An Epic Southwest Road Trip from Los Angeles to Sedona, Yellowstone and Beyond

Sick of being stuck inside? Love the idea of hitting the open road and seeing the most incredible places in the southwest? Well, look no further than our recent southwest road trip from Los Angeles.

Kevin and I planned out this 11-day driving itinerary, hitting up some of the southwest’s most incredible spots. Ever been to Arizona wine country (or even heard of it)? Yes, it really does exist. Gone off-roading in Moab, UT? Hiked the best trails of Yellowstone? I spent months planning out this vacation, which covers all this and more.

I mapped out this 11 day adventure, hitting up 7 states in celebration of our “baby moon” (aka, the vacation before the chaos of having twins). Kevin and I packed up our bags, brought along our dog Doug and hit the open road — for the adventure of a lifetime. One thing is certain — you won’t be bored!

How Long Should I Plan to do the Southwest Road Trip from Los Angeles?

This trip took us 11 days to complete; however, it can easily be extended if you have more time. Both Kevin and I have full-time jobs (beyond blogging) and wanted to maximize our limited vacation time. To do this, we scheduled the trip over a holiday (in this case July 4). We also left on a Thursday so we’d have the trip fall over 2 weekends in a row. Yes! We’re all about double weekend vacations. The trip turned out perfect for us. While some days involved more driving than others, it seemed to fly by so quickly. The only changes I might have made would have been to stay in Park City, Utah (rather than Salt Lake City). We also would have probably added another day in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, to go white water rafting. Oh well, it’s always good to want more we say.

Day 1:  Southwest Road Trip from Los Angeles Along Historic Route 66

• 7:00 AM, Depart Los Angeles for Sedona (if going straight through, it takes about 8 hours driving)
• 10:30-11:00 AM, Stop at Amboy, CA (3 hr 20 min).
  • Amboy, California, is about as remote as it gets. When the Interstate highway was built just north of town, visitors no longer needed to stop by Amboy. And the place became a near ghost town.

• • Part of the fun with this stop is just seeing how eerie it is. And getting some pretty cool photos (it’s all about the Insta these days).

• 12:45-1:15 PM, Visit Area 66 in Yucca, AZ for beef jerky (1 hr, 45 min)
  • You’ll know you reached your destination when you see what looks like a giant golf ball show up along the road.
  • It’s had many occupants over the years. Today, you’ll find a strange museum that houses what the owners say is evidence of alien encounters in the area. Don’t forget to grab the alien-themed beef jerky at the gift shop.

• 2:30-3:30 PM, Stop in Seligman, AZ (along Arizona’s Route 66) and have a meal at Westside Lilo’s Cafe.
  • The restaurant specializes in German food including bratwurst, wiener schnitzel along with baked goods (you got my attention!) like cinnamon rolls and carrot cake.

• 4:15 – 5:30 PM, Visit Bearizona, a drive-through park where you’ll see North American animals roam (elk, deer, bears, wolves) just feet away your car. Cost is $22 for adults and discounts for seniors and military.

• 6-7 PM, Stop in Flagstaff, and enjoy browsing the cafes and shops in town.

• 8 PM, Arrive in Sedona and check into The Hilltop Lounge, Airbnb in Sedona – 1 of 3 nights. $325 a night.

Day 2: Finding our Zen in Sedona

• 9:00-9:45 AM, Solidcore Pilates Virtual class. We can’t miss working out, clearly.
• 10-11 AM, Breakfast at the Airbnb

• 11:30 AM – 2 PM, Hike nearby at Boynton Canyon Trail, 6.1 miles (2.5 hours). Best part? It’s mostly all shaded.

• 4:45 -6 PM, Tarot Card Reading with Sedona Crystal Vortex. Two readings, 30 minutes each. $60 each.

• 6-7 PM, Shop downtown Sedona and see how many crystal shops you can count. Grab some coffee at Creekside Coffee if you need a jolt of energy.

• 7:30 PM, Dinner at Cress on Oak Creek (L’Auberge de Sedona). Be sure to get Creekside dining for a stunning backdrop.

Day 3: Hitting Up Arizona’s Wine Country And Other Unique Day Trips From Sedona

• 7:45 AM, Wake up, enjoy breakfast w/ a view
• 8:30 PM, Depart Sedona
• 9:30-11:30 AM, Visit Out of Africa, located about 30 minutes from Sedona.  You could spend all day here — doing their zip line course, joining an animal discussion or tour.

• 12-2:15 PM, Verde Valley Wine Trail. Lunch at Page Springs Winery.
  • While only three vineyards existed here in the early 2000s, the Verde Valley Wine Trail today has 2 dozen over 450 square miles. Also visit DA Ranch Winery (just a few minutes away by car).

