Article Summary: Southern California Itinerary, Southern California Vacation, Road Trips in Southern California
Looking for some sunshine? In February, my travel pal Marissa and I spent 11 days on a Southern California road trip.
While the main focus was visiting as many California national parks as we could, we also took time to see places like Los Angeles, San Diego, and Palm Springs. This itinerary truly has it all with a mix of city sights and outdoor activities.
If you’re planning a Southern California road trip, check out how we spent our time in the sun.
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Table of Contents
What to Pack for Your Southern California Road Trip
The Basics: T-shirts (x 3), tank tops (x 2), 1 bra, underwear, socks, jeans (x 1), shorts (x 2), cardigan
For Hiking: Moisture-wicking tops (x 3), 1 sports bra, hiking pants (x 2), leggings (x 2), ballcap, daypack
Shoes: Camp shoes, hiking boots, sneakers, cute boots
Just in Case: Rain jacket, umbrella, 1 synthetic jacket, 1 fleece
Accessories: Sunglasses, hat, bathing suit, purse
Toiletries: Hairbrush, toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, medications, shampoo, conditioner
Everything Else: Sunscreen, reusable water bottle, reusable straw
For Camping: Tent, ground tarp, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, pillow, bug spray, water bladder, headlamp, dry bags, solar charger
Electronics: Point-and-shoot camera, DSLR camera, laptop, all chargers, travel case for your chargers
For Packing: Patagonia Black Hole Duffel Bag
Southern California Road Trip Itinerary
Day 1: Fly to Los Angeles & Explore
Depending on what time you arrive in the City of Angels, take time to explore. There are so many things to do in Los Angeles.
On our first day in the city, after arriving in the afternoon, we started at the top with Skyspace. This is an open-air observation deck with 360-degree views of the city, right downtown. There’s even a fully enclosed glass slide you can ride down while taking in the sights.
After enjoying the drinks and the sunset view, we took the metro to Hollywood Boulevard to check out the Walk of Fame before enjoying a delicious Greek dinner.
Things to Do: Skyspace, Hollywood Walk of Fame (more: How to Spend One Day in Los Angeles)
Where to Stay: We absolutely adored the Hotel Figueroa downtown. At one point, Marissa even whispered to me, “All hotels should be like this.” It’s so true. The decor was stunning, the staff was extremely accommodating, the room was spacious, and the location was perfect. We were within walking distance of several restaurants, bars, and a metro stop.
Where to Eat: Cleo Hollywood, a beautiful restaurant serving yummy Mediterranean tapas
Day 2: Be a Tourist in Los Angeles
On our second day in California’s largest city, we tried to fit as much into one day as we could.
We started with a tour of the Warner Brothers Studios Lot. I’d highly recommend this tour to anyone who enjoys movies and television series. As a massive movie buff, it was beyond thrilling for me to see the locations where so many of my favorites were filmed.
After you ride around the lot in a golf cart, you get to spend time in the self-guided portion where you can take photos on the couches from Friends and The Big Bang Theory and explore other set pieces. We even got to hold a real Oscar!
Next, we headed to the Griffith Observatory for stunning views over the city and of the famous Hollywood sign. Watching the sunset from here was spectacular. We also thoroughly enjoyed the planetarium show we had the chance to see.
Things to Do: Warner Bros. Hollywood Studio Tour, Griffith Park and Observatory
Where to Stay: We absolutely adored the Hotel Figueroa downtown. At one point, Marissa even whispered to me, “All hotels should be like this.” It’s so true. The decor was stunning, the staff was extremely accommodating, the room was spacious, and the location was perfect. We were within walking distance of several restaurants, bars, and a metro stop.
Where to Eat: Bodhi Bowl, located in downtown Los Angeles. I stopped for lunch at this cute little shop before Marissa arrived and had some of the healthiest food I’ve had in a long time, completely vegan!
Go LA Card: We purchased the Go LA Card which included 3 activities that you can choose from. The list of options includes many of the top things to do in Los Angeles. It’s incredibly flexible with different offers and prices based on how many days your trip lasts. Our card included Skyspace, the Warner Bros. Tour, and a museum that we, unfortunately, didn’t have time to visit.
Day 3: Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
The following day, we left the big city and headed to Ventura. It was time to truly embark on our Southern California road trip.
