The best fall escapes near Las Vegas

Looking for fall escapes near Las Vegas? Nevada has three nearby cities with exciting lineups of fall festivities. Boulder City, Laughlin, Mesquite and Moapa Valley offer a mix of fall festivals, desert adventures, riverfront recreation and Halloween happenings. Each offers an easy add-on to a Las Vegas getaway or a road-trip-worthy destination to maximize your fall travel itinerary.

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Need more? Read more: Step outside and explore: 11 Southwest resorts with hiking at your doorstep

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Here are three Southern Nevada fall escapes worth putting on your radar.

Boulder City

Less than 30 miles from Las Vegas, Boulder City mixes historic small-town charm with seasonal events and easy access to some of Southern Nevada’s best outdoor recreation. This fall, visitors can find everything from Halloween haunts to hot springs and kayaking adventures.

• Best Dam Wine Walk: Sip and stroll through Historic Downtown Boulder City during the Halloween Costume Wine Walk on Oct. 10 from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. A Prom Night-themed walk follows Nov. 14.
• Halloween Express: All aboard for a 90-minute family-friendly Halloween adventure featuring a 30-minute train ride, Monster Mash dance party, costume contest and light refreshments on Saturdays and Sundays from Oct. 10-25.
• Pumpkinman Triathlon: Starting at Lake Mead and finishing in Boulder City’s Wilbur Square, this Oct. 31 race includes sprint triathlon, Olympic aquabike and relay options.
• Haunted Boulder City Ghost & UFO Tour: Take a 60-minute evening walk through historic downtown while hearing tales of gangsters, UFO sightings, Hoover Dam haunts and the legendary Ghost Dog.

• Tom Devlin’s Monster Museum: Hollywood special effects artist Tom Devlin turns up the scares during 13 select nights featuring movie monsters, haunted house mazes and alien encounters.
• Boulder City golf: Hit the links at Cascata Golf Club, Boulder Creek Golf Club or Boulder City Golf Course, with options ranging from a premier 72-par course surrounded by red mountains to an approachable public course.
• Lake Mead National Recreation Area: Explore the 112-mile-long lake by trail, scenic drive or kayak. Local outfitters offer paddling excursions through Black Canyon and along the Colorado River.
• Gold Strike Hot Springs: This challenging 2-mile hike descends 600 feet through Gold Strike Canyon, using ropes along portions of the route before reaching hot pools, grottos and waterfalls near the Colorado River.
• River Mountains Loop Trail: Hike or cycle portions of this 34-mile trail connecting Lake Mead National Recreation Area with Boulder City, Henderson and the Las Vegas Valley.
• Art Mural Walking Tour: Explore Boulder City’s public art on a self-guided walk featuring sculptures and colorful murals throughout town.
• Desert Adventures: Go beyond sightseeing with hiking, mountain biking, ATV tours, horseback riding, ziplining and paddling excursions offered throughout the region.

Laughlin

About 90 miles south of Las Vegas, Laughlin pairs casino-resort entertainment with a Colorado River setting and plenty of ways to get outside. Fall brings concerts, cruises, hiking and desert discoveries.

• Live entertainment: Laughlin’s fall calendar includes Frankie Avalon Oct. 2-4, Candlebox Oct. 3, Nelly and Lil Jon Oct. 24 and Bailey Zimmerman Nov. 14 at venues throughout the destination.
• Colorado River cruises: Pick up the pace aboard a London Bridge Jet Boat Tour or slow things down with a dinner cruise from Laughlin River Tours.
• Colorado River Heritage Greenway Trail: Follow 10.5 miles of trails along the Colorado River through desert scenery and wildlife habitat toward Davis Dam.
• Golf: Tee off at six courses spread across the tri-state area, including Laughlin Ranch Golf Club, Mojave Resort Golf Club, El Rio Golf Club and Los Lagos Golf Club.
• Laughlin Labyrinths: Seek out nine stone mazes clustered in the desert, including a 36-foot, seven-circuit octagon and 33-foot, seven-circuit square.

Mesquite and Moapa Valley

Northeast of Las Vegas, Mesquite and neighboring Moapa Valley bring together golf, community events and some wonderfully unexpected desert experiences. Fall also adds pumpkins, pomegranates and plenty of reasons to make the drive.

• Trunk or Treat: Families can celebrate Halloween with trick-or-treating at the Mesquite Recreation Center’s West Field beginning at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 31.
• Moapa Valley Corn Maze: Embrace the season with hayrides, a petting zoo, pumpkin patch, zombie paintball and other fall activities in nearby Moapa Valley.
• Pomegranate Art Festival: Celebrate Moapa Valley’s pomegranate harvest Nov. 6-7 with arts and crafts, food trucks and live entertainment.
• Nevada Open Golf Tournament: More than 40 years of championship play continue Nov. 3-5, with a $150,000 purse and the championship round at CasaBlanca Golf Club.
• CasaBlanca II-Man: Up to 150 teams will compete Nov. 6-8 during three rounds of tournament golf at CasaBlanca Golf Club, Falcon Ridge and Palms Golf Club.
• CasaBlanca BrewFest: Sample more than 34 brews poolside while enjoying food trucks and live DJ sets at CasaBlanca Resort Oct. 3 from 1 to 6 p.m.
• Community Art Walk: Browse work from local artists during Mesquite’s 2nd Saturday Community Art Walk Oct. 10 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Mesquite Fine Arts Center.
• The Desert Ranch Experience by Camel Safari: Tour a 176-acre ranch along the Virgin River by tram or ATV and encounter camels, llamas, sloths, sand cats and other exotic animals.

To learn more, visit visitbouldercity.com, visitlaughlin.com and visitmesquite.com.