road trip from los angeles to arches
Read all about what you can see in Arches here. Does the party capitol of the world really need an introduction? Las Vegas (324 answers) Plan to visit early in the morning or late in the afternoon as the sand is scorching in the middle of the day. Once you reach Lone Pine, depending how much time you have, you can drive 20 minutes up Whitney Portal Road to reach the Mount Whitney Trailhead. Valley of Fire is SO stunning, and was one of our highlights! These areas get very busy on weekend days, so get here early if it's a weekend. If you're up for a nice meal, Las Vegas has tons of amazing options! Poisonous plants/ Venomous animals in Zion Canyon Our goal was to focus on Utah, so this was a quick lunch stop. California Missions: How to Visit All 21 & Road Trip Along El Camino Real, Highway 101 Road Trip: Los Angeles to J. Lohr Winery in Paso Robles, Eureka to Crescent City & Oregon State Line: Roadtrip Guide, Dana Point to Malibu: Pacific Coast Highway Roadtrip Guide, Three Winter Weekend Adventures for Bay Area Explorers, Monterey County: Six Spots to Explore on Your Road Trip, The Big List of 100+ Strange, Fun & Unique Attractions in Southern California, 25 Best Day Hikes in California: From Easiest to Hardest, Los Angeles to Las Vegas Road Trip Guide (25+ Stops on the Drive), Pacific Coast Highway: Where to Stop on Your Road Trip, Californias National Parks and National Monuments. To learn more about what we did in the park, learn here. Search for RV campgrounds. If you passed up the dessert and are looking for a pit stop, I would recommend some ice cream at thefamous mid-west spot called Culvers. Road Trip from St Louis to Los Angeles, California - LazyTrips 1 hour from downtown Las Vegas, 5 hours from Los Angeles; Amenities: There are a number of different campsites with tables, and BBQs. The benefit of staying at the Stratosphere is that you get a free pass to go up to the top if you stay there. A Los Angeles to Las Vegas road trip can be done via one of multiple routes, and we've picked four epic itineraries to share in this article, with descriptions of the best stops on each drive. Road Trip from Los Angeles to Mount Rushmore - LazyTrips Hiking in sand can be strenuous and take longer than you might have planned to arrive at a good spot for photography, or to climb up one of the dunes! If it is your first time in Palm Springs, spend a couple of hours exploring downtown and the iconic architecture. If youre an early riser, some good sunrise spots include Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes (which we chose for one morning) and Zabriskie Point. Visiting Utah has been on my list of to-visit spots for years after hearing about the beautiful landscapes. The perfect afternoon hike into the Grand Canyon is the South Kaibab Trail to Skeleton Point - a 6 mile round trip trek. Their food was our favorite meal of the entire trip! LA to Vegas Drive: 4 Epic Road Trip Route Ideas (+ Best Stops)! Over at P&P we love sharing to instagrammable spots, unique eateries, style tips, travel itineraries and more! In better times it's only 3 hours! 1,440 miles. It looks like an artist took a chisel and carefully carved each rock. Camping along the way? I already knew we need to go back soon and explore these areas more! Day 5: Horseshoe Bend, Lake Powell, Bryce Canyon 9 things you need to see on a Road Trip From California To Utah Itinerary Lotus of Siam A full blog post is coming on this soon, however, a few quick tips: Our first stop from San Diego (our starting point) was the Seven Magic Mountains art installation, located outside of Las Vegas. Stay at Bryce Canyon for a bit after the sun goes down. We include the most popular starting points and show you the routes and points of interest on the way to Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Capitol Reef National . Since then, the church has been demolished, but the lighthouse still stands tall, nowhere near water. We visited early July and I would recommend contacting/ researching all locations before visiting. Or get a full Los Angeles to Arches National Park flight plan. You may also find that certain tourist attractions might be closed too. If you want to stay or camp within the park, you might need to make a reservation quite a bit in advance, as they tend to book up. The Salton Sea. Day 4: Grand Canyon to Monument Valley. MiltsBurgers A great local burger joint with a pleasant staff and grass-fed beef burgers. Enjoy your mornings, spend the hottest, harshest mid-day hours driving to the next destination and arrive at the ideal times. Starting Point: Los Angeles or San Diego, California. In the morning and drive 2-2.5 hours from Los Angeles to the desert and stop in Palm Springs for lunch. Add a Day: Page, Arizona and Antelope Canyon