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 Village Resort. 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 Village, Las Vegas’ number one tropical resort.

RED ROCK CANYON (NEVADA)
20 MILES FROM TAHITI VILLAGE

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 TAHITI VILLAGE

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 TAHITI VILLAGE

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 TAHITI VILLAGE

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 TAHITI VILLAGE

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, a frequent 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