It may sound crazy, but yes, the arid city of Las Vegas, sitting at the heart of the Mojave Desert, has beaches!
From man-made marvels of Nevada to the Pacific’s sparkling coves, Sin City has a lot to offer for an unforgettable beach experience.
So, if you are traveling to Las Vegas or are a resident looking to escape the city glitz, here is my list of the best beaches in Las Vegas.
Keep reading!
13 Best Beaches in Las Vegas: TL;DR
- Mandalay Bay Beach
- Flamingo Beach Club Pool
- Westin Lake Las Vegas
- Tahiti Village Resort & Spa
- VooDoo Beach
- Grand Pool Complex at MGM Grand
- Laguna Beach
- Hermosa Beach
- Santa Monica State Beach
- Cotton Cove Beach
- Windsor Beach
- Boulder Beach
- Manhattan Beach
13 Best Beaches in Vegas – In Detail
1. Mandalay Bay Beach
Image Credit: Mandalay Bay Beach
An 11-acre aquatic wonderland, Mandalay Bay Beach sits right at the heart of the city.
Mandalay Bay Beach is an artificial wave pool with a real sand beach entry. It has over 1.6 million gallons of water and more than 2,500 tonnes of imported sand.
With a long lazy river, several lagoons & pools, waterfalls, vegetation, palm trees, and rentable beach bungalows, cabanas, & personalized villas, Mandalay Bay Beach will evoke the experience of a true beach vacation.
Also the Moorea Beach Club offers an upscale, adult, private, and sophisticated day club experience.
Mandalay Bay Beach Resort guests get complimentary access to the beach and pools. For non-guests, affordable day passes are available.
2. Flamingo Beach Club Pool
Image Credit: Beach Club Pool
Flamingo Hotel’s Beach Club Pool is another artificial oasis in Las Vegas. Nestled within jungle-like gardens, the Beach Club Pool offers six luxurious cabanas for rent. You must book one in advance!
This Caribbean-inspired pool offers interconnected lagoons surrounded by palm trees and tropical plants. There are water basketball, pool volleyball, and waterslides for family entertainment.
For strictly adult-only fun, head to the Go Pool, which offers private cabana rentals and live music.
3. Westin Lake Las Vegas
Image Credit: Westin Lake Las Vegas
One of the most popular Las Vegas beach resorts, Westin Resort & Spa is close to the Las Vegas Strip. This pet-friendly resort offers a beach on Lake Las Vegas.
You can rent pedal boats and paddleboards, but swimming in Lake Las Vegas is not recommended.
Enjoy some beach time on chairs offered by the hotel, or take a refreshing swim in an outdoor pool. Hotel guests can also enjoy dive-in movie nights on Friday and Saturday evenings.
For non-guests, Westin Lake Las Vegas charges a fee of $25 per person to access the pools and the beach.
4. Tahiti Village Resort & Spa
Image Credit: Tahiti Resort
Home to a Tahitian-themed pool area, this resort is a mini paradise exuding an island vibe.
The pool has a shallow sandy beach entry, making it one of the best beaches in Las Vegas.
Located at 7200 S Las Vegas Blvd, the resort has palapas, palm trees, and a 1/8-mile-long lazy river with overhead water-spouting tiki poles. Resort guests get complimentary lazy river tubes.
Complete with grottoes, waterfalls, pool volleyball, and a tiki bar, this Tahiti village pool is one of the most eccentric Las Vegas beaches suitable for family fun.
5. Grand Pool Complex at MGM Grand
Image Credit: Grand Pool Complex
Though you won’t find a sand-bottom swimming pool at the Grand Pool Complex, it can still give you beach vibes.
Spread over 6.5 acres, this beach-like resort sports a winding lazy river, whirlpool spas, and several swimming pools.
Palm trees, fountains, waterfalls, and poolside massages are all meticulously designed to mimic a seaside vacation.
6. VooDoo Beach
Image Credit: VooDoo Beach
Unlike other desert beaches in Las Vegas, VooDoo Beach draws inspiration from Copacabana Beach in Brazil.
Located at Rio All-Suite Hotel in Las Vegas, NV, the hotel beach complex has a real sand beach and four swimming pools surrounded by palm trees and hammocks.
Artificial grottoes and waterfalls add to the tropical landscape setting. One segment of the pool complex is restricted only to adults, where you can enjoy a complimentary poolside massage.
7. Laguna Beach
Image Credit: Laguna Beach
If you’re looking for a natural beach experience, Laguna Beach in California is a perfect destination for a weekend escape.
276.5 miles away, it takes about 4.5 hours to reach Laguna Beach from Las Vegas. Once there, the 7-mile coastline will greet you with soft white sand, aquamarine & turquoise water, and plenty of sunshine.
Laguna Beach is famous for its rich history. I recommend visiting both Laguna Playhouse and Laguna Art Museum.
8. Hermosa Beach
Image Credit: The original uploader was Estrategy at English Wikipedia., CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
If you crave natural beaches, Hermosa Beach in Southern California is a 2-mile stretch of sunny paradise that attracts beach bums across the country.
