What to do in Death Valley, CA

Activities, attractions and tours
Death Valley showing desert views, tranquil scenes and signage

Places to Visit in Death Valley

Ready for the adventure of a lifetime? Let Expedia.co.nz help you find the most exciting and fun things to do in Death Valley, California while also allowing you to save a ton on travel arrangements. Regardless of whether you’re an urban explorer or an intrepid outdoor enthusiast, we can help you decide exactly what to do and see during your time in town.

Our thorough travel guides offer you an insider’s perspective on all of the best Death Valley attractions from NZ$17, making it easy for you to decide which places to visit and when. And by using Expedia.co.nz to set your sightseeing schedule, you can take in more of the enchanting attractions this area is famous for.

From group Death Valley tours and must-see landmarks to personal guides who take you off-the-beaten track, Expedia.co.nz offers you over 24 of the most popular events, activities, and attractions in this corner of the world. So whether you’re travelling alone, alongside a loved one, or with the whole family in tow, be sure to browse through our extensive travel guides prior to your plane touching down in this spectacular Death Valley. We even have a massive selection of flights, car hires, and accommodation for you to choose from. So what are you waiting for? Start your search today, and you’ll be having the time of your life before you know it.

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Top places to visit

1. Death Valley National Park

Death Valley National Park is the continental United States’ largest park. It’s also the hottest, driest and lowest. Despite harsh conditions, the park’s more than 3 million acres (1.3 million hectares) aren’t simply desert plains. Find mountains, canyons, sand dunes, extinct volcanic craters and even palm trees and wildflowers.
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Death Valley which includes desert views and tranquil scenes as well as a small group of people

2. Furnace Creek Visitor Center

The Furnace Creek Visitor Center is a useful resource and jumping-off point for exploring the surrounding Death Valley National Park. Drop in to the visitor center’s adjoining museum and learn about the region’s cultural and natural history before heading off on your adventure around the park. Join ranger-led tours, watch an informative film about the park or pick up maps and brochures so that you can plan your journey.
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Death Valley showing interior views

3. Badwater

Snow-white crystals of salt fill the immense pan of Badwater Basin, a crater-like salt flat in the middle of the valley. Flanked by dusky-pink mountain ranges and purple-hued ridges, Badwater Basin is a dreamlike destination. Explore the moonscape saltpan on foot for the chance to say you’ve walked across the lowest point in North America, at 282 feet (86 meters) below sea level.
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Badwater which includes hiking or walking, views and desert views

4. Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes

The Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes is a spectacular natural phenomenon in the heart of Death Valley. It consists of dunes 100 feet (30 meters) high that offer unobstructed views of the surrounding mountains. Notice the ever-changing patterns carved into this sandy landscape.
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Death Valley

5. Zabriskie Point

Look out across the colorful sculpted landscape at the foothills of the Black Mountains from Zabriskie Point. Enjoy the vast scene of undulating badlands, which ripple across mudhills, gullies and mountains. In the distance, notice the gleaming white expanse of saltpans in the main valley. Made famous by the Antonioni-directed film of the same name, Zabriskie Point is a dramatic introduction to Death Valley National Park when entering from the east.
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Death Valley showing desert views and tranquil scenes

6. Racetrack Playa

Racetrack Playa is a remarkable dry lakebed in the heart of a remote valley. The area is renowned for its rugged beauty and eerie landscapes, hemmed in by the Cottonwood and Last Chance mountain ranges. Drive around the awe-inspiring Racetrack Valley to reach the lakebed and discover formations, such as the Grandstand. Despite its immense size, the Racetrack Playa is extremely flat, which has allowed some spooky phenomena to occur. Explore the lakebed to solve the mystery of the “sailing stones.”
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Racetrack Playa featuring landscape views, desert views and mountains

7. Ubehebe Crater

Ubehebe Crater is one of several volcanic craters in the northern section of Death Valley National Park. Sheltered by the Cottonwood Mountains, this crater has etched its geological history into the valley. Check out the enormous crater rim, which is 600 feet (180 meters) deep and half a mile (0.8 kilometers) across. Spot stripes of sediment in the volcano walls. Imagine the force of this volcano that erupted thousands of years ago.
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Ubehebe Crater showing desert views and landscape views

8. Artists Palette

The Artist’s Palette is a remarkable rock formation in Death Valley National Park. Admire the spectrum of colors appearing on this rock face, and watch as they shift depending on the angle of the sun. The phenomenon is the fascinating result of explosive volcanic periods millions of years ago, which can be traced in the formation’s extraordinary painted appearance and unique geological makeup.
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Death Valley

What to do in Death Valley

Discover the most popular places to visit in Death Valley

Image for Furnace Creek Visitor Center

Furnace Creek Visitor Center

4.5/5(3 reviews)

Find out what Death Valley National Park has waiting for you and join ranger-led tours and programs at this fantastic facility in Furnace Creek’s resort area.

Furnace Creek Visitor Center
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Badwater

4.5/5(4 reviews)

Stand on the lowest elevation in North America when you visit this spectacular salt flat beside the Black Mountains in the heart of Death Valley.

Badwater
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Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes

5/5(2 reviews)

This part of Death Valley National Park is made up of an otherworldly terrain of clay, sand and the surrounding mountains.

Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
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Zabriskie Point

4.5/5(5 reviews)

An awe-inspiring panorama of the foothills and gullies of the Black Mountains unfolds from this elevated viewpoint, where you’ll find a series of hiking trails.

Zabriskie Point
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Ubehebe Crater

Peer into a monumental volcanic crater and explore the surrounding cinder fields, which tell the story of Death Valley’s ancient geological formations.

Ubehebe Crater
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Panamint Dunes

4.5/5(2 reviews)

Commune with nature and explore the great outdoors at Panamint Dunes during your travels in Death Valley. While you're here, you can savour the top-notch restaurants.

Panamint Dunes
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Artists Palette

4.5/5(4 reviews)

Check out the myriad hues of red, purple and blue that glimmer from deep canyons and rocky peaks when you explore this geological masterpiece.

Artists Palette
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Golden Canyon

4/5(1 review)

One of Death Valley’s most popular hiking trails winds through gorges, around cliffs and within canyons, showcasing all the different aspects of the area’s unique geology.

Golden Canyon
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Leadfield Ghost Town

Perched above Titus Canyon, this boom-and-bust mining town has the dubious honor of being one of the West’s most short-lived.

Leadfield Ghost Town

Day trip destinations from Death Valley

Photo by Vicki Chandler

Amargosa Valley