Distance from Los Angeles: 107 miles. Named after the over 2,000 arches in the park, this 73,000+ acre natural wonder is a must-visit on a trip through Utah. You can take photos of the point itself or overlooking Golden Canyon, or walk out to the end of one of the paths for great scenic portrait spots. Located in the heart of the strip, this luxury 5-star resort is close to all the major tourist attractions including the High Roller, MGM Grand, Freemont Street and the Stratosphere Tower. The 932-acre park is most famous for its spectacular rock formations that have been the backdrop numerous Hollywood movies and TV shows over the years, such as Blazing Saddles, Bill and Teds Excellent Adventure, and Star Trek! Arizona Weekend Getaway Itinerary: Things to Do , Your Ultimate Guide to 15+ Fun San Diego . The ultimate road trip planner to help you discover extraordinary places, book hotels, and share itineraries all from the map. Upland has a historic McDonald's Golden Arches building from the 1950s, and Rancho Cucamonga has a beautiful yellow gas station. Trip Guides. The area is big though, so you can get away on your own as well. Its a little pricey, but it is a super fun location, and they even have photos of the boat on the walls. There are very few restaurants or services in the Monument Valley area, especially right now as the entire Navajo Nation is on lockdown. })(document, 'script', '//cf.bstatic.com/static/affiliate_base/js/flexiproduct.js'); Yay, youve made it to Death Valley! Top things to do in Las Vegas that don't include gambling? From there, we headed to Vegas for our last night. Quick note even if you dont drive a 4WD car in, there are options for Jeep rentals inside the park if youd just like a day rental to make it out to spots like the Racetrack Playa! The road out to the Trona Pinnacles in unpaved and a bit rough (its a five-mile-long dirt road), so budget plenty of time to get there if youre not in a 4WD vehicle since youll have to go very slow. Driving Time: 4 Hours, 6 Hours if you drive to Page, Arizona. While there is not much here other than a viewpoint, the area is utterly incredible, and it provides a fantastic vista of multiple Horseshoe Bend like spots. Day 6: Drive to Bryce Canyon. For more information on our experience at the Mystic Hot Springs, read the article here. This first stop you will want to see is Hole in the Rock, which is an eclectic roadside attraction of a massive rock that someone built a 5,000 square foot house in. I had roughly (very roughly) mapped out our drive that looks like this. and leave at 8:12 pm. Next, we headed over to Devils Garden and made the one-mile hike to Landscape Arch, which is the longest arch in the entire world. One-Way California Coast/Pacific Coast Highway. The best way to get to and around the scenic route this summer is by bicycle or E-bike, and we highly recommend E-bikes! Los Angeles to Arches National Park via Bryce Canyon National Park Lotus of Siam . Neon Museum (8 mentions) Green River (Utah). Make sure to take some time to drive around the pinnacles to see them from different perspectives! Atsunset, we ended up at the windows area of the park, and I highly recommend it. There are plenty more fantastic things to do and points of interest to explore on this trip. We saw five different arches while here, but my favorite was the double arch, I have never seen anything like that before. Crystal Ice Cream You must go here when in Moab, they have a Caramel cashew ice cream and a home-made pretzel cone you can have it served in. They even have a free museum you can go to and see the areas history as well as a lot of the films that were made here. or Sydney, and get inspired for your dream trip around the world. You might want to skip the meal options while out and head to the hotel instead to dine at one of its popular restaurants. For the first stop of the day, head just a short drive from Lancaster to Saddleback Butte, a hidden gem of the area filled with Joshua Trees and scenic views. Drive through Thunder Basin National Grassland and follow US 16-E past Newcastle to reach your destination at Mount Rushmore through Black Hills National Forest. You can actually follow this trail all the way to the Colorado River at the very bottom of the canyon (it's around 18 miles and a massive elevation change to do the entire round trip trail, it's recommended not to do it all in one day unless you are in peak physical shape.) , Stop by Balanced Rock for a quick photo op! you can get answers personalized for your tastes, budgets, We were staying cheap on this trip and ended up at the Motel 6. Make sure to eat well and drink lots of cold water! The drive out is 52 miles from LAX, and takes about an hour to 1.5 hours depending on LA traffic. The canyon is just so gorgeous in the soft light, I