Decide when to leave.
If you want to make the most of your weekend, you have to factor in the 12-hour drive time. Leaving early (and by early I mean 3 or 4am)is usually your best option--you won't miss out on the scenery and you'll arrive around dinnertime. If you have to leave later in the day, prepare yourself for a pitch-black journey through the desert.
Throw your bags in the car, fill up on gas, and make sure you have a map.
Take I-70 West towards Grand Junction on through Utah. Soon after crossing the state line you'll have 100-mile stretches of vast and empty desert--make sure to stop for gas in Grand Junction.
Keep driving until I-70 ends.
Take the final exit onto I-15 South towards Las Vegas. I-15 will take you out of Utah, through a small corner of Arizona, and on to Nevada. You'll spend about 240 miles on this road.
Take exit 42 and follow signs for Downtown LV/Phoenix. Take exit 75A for Las Vegas Blvd. after about a mile.
Enjoy your getaway. What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