• 3-4 PM, What’s Your Tea Type? Tea Flora’s Virtual Class
  • We love virtual classes via zoom.
  • In this tasting class out of Tea Flora in Lodi, California, you’ll taste your way through five different top grad organic teas. And you’ll learn how the tea you like best fits your personality type — like the Meyers Briggs of tea.
  • Cost $20 per person.

•  4-6 PM, Relax in Airbnb, or explore Sedona
• 6 PM, Stroll through Cottonwood, known as “The Biggest Little Town in Arizona” (30 min drive from Sedona).
  • Pick up food or dine on the outside patio at Pizzeria Bocce.

Day 3: Go Big or Go Home, Meteor Crater, Petrified Wood And More

• 7AM, Wake up and do one of Sedona’s incredible hikes nearby like Devil’s Bridge. Or you can sleep in. But where is the fun in that?
• 11 AM, Depart for Moab, UT (6 hours total drive if going non-stop)
• 12:30-2:30 PM, Visit Meteor Crater (1.5 hour drive)
  • Well worth the stop – we loved it. Located just minutes from Interstate 40, Meteor Crater is the result of a collision approximately 50,000 years ago with the energy of more than 20 million tons of TNT. Be sure to ask about the tour of the crater rim, included in your ticket price.
  • Traveling with a dog? No problem. They have a little “Pet Ramada” just off the parking lot — to keep your dogs safe and cool. Though, Doug the dog didn’t seem too pleased to be left behind!

• 3 PM, Pick up lunch at the Turquoise Lounge in Winslow. This historic spot has welcomed presidents and some of Hollywood’s biggest celebrities. It was also one of my mom’s favorite places she’s visited. So we clearly had to make the stop in memory of her.
• 3:15 PM, Head towards the Petrified Forrest National Park, but make sure you make the very quick detour to check out the Wigwam Hotel in Holbrook, Arizona, known for it’s unique roadside lodging.

• 4-5 PM, Visit Petrified Forrest National Park (closes 5 PM)
  • This park is in the middle of nowhere. But where else can you see prehistoric trees like redwood and ginkgo — petrified and millions of years old? Highlights here include the Blue Mesa Loop Road and a hike along the Painted Desert Rim Trail (1 mile).
  • It’s also one of the most pet friendly parks in the country — in fact, they have a sign reading “You can’t spell Petrified Forrest” without “PET.”

• • Afterward, stop by one of the many roadside shops selling petrified wood. They even allowed us to bring in Doug if he stayed in the cart.

• 5:30 PM, Depart the park for Moab. Not gonna lie, this is a long stretch, taking about 5 hours to drive (and +1 hour head when you switch into Mountain time).
• Midnight(ish), arrive at French Quarter Cottage, Airbnb in Moab– 1 of 2 nights. $185 a night.

Day 4: Adventuring in Moab

• 8 AM, Breakfast in Airbnb

• 9 AM, Take on one of Arches National Park‘s most famous hikes.
  • Option #1: Delicate Arch Trail: 3 miles (1 hr, 10 min), Arches featured on Utah’s license plates.
  • Option #2: Devils Garden Loop: 7.8 miles (3 hrs), Includes 6 arches, including Landscape Arch, Wall, Navajo & Partition, Double, Dark Angel. This is the one we picked.

• 2-4 PM, Late lunch in Moab with our friends Daniel and Alex, doing a road trip (from San Francisco). Loved that our paths crossed.

• 5:00 PM, Hell’s Revenge 4×4 Off-Roading Tour ($237.08).
  • Get your nerves ready — this was one of the best (and most frightening) things we’ve done in a long time. You can read about our full adventure off-roading here.

• 8:30 PM, Dinner and relax.

Day 5: Hitting the Road to Idaho Falls

• 8 AM, Wake up
• 9 AM, Depart Moab for Idaho Falls (7 hours total)
• 12 PM, Lunch in Provo (3 hours)
  • Lunch at Hruska’s Kolaches (like a hot pocket). Grab some sweets at Rockwell Creamery (ice cream) and Coffee from Rugged Grounds in Provo.

• 1 PM, Drive to Pocatello to see the Museum of Clean.
• 4-5 PM, Check out the quirky Museum of Clean (in Pocatello, ID)
  • While most museums have a single subject focus this one is far, far from that —clean dominates the value of everything that affects life. Like clean air, clean water, clean language…. you get the picture. The museum covers it all. Be sure to ask about the secret floor full of rare vacuum cleaners. $6 per person.

• 5 PM, Drive to Idaho Falls.
• 6:30-8 PM, Wander along the Idaho Falls River Walk
  • You’ll find paths all along the river and plenty of people out enjoying nature in the warmer months.