really wish we would have had one more chance. You will drive past the breathtaking landscapes of McInnis Canyons as well as the White River, Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests before reaching Denver. There are tons of other goofy things here too, like a cactus made of bowling balls and a Bigfoot sighting. Nearby is a restaurant called Cafe Rio that is in the same vein as Chipotle but equally as good. The dusk light over the Hoodoos is so photogenic and just magical! But, along the primarily Interstate 40 stretch, you'll want to make a few stops, so prepare for a long day or overnight journey. Find the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on the Total Driving Time: 35 hours in a loop drive - 1,200 miles total. If not making this detour, keep following I-25 towards Fort Collins. We didnt have the time, but we drove around the area totake a few pictures before continuing on. Del Taco Poisonous plants/ Venomous animals in Bryce Canyon I did this on the Fourth of July weekend, so I only had to take two days off of work, and I got to have such a fantastic adventure. Do make sure you check the weather though, as this is not seen when it is overcast. If you don't mind the crowds, you can try to plan your trip around the 4th of July to admire the magnificent fireworks at the Mount Rushmore National Memorial. The Stratosphere was less than $50 to stay at, so we opted to just stay here instead of driving all the way home. Fremont Street Experience (15 mentions) A few must-sees in the area (based on other travelers recommendations: Dont miss dining at the Escalante Outfitters down the road. Take Exit 211 as you approach Rawlins in Wyoming. If not taking this detour, drive past Mojave National Preserve to reach the neon lights of Las Vegas. stay for about 1 hour and leave at 3:03 pmdrive for about 4 hours, 7:12 pm Green River (Utah) to each other and sharing tips and advice. Go to the Navajo Trail and the Wall Street path. Driving Time: 3.5 hours to Las Vegas, 7.5 Hours to Los Angeles. Valley of Fire State Park (15 mentions) Day 3: Sedona to The Grand Canyon South Rim I planned an 8 day road trip that took my partner and I from Los Angeles to Aspen, CO in mid August 2020. 11:00 am start in Los Angelesdrive for about 2 hours, 12:53 pm Barstow Shell go wherever the winds take her! Out of Los Angeles, make your way along the Interstate 10 (I-10) and take Exit 58A for Interstate 15 (I-15) as you drive through San Bernardino and Angeles National Forests. Save. Booking.com From the parking lot, you can get amazing shots overlooking the rainbow hills, aptly named for the pastel colors formed from minerals that look like an artist splashed paint all over the mountains. . Hoodoos are according toNational Geographicare a spire of rock that has an easily eroded column and a more resistant cap. Seeing these in person, its hard to believe that they were created by nature! I cannot emphasize enough how hot it was in Valley of Fire. Day One: LA to Lancaster. Without these we would have been very hungry and cranky, because after 7PM here, even the gas stations were no longer open. After getting in late, we still decided to set our alarm and head into Arches for sunrise at Delicate Arch. MGM Grand Las Vegas I originally stumbled across Mystic Hot Springs on Instagram while searching for unique activities to do on our Southern Utah road trip. There is another route that passes through the picturesque town of Moab, the fantastic sights of Denver and through some of the more stunning national parks and forests of Colorado. One of the great things about Joshua Tree is that there are areas to park all over the park where you can pull in and just walk around - no predetermined trail required. Here's a sample itinerary for a drive from Los Angeles to Arches National Park. you can get answers personalized for your tastes, budgets, Then an epic trip from Los Angeles to Mount Rushmore will give you plenty of opportunities to shake off the cobwebs and enjoy some of the most iconic cities, legendary landmarks and exciting attractions the United States has to offer. I loved Zabriskie Point so much that I think we went back there three times in total during the two days we visited the park. Just be mindful that temperatures here vary wildly. The information on Zion National Park is pretty confusing, here's the quick breakdown: the 9 Highway drives right through the park, and is a stunning drive. Share Map. The hotel boasts five courtyard swimming pools, lush botanical gardens, a world-class spa and numerous dining options to suit most palates. day 2 driving 9.5 hours. If you started in the morning as I did, then I recommend stopping about an hour and a half in at the, Since it is most likely lunchtime, I would recommend stopping at. Fremont Street Experience (15 mentions) I really dont know how this State Park isnt more popular (we hardly saw any visitors there!) The Perfect 10-Day American Southwest Road Trip - The Mandagies ), Valley of Fire is only about one hour outside of Las Vegas. Put "Forrest Gump Hill" into your Google Maps to take you to the exact spot. because there's an entire community of travelers talking For dinner, we ate at the Canyon King in Page, which is an old steamboat that was landlocked and turned into a pizza place. Since you don't need to hike far into the canyon for the views, this is a fun spot to where a cute outfit (if that's your kind of thing - and you know it's mine!). 