Las Vegas -> Los Angeles -> San Diego -> Palm Springs -> Las Vegas

[Anna820]

I am new to this site and very glad that I came across it!

My partner and I are planning a semi-roadtrip in May for my birthday. We have 10 days off work and are hoping to make the best of them! After much thought, we have decided to travel to the west coast (yet again!). Our plan is to fly into Las Vegas with travels to Los Angeles, San Diego, Palm Springs and then back to Las Vegas. The main reason for making LV our home base is because A) the flights are cheaper and B) The rental car is considerably less to rent in LV.

We are still learning the in's and out's of how this whole road trip thing works. We are, by no means, amateur travelers. We travel often. Maybe too much!

The road trip above is what we are planning. We are still narrowing down the stops along the way, sights to see and local diners to stop at along the way. Does the road trip seem sufficient and doable?

Has anyone ever conquered this and, if so, how was your experience?

[Southwest Dave]

Hi Anna, we too are glad you found us, welcome to the RTA forums !

Your proposed trip is very doable and to be honest, a very relaxed affair compared to some 'opening 10 day itinerarys.

All your goals are comfortably within a days drive of each other, so it's a case of working out how long you would like to spend where and see if you have a little 'wiggle' room for other attractions. You say you have been to the west coast before [a few times by the sounds of things] so there might be places you want to re-visit or places new to be found.

To fit in with your current plans, Death Valley, Joshua Tree NP, Route 66 towns like Oatman, The Mojave National Preserve and Hoover Dam are a few of the nearby locations to your route. Just north of Vegas is Valley of Fire State park and further north, Zion NP. If you looked further afield you have Sequoia NP, possibly Yosemite, the PCH and even the Grand canyon to consider.

You will find a lot of info around the forums to help you decide and then we can help fill in the blanks. If you are aiming for more of a City break that's fine, but otherwise I would try and balance your trip out with a few natural wonders. It's easy to spend a few days in each of Vegas, LA and SD and leave little time for much else.

[Lifemagician]

We are still learning the in's and out's of how this whole road trip thing works. We are, by no means, amateur travelers. We travel often. Maybe too much!

....................

Has anyone ever conquered this and, if so, how was your experience?

Having travelled quite a bit, and no longer amatuers, how come you are still learning the in's and out's of how this whole road trip thing works? Are you not happy with how you have travelled in the past? Are you looking for a change? There really is no one way 'this whole road trip thing works'.

Right now I am going through a transitional process. On previous trips I have hit the road, knowing at all times where my final destination was, but never knowing where each day would take me, save in the general direction of the final destination. Booking anything beforehand (other than when essential) and doing research was foreign to me. But this trip, things changed!

It is still 9 days before departure, and I have my first twenty one nights organised. Have I conquered my reluctance to make these arrangements and book? I don't know. All I know is that right now I am so far out of my depth that I am worrying to the point of paranoia. What if something somewhere goes wrong, and I be delayed, throwing out of wack all the arrangements made.

It's not my comfort zone.

Lifey