The Ultimate 2-Week Western U.S.A. Road Trip
If hiring a camper van and road-tripping across the U.S. is not on your bucket list, you NEED to add it! The U.S. is seriously underrated in how many beautiful places there are to see. With no time to waste, we did plenty of research before setting out on a two-week adventure hitting some of the most impressive natural settings and vibrant towns in South-Western USA. We were able to visit eight incredible locations in just fourteen days.
By the time we wrapped up our trip, we were feeling super satisfied with our itinerary and managed not to get completely wiped out from all the travel time. So, do you want to know how we packed a full Western U.S. tour into two weeks? Let us tell you what we consider to be the ultimate Western U.S. road trip so that you know what to expect before setting out on your own North American adventure!
HOW WE GOT AROUND
Before setting out on any sort of road trip, we always do our research and rent from a top-rated car company in the area. Our plan was to sleep in our campervan for the better part of the trip, which is why it was especially important that we found a comfortable, spacious vehicle. In the end, we decided to go with a campervan from Travellers Autobarn. If you’re planning on leaving from Los Angeles or Las Vegas, we highly recommend this rental company!
WHY TRAVELLERS AUTOBARN?
We chose the Kuga Campervan for our trip. The campervan comes fully outfitted with a stovetop, fridge, sink and microwave. The fridge and sink run off solar power, and there is also an overhead fan for when you need to cool down. There is a dining area/couches which can be turned into a spacious queen size bed. The vans are super reasonably priced when you remember We honestly had everything we needed and more in the van!
HOW WE FOUND CAMPSITES
We use this amazing app called iOverlander. It shows you where all the camping spots are. They have a list of established campgrounds and less formal, free places you can camp overnight- such as BLM land (aka government land), parks, and even parking lots. We’ve used this app worldwide during our road trips in Africa, Asia, Europe and Canada.
STOP #1: PALM SPRINGS + JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK (2 NIGHTS)
With plenty of desert trekking and campervan nights ahead of us, we decided to kick off our road trip with a little luxury in Palm Springs. After a smooth two hour drive from L.A. we arrived in our favourite desert oasis where we met a couple of our friends for two days of poolside lounging and a visit to the famous Joshua Tree National Park. We stayed in a gorgeous Airbnb for two nights, which was the perfect launch pad for us to venture out to the park. Palm Springs gets extremely hot, which is why we always recommend splurging on a hotel or vacation rental that has a pool!
The drive out to Joshua Tree National Park was full of gorgeous desert views and on the way, we stopped at Pioneertown which is an adorable set that looks like it came straight out of an old Western movie. We definitely recommend stopping for a quick wander through the area if you’re heading to Joshua Tree by car!
Once we got to Joshua Tree, the sun started to set and we were floored by the expansive desert landscape full of cacti and bright red sand. If you are in Palm Springs, you do not want to miss this place.
STOP #2: DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK (1 NIGHT)
After our stay in Palm Springs, we were ready to venture out and see some more natural wonders. Death Valley National Park is a whopping five hour drive from Palm Springs, but it is well worth the trip! We headed straight to the Mesquite Sand Dunes- the largest and lowest national park in the U.S. This unique location is sunken 280 feet below sea level, which is why it is the hottest place on earth. The area can reach temperatures of up to 57 degrees Celsius!!!! (Thats like 134 in Fahreinheit!!!)
Unfortunately when we arrived at the Mesquite Sand Dunes, the weather was not on our side. Our one-night stay in the area consisted of nothing but sandstorms and cloud cover, which was not ideal for pictures! Nevertheless, this location is truly magical and we were glad we had the chance to see it.
In Death Valley you can also find the Badwater Basin Salt Baths, which is one of the most unique landscapes we have ever seen. Here we were treated to stunning views of the sunset while we listened to our feet crackling on the salt-covered land 282 feet below sea level which took form in geometric shapes. A visit to the salt flats feels like you are walking on the moon!
STOP #3: LAS VEGAS + VALLEY OF FIRE STATE PARK (2 NIGHTS)
After our visit to Death Valley, we made our way to Las Vegas for two nights in Sin City with a quick stop at Zabriskie Point. This viewing point is part of Death Valley, and it’s a super convenient place to stop your car for a quick picture on the way into the city.
Before getting the party started on the Vegas strip, we had to check out the iconic Valley of Fire State Park. We had to wake up before 5am to catch the sunrise in this incredible park, but it was well worth the sleep deprivation! If you are in Las Vegas, a quick 40-60 minute drive out of the city will take you to this valley where you can spot plenty of towering rock formations and natural beauty.