21 hours 50 minutes. Be prepared! After exploring Horseshoe Bend, stop in town for some breakfast. On your way out of town, I would stop to check out the Glen Canyon Dam. Los Angeles to Yellowstone road trip - Road Trips Forum This is important for disinfecting your hotel room, shoes (after visiting public bathrooms), etc. The whole area is just stunning! After your adventures on the slopes or in the city, you can try one of the many eateries and bars downtown for a night out, or head to the hotel to unwind in one of the pools or the spa before heading to the upscale Garden Caf for a cocktail or a meal. This itinerary is a photographer's dream, designed to give you two chances to experience every park at it's best - both in late afternoon and sunset, and early morning, when the crowds are the lowest and the light and temperatures are at their best. From Los Angeles, a National Park Tour of the American Southwest is one of the most incredible road trips you can do. Hiking through sand can be difficult, so make sure to plan accordingly, especially if youre wanting to walk out towards some of the taller dunes. Day 6: Bryce Canyon to Zion National Park . I left at around 7:30 AM. This straightforward drive mostly takes place on Interstate 80 (I-80) and passes through the vibrant Salt Lake City in Utah as well as past the beautiful and rugged mountain scenery of Wyoming. Find the best hotels, restaurants, and attractions based on the This does not account for any detours you might want to take. Bring food with you! The most popular time to visit Mount Rushmore is between June and August. What's the best neighborhood in Barstow for a first time visitor? ), Boot Arch, and of course, the Insta-famous shot down Movie Road for the perfect desert photo op. Buy an annual, unlimited National Parks pass for $80 - you're going to use it a lot on this trip! As they are both fairly uncomplicated drives on interstates, taking these routes also enables you to easily visit lots of different cities, towns, sights and attractions along the way. Great spot for a cheap breakfast and friendly service. It also helped that its such a short drive from where we were staying at the Oasis at Death Valley! If you're heading farther into Utah to Moab or Arches National Park, Monument Valley can easily be a quick pass-through stop. A note on Zion during the pandemic: We visited Zion over the fourth of July weekend, shortly after they re-opened. Badwater Basin is home to the famous saltwater flats of Death Valley, and is the lowest point in North America, coming in at 282 feet below sea level! Quick Links: Zion National Park. Bring plenty of water and a hat! Day 2: Zion. Your email will not be provided to third parties. This post is the first in an eventual series of posts about weekend road trips you can take outside of California. It can take awhile to walk out to where the salt flats are less trodden on, so make sure to budget time to walk out there and bring plenty of water and shade with you. or Sydney, and get inspired for your dream trip around the world. Drive straight to the Devil's Bridge trailhead. In the town of Cedar City, there is a landlocked lighthouse right off the road that was initially built to bring people to a church. These are both on the way to the Grand Canyon from the main town of Sedona. For the first day, start from LA (we flew into LAX and went straight from there after picking up our rental car) and take State Highway 14 up to Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park near Agua Dulce. Stop off points can include Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Salt Lake City, San Bernardino National Forest, Red Rock Canyon and the Grand Canyon. As the famous canyon is on Navajo land, it was completely closed to visitors. If you can, book the Upper Antelope Canyon tour in advance from 10:45 AM 12:45 PM as this is the only tour where light beams shine into the canyon. Camping in this area is a great lower-cost option as well! This Southern California road trip route includes driving parts of the iconic Highway 395 route, visiting at least two US National Parks (Death Valley and Joshua