Around a four-hour drive from Las Vegas, this idyllic cove receives 320 days of sunshine. At Hermosa, you can enjoy several sandy and splashy activities and spectacular sunset views.
A pier extends out into the azure waters, where you can shield yourself from the crowd behind and soak in the incredible sweeping views of the ocean.
Hermosa is not suitable for pro surfers due to inconsistent waves. But that makes it a perfect spot for rookies to try the surfboard.
9. Santa Monica State Beach
Image Credit: Santa Monica State Beach Sunset
If artificial Las Vegas hotel beach clubs are not your thing, the 3.5-mile fine sandy stretch of Santa Monica State Beach in Southern California makes a perfect weekend getaway.
A four-hour drive from Las Vegas, Santa Monica State Beach is known for its endless fun and adventure activities.
Roller coaster rides, an iconic pier, and fluffy pancakes are a few attractions at this beach.
The Lobster restaurant at the pier entrance gives an unobstructed view of the pier and offers glorious sunset photography opportunities while enjoying mouthwatering seafood.
10. Cotton Cove Beach
Image Credit: Cottonwood Cove Beach
Perfect for a day trip, Cottonwood Cove Beach is nestled on the shores of Lake Mohave. It takes about an hour’s drive from the Strip to reach this family-friendly beach.
Known for its shallow waters and non-existent waves, it is one of the safest desert lake beaches for kids close to Las Vegas, NV. Fishing, water skiing, and paddle boarding are some activities for adults.
The Cottonwood Cove Cafe can offer mouthwatering snacks and meals to satiate your hunger.
11. Windsor Beach
Image Credit: Windsor Beach
Windsor Beach in Arizona is ideal for a memorable sandy getaway.
Perfect for a weekend beach vacation trip from Las Vegas, this white sandy beach, with its sparkling lapping lake and sweeping mountain vistas, is a prime destination for swimming, fishing, and boating.
Please note, Lake Havasu Beach doesn’t have a lifeguard on duty. Be careful venturing out into the water and for babies and toddlers, swim diapers are a must!
12. Boulder Beach
Image Credit: Boulder Beach
Perfect for a day trip from Las Vegas, Boulder Beach in Boulder City is a safe destination for swimming, boating, sailing, and sunbathing.
It takes only 35 minutes of driving via I-515 S to reach this mile-long beach. For an overnight stay, campgrounds and picnic spots are available.
Unlike other desert lake beaches, this is a super rocky beach, meaning beach shoes are a must. Leave your flip-flops in the car!
13. Manhattan Beach
Image Credit: Manhattan Beach
Southern California has a lot of sandy beaches, and Manhattan Beach is a great example.
With a 2-mile ocean frontage and a 115-acre sandy beach, Manhattan Beach is, hands down, a perfect choice for surfing, sunbathing, and family fun.
It takes around 5 hours of driving from Las Vegas to reach this beach, but once you are there, you can enjoy a beautiful and unrushed stroll along The Strand – the beachside sidewalk.
Best Time to Visit Beaches in Las Vegas
Las Vegas has a high desert climate with scorching summers and cool winters.
If you are in Las Vegas during the summer months (June, July, and August), beach pools will give you a much-needed respite from the summer heat.
As a digital nomad, the summer months will give you an opportunity to get better deals and a good spot by a pool. Just don’t forget your sunglasses, sunscreen, and a wide-brimmed hat.
May, June, and September are usually the best months when the desert sun is slightly cooler and you can enjoy everything Las Vegas has to offer.
You can stay outdoors for longer and enjoy sunbathing & beach lounging, watersports, and poolside massages.
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Best Beaches in Las Vegas – FAQs
Does Las Vegas have nice beaches?
Las Vegas is located in the heart of the desert. There are no natural beaches. However, many hotels and resorts have created private beach pools mimicking a tropical environment that will allow you to experience a beach in Las Vegas.
What is the closest beach to Las Vegas?
Lake Las Vegas is the closest beach to Las Vegas. It is only 18 miles from the Strip.
If you want to go to an ocean beach, you can drive from Las Vegas to places like Laguna Beach, Hermosa Beach, and Manhattan Beach in about 4 to 5 hours.
Which Las Vegas hotels have a beach with sand entry?
Some of the best beach clubs with sand entry include Mandalay Bay Beach, VooDoo Beach, and the Tahitian-themed pool in Tahiti Village.
Best Beaches in Las Vegas – Summary
Despite being an arid desert terrain, Sin City can still give you a memorable beach escape.
Although Las Vegas doesn’t have natural beaches, there are plenty of hotels with private oases oozing beach vibes because of their meticulous tropical landscape settings, shallow sandy beach entry, rentable cabanas, hammocks, and more.
If you yearn for true beach vacations, a few hours of driving to Southern California will give access to some of the most beautiful beaches in America.
I hope this list of the best Las Vegas beaches has helped you plan your trip. Enjoy!