• Overnight: Red Dutch Colonial, Airbnb in Idaho Falls– 1 of 3 nights (starting at $99 a night).

Day 6 & 7: Enjoying the Great Outdoors in Yellowstone National Park

• We did 2 full days, packing in all the best sites, hiking trails and animal viewing spots. Check out our previous blog post on our 2 day Yellowstone itinerary.

Day 8: Burning Off Steam in Jackson Hole, Wyoming

• 10 AM, Drive to Jackson Hole (2 hours). But be sure to stop halfway at Rainey Creek Country Store for some square ice cream.

• 12 PM, Arrive in Jackson Hole; check into hotel.
• 1-5 PM, Enjoy Snow King Mountain w/ Big King Passes ($125 pp)
  • If you’re a more active traveler, it doesn’t get much more intense than the rope course at Snow King Mountain Resort. We spent about 4 hours on this course — though, we were stuck behind a very slow family for about 90 percent of the time. In fact, Kevin even laid down to nap at one point. Clearly, Kevin can sleep just about anywhere.

• The all day pass also includes mini golf, a scenic chairlift ride with views of the Teton Mountains, and our favorite, the walk through maze.

• 6 PM – on, dinner/explore downtown. We suggest grabbing an outdoor table at The Silver Dollar Bar and Grill.

• Overnight:       Anvil Hotel l in Jackson Hole – 1 night, $350 a night

Day 9: Taking it Easy, Drive from Jackson Hole to Salt Lake City

• 9 AM, Spend your time wandering around Jackson Hole. There is the Jackson Hole Farmer’s Market, running on Saturdays from early July through the end of September, 8 am to 12 pm. Or if the market isn’t on, we suggest checking out one of the local bakeries like Persephone Bakery.

• 12 PM, Depart Jackson Hole to Salt Lake City (4.5 hours)
• 4:30 PM, Arrive at Airbnb in SLC
• 5:30 PM, Stop by Caputo’s Market for some cheese and other delicious foods. And while you’re downtown, check out Temple Squre.

• Overnight: Trax Line, Airbnb in Salt Lake City – 1 of 1 night ($129 a night)

Day 10: Climbing Mountains; Hitting the Vegas Strip

• 6:30 AM, Why are we waking up so early? To beat the heat, and hike Salt Lake’s Living Room Lookout Trail.
  • It’s an early morning, but this this 2 hour hike is well worth it for the views.

• 10 AM, Depart Salt Lake City for Las Vegas (6 hours)

• 4 PM, Arrive in Vegas and check into the pet-friendly Cosmopolitan. Doug, the dog, approved!

• 6 PM, Enjoy dinner at the Cosmopolitan’s China Poblano, with food options including our two favorite ethnic cuisines, Chinese and Mexican.

• 8-9:30 PM, Join the Neon MuseumPair: Guided Tour + Brilliant Experience, $45 per person.
  • The Neon Museum is where you can see classic Vegas signs, piled up in the desert.

• • We added on the “Brilliant Experience” which we highly recommend. We had no idea what to expect. But essentially it’s a light and sound show, where they shoot light beams onto the signs to show what they really looked like back in the day.

• 10 PM, Grab drinks at SkyBar, high above the Vegas Strip. This is one of our favorite spots.

Day 11: Hiking Outside Vegas; Traveling Back to LA

• 8 AM – 12 PM, Enjoy the Cosmopolitan (be sure to request a late check out). Before you leave Vegas, take a quick stroll to the Botanical Gardens at the Bellagio.

• 1 PM, Arrive in Mt Charleston (1 hour drive from downtown Vegas) for some great outdoors.
  • This is a perfect spot in the summer, where Vegas is broiling and Mt. Charleston is about 20 degrees cooler. We suggest either Mary Jane Falls Trail (2.9 miles) or Cathedral Rock Trail (2.7 miles).

• 4:30 PM, Enjoy an early dinner at the pet-friendly Mt. Charleston Lodge. We enjoyed the outdoor seating and tasty food. The brownie sundae was insane.

• 7 PM, Depart Vegas for LA (4 hours)
• 11 PM Arrive in Los Angeles

You see, we did pack a lot in! As with all our itineraries, they can be easily adjusted. Looking for other ideas for traveling the west? Check out our weekend escape in Lake Arrowhead where you can socially distance from everyone. More into the desert? Then look into our artsy escape in Joshua Tree, a quick drive from LA. If going further afield, we recommend our perfect 2-day itinerary in Page, Arizona that takes you through the picture-perfect Antelope Canyon. Or if you’re more into quirky travel spots, follow our great American road trip along Route 66.