservation
Scenery filled with those of the iconic southwest settings
Located on the Colorado Plateau
Has a museum on top of a hill named Goulding’s Trading Post Museum
A great place for sunrise and sunset photos
Visitors may drive through an unpaved road right up to some of the sights