On the way, we drove along the coast to see the beautiful Pacific Ocean and the insanely gorgeous houses in places like Malibu. We also got to stop for a short hike in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.
The park is a maze of federal- and state-protected land with so many great hikes to choose from. As we were short on time, we selected a short hike from the visitor center.
Next, we backtracked a bit to Santa Monica to check out its world-famous pier. Believe it or not, Marissa even convinced me to ride the Ferris wheel.
Then, we drove back through the mountains to our hotel in Ventura.
Things to Do: We chose to hike to Inspiration Point near King Gilette Ranch in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and visit the Santa Monica Pier. Picking up our rental car took some time, otherwise, we would have visited Venice Beach as well.
Where to Stay: We stayed at the Holiday Inn near the Ventura Harbor so we could minimize our travel time (and maximize our sleep) before our early morning departure to the Channel Islands. The hotel was newly renovated and they even gave us a free upgrade to a suite. The view out the window to the harbor was fantastic as well. It was also one of the best hotel breakfasts I’ve ever had. There were so many options to choose from, such as pancakes, waffles, biscuits and gravy, and your basic grab-and-go items.
Where to Eat: Blue Plate Taco, located on the main drag in Santa Monica, has great drinks and delicious Mexican-style eats.
Drive Time: Approximately 2 hours from Downtown LA to Ventura if your route includes Venice Beach, Santa Monica Pier, and the Santa Monica Mountains. Make sure to allow a few hours to spend in each destination!
Day 4: Day Trip to Channel Islands National Park
Channel Islands National Park was easily one of the highlights of our trip. We had the chance to visit two islands in one day, Anacapa and Santa Cruz, to make the most of our short time. The lone ferry service, Island Packers, offers a wide variety of Channel Islands tours to choose from. You can even camp out on the islands, a new addition to my bucket list.
The area around the Island Packers office, Channel Islands Visitor Center, and the Ventura Harbor was darling. Downtown Ventura was also extremely charming.
Things to Do: Depending on which island you visit, there are a ton of things to do in Channel Islands National Park. We chose the day trip to both Santa Cruz and Anacapa Islands. On Santa Cruz, we hiked a portion of the Del Norte Trail and had lunch on the beach. Then, on Anacapa, we hiked the entire two-miles of trails to Inspiration Point and the Anacapa Light.
Where to Stay: Holiday Inn Ventura Harbor
Where to Eat: We had the most amazing seafood dinner at Lure that evening to celebrate my birthday. I’d highly recommend this restaurant if you love seafood! The crab cakes were the best I have ever had.
Tours: Book your boat trip to the Channel Islands on the Island Packers website.
Read More About Channel Islands National Park
Day 5: Drive to Independence
We took a scenic drive through the mountains on the fifth day of our Southern California road trip. We stopped at one National Monument and one National Historic Site on what ended up being the longest day in terms of drive times.
First was César Chávez National Monument, which is dedicated to one of the agricultural industry’s most important figures. Chávez and his supporters fought for farmers’ rights and succeeded in changing many harsh regulations. The site has a small museum with new exhibits and a beautiful memorial garden where Chávez and his wife are buried.
After getting lunch to-go at an adorable German café, we kept heading north toward Independence. Here, we stopped at Manzanar National Historic Site. This was an internment camp for Japanese and Japanese-Americans during World War II in the aftermath of the attacks on Pearl Harbor. There were camps scattered across the western United States and Manzanar was one of the largest.
Today, the visitor center is packed with incredible exhibits to tell their stories. There’s also a short auto-tour you can drive to see where buildings used to be and go inside the ones that remain.
Things to Do: Explore the visitor centers at both national park sites and take the driving tour at Manzanar. Furthermore, go into as many buildings at Manzanar as time allows.
Where to Stay: We stayed at the Winnedumah Hotel in Independence. It’s a newly renovated historic building with incredibly friendly owners. They have a lot of great ideas and plans for further renovations that I look forward to seeing one day.
Where to Eat: We stopped for to-go lunch at Kohnen’s Country Bakery in Tehachapi. This German-style eatery had delicious deserts and a great selection of make-your-own sandwiches.
