LA Southwest Road Trip: 5 Days
Five days out of LA adds the Grand Canyon ’s West Rim to the Vegas and Death Valley loop, reached as a day trip off the Strip rather than a separate long drive. Not ready for a third stop? Back off to 4 days . Want Zion added too? Move up to 6 days , or read the full LA to Vegas, Zion and Death Valley guide .
Book these before you go
- A rental car in LA
- A Furnace Creek hotel , book this first, it’s the scarcest lodging on the whole trip
- Grand Canyon West Rim tickets or a guided day tour , the Skywalk slot sells out on weekends
Day 1: LA to the Strip
270 miles up I-15, 4 to 4.5 hours, longer on a Friday. Check in, note the resort fee (typically $45-55 a night), walk one stretch of the Strip, catch the free Bellagio Fountains , early night.
Day 2: Vegas to Death Valley
About 2 to 2.5 hours to Furnace Creek. Entry is $30 per vehicle for seven days, cashless, no reservation. Check the park’s official NPS page for current heat advisories. Afternoon at Zabriskie Point and Badwater Basin, overnight at Furnace Creek.
Day 3: Death Valley back to the Strip
Sunrise at Dante’s View, then the same 2 to 2.5 hour drive back to Vegas. Use the evening for a real Strip dinner, you’ll want the rest before tomorrow’s full day at the canyon.
Day 4: Grand Canyon West Rim, there and back in a day
This only works because the West Rim sits 120 to 130 miles off the Strip, 2 to 2.5 hours each way, the one Grand Canyon experience that genuinely fits a single day from Vegas. Leave by 6am if you’re driving yourself. General admission is $67 plus tax without the Skywalk, or $99 for an All-Access Pass covering the Skywalk, a zipline, and shuttle service between viewpoints (about $113.54 with tax and fees), confirm current pricing on Grand Canyon West’s official site . Budget 3 to 4 hours at the rim between Eagle Point and Guano Point, then start back with daylight left. Overnight back in Vegas, your third night on the Strip.
Day 5: Back to LA
The full 270 miles and 4 to 4.5 hours down I-15. Fill the tank before you leave Vegas, the desert stretch of I-15 gets pricier the farther you go.
Is the Grand Canyon West Rim actually worth a full day from Vegas?
Yes, if the Skywalk and the glass-bridge photo are the point. It’s a long day, over 9 hours of round-trip driving before you count time at the rim, but it’s the only version of the Grand Canyon that fits inside a 5-day LA trip without adding an overnight of its own.
At a glance
| Day | Distance / drive time | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | LA to Las Vegas, 270 mi / 4-4.5 hrs | Strip check-in, Bellagio Fountains |
| 2 | Las Vegas to Death Valley, ~120-125 mi / 2-2.5 hrs | Zabriskie Point, Badwater Basin, overnight Furnace Creek |
| 3 | Death Valley to Las Vegas, ~120-125 mi / 2-2.5 hrs | Sunrise at Dante’s View, second Strip night |
| 4 | Las Vegas to Grand Canyon West Rim and back, 120-130 mi / 2-2.5 hrs each way | Skywalk, Eagle Point, Guano Point |
| 5 | Las Vegas to LA, 270 mi / 4-4.5 hrs | Drive home |
Fill up in Vegas before the West Rim day trip, the one gas station near the turnoff is priced for a captive audience with nowhere else to go.