Road Trip | Indie Campers

Las Vegas

Worth a 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 spot for camping in the desert mountains.

Where to eat:

Other Mama ($$): Bold, Japanese-influenced fish and seafood. It’s a bit out of the way but well worth the trek.
Ferraro’s Restaurant and Wine Bar ($$): A local favourite, this restaurant specialises in southern Italian classics.
Gordon Ramsay Steak ($$$): This place was an instant hit when it opened in 2012. If you’re a steak fan, you can’t miss it.

Where to park for the night:

Party like there’s no tomorrow

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 much 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 hugely popular with tourists — millions flock to the city every year, calling it the entertainment capital of the world.

A global heavyweight in the hospitality industry, the city is famous for its mega casino hotels and is one of the top destinations in the country for business conferences.

Death Valley

Worth a visit:

Dante’s View: One of the best viewpoints in the valley — not to be missed if you like watching the sunrise or sunset.
Zabriskie Point: Another must-see viewpoint. This one is just a short walk from the road and is the starting point of many easy hikes.
Badwater Basin: Sitting about 86 metres (282 ft) below sea level, this basin is the lowest point in the United States.

Where to eat:

Panamint Springs ($$): This tiny desert outpost offers great views and a surprisingly large craft-beer selection as well as food.
Badwater Saloon ($$): Located in the heart of the park, this saloon harks 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.

Experience the extremes

Established in 1994, Death Valley is the largest 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 that sounds, the park still attracts nearly a million visitors a year.

Straddling Nevada and California, it has almost 1,000 miles (roughly 1,600 km) of roads criss-crossing it, giving visitors access to both remote and popular spots in the park.

Despite the name, Death Valley is home to a variety of fauna and flora. In spring the valley comes alive with wildflowers, creating a stunning display for visitors to enjoy.

Mojave National Preserve

Worth a visit:

Kelso Dunes: One of the most famous attractions in the park, these dunes actually "sing".
Cinder Cone Field and Lava Flows: The park features a number of well-preserved volcanic scoria cones that make for an interesting visit.
Teutonia Peak trail: A moderate hike that takes you through the largest forest of Joshua trees in the world.

Where to eat:

Pioneer Saloon ($$): This 100-year-old saloon is straight out of the Wild West in the best possible way.
GP's Steakhouse at Primm Valley Resort ($$): An all‑American steakhouse with a charming atmosphere.
The Gold Strike Steakhouse ($$$): Located inside Gold Strike Casino Resort, this steakhouse serves over 1,000 guests every day.

Get back to nature

One of the largest national preserves in the United States, Mojave National Preserve boasts 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-coloured 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.

Los Angeles

Worth a visit:

Hollywood Sign: The Hollywood sign is one of the most recognisable 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 neighbourhood, the world-famous Venice is both cosmopolitan and independent.

Where to eat:

République (€€): An all-day café that serves sumptuous menu items and old-world charm.
Bestia (€€€): A refined, multi-regional 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 its menu.

Bask in the luxury

Los Angeles is one of the most visited cities in the world. Home to the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, it’s famous across the globe for being home to the rich and famous. But that’s not all. It’s also the second-largest city in the United States and one of the most culturally diverse.

There’s so much to see and do in LA, from world-class museums to spectacular restaurants and a buzzing nightlife. Whether you’re a history buff, a celebrity fan, or a foodie, you’ll find plenty to keep you entertained in Los Angeles.

Las Vegas

Party like there’s no tomorrow

Death Valley

Experience the extremes

Mojave National Preserve

Get back to nature

Los Angeles

Bask in the luxury

Las Vegas to Los Angeles