Drive Time: Approximately 5 hours
Days 6-7: Death Valley National Park
We spent the next two days in Death Valley National Park. We drove in on Highway 190 from Independence and stopped at various sights along the way. This park is a stop you simply can’t miss on your Southern California road trip. The landscape is out of this world and the opportunities for outdoor recreation are astounding.
Read More About Death Valley National Park
Things to Do: Wildrose Charcoal Kilns, Mesquite Flats Sand Dunes, Mosaic Canyon, Badwater Basin, Devils Golfcourse, Artists Drive, Artists Palette, Golden Canyon, Zabriskie Point, and Dante’s View. For more, read my post on the best things to do in Death Valley.
Where to Stay: We elected to camp at the Furnace Creek Campground. If you need more luxury, check out The Ranch and The Inn. On our way out of the park, we stayed at the charming Shoshone Inn. The rooms are very newly updated to provide modern accommodations in a historic setting.
Where to Eat: We had a (very expensive) dinner at The Inn. We also chose to partake in the Badwater Saloon breakfast buffet in Stovepipe Wells (which is great if you love your food seasoned with pepper) and lunch at a taco restaurant, Timbisha Tacos, run by the Native American tribe. In Shoshone, we enjoyed the Crowbar Cafe and Saloon.
Drive Time: It takes about 2 hours to get to Furnace Creek from Independence without stopping. From Furnace Creek to Shoshone is another hour.
Tours: Death Valley Day Trip from Las Vegas, Death Valley Pink Jeep Tour, Death Valley Day Tour + Night Sky Tour, Wine Tasting, Sightseeing, Stargazing in Death Valley
Day 8: Mojave National Preserve
After exploring the Death Valley area, we were anxious for more of the desert on our Southern California road trip.
On our way to Joshua Tree, we drove through Mojave National Preserve. Here, you’ll find the largest Joshua tree forest on the planet! We stopped at the unique Kelso Depot Visitor Center, a great museum that used to be a railroad depot.
Then, we headed down a few of the park’s dirt roads to one of my favorite hikes from our trip. It’s called the Ring Loop Trail and I highly recommend it! We got to scale canyons using metal rings in the walls and were surrounded by horses at one point on our way into the canyon. It reminded me of the Precipice Trail in Acadia.
If you have extra time, I’d highly recommend stopping by Castle Mountains National Monument as well. It’s in the eastern area of the Mojave National Preserve and is a separate unit of the National Park Service. You’ll have to take many dirt roads to get there, so make sure your vehicle is up for the task.
After the hike, we headed to Twentynine Palms to cross another national park off the list.
Things to Do: Stop in Baker to see the world’s largest thermometer, Hike the Ring Loop Trail, visit the Kelso Depot Visitor Center and Museum
Where to Stay: We camped in Joshua Tree National Park.
Where to Eat: Mexican Street Tacos in Twentynine Palms had the best burrito stuffed with french fries! It was the perfect size to save half for lunch the following day.
Drive Time: It takes 3 hours to drive to Twentynine Palms from Shoshone without stopping. This route does still take you through Mojave National Preserve.
Day 9: Joshua Tree National Park
One of my biggest regrets when it comes to this itinerary is the little time we had in Joshua Tree National Park. I would have loved to spend days here on the trails and checking out the cultural sites.
Still, with only one day, I was blown away by this incredible park. The landscape is magical and appears completely out of this world. The short hikes we did manage to squeeze in only made me love the park more and more.
Read More About Joshua Tree National Park
Things to Do: If you only have one day in the park, prioritize Keys View, Hidden Valley, Barker Dam, Hall of Horrors, Skull Rock, the Cholla Cactus Garden, Ryan Ranch, and as many other short hikes as you can manage.
Where to Stay: We camped our first night, then stayed in Palm Springs the second night. The Skylark was pretty expensive for what you get, but the beds were really comfy (especially after camping) and the location was excellent for walking to downtown.
Where to Eat: I’ve already raved about Mexican Street Tacos. We also stopped at Joshua Tree Coffee Company for a morning pick-me-up and were not disappointed. In Palm Springs, we absolutely loved our dinner at Trio and brunch at Eight4Nine.
Drive Time: Depending on your route, it takes 1-2 hours to drive from Twentynine Palms to Palm Springs without stopping.
