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Pacific Coast & Desert Dream
This is the ultimate loop starting and ending in Los Angeles, hitting the rugged California coast, the high desert of Zion, and the neon lights of Vegas.
12days
35stops
2062km
Day 1: Los Angeles → Malibu Pier → Carpinteria State Beach
1h 50min · 147km3 stops
Los Angeles
10:00
40min · 44km
Malibu Pier
13:00
1h 10min · 102km
Carpinteria State Beach
16:00
Day 2: Stearns Wharf → Solvang → Pismo Beach
1h 5min · 75km3 stops
Stearns Wharf
09:00
20min · 20km
Solvang
13:00
45min · 55km
Pismo Beach
16:00
Day 3: Elephant Seal Vista Point → McWay Falls → Pfeiffer Big Sur
2h 14min · 171km3 stops
Elephant Seal Vista Point
10:00
1h 5min · 94km
McWay Falls
13:00
1h 9min · 77km
Pfeiffer Big Sur
16:00
Day 4: Bixby Creek Bridge → Monterey Bay Aquarium → Pinnacles National Park
54min · 54km3 stops
Bixby Creek Bridge
10:00
21min · 21km
Monterey Bay Aquarium
13:00
33min · 32km
Pinnacles National Park
17:00
Day 5: Mariposa Grove → Tunnel View
3h 27min · 281km2 stops
Mariposa Grove
11:00
3h 27min · 281km
Tunnel View
17:00
Day 6: Yosemite Falls → Curry Village → Mirror Lake
29min · 22km3 stops
Yosemite Falls
09:00
15min · 11km
Curry Village
13:00
14min · 10km
Mirror Lake
16:00
Day 7: Olmsted Point → Tuolumne Meadows → Mono Lake Tufa State Natural…
1h 42min · 92km3 stops
Olmsted Point
10:00
1h 22min · 76km
Tuolumne Meadows
13:00
20min · 16km
Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve
16:00
Day 8: Ancient Bristlecone Pine Fore… → Manzanar Historic Site → Alabama Hills
3h 20min · 258km3 stops
Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest
10:00
2h 2min · 168km
Manzanar Historic Site
14:00
1h 18min · 90km
Alabama Hills
17:00
Day 9: Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes → Badwater Basin → Artist's Drive
2h 25min · 207km3 stops
Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
10:00
1h 39min · 143km
Badwater Basin
13:00
46min · 65km
Artist's Drive
16:00
Day 10: Zabriskie Point → Seven Magic Mountains → The Las Vegas Strip
2h 31min · 215km3 stops
Zabriskie Point
11:00
20min · 19km
Seven Magic Mountains
14:00
2h 11min · 196km
The Las Vegas Strip
17:00
Day 11: Mojave National Preserve → Pioneertown → Joshua Tree National Park
3h 42min · 377km3 stops
Mojave National Preserve
11:00
1h 20min · 143km
Pioneertown
14:00
2h 22min · 234km
Joshua Tree National Park
17:00
Day 12: Cholla Cactus Garden → Palm Springs → Los Angeles
2h 16min · 164km3 stops
Cholla Cactus Garden
09:00
49min · 49km
Palm Springs
12:00
1h 27min · 114km
Los Angeles
16:00
Heads Up
- 1. Download offline maps for Big Sur and Yosemite; cell service is non-existent.
- 2. Always keep your water jugs full in the van, especially for the stretch between Day 8 and Day 11.