Visit Sedona, Grand Canyon NP, Old Route 66 section, Las Vegas, Joshua Tree NP, Palm Springs, San Diego, Laguna Beach & LA.
Looking for a year-round road trip adventure in the sunny Southwest of America? This all seasons road trip offers the perfect mix of high-end hotels, desert exploration and California coastal driving – all enjoyed in (almost) guaranteed sunshine? If so, then this might just be the perfect road trip holiday for you.
Key road trip highlights:
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We’ll suggest properties to match your preferred budget, be it low-cost, mid-range or high-end luxury that you’re looking for. We can also mix it up so you’ll experience a range of standards and experiences along your road trip.
All of our American road trips can be tailored to meet your requirements. Do you have more or less than 14 days for your road trip? No problem, we can bolt on extra nights to allow more time to explore or shorten the number of destinations as required.
After touching down in Phoenix, you’ll pick up your sporty convertible or capable SUV and take the short drive to one of the many first-class resort hotels found in Scottsdale or neighbouring Carefree to the north of Phoenix.
A full day to relax into the start of your road trip, spend the day by the pool or in one of Scottsdale’s numerous luxury spas. Want to start exploring already? Then, the Phoenix area has lots to offer; one of our favourite activities is to enjoy a hot air balloon ride as the sun rises over the Sonoran Desert. Remember, we’ll provide you with a fab Road Trip Pack detailing all the sightseeing options available in the area. Discover as many of these as you like, or simply stay by the pool if you prefer.
Today, you’ll swap one swanky spa town for another; beautiful Sedona lies to the north, surrounded by multi-hued red stone formations which rise from the desert floor. Once again, you have the difficult choice between relaxing in your luxury resort, or you may want to visit one of the State Parks found in the area, or you may even prefer to opt for a fantastic desert adventure tour.
A second day surrounded by the stunning scenery of Sedona, it’s easy to see why Sedona is a popular place with the rich and famous. Celebrities are often spotted here, and some even choose to make Sedona their second home.
The world’s largest and most well-known geological wonder is just staggering. Two billion years in the making, the Colorado River has forged a mile deep, 18 miles wide and 277-mile long gauge into Arizona. En route to Grand Canyon National Park, you’ll pass by other natural wonders that are also well worth visiting. These include Meteor Crater and Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument, to name just two.
After watching the sunrise over Grand Canyon National Park, you’ll head south to Williams and turn west onto Route 66. We recommend that you stick to the original Route 66 route, which passes through iconic “Mother Road” towns like Seligman, Hackberry and Oatman. After settling into your Las Vegas hotel, why not get dressed up and hit the Las Vegas Strip for a night of partying and gambling?
Wake up in the luxury of your Las Vegas hotel. With so many first-class cuisine, shopping and entertainment options, you’ll have plenty to keep you busy today. Alternatively, if you want to relax, then why not just spend the day by the hotel pool? Want to stay longer in Las Vegas or anywhere else, for that matter? Then please ask for some additional days when you contact us for a quote.
Palm Springs feels like a mirage in the desert as this luxury resort town is surrounded by arid mountains on all sides. Forget all your worries whilst you lay by the pool, shoot a round of golf, or cruise the streets, taking in the modernist architecture this town is famed for. Palm Springs was made famous by the Hollywood stars of yesteryear; it remains a must-do pitstop for any Southwest USA road trip.
The drive from Palm Springs to San Diego encompasses desert, the wine area of Temecula and, of course, the spectacular coast. Why not stop to explore the coastal trails at Torrey Pines State Park en route, north of San Diego’s city limits? Other highlights in San Diego include Balboa Park, Gaslamp District and the world-famous San Diego Zoo.
After a week or so of driving, maybe it’s time to relax by the hotel pool or chill out on Coronado Beach. If you want to do more, then your personalised Road Trip Pack will show you all the best San Diego attractions. These include Cabrillo National Monument, the USS Midway Museum and the San Diego Air & Space Museum.
Leave San Diego and drive north along the scenic coastal road to lovely Laguna Beach in Orange County. You can also visit the exclusive town of Newport Beach and enjoy a walk in Crystal Cove State Park, which lies just a few miles north of Laguna Beach.
Get up early to watch the sunrise in one of the many beach coves dotted along the coast. At dawn, it’s often possible to see dolphins feeding close to shore. Later, you can enjoy the beach, shop in the town’s numerous art galleries and dine in one of Laguna’s fabulous seafood restaurants. This old Californian coastal town has such a relaxing atmosphere and abundant charm.
Tinseltown is synonymous with glitz and glamour, and although many of the studios have now moved onto other parts of the city, it’s still fun to visit the home of the Oscars and walk Hollywood Boulevard in search of the handprints of your favourite movie stars. Just a short drive northeast of Hollywood lies the Griffith Observatory, perched high on a hill overlooking the urban sprawl of LA; this landmark is well worth a visit as it also offers excellent views of the legendary Hollywood sign.
You may prefer to stay close to the coastline today, enjoying the attractions of Santa Monica or Venice Beach, which are best explored on foot or by bike. Alternatively, you could take the car to cruise around chi-chi Beverly Hills or visit the Getty Center in Bel-Air. Tonight, dine in downtown Los Angeles, taking in the skyscraper scenery or maybe go for drinks on Sunset Boulevard. As always with our trips, the choice is all yours.
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You’ll find answers to most of your questions right here. If you still need assistance, Feel free to get in touch, and we’ll be sure to get back to you promptly!
Not a problem. If you are lucky enough to have extra time to explore more places or add more rest days, then just let us know and we’ll adjust your trip to match your preferred timescale.
We strongly advise that you purchase travel insurance for your holiday to cover you against medical expenses, theft and other financial costs. Should you need to cancel before travelling, some insurance policies may pay out for any loss of funds that have been paid to us and which cannot be refunded under our cancellation policy.
Many of our trips have a different end destination than the starting point, so this is not a problem. Please note a fee sometimes applies for one-way rentals between other regions or states, which will be paid to the supplier directly when collecting the vehicle. We’ll endeavour to inform you of this charge within your quote.
No, far from it. We work with a range of properties from 3* to 5*, so we can adapt the trip to match most budgets. We have access to rooms in more than 800 hotels, motels, lodges and B&Bs across North America.
The minimum age to rent a car is 21 in the United States or Canada, although, in addition, any drivers under 25 years of age will generally incur a surcharge.
Please use the form below to request a quote from our team. Fields marked with an * are mandatory. Please note that we currently only serve customers based in the UK & The EU.
Not quite what you’re looking for? Get in touch to discuss your Bespoke Road Trip plans, or check out these similar road trip itineraries…
ARTCo customers can be confident that we only work with the very best service providers, such as Virgin Atlantic, British Airways and Alamo. Any payments made to us are fully protected via the government’s ATOL scheme (Flight packages) or Financial Failure Insurance (Non-Flight Packages).