Tours: Driving Tour, Hummer Adventure, Jeep Tour, Backroads Tour, Rappelling, Half-Day Rock Climbing, Intro to Rock Climbing
Day 10: Drive to San Diego
Next, our Southern California road trip itinerary turned back to exploring cities rather than national parks.
Our time in Palm Springs was incredibly short, but with limited time and a budget to stick to, that was probably for the best. We did wander around the shops downtown and had two delicious meals while we were there. We also encountered rain for the first time on our trip. This ruined our original plan to ride the Palm Springs Aerial Tram before our drive to San Diego. If you have better weather, try and make time for it!
We wanted to get to San Diego with plenty of time to explore but had frustrating traffic on our way there (typical Southern California road trip, right?). Thankfully, we still arrived before the sunset and walked around the marina a bit before finding an amazing place for dinner in Little Italy. No, it wasn’t Italian – it was more seafood. They sat us in front of the kitchen, which was pretty cool except for watching them slaughter lobsters all night. Needless to say, we didn’t order those.
Things to Do: Museums in Balboa Park (the Museum of Man was incredible!), San Diego Marina, Gaslamp District, Little Italy
Where to Stay: We loved the Moxy in the Gaslamp Quarter. It’s a super hip hotel! Just beware of the high price for required valet parking.
Where to Eat: Ironside Fish & Oyster for amazing seafood followed by Extraordinary Desserts for, well, extraordinary desserts.
Drive Time: Depending on your route, it takes 2-3 hours to go from Palm Springs to San Diego.
Day 11: Cabrillo National Monument & Back to Los Angeles
It’s the last day of our Southern California road trip – sad face.
Before we drove back to Los Angeles for our red-eye flights to different corners of the country, we drove up to Cabrillo National Monument. I’d recommend getting there early to beat the crowds. We had to wait in a pretty long line to enter the park, and the tidepooling parking area was closed.
Nonetheless, we had a great visit. We went to the Visitor Center for a great view of San Diego and the harbor, some exhibits, and a short film.
Then, we walked up to the old Lighthouse to see more exhibits and get more great views. If our time hadn’t been so limited, we would have loved to spend more time here hiking and exploring.
Things to Do: Cabrillo National Monument
Drive Time: In good traffic, it takes 2 hours to get back to Los Angeles.
Sadly, this was the end of our Southern California road trip. Looking back, I’m so thankful we were able to do this trip. Just three weeks later, the COVID-19 pandemic halted all travel and canceled many of my planned trips. This Southern California road trip turned out to be the last vacation I would take for the foreseeable future, and it’s such a pleasant one to look back on and remember fondly.
We want to hear from you!
Have you ever taken a Southern California road trip? Where did you stop? Is there anything we missed? Discuss in the comments!
Pin My Southern California Road Trip Itinerary
Ahh I love this! I’m really hoping to do a road trip like this whenever I’m back in the states. There are SO many great places to see in the southwest and especially California. I’ll definitely be saving this post for when I go thanks for sharing!
I hope you get to go on the California road trip of your dreams soon!
This is an awesome route! I did a similar road trip a few years ago and SoCal truly does have so much to offer. I still need to get to Death Valley and Joshua Tree though. It looks so epic. 🙂
They were probably my favorite stops along the way! Definitely return and visit when you can.
Great to have this insight into California!
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
This looks like sooooo much fun! I already knew from our other posts that I’d love to visit Joshua tree and Death Valley, but Channel Islands National Park looks amaaaaazing too. Those views are gorgeous.
I don’t think there’s an ugly corner in all of California.
I’ve had some great times in JT and sime of the other places listed but have never made it to Death Valley. You make it sound great. Your itineraries are always so detailed. Very helpful.
I hope you can visit Death Valley soon, Karen!
Sounds like an awesome trip. You packed so much in! I think I’ve already mentioned that I want to get to Death Valley soon. Maybe this winter?! I’ve been to Joshua Tree a bunch and have loved every minute that I’ve spent there. As for the cities, I’ve never been to LA or San Diego. I’m not prioritizing them, but if I can get cheap airfare, I’ll do it!
Totally pinning this for future reference.
What a fantastic path you’ve chosen! A few years ago, I had a vacation quite similar to that. However, I haven’t yet visited Death Valley and Joshua Tree. The pictures you shared are awesome.