Some people choose to take one of the quick flights from Los Angeles to Las Vegas when making a getaway to Sin City. But if you do that, you miss out on the opportunity to take a unique and exciting road trip through the desert.
Taking the drive from Los Angeles to Las Vegas gives you the chance to hit the open road and hit some unusual stops. Depending on your travel companions, the drive out to Las Vegas could be one of the highlights of your trip.
In most cases you will have taken one of the many flights to LA that are available, so another plane ride will definitely not be as enjoyable as a sight-seeing road trip!
Depending on when you leave and how bad the traffic is, a drive from Los Angeles to Las Vegas can take four to seven hours. Leaving on Friday night is most likely to cause you to get stuck in bad traffic, as you’ll hit regular Los Angeles commuter traffic along with people heading out of town. Leaving earlier in the morning or on a weekday is the best bet for avoiding traffic headaches.
If you are renting a vehicle at an airport like LAX, make sure you choose one that is very comfortable, especially if you are traveling with a large group. A large car or SUV might cost $50-60 per day in rental fees. Make sure you get unlimited mileage on your rental to avoid paying any additional fees on your return.
The main route from Southern California to Las Vegas is Interstate 15, which heads north along the High Desert before heading through the desert to Nevada. One interesting stop along the way is the California Route 66 Museum in Victorville, which details the history of the highway route that served as the link to the West Coast. Exhibits such as advertising and road signs showcase the “glory days” of the American road.
You’ll find plenty of fast food options along the way to Las Vegas, along with several roadside diners with their own homespun charm. You can find a little bit of everything at the Barstow Station, a large mall that has been designed to resemble an old train station.
If you are a baseball fan and are heading out during the spring or summer months, check to see if the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes are playing a home game. The Los Angeles Dodgers farm team plays their games at the Epicenter, which has been frequently been named one of the best minor league ballparks in America.
When you get close to Las Vegas, you’ll first be greeted by the town of Primm on the state line between California and Nevada. It’s your first chance to gamble, and the casinos in Primm have all of the machines and table games you can find on the Las Vegas Strip. In addition, Primm is home to one of the largest fashion outlet malls in the United States. Stop in for a few hours of shopping and you might walk away with a mini-jackpot of clothes to call your own.
It is a short ride, so no time for camping or glamping along the way, but you will sure enjoy the destination!
[...] may have visited areas of the Great Lakes stateside, but now it’s time to head over the border to explore the Great Lakes Canadian style. Don’t [...]
[...] just that and it just so happened to be owned by some actors who spend a good deal of their time in Los Angeles. I mean, they’re not major celebrities. And when my friend told me their names, IMDB didn’t [...]