Tree). Some Instagrammable photo spots you can find around Red Rock Canyon State Park include Turks Turban (below, left), Camel Rock, Hagen Canyon, and the Red Cliffs Natural Area just off the highway (below, right). Read more about how to do thathere. Relax and stay at the bridge until the sun starts to go down, then head back down before it gets too dark. It was beautiful, and you must see it while in the park. 9:27 pm arrive at Arches National Park. Arches National Park, located in Moab deserves 2 days at least. The interior roads of Monument are currently closed but we felt taht the drive is still very much worth it - the scenerry from the main roads is still stunning.When the Navajo Nation is not on lockdown, there are little shops along the highway where you can buy blankets, jewelry and handmade crafts. Or get a full Los Angeles to Arches National Park flight plan. Mon Ami Gabi Canyon hikes are different from most hikes because you're climbing down instead of up - so the most difficult part of the hike is the second half. The drive from Los Angeles usually takes around six hours in a gas . Best new restaurants in Vegas? open-ended. From here, we just drove the rest of the way to Page, AZ. Head an hour down the highway to Las Vegas and spend a night there. next trip! This is another good sunrise spot as you will miss the crowds and get to see beautiful colors. As of July 2020, the more direct route here, Highway 64, is closed so this drive is around 4-4.5 hours. If you're looking for a short drive that will somehow transport you to another planet, make the trek to Joshua Tree, California. If you choose to not visit the Grand Canyon, following I-15 will then take you past Zion National Park and Dixie National Forest. If you are looking for something different to do with your day, you can take a short drive to the Red Rock Canyon National Park. Subscribe to Away LandsAnd Receive 10% Off Our Presets! I didnt go with a photo tour as it was double the price. Day 3 Canyonlands, Dead Horse Point & Driving $10, Moab to Page 4 Hours of Driving(Route 191, Route 163, Route 160, Route 98). Want to plan the trip back? There is usually a lot of people here for sunset, so be warned. While in Page, we stayed at Motel 6. most talked about places recommended by Trippy members. If you have more time, check out Merry Go Round rock for a great sunset viewpoint. Moab Diner- A fun diner that always seems to have locals in it. Read about it here. Day 5: Drive to Page, see Antelope Canyon. If you want a road trip that is done as a loop from Las Vegas and includes the Grand Canyon and several other national parks, this is my top pick. Its so scenic & a great way to get a feel for the park! Try to get there early to avoid the crowds! restaurants around Las Vegas: by calculating the distance from Los Angeles to Arches National Park. If you are visiting in winter, you might want to check out some of the world-famous ski resorts in the area. Bryce Canyon National Park. If you want photos clean of footprints in the sand, youll have to spend 30 minutes to an hour hiking out to where its pristine. Keep reading for our road trip from California to Utah itinerary. It is a good cheap lunch spot. But Los Angeles heads back to Dodger Stadium having fallen back to .500 at 13-13 through 26 games. It is especially beautiful when golden hour lights the whole area up. We ended up getting stuck in some deep clouds and rain, but the usually clear sunset photos here look amazing! Wynn Hotel Las Vegas leave the next day around 9:00 am, 9:00 am leave from Bellagio Hotel We only have 10 days to do this in the latter part of July this year. Mesa Archis the best spot for sunrise in the area, and I highly recommend it as it is insanely beautiful. eat at Del Taco Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks. Arches National Park to Los Angeles drive, or go to the main page to plan a new road trip. Depending on the time of year, you might even be lucky enough to capture the Milky Way core right above you, like I did in the shot below (right). That being said, the arch is small, and it is crawling with photographers, so you need to get there early to get any chance of a good spot. stay for about 1 hour and leave at 4:57 pmdrive for about 2 hours, 7:01 pm Green River (Utah) The tour guides work hard for tips and are always showing you spots to take good pictures from. This park is tiny with not much to see, but the view at the end of the park is worth the price of admission in and of itself. This is one of the most unique places I have ever been in the world, and I absolutely loved it here. When is the best time to visit/hike Zion national park? What's the best time of year to hike in Zion? Get the reverse directions for a Arches National Park to Los Angeles drive, or go to the main page