Visit Laguna Beach, Joshua Tree NP, Grand Canyon NP, Las Vegas, Death Valley NP, Yosemite NP, San Fran, Carmel, Big Sur & LA.
Have you got three whole weeks to explore America’s west? Lucky you, as this route is truly a favourite fly-drive of ours. And it’s easy to see why, as this route includes many of the best destinations in California, Arizona and Nevada, all linked by one amazing road after another.
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 21 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.
Fly direct from the UK to Los Angeles, California. Pick up your wheels and cruise south down Highway 1 for 50 miles until you reach lovely Laguna Beach. This wealthy area of Orange County began as an escape destination for artists; today, it’s packed with independent galleries and artisan boutiques. Laguna Beach is also a quintessential Californian surf town and a charming place to find your feet Stateside before you begin your Best of the West road trip adventure.
Discover Laguna Beach’s sandy coves, art galleries and millionaire homes. Many stylish homes hang on the cliff edges above small secluded beach coves; pick your favourite as you stroll along the pristine beaches. Enjoy activities such as surfing, sunbathing and kayaking in this sun-drenched upscale part of the California coast.
Spend the morning watching the sunrise on the beach and relaxing by the pool. After checking out of your Laguna Beach hotel, you’ll start the car and take the picturesque Highway 74 to Sinatra’s favourite getaway, Palm Springs. Like a mirage in the desert, Palm Springs offers luxurious shelter from its surrounding deserts. Lay out by the pool, enjoy a round of golf or check out the town’s modernist architecture.
Joshua Tree National Park is an alien landscape characterized by rugged rock formations, stark desert landscapes and the twisted Joshua trees found in abundance. The National Park straddles a large area between the cactus-dotted Colorado Desert and the Mojave Desert to the north. After you’ve explored Joshua for a while, continue east to the desert oasis of Lake Havasu City. Upon arrival, you can visit the original London Bridge, imported to the US from London in the 1970s.
The world’s most enormous hole is an awe-inspiring natural wonder that should be high on everyone’s life list. Two billion years in the making, the Colorado River has forged a mile deep, 18 miles wide and 277-mile long gouge into Arizona. Enjoy the stunning views from the popular south rim while enjoying the ever-changing colours during sunset and sunrise.
You’ll join an old section of Route 66 today before heading over to the Hoover Dam and entering lively Las Vegas. World-class hotels, shopping, food and entertainment can all be enjoyed during your two-night stay. Want to stay longer? No problem, just let us know when you request your quote.
Enjoy your second day (and night) in Las Vegas. If your head hurts after a big night out, then you should relax by one of the fantastic pools that adorn every hotel. Alternatively, explore the legendary ‘Las Vegas Strip’ and book tickets to one of the outlandish shows.
The extreme climate and geology create a forbidding but beautiful natural environment. The roads here are simply superb, they dip up and down and curve around endless corners before straightening out as you drop to 85 meters below sea level in the salt flats of Badwater. Other highlights include Zabriskie Point, Artist’s Palette and the Sand Dunes to the west.
Drive north up scenic Highway 395, with deserts to the east and the Sierra Nevada mountains to the west. Once you reach the weird and wonderful Mono Lake, head west over the Tioga Pass (June-October) and into the majestic Yosemite National Park.
Yosemite National Park offers over 1,000 square kilometres of nature at its very best. The park’s most popular area is the main Valley area, where you’ll find vast rock faces, abundant wildlife, staggering views and gushing waterfalls. Leave enough time to walk among the giant Redwoods of Mariposa Grove before watching the sunset at Glacier Point, arguably the best views in all of Yosemite.
Snow-capped alpine mountains surround Lake Tahoe; this natural wonder is quite a sight to behold. Classy ski resorts can be enjoyed during the winter months, and in the summer, you can kayak on the crystal clear waters or relax on one of the many beaches. On the way to Lake Tahoe, you’ll pass through the area made famous in the California Gold Rush of 1849.
Take the famous Lincoln Highway to the state capital – Sacramento. After a quick exploration, you’ll continue west through the rolling hills of the Napa and Sonoma Valley wine regions. Why not enjoy one of the many vineyard tours available in the area? You can also drive along one of our favourite roads in California – The Silverado Trail.
The Golden Gate Bridge spans the headlands between Marin County and San Francisco; it is one of the world’s most beautiful bridges and a delightful experience whether you walk, bike or drive across. You can gain stunning views of both the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco beyond by driving up Conzelman Road on the north side of the bridge.
After the famous San Francisco fog lifts, one of America’s most visited cities will be revealed. Ride a cable car, climb the steep streets and get into the vibe that only San Fran offers. Packed with Victorian charm, famous movie locations and world-leading tech companies, San Francisco has something for every visitor.
A third day to explore San Francisco’s must-see places which will be all listed in your personalised Road Trip Pack. These “must see” places include Coit Tower, Lombard Street, the Painted Ladies, Union Square and Alcatraz to name just a few. Whilst you’re in San Francisco you simply must experience some of the best Chinese food in the world, thanks to the large Chinese community that call this city home.
Monterey was once California’s capital; however, it’s best known today for the world-class Monterey Bay Aquarium presiding on Cannery Row. This town was also famous for its whaling and sardine industry; it now focuses on marine education and preservation. Want to experience the waters of Monterey Bay first-hand? Then, take a whale-watching trip from Fisherman’s Wharf. In the early evening, cruise along the famous “17-Mile Drive” to Carmel-by-the-Sea. You’ll pass millionaire mansions, Pebble Beach Golf Club and a beautiful rugged coastline along the way.
Gorgeous Carmel-by-the-Sea offers two world-class beaches backed by a small town with beautiful homes, quaint streets and fabulous restaurants. The wild and wonderful Point Lobos Reserve is just a few miles south of Carmel. Here, you can witness Seal Lions give birth to pups on beautiful beaches, sea otters frolicking in the ocean and even whales slowly migrating along the coastline.
Big Sur is arguably the best driving experience in all of America. Enjoy the winding roads, State Parks and stunning coastline vistas. Further south, Hearst Castle perches on “The Enchanted Hill” and overlooks the Pacific Ocean in the distance. Onwards to Santa Barbara, which was built in a charming Mediterranean style – thus making it one of the Central Coast’s premier highlights.
Spend the morning exploring Santa Barbara. After lunch, you’ll continue driving south down the Pacific Coast Highway, passing Malibu’s beaches and coastal homes until you reach Santa Monica in Los Angeles. Santa Monica, with its “Baywatch” beaches and old-fashioned Pier, is a worthy stop to finish your Best of the West road trip. Hire a bike and cruise the boardwalk down to Venice Beach, shop your heart out on 3rd Street Promenade or just relax on the beach.
Tinseltown is synonymous with glitz and glamour, and although many of the studios have now moved on to other parts of the city, it’s still fun to visit the home of the Oscars and walk Hollywood Boulevard looking for the handprints of your favourite movie stars. Just a short drive northeast of here lies the Griffith Observatory (pictured), perched high on a hill overlooking the urban sprawl of LA; this landmark is well worth a visit and is great for views of the legendary Hollywood sign too.
Beverly Hills offers the chance to see movie star homes with sky-high fences on palm tree-lined streets. Close by is the unique Getty Center, which is a firm favourite of the team at The American Road Trip Company – your personalised Road Trip Pack will help explain how to visit this attraction and all the other essential places to see in La La Land. The following day, you’ll fly home from LAX after spending the morning relaxing or finishing off any final sightseeing.
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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).
