West coast USA road trip itinerary

West Coast USA road trip: a spectacular itinerary

Have you always dreamt about a West Coast USA road trip? In just 3,5 weeks, you visit 4 states, 9 National Parks, and 3 awesome cities. This is the perfect road trip itinerary for Southwest USA.

Why should you go on a West Coast USA road trip?

If you want to experience the best of the United States in one single road trip, the USA West Coast is the place to be. The national parks are all completely different and spectacular. The cities are in a league of their own.

In this West Coast USA road trip itinerary, the starting point is Los Angeles, where you will also finish the road trip after 3,5 weeks. You will also visit Las Vegas and San Francisco, so you can also choose to start or end your road trip West Coast USA in these cities.

Itinerary West Coast USA road trip

This itinerary shows you the best parts of West Coast USA in just over three weeks. You’re road tripping through the states of California, Arizona, Utah, and Nevada.

Day 0: arriving in Los Angeles

Los Angeles is the perfect place to start your Southwest USA road trip. Daily a lot of flights (from all over the world) arrive at LAX. Depending on your arrival time, you can pick up your rental car and drive to one of the suburbs of Los Angeles in the western direction.

We stayed in Norwalk, a safe area with lots of affordable hotels. Plenty of Walmarts to buy the stuff you need for a road trip (for example a cooler or a map).

Day 1: Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park.

If you’re from Europe, you’ll probably wake up early (hello jetlag!), so you can leave at the break of dawn. Which is a good thing, because today will be a long drive. The first stop will be your first National Park on this trip: Joshua Tree National Park. It’s one of the quieter parks in the Southwest, so you won’t see a lot of other people. A perfect place to explore and do a short hike (I can recommend And don’t forget to take lots of pictures of the awesome Joshua trees.

From Joshua Tree National Park you can drive for a bit on Route 66 (make sure to stop at ghost town Amboy for some great pics) to the town of Needles.

Day 2: Route 66

Route 66
Get your kicks on Route 66.

Driving Route 66 is probably on your USA bucket list, and today you will! From Needles you will cross the state border: goodbye California, hello Arizona! Head to the small town of Oatman, which is a perfect place for a stop. The (ghost) town looks like a set of a wild west movie, and there are a lot of donkeys wandering the streets. So drive carefully!

The part of Route 66 from Oatman to Kingman is beautiful and has some great views. Kingman is a good place for lunch and here you can also visit the Route 66 museum. You can choose to continue to drive on Route 66 until Williams or take the (way faster) US-93 to Williams.

If you’d like another Route 66 stop, Seligman is a nice town with a couple of cool buildings. From Williams, it’s only one more hour before you’ll reach Grand Canyon National Park. Make sure to arrive before sunset.

Day 3: Grand Canyon & Horseshoe Bend

Sunset Grand Canyon
A spectacular sunset in Grand Canyon National Park.

The Grand Canyon is one of the most spectacular sights in the world, so take your time to explore. In the morning, you’ll have plenty of time to see the Grand Canyon from a couple of different viewpoints. The best thing is to drive east on Desert View Drive.

Horseshoebend Page
Another spectacular stop: Horseshoe Bend.

When you’ve seen enough, continue to Page. Make a stop at the Horseshoe Bend (about 7 kilometers / 5 miles) before you reach Page. It’s only a short hike to the viewpoint, but it can be difficult because of loose sand, the heat, and the climb. Make sure to bring water. The view of Horseshoe Bend is amazing, so take your time to enjoy it. If you still have some time when you arrive in Page, go for a refreshing swim in Lake Powell. You deserve it!

Day 4: Page & Monument Valley

Antelope Canyon in Page
Have you ever seen something so beautiful?

Start your day with a tour in Antelope Canyon and enjoy the shapes and colors. There are two different canyons, you can choose between Upper or Lower Antelope Canyon (or visit them both). It’s best to make a reservation beforehand.

After Antelope Canyon you’ll have a long (and lonely) drive in the desert to Monument Valley. Make a stop at the View Hotel, from here you’ll have a great view of the famous ‘buttes’.

Monument Valley
Welcome to the Wild Wild West!

Also make a stop at mile marker 13, which is also known as the Forrest Gump point (it’s the place where he decided to stop running).

The road from Monument Valley to Moab is one of the most beautiful roads of the trip, so take your time and make a view stops. The landscape is very scenic and changes colors numerous times, a beautiful thing to see.

Read more: 17 Amazing Things to do in Page AZ

Day 5, 6 & 7: Moab (Arches & Canyonlands National Park

Landscape Arch in Arches National Park
The famous Landscape Arch in Arches National Park.

