OUR SUGGESTIONS
OTHER IDEAS
DEATH VALLEY
Situated in California, Death Valley is around a 2-hour drive from Las Vegas and a 4-hour drive from Los Angeles. Spanning 3.4 million acres, this National Park is a sight to behold. You'll never be able to cover the whole park in a day, but you can visit most of the highlights. Head to Badwater Basin salt flat, the lowest (and hottest) point in North America, do the Artist's Palette scenic drive, and explore the golden Mesquite Flat Salt Dunes. Take plenty of water!
PALM SPRINGS
Known for its hot springs, Palm Springs in Southern California is a charming desert town with stylish hotels, resorts, spas and golf courses. It's also noted for its many examples of mid-century modern architecture and excellent vintage shopping along Palm Canyon Drive. The surrounding Coachella Valley is ideal for hiking and is within driving distance of the Joshua Tree National Park. In downtown, we recommend staying at the Kimpton Rowan Palm Springs Hotel.
SAN DIEGO
About as far South in California as you can go without crossing the border to Mexico, San Diego is an expansive city on the waterfront. Explore the downtown bar and restaurants scene of the Gaslamp Quarter, head to the beach on Coronado Island, or take a trip to La Jolla to see the seals. In beautiful Balboa Park, check out San Diego Zoo as well as many museums and other attractions. But whatever you do, don't miss taking in a Californian sunset.
YOSEMITE
See waterfalls, towering granite monoliths, deep valleys and ancient giant sequoias in Yosemite National Park. Covering 1,200 miles within California's Sierra Nevada mountains, Yosemite is around a 4-hour drive from San Francisco and 5-hour drive from Los Angeles.
GRAND CANYON
The immense Grand Canyon is something you have to see at least once in your life. Our recommendation is to head to Arizona and visit the South Rim. It's approximately a 5-hour drive from Las Vegas and 7-hours from Los Angeles. Stay overnight in the mountain town of Flagstaff or in Williams on Route 66. If you're staying in Las Vegas, you can drive to the West Rim in 2-hours, or take one of the many helicopter tours.
SEDONA
Sedona is an Arizona desert town that's surrounded by red-rock buttes, steep canyons and pine tree forests. A popular destination for new-age shopping and arts, there are also famed vortex sites for meditation. Explore the surrounding area by car, including iconic sites such as the Chapel of the Holy Cross, built into the side of a red rock canyon.
ZION
Located in southwest Utah, Zion Canyon National Park features steep red-rock cliffs. Do the scenic drive which leads to the the Emerald Pools, with waterfalls and hanging gardens. While in southern Utah, check out Bryce Canyon National Park which is famous for its crimson-colored hoodoos, which are spire-shaped rock formations.