Best Road Trips From LA — kristin corpuz

I’ve had a love for road trips ever since I was a kid. My dad is an antique dealer and we used to drive all around the eastern US whenever he had a show that he had to attend. Before my 10th birthday, I had already driven up and down the east coast countless times. After I graduated high school, I lived in Boston for college and NYC for a couple years to work and didn’t have a car in either place, so I put a hiatus on road trips for those few years.

Now that I live in LA and have access to a car again (shout out to the boyfriend for being game to travel with me — or letting me steal his car every once in awhile), the road trips are in full swing. Since moving to the City of Angels a little over two years ago, I’ve driven cross-country and back multiple times, as well as all over southern California and the larger southwest United States.

There’s so much more for me to see (and plenty of places still on my bucket list), but for now, here are some of my favorite road trip destinations from LA that offer the adventure of a lifetime in just a few hours of driving.

Distance from LA: 363 miles (5.5 hours)

Valley of Fire is probably one of my favorite places I’ve ever seen IRL. It’s a giant rock formation in the middle of the Nevada, and true to its name, the rocks are fiery red. There’s a ton of hiking in the valley (which I clearly didn’t do in these boots), and a few different scenic lookouts to take in the views from. There’s only one highway that goes through the whole valley, so you can get some killer Route 66-inspired shots from different angles in the area.

Distance from LA: 145 miles (2.5 hours)

Are you really an Angeleno if you haven’t done a weekend in Joshua Tree? The national park is full of hikes for you to enjoy, or you can find an Airbnb in the area for a beautifully dreamy escape. I stayed at a place called Folly, which is totally isolated in the middle of nowhere. The best part? It features an open-air, roofless bedroom so I could fall asleep to the sounds of the desert. There’s a lot to love about Joshua Tree and the surrounding areas, but I think one of the best parts is how well-designed a lot of the Airbnbs are. It’s the cherry on top that makes a trip feel like a true vacation.

Distance from LA: 397 miles (6 hours)

Scottsdale has quickly become one of my favorite destinations within driving distance from LA. It’s a city in the middle of the desert, making it the perfect place to experience the best of both worlds. Scottsdale is also known as the spa capital of the country, so it’s a great destination for unwinding and relaxing. I particularly love driving around the city and taking in the incredible landscapes — especially all the giant cacti — and booking some outdoorsy activities like ATV riding, kayaking, hiking, and hot air ballooning.

Distance from LA: 138 miles (2 hours)

There are plenty of movie sets to visit in and around LA, but Pioneertown is by far the most unique. Founded in 1946, Pioneertown is an actual town (as in, people actually live there), but it’s regularly used as a Western movie set. It feels like you’re walking straight into a John Wayne movie — cowboy boots not included. I decided to get dressed up for the occasion, but obviously you don’t have to wear a vintage fringe jacket to go visit. There are a few different general stores, a saloon, a tavern, and even a bowling alley, all of which you can go inside to shop at and enjoy.

Distance from LA: 544 miles (9 hours)

This is a full day’s drive from LA, but it’s still totally doable if you’re in the mood for an adventure. Lake Powell and Page are home to some of the most beautiful natural landmarks in the western US, including Horseshoe Bend (pictured above) and the famed Antelope Canyon. I visited in the winter so I didn’t get a chance to actually hang out on Lake Powell, but during warmer months, the lake is known for kayaking and its moon-like rock formations.

Distance from LA: 142 miles (2 hours)

Home to the Coachella and Stagecoach music festivals, Indio (and the surrounding towns like Palm Springs and Palm Desert) is one of the most scenic places in southern California. I’m particularly fond of the giant windmill farm right off the highway, and while there isn’t much to see in terms of landmarks or tourist attractions, it’s still a beautiful area nonetheless. This area is always a go-to stop for me on the way to Joshua Tree or Arizona.

Distance from LA: 309 miles (4.5 hours)

Setting aside the obvious reasons to visit Vegas — gambling and concerts and clubbing, oh my! — there are a few spots to visit that are a little off the traditionally-beaten Vegas path. One of my favorites is Seven Magic Mountains (pictured above), a giant art piece composed of brightly-colored rock towers. It’s a surreal thing to see in the middle of a completely flat desert and is absolutely worth visiting at least once. Another favorite spot in Vegas is the Neon Museum, a graveyard of neon signs that are either from hotels that have closed or have just updated their signage. You don’t realize how big all of the signs are until you’re standing right next to one.

Distance from LA: 33 miles (40 minutes)

I know, I know — Angelenos probably don’t consider Malibu a road trip. But for someone like me who lives in the valley, it can take up to two hours to get to Malibu (as much time as it would take to get to Palm Springs), so it made the list. Malibu is arguably one of the prettiest places in the LA area, between the towering cliffs and impossibly blue beaches. I spent this year’s birthday at Zuma Beach (pictured above), which has big enough waves for surfing, and during the warmer months, you can see sea lions sunbathing on the rocks.

Distance from LA: 942 miles (15 hours)

Another trip that’s a full day’s drive, but so worth it once you get there. Wyoming is full of impossibly beautiful, postcard-worthy scenery, and Jackson Hole is a great place to stop on a road trip. During warmer months, you can go hiking in the mountains and horseback riding on the ranches, and you can go skiing and snowboarding in the winter. The trees, the fresh mountain air, and bubbling creeks… Everything in Wyoming is just so damn beautiful and totally worth seeing.

Distance from LA: 66 miles (1 hour)

Let me start off by saying that it’s important for you to visit Antelope Valley responsibly. There are actual trails (not social trails) that you should follow in order to preserve the land that the poppies grow on. These rules are in place so that the poppies can continue to thrive year after year. Every spring, bright orange poppies pop up in overwhelming quantities throughout Antelope Valley, making for an incredible backdrop for photos. The number of poppies that bloom is dependent on how heavy the winter rains are, so when there’s a ton of rain, the valley has what’s called a “superbloom.” The picture above was taken during the 2019 superbloom, where there were poppies stretching literally as far as the eye could see.

Did I miss any of your favorite road trip destinations? Let me know in the comments below!

Want more content? It’s all cool stuff, I promise.

Read A Staycation at the Santa Monica Proper Hotel.
Come hang out with me on Instagram.

11 Road Trip Destinations From LA That Are Worth the Drive