Moab is a nice place to relax and chill for a couple of days. there’s plenty of nice restaurants and you can walk everywhere (no car needed!). There are two National Parks to visit from Moab. The closest one is Arches National Park, filled with beautiful stone arches. A great place for hiking, but go as early as possible because it will be very hot and crowded during the day!

Canyonlands National Park overlook
Canyonlands National Park, another beautiful place to explore.

The second National Park you can visit from Moab is Canyonlands. This park is less crowded and cooler (altitude of 1830 meters / 6000 feet). The canyons are spectacular and famous because of the movie Thelma & Louise.

Distance to Arches: 8 kilometers / 5 miles
Distance to Canyonlands: 50 kilometers / 32 miles

Day 8: Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef National Park
Your first stop in Utah: Capitol Reef National Park.

From Moab, it’s only a short drive to the next National Park: Capitol Reef. Red rocks and a very green valley, you will love it! In the valley, there are many orchards and you can pick fruit for free. It’s a nice place to do some hiking, or just to relax and enjoy the view.

Day 9: Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon Amphitheater. What a view!

From Capitol Reef National Park you can make your way to Bryce Canyon National Park. To get there, you will drive on one of the most beautiful roads in the United States: Scenic Byway 12. Make stops as often as you can, it is truly scenic. It’s only a short drive, so you’ll have plenty of time to see the viewpoints in Bryce Canyon.

When you arrive in Bryce Canyon you should start at the end of the Scenic Drive and make your way back to the beginning because all the viewpoints are on the right-hand side. Don’t forget to explore the trails for a great hike in the canyon.

Day 10 & 11: Zion National Park

Zion National Park
Go hiking in Zion National Park.

It’s not that far from Bryce to Zion National Park, so if you like, you can start your day with a nice hike into the canyon before heading out. Make your way to Springdale (this small town is the gateway to Zion), drop your car, and take a shuttle bus to the park. Zion is a hiker’s paradise, the trails are awesome. Make sure to check out either the Angels Landing Trail or the Observation Point Trail. They’re both amazing!

Day 12, 13 & 14: Las Vegas

Welcome to Las Vegas
Welcome to Las Vegas!

After all the National Parks, I bet you’d love to see a big city again. It’s time for Las Vegas! And Las Vegas is one of the best places to visit in the US. It’s a pretty long drive from Springdale to Las Vegas, but there are some nice stops: Grafton ghost town and the Valley Of Fire State Park.

In Las Vegas, you can do whatever you want! There are plenty of fun places to visit and. For example, visit the awesome themed hotels, enjoy a show, go shopping, or try some gambling.

Day 15: Death Valley

Zabriskie Point in Death Valley National Park
Zabriskie Point in Death Valley National Park.

Fill up your car with water and gas, because today you will visit the hottest place on earth: Death Valley National Park. It’s a two-hour drive from Las Vegas and when you arrive, it will look like you’re on the moon. There are some cool stops, like Zabriskie Point and Badwater Basin (the lowest point of the United States). Because of the heat, we decided to continue our trip to Bishop, instead of staying the night in Death Valley.

Day 16 & 17: Yosemite National Park

Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Valley.

Let’s go to the next must-see on this West Coast USA road trip! You will drive over the highest road in the United States: the Tioga Pass (which is usually open from June to October). It’s a strange feeling to go from the hottest place in the United States one day, to snowcapped mountains the next day. I would recommend spending at least two days in Yosemite National Park because there are a lot of things to see. Even if you don’t like hiking, there are plenty of viewpoints and waterfalls to visit. And be cautious, you might see a bear!

Day 18 & 19: San Francisco

Alamo Square in San Francisco
Alamo Square in San Francisco.

Layer up, because your next stop can be chilly. There are many things to see and do, so make sure to stay at least 2 or 3 days in San Francisco. Make sure to visit Alcatraz (you have to make a reservation in advance), Fisherman’s Wharf, and Lombard Street. And don’t forget to take a ride in one of the famous cable cars.

  • Distance: 300 kilometers / 187 miles
  • Hotel tip: The Dylan at SFO (free parking and a 5-minute walk to the station. A train will take you in 30-minutes to the city center).

Pro tip: Get a San Francisco CityPASS and get a great discount for fun activities in San Francisco.

Read more: 33 Fun Activities for your San Francisco Bucket List

Day 20 & 21: Big Sur

Bixby Creek Bridge along US Highway 1
Bixby Creek Bridge along US Highway 1.

