Las Vegas to Los Angeles: Glitz, Glam, and Adventure
Difficulty
Distance
Recom. Days
Trip type
Las Vegas to Los Angeles Road Trip
Las Vegas to Los Angeles Road Trip
Stop One: Party like there’s no tomorrow in Las Vegas
Stop One: Party like there’s no tomorrow in Las Vegas
Situated in a basin on the floor of the Mojave Desert, Las Vegas is framed on all sides by mountain ranges. Most of its landscape is rocky and arid with desert vegetation and wildlife, however, the city itself is a lot greener than its surroundings.
Las Vegas is an internationally renowned resort city, known primarily for its entertainment, gambling, shopping, fine dining, and nightlife. It’s massively popular with tourists who call it the entertainment capital of the world, flocking to the city in the millions every year.
A global heavyweight in the hospitality industry, the city is renowned for its mega casino-hotels and is one of the top destinations in the country for business conventions.
Visiting
Las Vegas
1
Recom. Days
284 miles
from Las Vegas Pick-up center
4h30min
drive
Visit
Caesars Palace
Caesars is the crown jewel of the so-called “sin city” and is one of the last old-school Las Vegas properties still remaining.
Park Theatre
Showcasing the hottest resident performers on the strip, this showroom has hosted Lady Gaga, Cher, and Aerosmith.
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
Camping Red Rock Canyon - A natural camping in the desert mountains
Parking
Lewis Street Garage
Plenty of downtown parking available. Rates range from $6 to $24.
Fremont Street Parking Garage
Easy access to downtown with spacious parking. Rates range from $3 to $12.
Eat at
Other Mama
$$
Bold, Japanese-influenced fish and seafood. This is a little out of the way but well worth the trek
Ferraro’s Restaurant and Wine Bar
$$
A local favorite, this restaurant specializes in southern Italian classics.
Gordon Ramsay Steak
$$$
This place became an instant hit when it opened in 2012. If you’re a steak fan you can’t afford to miss this one.
Stay at
Riviera RV Resort
Family run and with all the amenities you might need. Pull-through sites cap out at $70 while back-in sites max out at $55 per night. The park offers Good Sam, Military, or First Responder discounts.
King’s Row RV and Mobile Home Park
Excellent quality RV parking in the middle of the city. This park is $27 per day plus tax.
Las Vegas RV Resort
$
Just minutes from The Strip, this adult’s only resort starts from $29 per night plus tax.
Stop Two: Experience the extremes of Death Valley
Stop Two: Experience the extremes of Death Valley
Established in 1994, Death Valley is the biggest national park south of Alaska and is known for its extremes. It’s the hottest and driest place in North America and has the lowest elevation on the continent. As inhospitable as this sounds, the park still sees nearly a million visitors per year.
Located in both Nevada and California, it has nearly 1,000 miles of roads crisscrossing it, providing visitors access to both remote and popular park locations.
Despite the name, Death Valley is host to a range of fauna and flora. During Spring, the valley comes to life with wildflowers, making for an exceedingly pretty landscape for visitors to enjoy.
Visiting
Death Valley
1
Recom. Days
149 miles
from Las Vegas
2h18 min
drive
Visit
Dante’s View
One of the best viewpoints in the valley, Dante’s View isn’t to be missed for those who like to watch the sunrise or sunset.
Zabrickie Point
Another must-see view point. This one is just a short walk from the road and is the start point of many easy hikes.
Badwater Basin
Sitting at 282 feet below sea level, this basin is the lowest point in the United States.
Parking
Parking in Deathvalley
Free
Most of the popular lookouts sport a car park for your convenience.
Eat at
Panamint Springs
$$
This tiny desert outpost offers awesome views and a surprisingly large craft beer selection as well as food.
Badwater Saloon
$$
Located in the heart of the park, this saloon harkens back to the gold rush era.
Last Kind Words Saloon & Steakhouse
$$$
The quintessential American experience, this steakhouse serves everything a tourist would expect from a wild west saloon.
Stay at
Mesquite Spring Campground
Barebones camping with picnic tables. Pricing starts at $14 per night.
