This beautiful St. Therese Mission Catholic Church almost pops up out of nowhere. The nearly 18-acre estate was founded by a couple inspired by the calm and serenity of the natural surroundings. It includes a lush outdoor garden, gift shop, plaza, playground and event center with a life-size statue of St Therese. The church also has the only Catholic cemetery serving the Las Vegas Valley.
Mass is regularly held on Sundays. Visitors are welcome to explore the grounds any time during the day, but please be respectful of those practicing their religion. The property is a great spot to stretch your legs and walk around before continuing on with the road trip into Tecopa.

After crossing the Nopah mountains, an unpaved dusty road (with a few tight twists and turns) leads to the China Ranch Date Farm, a true oasis in the middle of the desert. More than 11,000 palm trees cover about 40 acres, producing a variety of dates.
Guests are welcome to explore the farm on their own. A gift shop sells the dates in a wide range of packages and products, including cookies and other baked goods. Don't leave without trying a date shake or smoothie.
China Ranch is surrounded by walking trails and photo spots, many of which date back to the area's history as a mining community. The property is the jumping off point for the Amargosa River Trail, the most popular hike in the area, running alongside the mostly underground Amargosa River. Explore as much (or as little) of it as you like before returning to your car.

There are a few options for overnight and RV accommodations in Tecopa, but Delight's Hot Springs Resort is the most engaging and enjoyable. Developed from an old mining camp, guests can choose between furnished cabins, motels and trailers to spend the night (and take in some incredible stargazing), but even day trippers can take advantage of Delight's perks.
The resort offers day passes to experience one of four private dipping pools and a community swimming pool, allowing you to see what Tecopa's hot springs are all about in a clean, comfortable environment. The temperature is regulated, but still packs plenty of heat with a welcome mineral balance that minimizes sulfur smells common at other hot springs.
The private pools are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Guests are required to shower off before entering the water and asked to keep their dip to about 20 minutes.

After a relaxing soak in the hot springs, you may have an appetite for beer and barbecue. Fortunately, the Tecopa Brewing Company is right by Delight's main roadside entrance. The quaint and cozy restaurant was renovated from an old gas station and quickly built a reputation for mouth-watering brisket, ribs and pulled pork smoked in-house over mesquite.
Any of the food pairs well with the beer, brewed on-site in small 30-gallon batches. There's typically a core lineup of four to five beers, with occasional seasonal specials rotating on and off the menu.
The Tecopa Brewing Company usually limits hours of operation to Friday-Sunday, but may make exceptions on holiday weeks.

Think of this as alternative to the hot springs at Delight's, or another stop to get out and stretch your legs. The "Mudhole" is about a mile north of Delight's. Look for a slight bend in the road with minimal fencing and an "enter at your own risk" sign on the right-hand side. There are usually a few cars already pulled over, making the location easy to spot. The natural hot springs pond is just a short walk to the east.
Fair warning: any bathers you encounter might be taking a dip "European style," or sans clothing. Be respectful—gawkers are frowned upon.
The pond itself shifts a bit in temperature from one side to the other. Be ready to get dirty. People love to cake the mud on their bodies for supposed health benefits. Mites in the mud are are known to bite, so consider yourself warned.

Shoshone, a small town just north of Tecopa, offers a few welcome signs of civilization: most notably, a gas station and convenience store, which are rare in these parts. The "historic district" runs along the east side of the main highway (State Route 127), consisting of three old buildings, including the sheriff's office.
Head straight for the Shoshone Museum, which is surrounded by a vintage car and rusty mining equipment. It closes daily at 3pm, but if you've timed the journey just right, you'll have at least a half hour to check out the free exhibits, which include the remains of a mastodon and woolly mammoth. You'll also see photos, minerals and household appliances that are nearly a hundred years old.
The museum is next to the Crobar, a bar and restaurant divided between a classic American diner and an Old West-style cocktail parlor. The menu may seem routine at first, but everything is made from scratch with quality ingredients that are organic whenever possible. If you skipped lunch earlier, feel free to grab a snack. Just remember to save room for the steakhouse dinner later in your trip. Take a walk behind the buildings, and you'll come across Shoshone's nature trails near the Amargosa River.

Time to circle back through Tecopa and visit Death Valley Brewing in the town's once-bustling "downtown" commercial district. The beer recipes are more experimental than the ones at the Tecopa Brewing Company, yet both taprooms have a friendly rivalry and together draw beer aficionados from throughout California and Nevada looking to cross offbeat destinations off their bucket lists.
It's a quiet place, but a social hub for Tecopa locals. Whether or not you plan to fill up on beer, it's a great spot to pick the brain of your bartender or strike up a conversation with regulars. The latest beers are listed on a whiteboard. Most are made with local ingredients, including dates from China Ranch. Ask about the latest Rauchbier, a German-style smoked beer.
Death Valley Brewing is usually only open on weekends and shuts down during summer.

After hanging out at Death Valley Brewing, walk over to Steaks and Beer, a totally different kind of steakhouse—but one that totally matches the image and spirit of Tecopa. There's no wine list or fancy tablecloths here. Take a seat at one of just a few tables and enjoy the simple but incredible food of chef and owner Eric Scott, a veteran of the Las Vegas Strip dining scene, who's now more than happy doing his own thing in Tecopa.
Reservations are a good idea, even in a town as small and quiet as Tecopa. Call to inquire about availability. Full-pound ribeyes and half-pound filets are the specialty, grilled and cast-iron seared, with a serving of local vegetables.

After crossing a desert mountainscape to begin your day at China Ranch, it's much safer to circle back to Vegas via the main highways that pass through Pahrump. If you need to take a break and walk off that steak dinner, pull over at Vince Neil's Tatuado Wild Side Tavern. The bar pays tribute to the Motley Crue singer with a rock 'n' roll theme, cheap drinks and friendly service 24 hours a day.
Get to know the locals over a game of pool, pick out a song on the jukebox and snap a photo in front of a colorful hand-painted mural. There's usually a live band performing on weekends, but the outdoor patio is the best place to wind down and relax before hitting the road once again to head back to Las Vegas.