You can drive from San Francisco to Los Angeles over boring Highway 5 (it will take about 6 hours) or you can choose to drive the slow but insanely beautiful Highway 1 (a.k.a. the Pacific Coast Highway) for at least two days). Please opt for the Pacific Coast Highway, because there are many beautiful things to see.

For example, visit the pretty town of Santa Cruz, go whale-watching in Monterey and enjoy the Big Sur, filled with beautiful cliffs, sea lions, and lovely beaches. And make sure to stop in Santa Barbara, one of the most beautiful towns on the West Coast USA. You can easily spend multiple days driving this road because there are many beautiful stops along the Pacific Coast Highway.

Day 22, 23 & 24: Los Angeles

Venice Beach
Go biking in Venice Beach.

It’s almost time for the end of your West Coast USA road trip. Continue Highway 1 to Los Angeles, and make stops at towns like Morro Bay, Santa Barbara, and Malibu. You can do lots of things in Los Angeles, I can highly recommend a Warner Bros Studio Tour and biking from Santa Monica Beach to Venice Beach. You can also check out Orange County (also known as OC), a little south of the city. There are many great things to do in Orange County, like visiting San Juan Capistrano Old Town and watching the Sunset on Salt Creek Hill.

And if you don’t feel like sightseeing anymore, you can just relax at the beach and think about all the amazing things you’ve seen and done in the past three weeks.

Tip! If you think Venice is too crowded and touristy, Manhattan Beach is a great alternative. There are many fun things to do in Manhattan Beach, like learning how to surf in El Porto or checking out the local beach art scene.

Check out this article if you’re interested in more awesome USA road trips: 5 amazing USA road trip itineraries

What’s the best time for this West Coast USA road trip?

You can visit West Coast USA during every season. However, you might run into some problems if you plan to do this road trip in winter. The Tioga Pass might be closed (check the official website before you go) and also the Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon can be inaccessible because of snow.

During the summer months, it can get quite hot in some places, especially in Joshua Tree and Death Valley. I would recommend doing this road trip between June and October.

The practical things for a road trip in Southwest USA

This West Coast USA road trip itinerary is perfect for first-timers. Of course, there are a couple of extra things to know before you go.

  • This itinerary is based on the months you can reach Yosemite Valley by driving over the scenic Tioga Pass. It’s usually open from June till October. If you want to do this route at other times of the year, you’ll need at least one extra day for a detour.
  • You can save a lot of money if you go camping in some places (especially the national parks). But make sure to make some reservations if you know your exact route. Would you like to know more about camping in the United States? Check out this article.
  • When you’re not traveling in the hot summer months, I would recommend staying in Death Valley for one night. For us, it was too hot (50 degrees, 120 Fahrenheit), so we drove to Bishop instead, stopping at a couple of viewpoints in Death Valley.
  • Drives can be very long in this part of the United States, especially in the mountains. Check Google Maps for the estimated time and add at least 30-45 minutes.
  • Do you have more time to travel in the USA? You might want to add a visit to Hawaii! From Los Angeles, it’s only a 5-hour flight to paradise. Check out this Hawaii itinerary for must-sees.

Book your West Coast USA Road Trip!

Are you excited to explore West Coast USA? These websites can be useful when you’re planning your trip:

  • Check Skyscanner to find the cheapest flights to Los Angeles, Las Vegas or San Francisco.
  • Find the best deals for rental cars on Discover Cars or Rental Cars. Do you prefer to travel with an RV? Make sure to chek RV Share.
  • It is easiest to book overnight stays via Booking.com (hotels, hostels, apartments) or VRBO (for special accommodations).
  • Don’t forget your travel insurance! Check Insubuy for options.
  • You can book fun and guided tours via Get Your Guide.

Would you like to read more about West Coast USA?

Get one of these amazing guide books:

The Rough Guide to Southwest USA

Lonely Planet Southwest USA’s Best Trips

You can also find a lot of information about traveling in the United States of America on this website. You might also like to read these articles:

This article was published in January 2017. Last update: November 2021.

Hi, and how nice of you to read this disclaimer! As you may understand, maintaining a website like this is not free. That is why some of the links in this article are affiliate links. If you use these links to book or buy anything, I’ll get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you! Support this website.

Co

As a girl from a small town in the Netherlands, I always dreamed of traveling. I thought it would always be a dream, but nowadays, I travel 6 to 8 months a year and I hike thousands of miles on the most beautiful hiking trails. On this website you can read all about my favorite destinations.

View stories

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.