So we’re at the third and last part of this itinerary that began in Las Vegas, crossed 2 California national parks (Death Valley and Yosemite National Park), the authentic western town Bodie, San Francisco, Highway 1 and finally Santa Barbara (if you missed the first two parts of the itinerary, don’t worry. Here’s the first one: From “Sin City” to National Parks and here’s the second one: From San Francisco to Santa Barbara).
It is day 11 of the trip and in 4 days you will have to return to Las Vegas to catch your return flight. Will it be able to make the most of these days and arrive in time for the flight? Of course! Let’s get started our drive from Los Angeles to Las Vegas!
Days 11-12: Destination Los Angeles
DAY 11: You will depart from Santa Barbara in the morning, hop in the car and continue along the ocean on the beautiful Highway 1. On the way to Los Angeles (the whole trip is just over 2 hours) you will cross Malibu and then Santa Monica. Make a stop at this last beautiful seaside attraction and take advantage of it not only to visit it, but also to fill our stomachs a little bit.
Santa Monica is renown for the famous beach with Pacific Park on the pier, but it is charm is not limited to the waterfront. Go in the rides, head to the city and walk along the bustling 3rd Street Promenade, where you can stop for a snack.
As always, there is a variety of choices and if you are not yet tired of American diner food you can go to Johnny Rockets, a famous fast food chain that recreates the atmosphere of American diners in the 50s. It serves typical diner food, but it can be fun to see the waiters dance before serving you (the performance repeats every half hour).
Also, you can always taste the fries soaked in melted cheese and bacon, a course not refined, but on the other hand we are in an American fast food, what else did you expect?
You will arrive in Los Angeles by nightfall and get ready to enter the world of Hollywood cinema!
DAY 12: You will have one day in Los Angeles before leaving the next day. How should you spend the day? If what you want to have some fun and enjoy the glamour of Hollywood, there’s only one place to go: Universal Studios!
First of all you must know that Universal Studios is expensive. Admission costs about 100$, which isn’t cheap, but I assure you that it is a phenomenal place where it will be hard not to have fun.
In this large cinema theme park you can enjoy several exceptional shows, as well as a fantastic tour through the film sets that will experience firsthand incredible special effects of the most famous movies (the Studio Tour). Spend the whole day at the Studios (but arrive early, check closing times).
Days 13-15: Los Angeles to Las Vegas
The distance from Los Angeles and Las Vegas is about 270 miles by car (4 full hours). However we will not follow the direct route (never!). There are surprises ahead!
We’ve planned two final stops before Las Vegas: Palm Springs and the Joshua Tree National Park. The first (almost 2 hours from Los Angeles) is an oasis in the desert, a charming, unique and wealthy city, with beautiful adobe villas, giant palm trees and swimming pools. It has been a haven for Hollywood stars since the 1930s.
Meanwhile the second stop is one of the most fascinating and surreal parks in America, which I already talked about in a previous post about California national parks. Palm Springs is not too far from Joshua Tree National Park (45 minutes). I would recommend to spend the night in Palm Springs and use it as a base to visit Joshua Tree National Park.
Take your time to visit Palm Springs and Joshua Tree National Park. Remember, it will take about 4 hours to return to Las Vegas. You don’t want to miss the plane!
Accommodations in Palm Springs
This is the end of this itinerary. I hope it will be useful to anyone who has 15 days to visit this beautiful area of the United States. I remind you that you can also find useful information and advice in our guide on how to plan a trip to California. If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact us, leave us a comments!