LA Southwest Road Trip: 3 Days
Three days out of LA is where a Vegas weekend turns into a real desert loop: the Strip, then Death Valley , Furnace Creek is just over 2 hours past Vegas, before the long haul back to LA. Only have a weekend? Drop to the 2-day version . Want the Grand Canyon added too? Jump to 5 days , or read the full LA to Vegas, Zion and Death Valley guide .
Book these before you go
- A rental car in LA , non-negotiable once you’re past the Strip
- A Strip hotel in Las Vegas for night one
- A Furnace Creek hotel , the park’s only real lodging option sells out fast in the cool season
Day 1: LA to the Strip
Clear the Inland Empire and Cajon Pass before traffic builds, then settle in for 270 miles up I-15, 4 to 4.5 hours to the Strip. Check in, register the resort fee immediately (typically $45-55 a night, mandatory), and walk one stretch of the Strip rather than the full 4.2 miles of it. Catch the free Bellagio Fountains , eat a proper dinner, and get an early night, tomorrow adds real desert driving on top of what you did today.
Day 2: Vegas to Death Valley, heat permitting
The drive to Furnace Creek is roughly 2 to 2.5 hours off the Strip. Entry is $30 per vehicle for seven days, cashless at every gate, no reservation needed. Arrive by early afternoon and use the cooler evening hours for Zabriskie Point and a first look at Badwater Basin, North America’s lowest point at 282 feet below sea level. This park is not one of the 11 charging the new non-resident surcharge, one less fee to plan around here. Check the park’s official NPS page for current road and heat advisories before you leave the Strip. Overnight at Furnace Creek, the only real lodging inside the park boundary.
Day 3: Sunrise in the park, then the long drive home
Get to Dante’s View or a second look at Zabriskie Point at sunrise, before the heat builds and while the light is doing something the midday sun never does. Then start the drive back to LA, 260 to 270 miles via CA-190, US-395, and CA-14, 4.5 to 5 hours, longer with stops. Fuel up at Furnace Creek before you leave, gas stations thin out fast on this stretch and the ones that exist charge accordingly. The official Las Vegas visitor site is worth a bookmark if you’re already thinking about a longer Strip stay next time.
Is Death Valley worth adding to a Vegas trip, or is it too far out of the way?
Worth it, specifically because the detour off the Strip is only 2 to 2.5 hours each way, shorter than most people assume. What actually eats the day is the drive home to LA afterward, nearly 5 hours, so this version only works if your third day is dedicated entirely to that return leg rather than a rushed morning.
At a glance
| Day | Distance / drive time | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LA to Las Vegas, 270 mi / 4-4.5 hrs | Strip check-in, Bellagio Fountains, early night |
| 2 | Las Vegas to Death Valley, ~120-125 mi / 2-2.5 hrs | Zabriskie Point, Badwater Basin, overnight Furnace Creek |
| 3 | Death Valley to LA, 260-270 mi / 4.5-5 hrs | Sunrise at Dante’s View, long drive home |
Carry more water than you think you need through Death Valley, cell service disappears for long stretches and the heat turns a simple breakdown into a genuine emergency outside the cool months.