Overview
Searchlight is a former mining town in Southern Nevada, between Boulder City and Laughlin.
4 sights · 7 things to do · 2 places to eat · 2 bars & cafés · 3 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Searchlight
Walking Box Ranch
On the National Register of Historic Places. The ranch belonged to 1920s silent film stars Rex Bell and Clara Bow, serving as an entertainment venue for celebrities including Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, Errol Flynn, and…
Searchlight Historic Museum
Museum dedicated to Searchlight's history as a mining town.
Clark County Fire Station 75
In Fallout New Vegas, the Searchlight's fire station was sabotaged by Caesar's Legion to make the town irradiated.
Searchlight Community Church
Searchlight only has one church which is north of the town, as opposed to the two churches depicted in Fallout: New Vegas.
Cottonwood Cove Resort Marina
Searchlight Park
A small recreational park.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Mar–May, Oct–Nov. Summer highs reach about 98°F; winter lows dip to about 36°F. Very hot (Jun, Jul, Aug) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Aug and Feb.
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- BLD Boulder City Municipal Airport, Boulder City — 33 mi away. Directions
- LAS Harry Reid International Airport, Las Vegas — 44 mi away (major hub). Directions
Searchlight Airport is unmanned and has no services.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Searchlight Historic Museum, Rex Bell Jr. Trail Park, Searchlight Cemetery
- Lunch McDonald's
- Afternoon Clark County Fire Station 75, Searchlight Park
- Dinner Denny's
- Evening Terrible's Casino
Day 2
- Morning Walking Box Ranch
- Afternoon Searchlight Community Church
- Evening Terrible's Roadhouse Casino
Day 3
- Morning Cottonwood Cove Resort Marina
- Afternoon Searchlight Skate Park
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Searchlight has two restaurants: Denny's and a McDonald's.
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
Searchlight was founded as a mining town shortly after prospector George Frederick Colton struck gold in the area in 1857. He apparently used a searchlight (type of lantern) and the town took its name from that.
In 1907, composer and pianist Scott Joplin wrote the song Searchlight Rag after the town because he and some friends went prospecting there. You may recognize it from the popular video game Rollercoaster Tycoon.
In 2010, the town was depicted in the video game Fallout: New Vegas along with nearby Goodsprings and Primm. Situated in the southeastern corner of the in-game map, the Camp Searchlight had become heavily irradiated due to sabotage by the Roman-inspired Caesar's Legion faction.
Climate
Searchlight has a typical desert climate with hot days and cold nights. It is constantly arid with little rainfall, hot summers and warm winters.
Get in
By car
- From Boulder City – Take the US-93 west, then the US-95 south.
- From Laughlin – Take the SR-163 west, then the US-95 north.
- From Primm – Take the I-15 south, then the SR-164 east.
By plane
Searchlight Airport is unmanned and has no services.
There are charter and seasonal flights from some American and Canadian cities to the nearby Laughlin-Bullhead International Airport (IFP) in Bullhead City, Arizona across the river from Laughlin. The airport is not served by any major airline.
Las Vegas has Henderson Executive Airport (HSH) and Harry Reid International Airport (formerly McCarran International Airport) (LAS).
By bus
See
See Clark County Fire Station 75
In Fallout New Vegas, the Searchlight's fire station was sabotaged by Caesar's Legion to make the town irradiated.
See Searchlight Community Church
Searchlight only has one church which is north of the town, as opposed to the two churches depicted in Fallout: New Vegas.
Do
Do Rex Bell Jr. Trail Park
A 0.5 mi walking trail with workout stations and historical signs behind Elementary School.
Gambling
Searchlight has a few opportunities for gambling from its small casinos.
Do Terrible's Casino
Small casino with a bar and a small 2-lane bowling alley. Also has a Redbox for renting movies, a convenience store, and a McDonald's close by.
Buy
Shop Searchlight Boat & RV Storage
Store that sells camping, RV supplies, snacks, and groceries. Also provides RV and boat storage.
Eat
Searchlight has two restaurants: Denny's and a McDonald's.
Eat McDonald's
Has free Wi-Fi and a drive-thru.
Drink
Drink Terrible's Casino
Terrible's Casino has a bar.
Sleep
Searchlight is a small town with RV parks and motels being the only accommodation provided. There are large hotels in Primm and Laughlin:
Stay BV Motel
Go next
- Boulder City – about 40 mi north of Searchlight on the US-95. A town created originally to house the workers for the iconic Hoover Dam.
- Laughlin – about 40 mi to the southeast of Searchlight on the US-95 then SR-163. Nevada's most southern town. Has many hotel-casinos and is the third most visited location after Las Vegas and Reno.
- Primm – about 42 mi to the northwest of Searchlight on the SR-164 then I-15. A town on the border between Nevada and California, known for its Desperado roller coaster (the tallest in the state) and lottery store. The town has three hotel-casinos all run by Primm Valley Resorts.
Nearby
Laughlin
City / town · 26 listings · 28 mi away
Primm
City / town · 26 listings · 28 mi away
Bullhead City
City / town · 5 listings · 30 mi away
Boulder City
City / town · 24 listings · 36 mi away
Lake Mead National Recreation Area
Park · 3 listings · 38 mi away
Henderson and East
City / town · 63 listings · 40 mi away
Chloride
City / town · 3 listings · 41 mi away
Oatman
City / town · 15 listings · 43 mi away
My experience
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