Furnace Creek Campground
136 sites and 18 hook-ups with washrooms, water supply, and fire pits. Prices range from $22 to $36.
Sunset Campground
Death Valley campground with plenty of amenities. Pricing starts at $14 per night.
Stop Three: Get back to nature at the Mojave National Preserve
Stop Three: Get back to nature at the Mojave National Preserve
One of the largest National Preserves in the United States, Mojave National Preserve features mountains, canyons, former military outposts, and plenty of opportunities to explore year-round.
The park stretches across 1.6 million acres and sports volcanic cinder cones, Rose-colored sand dunes, Joshua tree forests, and epic carpets of wildflowers. Visitors can also explore long-abandoned mines, rock-walled military outposts, and homesteads within its bounds.
For those wanting a break from city life, this national preserve is just the ticket. There’s no entrance fee to the park, either.
Visiting
Mojave National Preserve
1
Recom. Days
121 miles
from Death Valley
2h4 min
drive
Visit
Kelso Dunes
One of the most famous attractions in the park, these dunes will literally sing.
Cinder Cone Field and Lava Flows
The park sports a number of very well preserved volcanic scorias that make for an interesting visit.
Teutonia Peak trail
A moderate hike that takes you through the biggest forest of Joshua trees in the world.
Parking
Mojave National Preserve parking
Roadside parking and camping is permitted in the park.
Eat at
Pioneer Saloon
$$
This 100-year-old saloon is reminiscent of the wild west in the best possible way.
GP's Steakhouse at Primm Valley Resort
$$
An all-American steak house with a charming atmosphere.
The Gold Strike Steakhouse
$$$
Located inside Gold Strike Casino Resort, this steakhouse hosts 1000+ guests every day.
Stay at
Hole-in-the-Wall Campground
At 4,400 feet in elevation, this campground is ringed by sculptured volcanic rock walls and makes for a great basecamp for hikers. Fees start at $12 per night.
Stop Four: Lap up the luxury of Los Angeles
Stop Four: Lap up the luxury of Los Angeles
Los Angeles is one of the most visited cities in the world. Home to the glitz and glam of Hollywood, it has a reputation far and wide for housing the rich and famous. But that’s not all it is. It’s also the second-largest city in the United States and one of the most culturally diverse.
There is so much to see and experience in LA, from world-class museums to epic restaurants and nightlife. Whether you’re a history buff, a celebrity aficionado, or a foodie, you’ll find something to keep you occupied in Los Angeles.
Visiting
Los Angeles
1
Recom. Days
177 miles
from Mojave National Preserve
2h53min
drive
Visit
Hollywood Sign
The Hollywood sign is one of the most recognizable tourist attractions in the world and isn’t to be missed if you’re in LA.
The Getty Center
The main branch of the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Getty Center is host to a staggering variety of art.
Venice
An eccentric neighborhood, the world-famous Venice is both cosmopolitan and independent.
Parking
Parking in Los Angeles
There is plenty of metered parking throughout LA – prices range from 50 cents up to $6 per hour. The city is also host to a number of dedicated parking garages.
Pershing Square Garage
Safe, great value parking. Rates range from $3 to $20.
Westlawn Garage
Safe and clean parking garage. Rates range from $3.50 to $35.
Eat at
République
$$
An all-day cafe that serves sumptuous menu items and old-world charm.
Bestia
$$$
A refined, multiregional tour through Italy under the supervision of one of LA’s best chefs.
Orsa and Winston
$$$
This Japanese-meets-Italian restaurant brings the best of both worlds to their menu.
Stay at
Hollywood RV Park
€€€
This bustling RV park is in the heart of Hollywood just minutes from Beverly Hills and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Prices start from $65 per day.
Dockweiler RV Park
The only Los Angeles RV park located directly on the beach. Prices range from $55 to $65 per day.
Golden Shore RV Resort
Located in Long Beach, this quaint little park is a great base camp for exploring the city. Prices range from $60 to $72
284 miles
from Los Angeles
4h30min
drive