In the city, we treated ourselves to a king room at the Mandalay Bay hotel, where we were met with some great views of the Vegas strip. We dined at STK and Primal Steakhouse, which was one of many unbelievable restaurants in the city.
On our way out of town, we of course had to stop at the famous Welcome to Las Vegas sign for a photo. We arrived at 7:30am and there were already 50 people waiting in line to take a picture with it! We recommend heading there even earlier if you want to avoid the crowds.
Another great excursion from Las Vegas is Seven Magic Mountains. This colourful art installation is about 20 minutes outside of the city, featuring brightly coloured rocks against a vast desert backdrop.
STOP #4: BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK, UTAH (1 NIGHT)
The next stop on our Western U.S. road trip was Bryce Canyon, Utah. We were able to park our campervan right in the parking lot out front for the night so that we could get an early sunrise hike in! This massive national park makes you feel like you’re walking on Mars as you look out at countless hoodoos (tall, narrow red rocks) as far as the eye can see. We did the Navajo loop, which is a hike that can be done in under two hours. However, if you want to take your time, you could definitely justify staying in the area for more than one night.
STOP #5: MOAB, UTAH (2 NIGHTS)
After wandering around the jaw-dropping Bryce Canyon National Park, we set out on another five hour journey to the town of Moab where we set up camp for two nights. Here you can visit Arches National Park where you can enjoy scenic views and epic photo-ops at some of their famous arches such as the Delicate Arch (featured on the Utah license plate), and the Double Arch! Make sure you bring good walking shoes because you will be hiking for about 4km if you want to see both arches. We loved this park, it felt like something straight out of a wild West film!
The town of Moab is also very cute- it gives off a total Western cowboy vibe. Here you can find cute cafes, rustic thrift stores and more. For such a small town, it has a lot to offer! Not far from the town you can also find Dead Horse Point State Park, which is another gorgeous location with red rock formations as far as the eye can see.
STOP #6: MONUMENT VALLEY, UTAH (1 NIGHT)
Monument Valley is set on the Navajo Reserve and is where that iconic scene from Forrest Gump was filmed. We stayed here one night, and shoot the famous road right before sunrise. The Welcome to Utah sign is also located right at the border of Utah and Arizona. We camped overnight at the Tear Drop Arch B&B, which is owned by a lovely Navajo family who told us more about their tribe’s history and culture.
STOP #7: PAGE, ARIZONA (1 Night)
Next on our itinerary was a major bucket list item- a night in Page, Arizona. Page’s famous Horseshoe Bend is about a two hour drive from Monument Valley, offering equally stunning views and hiking opportunities. We’ve dreamed of visiting the natural wonders in the Page area for years, and they truly did not disappoint! If you are willing to wake up before sunrise for some great pictures, this is the place to do it.
During our time in Page, we visited the famous Horseshoe Bend for sunrise. Despite the early wake-up call (4:30 am) it was still pretty busy but the landscape is so extensive that you can still get some great photos without too many people in the frame.
STOP #8: SEDONA, ARIZONA (2 NIGHTS)
The quaint town of Sedona boasts some of the most beautiful national parks in the country. On our first morning there, we woke up at 3am to do a sunrise hike to Devil’s Bridge. The hike is 45 minutes one way and takes you up and down massive rock cliffs through the forest and ends at the iconic arch. Be sure to get there early as it gets really busy- when we came at sunrise there were at least 10 other people there!
We spent the afternoon visiting the Chapel of the Holy Cross (a super picturesque church with floor-to-ceiling windows displaying the views) and going on the Cathedral Rock hike. Later on, we found BLM land (aka government land) to camp on and enjoyed watching the red rocks light up from the sunset.
STOP #9: SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA (2 NIGHTS)
The last stop on our Western U.S. tour was a two-night stay in Scottsdale, Arizona. In between stops at all of these incredible natural sites, we highly recommend carving out a couple of days to relax and enjoy the city of Scottsdale. Here we indulged in some great restaurants, lively happy hours and recharged our batteries at a relaxing resort. This trendy part of Arizona is also a great place to catch a baseball game- this was a highlight for us! Afterwards, we started the 6 hour drive back to Los Angeles.
Our road trip across the Western part of the U.S. was an experience we will never forget. As Canadians, it’s hard to believe the diverse landscapes that you can find throughout our continent! Over the course of two weeks, our campervan became our little home where we would cook, sleep, and travel from point A to point B. If you’re planning a similar route, we can’t recommend Travellers Autobarn enough!
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