Hotels Near Death Valley: Consider a Glamping Alternative
If you're searching for hotels near Death Valley National Park, you may quickly discover that lodging around Death Valley is a little different from most national parks.
Death Valley is enormous, communities are small and traditional hotel options are limited. Depending on your travel style, though, that may be part of the fun. Instead of staying in a conventional hotel, you can make where you sleep part of your Death Valley experience.
Tarantula Ranch is a small, family-owned campground, glamping property and working vineyard in Amargosa Valley, Nevada. We're located about 20 minutes from Death Valley Junction and approximately 45 minutes from Furnace Creek.
We're not a hotel—and we're not trying to be one.
If you're looking for a more memorable alternative to a traditional Death Valley hotel, here's what staying with us is like.
Where Can You Stay Near Death Valley National Park?
There are several ways to approach lodging for a Death Valley trip.
You can stay at one of the traditional hotels or resorts inside Death Valley National Park, choose a hotel in one of the surrounding gateway communities, camp inside the park, or stay at a campground or glamping property outside the park.
Each option has advantages.
Staying inside Death Valley puts you directly in the park, but availability can be limited and prices vary considerably throughout the year. Staying outside the park can give you more choices while allowing you to explore places beyond Death Valley as well.
Tarantula Ranch is in Amargosa Valley, Nevada, outside the national park. Our location works especially well for travelers who want to explore Death Valley while also experiencing the surrounding Mojave Desert.
A Glamping Alternative to a Death Valley Hotel
So what exactly is glamping?
Think of it as the space between camping and a traditional hotel.
At Tarantula Ranch, our glamping accommodations give you a real bed, bedding, electricity, air conditioning and heat without separating you from the desert outside your door. Amenities vary between accommodations, and many of our larger glamping trailers also have their own toilets and showers.
Guests also have access to shared amenities around the ranch, including hot shower facilities, Wi-Fi, an outdoor kitchen and The Wine Hall.
And when you step outside at night, you're actually in the desert.
That's the biggest difference.
You're not simply finding a room near Death Valley. You're choosing somewhere that can become part of the trip itself.
What Is Tarantula Ranch?
Tarantula Ranch sits on 8 acres in Amargosa Valley surrounded by public land and open Mojave Desert.
We're a working vineyard as well as a campground and glamping property. We grow Barbera, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Merlot and Zinfandel grapes, with our harvest typically taking place during July and August.
Our family originally came to this part of Nevada because we loved Death Valley and the desert. Over time, the ranch grew into a place we could share with travelers from around the world.
Today, guests can choose from unique glamping accommodations, tent and vehicle campsites, an RV site and our private Guest House.
It's intentionally small, quiet and a little unusual.
How Far Is Tarantula Ranch From Death Valley?
One of the most important things to understand when choosing a hotel or other lodging near Death Valley is that distances in this part of the desert can be deceiving.
Death Valley National Park is huge.
Tarantula Ranch is approximately:
20 minutes from Death Valley Junction
45 minutes from Furnace Creek
90 minutes northwest of Las Vegas
That makes it possible to spend your day exploring Death Valley and return to the ranch in the evening.
We also strongly recommend visiting nearby Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. Its desert springs, wetlands and endemic wildlife make it one of the most fascinating places in the area, and it's just a short drive from the ranch.
What Do You Get Instead of a Traditional Hotel?
This is where deciding between a hotel and Tarantula Ranch really comes down to what kind of traveler you are.
At a traditional hotel, you might expect a lobby, interior hallways, daily housekeeping and conventional hotel amenities.
That's not what we offer.
Instead, you can cook dinner outside, walk around our vineyard, spend the evening in The Wine Hall, play ping-pong or shuffleboard, watch the desert sunset and then step outside after dark to look at the stars.
The Wine Hall is our communal gathering space and includes a refrigerator, microwave and Keurig for guest use. Our shared outdoor kitchen includes cooking facilities, cookware, dishes, utensils and a gas grill.
We also have Wi-Fi and reverse-osmosis filtered drinking water available at the ranch.
Then there's the night sky.
Stay Near Death Valley for the Night Sky
One of our favorite things about Tarantula Ranch doesn't happen until after the sun goes down.
Our location has exceptionally dark skies, and Tarantula Ranch has been recognized by Sunset Magazine for its night-sky camping experience.
On clear nights with the right moon conditions, the Milky Way can be spectacular.
Guests don't need to drive somewhere else to stargaze. You can sit outside your accommodation, bring your own telescope or binoculars, or simply look up.
We also regularly offer stargazing events throughout the year.
After a long day driving through Death Valley, there's something pretty special about being able to spend the evening under the stars and then walk a few steps back to bed.
Is Glamping Near Death Valley Right for You?
We don't think Tarantula Ranch should try to be the right choice for everybody.
If you want a conventional hotel with a front desk staffed around the clock, daily housekeeping, paved walkways and an experience largely separated from the desert outside, you'll probably be happier at a traditional hotel.
Tarantula Ranch is different.
We're a rural desert property. We have gravel and natural terrain. It can be windy. Summers are hot and winter nights can be cold. You may encounter an occasional bug, and although sightings are rare, wildlife including tarantulas, snakes and coyotes lives in the surrounding Mojave Desert.
You may also see our desert tortoises around the ranch.
For many of our guests, those aren't drawbacks. They're part of why they came.
If you'd rather wake up in the desert, have coffee outside, spend the day exploring Death Valley and come home to a vineyard and dark skies, Tarantula Ranch may be exactly what you're looking for.
What About Camping Near Death Valley?
You don't have to glamp.
Tarantula Ranch also offers traditional tent and vehicle camping for travelers bringing their own setup.
Camping guests can use our shared restrooms, hot shower, outdoor kitchen, Wi-Fi and The Wine Hall.
We also have an RV site with water and 30-amp electrical service. The RV site does not have a sewer hookup.
So whether you're searching for a Death Valley hotel, glamping near Death Valley or camping near Death Valley, there are alternatives to staying in a conventional hotel room.
How Many Nights Should You Stay Near Death Valley?
Most Tarantula Ranch guests stay two or three nights.
That's enough time for a good introduction to Death Valley while still giving you an opportunity to enjoy the ranch.
If your schedule allows, staying longer opens up more possibilities. You can spend multiple days exploring Death Valley, visit Ash Meadows, attend a stargazing event or simply give yourself an afternoon when you don't have to drive anywhere.
Death Valley trips can involve a surprising amount of time in the car. Sometimes one of the best decisions is leaving a little empty space in the itinerary.
Looking for a Hotel Near Death Valley? Try Something Different.
If you started your search looking for Death Valley hotels, you may have discovered Tarantula Ranch while looking for somewhere to sleep.
We hope you'll consider making where you stay part of the adventure.
We're not a traditional Death Valley hotel. We're an 8-acre family-owned desert ranch, campground, glamping property and working vineyard in Amargosa Valley, surrounded by public land and some truly remarkable night skies.
Spend the day exploring Death Valley.
Come back, make dinner outside, watch the sunset and see what the desert looks like after dark.
That's Tarantula Ranch.
