Day trip to Laughlin from Nevada
90 minutes south of Vegas on the Colorado River, a smaller casino strip with $35 rooms, riverboat rides, and no crowds.
River-front casinos glowing at night along the Colorado in Laughlin
Getting there and where to base
Drive US-95 south from Vegas to NV-163 east — 95 miles, about 90 minutes. Tropicana Laughlin and the Aquarius have riverfront rooms from $35 to $60 midweek, cheaper than most Vegas resort fees alone. If you want the classic experience, the Colorado Belle riverboat hotel closed in 2020 but the exterior is still worth photographing from the walkway. Base at Harrah's Laughlin for the best beach access on the river.
How to spend the day
Walk the Riverwalk between the casinos — flat, free, and lined with cottonwoods. Take the water taxi ($6 round trip) across to Bullhead City, Arizona. Rent a jet ski or a pontoon boat from London Bridge Watercraft Tours for $85 an hour. Eat at Saltgrass Steak House inside the Golden Nugget for a $30 ribeye. Drive out to Grapevine Canyon petroglyphs 20 minutes west for a free hour of desert culture before heading back to Vegas after dinner.
Frequently asked questions
What people ask before they set off on this one.
Yes, as a low-key contrast to Vegas — cheaper rooms, older crowd, real river, and no rideshare surge pricing.
Yes. Harrah's has a sandy beach and the water is calm and cool most of the year.
Table minimums are $5 to $10 instead of $25 to $50, drinks come faster to players, and buffets run $18 to $25.
Stay overnight midweek — the rates are so low it costs less than a nice dinner in Vegas, and you get a proper sunset over the river.
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