Las Vegas to Los Angeles: Glitz, Glam, and Adventure

Difficulty

731 miles/1176 km

Distance

4

Recom. Days

Adventure

Trip type

Europe trip
Anna Bujas

Anna has traveled to over 35 countries and is always looking for the next adventure for her and her dog.

Las Vegas to Los Angeles Road Trip

Picture of google maps

Google Maps

Sin City and the City of Angels may sit a measly 270 miles apart but they’re wildly distinct cities. This makes a road trip between the two especially exciting as you transition from one bustling mecca to another.

Las Vegas and Los Angeles are both cultural hubs, well worth a visit on any United States RV holiday but did you know there are plenty of things to see and do between them as well? From Mojave National Preserve to Death Valley, this area of the United States doesn’t pull its punches when it comes down to natural wonders – so why not see it all?

California and Nevada are known for their bustling city hubs and their rolling nature reserves so today we’re going to take a look at the best of both worlds. What follows is a quick road trip from Las Vegas to Los Angeles, taking advantage of some of the best natural wonders along the way.

Let’s get going!

Las Vegas
Pick-up in
Las Vegas Pick-up Center
1

Stop One: Party like there’s no tomorrow in Las Vegas

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 a lot 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 massively popular with tourists who call it the entertainment capital of the world, flocking to the city in the millions every year.

Las Vegas picture

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

Visiting

Las Vegas

1

Recom. Days

Main route

284 miles

from Las Vegas Pick-up center

4h30min

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

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 camping in the desert mountains

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Parking

Lewis Street Garage

Plenty of downtown parking available. Rates range from $6 to $24.

Fremont Street Parking Garage

Easy access to downtown with spacious parking. Rates range from $3 to $12.

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Eat at

Other Mama

$$

Bold, Japanese-influenced fish and seafood. This is a little out of the way but well worth the trek

Ferraro’s Restaurant and Wine Bar

$$

A local favorite, this restaurant specializes in southern Italian classics.

Gordon Ramsay Steak

$$$

This place became an instant hit when it opened in 2012. If you’re a steak fan you can’t afford to miss this one.

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Stay at

Riviera RV Resort

Family run and with all the amenities you might need. Pull-through sites cap out at $70 while back-in sites max out at $55 per night. The park offers Good Sam, Military, or First Responder discounts.

King’s Row RV and Mobile Home Park

Excellent quality RV parking in the middle of the city. This park is $27 per day plus tax.

Las Vegas RV Resort

$

Just minutes from The Strip, this adult’s only resort starts from $29 per night plus tax.

2

Stop Two: Experience the extremes of Death Valley

Established in 1994, Death Valley is the biggest 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 this sounds, the park still sees nearly a million visitors per year.

Located in both Nevada and California, it has nearly 1,000 miles of roads crisscrossing it, providing visitors access to both remote and popular park locations.

Death Valley picture

Despite the name, Death Valley is host to a range of fauna and flora. During Spring, the valley comes to life with wildflowers, making for an exceedingly pretty landscape for visitors to enjoy.

Visiting

Death Valley

1

Recom. Days

Main route

149 miles

from Las Vegas

2h18 min

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

Visit

Dante’s View

One of the best viewpoints in the valley, Dante’s View isn’t to be missed for those who like to watch the sunrise or sunset.

Zabrickie Point

Another must-see view point. This one is just a short walk from the road and is the start point of many easy hikes.

Badwater Basin

Sitting at 282 feet below sea level, this basin is the lowest point in the United States.

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Parking

Parking in Deathvalley

Free

Most of the popular lookouts sport a car park for your convenience.

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Eat at

Panamint Springs

$$

This tiny desert outpost offers awesome views and a surprisingly large craft beer selection as well as food.

Badwater Saloon

$$

Located in the heart of the park, this saloon harkens 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.

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Stay at

Mesquite Spring Campground

Barebones camping with picnic tables. Pricing starts at $14 per night.

Furnace Creek Campground

136 sites and 18 hook-ups with washrooms, water supply, and fire pits. Prices range from $22 to $36.

Sunset Campground

Death Valley campground with plenty of amenities. Pricing starts at $14 per night.

3

Stop Three: Get back to nature at the Mojave National Preserve

One of the largest National Preserves in the United States, Mojave National Preserve features 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-colored 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.

Mojave picture

For those wanting a break from city life, this national preserve is just the ticket. There’s no entrance fee to the park, either.

Visiting

Mojave National Preserve

1

Recom. Days

Main route

121 miles

from Death Valley

2h4 min

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

Visit

Kelso Dunes

One of the most famous attractions in the park, these dunes will literally sing.

Cinder Cone Field and Lava Flows

The park sports a number of very well preserved volcanic scorias that make for an interesting visit.

Teutonia Peak trail

A moderate hike that takes you through the biggest forest of Joshua trees in the world.

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Parking

Mojave National Preserve parking

Roadside parking and camping is permitted in the park.

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Eat at

Pioneer Saloon

$$

This 100-year-old saloon is reminiscent of the wild west in the best possible way.

GP's Steakhouse at Primm Valley Resort

$$

An all-American steak house with a charming atmosphere.

The Gold Strike Steakhouse

$$$

Located inside Gold Strike Casino Resort, this steakhouse hosts 1000+ guests every day.

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Stay at

Hole-in-the-Wall Campground

At 4,400 feet in elevation, this campground is ringed by sculptured volcanic rock walls and makes for a great basecamp for hikers. Fees start at $12 per night.

4

Stop Four: Lap up the luxury of Los Angeles

Los Angeles is one of the most visited cities in the world. Home to the glitz and glam of Hollywood, it has a reputation far and wide for housing the rich and famous. But that’s not all it is. It’s also the second-largest city in the United States and one of the most culturally diverse.

LA City

There is so much to see and experience in LA, from world-class museums to epic restaurants and nightlife. Whether you’re a history buff, a celebrity aficionado, or a foodie, you’ll find something to keep you occupied in Los Angeles.

Visiting

Los Angeles

1

Recom. Days

Main route

177 miles

from Mojave National Preserve

2h53min

drive

You can find Indie Campers RV rentals in more than 40 different cities and destinations across Europe.

Visit

Hollywood Sign

The Hollywood sign is one of the most recognizable 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 neighborhood, the world-famous Venice is both cosmopolitan and independent.

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Parking

Parking in Los Angeles

There is plenty of metered parking throughout LA – prices range from 50 cents up to $6 per hour. The city is also host to a number of dedicated parking garages.

Pershing Square Garage

Safe, great value parking. Rates range from $3 to $20.

Westlawn Garage

Safe and clean parking garage. Rates range from $3.50 to $35.

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Eat at

République

$$

An all-day cafe that serves sumptuous menu items and old-world charm.

Bestia

$$$

A refined, multiregional 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 their menu.

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Stay at

Hollywood RV Park

€€€

This bustling RV park is in the heart of Hollywood just minutes from Beverly Hills and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Prices start from $65 per day.

Dockweiler RV Park

The only Los Angeles RV park located directly on the beach. Prices range from $55 to $65 per day.

Golden Shore RV Resort

Located in Long Beach, this quaint little park is a great base camp for exploring the city. Prices range from $60 to $72

Drop-off in
Las Vegas Pick-up Center

284 miles

from Los Angeles

4h30min

drive