to plan a new road trip. Take Exit 17 for US-85 past Ranchettes. Day: In the afternoon, drive on to Joshua Tree National Park, there are great sites at either the North or South entrance, so either is great! The Valley of Fire is known as the largest and oldest Nevada state park. The whole day is spent in the park and in the town of Moab, which is right next to it. There is the iconic Red Rock lined road, but beyond that there are incredible hiking trails, pastel colored painted hills, and so much more. Staying at one of the lodges within the park is ideal and puts you in the best spot for early mornings, but the town is only about a 10 minute drive (and is where you might have to go for dinner in summer hours with later sunsets) so no worries if that's what available! My 7 Day Itinerary gives you the best of the best, on a quick timeline, without too much driving time - AND with all of the most scenic photography opportunities. Day 4 is all about Page, we saw Horseshoe Bend at sunrise and went on a tour of Antelope Canyon. Road Trip Route Planner, Map and Trip Guides | Roadtrippers After a nap and lunch, we hit the road to Page, AZ, which is about 4 hours away, but there are lots of places to stop along the way, including Monument Valley. Our trip took 9 days, departing from San Diego and ending at the Arches National Park (the farthest point of the itinerary). You can also compare the travel time if you're flying or driving That said, Ive narrowed it down to what I feel are the major highlights of the park to make the most of your time there. Ultimate Death Valley Road Trip: A 5-Day Itinerary from LA At this point, you can either extend your itinerary to longer than five days if youd like more time to explore Death Valley National Park, or try to fit as much as possible into a day-and-a-half whirlwind tour of the park. It also offers opportunities for outdoor activities such as hiking and rock climbing. That said, you can get great shots from just off the parking lot, but the trade off is tons of footprints from other visitors. Drive time without stops (or traffic): 1 hour, 45 mins. Then, take Highway 14 up to Red Rock Canyon State Park, near Cantil. by calculating the distance from Los Angeles to Arches National Park. This small town, right on the outskirts of Monument Valley, is named after the Mexican Hat rock that is outside of the town. If you have time on your way back, on the other side of Las Vegas, stop by the art installation Seven Magic Mountains for a sunset shot. Start New Trip. Bring lots of cleaning supplies, hand sanitizer, and masks. Day: Driving into Zion from the East means that you drive 15 miles right through Zion National Park before entering the town of Springdale where all of the hotels, restaurants, and shops are. Day 2: Joshua Tree to Sedona. However traveling in July 2020, we were able to book a hotel inside the park same day. There are two in Vegas, one in Planet Hollywood and one in the Palms. With the soaring temperatures in the summer, the viable times to be in the park if youre hiking are early morning and late afternoon. Road Trip from Virginia to California - LazyTrips If you have more time and want to take a more leisurely trip, spend a few days out in Palm Springs! The geology of Bryce Canyon (the bright orange columns are called Hoodoos) is incredible, and so truly breathtaking in person. Day 7 is a long one, but one of my favorites! Both of our recommended routes will take you through some legendary cities like Las Vegas, and some of the most scenic parks and forests before taking you to possibly one of the most famous sights in the world; Mount Rushmore. stay for about 1 hour and leave at 1:53 pmdrive for about 2.5 hours, 4:14 pm Las Vegas When youre ready, head to Las Vegas for the nearest major airport option to Death Valley National Park. Re: Los Angeles to Yellowstone road trip. 8 Epic Weekend Road Trips from Los Angeles, California . It can get busy and can be slow though, so if you are in a rush note that. Las Vegas realistically requires two days if you want to see the sites and dine at their Michelin-star restaurants. If you go from sunrise to sunset, you can fit in quite a lot! Sunset: The Forrest Gump point at Sunset and later at dusk is the perfect time for photos here. Its just over two hours to drive from Death Valley to Las Vegas. 12 Best Road Trips From Los Angeles For an Adventure Behind the Wheel You can take a longer loop on the trail and make it a big morning hike, or turn back earlier to make this a quick stop. Thanks for supporting Ready Set Jet Set by shopping via my affiliate links! questions about Bryce Canyon National Park: trips from Los Angeles to Arches National Park, Family road trip for 6 days in early August.Carver Boat Models By Year, Beacon Theater Covid Policy, Articles R