Around Las Vegas Tour: The Complete Guide to All 6 Stops (2026)

Most first-time Las Vegas visitors assume a day trip means picking one destination — the Grand Canyon, or Antelope Canyon, or Death Valley. The Around Las Vegas tour works differently: instead of one big destination, it strings together six of the most interesting spots within an hour of the Strip into a single day, so you get red rock desert, a famous art installation, a real ghost town, and the Hoover Dam without burning multiple days of your trip.

Here's a complete breakdown of the Around Las Vegas tour: exactly what's included, how the day is structured, what it costs, and who it's actually the right fit for.

What's Actually Included: All 6 Stops

The tour follows a set route built around pacing — each stop is a different kind of experience, so the day never feels repetitive.

• Red Rock Canyon — the Calico Hills and High Point overlook, the most photogenic viewpoints in the conservation area, just 20 minutes from the Strip.
• Seven Magic Mountains — Ugo Rondinone's seven towers of brightly painted boulders, stacked 30–35 feet tall in the open desert, one of the most photographed roadside art pieces in the country.
• Nelson Ghost Town — the Techatticup Mine and the surrounding 1800s gold-mining relics in El Dorado Canyon, genuinely one of the better-preserved ghost towns in the Southwest.
• Boulder City — the historic 1930s town built for Hoover Dam workers, and the stop where the tour pauses for lunch (purchased on your own).
• Hoover Dam — a walk across the top of the dam itself, not just a drive-by viewpoint.
• Lake Mead Overlook — a final scenic stop over the reservoir before the drive back, no hiking required.

This is the one Marvit tour that trades depth for breadth — you won't spend hours at any single stop the way you would on a dedicated Valley of Fire or Death Valley day, but you'll see more variety in one day than any other tour offers.

How Long Does It Take?

The full loop runs about 7–8 hours door to door. Pickup is from your Strip or Fremont hotel in the morning, the six stops are spaced through the day with a lunch break in Boulder City, and you're dropped back at your hotel with the evening free — plenty of time for dinner or a show.

What It Costs: Small Group vs Private

The small group tour runs $159 per person, capped at 13 guests, in an air-conditioned van with hotel pickup included. The private version starts at $299 and gives your group the vehicle and guide exclusively, with a pace you control at every stop.

Is the Around Las Vegas Tour Worth It?

For a first visit to Las Vegas with only one day to spare for a trip outside the Strip, yes — this is usually the best single day trip to book. No other Marvit tour covers this much ground: red rock scenery, roadside art, Wild West history, and a major feat of engineering, all without choosing just one. If you've already done Red Rock Canyon or Hoover Dam on their own, or you'd rather spend a full day deeply exploring a single national park, a dedicated tour like Valley of Fire or Grand Canyon West may suit you better.

Who Should Book This Tour

Self-Drive or Book a Tour?

You can visit most of these spots independently with a rental car, but stringing all six together yourself means navigating a timed-entry reservation at Red Rock Canyon, security screening at Hoover Dam, and the unpaved backroads into Nelson Ghost Town — on top of planning a route that actually makes sense. A guided tour handles the logistics, the reservations, and the driving, so your only job is to get out at each stop.

What to Bring

• Comfortable walking shoes — you'll be on uneven ground at Red Rock Canyon and Nelson Ghost Town.
• Sunglasses and sunscreen — most stops have little to no shade.
• A camera or phone with a full battery — Seven Magic Mountains and the ghost town are the most-photographed stops of the day.
• Cash for lunch in Boulder City and gratuities — lunch is on your own and not included in the tour price.

The Bottom Line

The Around Las Vegas tour is the best answer to 'I only have one day — what should I do?' It trades the single big payoff of a national park day trip for variety: six genuinely different experiences, all within an hour of the Strip, with nothing to plan yourself. It's rated 5.0 stars across 143 reviews, and it's one of Marvit's most-booked tours for exactly that reason.