7 Days: Los Angeles, the Desert, Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon

Why this route needs a full week

Seven days combining Los Angeles and Las Vegas is a comfortable, less demanding loop. This itinerary is a different animal: it adds the Grand Canyon, which sits roughly eight hours of driving beyond Las Vegas from Los Angeles, and that extra leg is what pushes the whole trip into “challenging” territory. There is no way to see the Grand Canyon on a quick side trip from LA — the driving distance alone rules that out, and this itinerary does not pretend otherwise. Instead, it treats the canyon as the destination of a longer desert loop: Los Angeles, then the Joshua Tree area, then Las Vegas, then the canyon, then back.

A rental car is not optional here. Every leg of this route — the desert, the interstate to Las Vegas, the final push to Arizona — runs through areas with no meaningful public transport, and driving and parking in Los Angeles is worth reading before you start, since the first and last days both route through the city. Budget fuel, water and rest stops generously; distances in this part of the Southwest are large by the standards of most first-time visitors, and services thin out fast once you leave the interstate.

The other planning constraint that shapes this itinerary is heat. If you are travelling between roughly June and September, daytime temperatures in Joshua Tree and the drive to the Grand Canyon can be intense, and this itinerary is written with that as a scheduling factor — early starts, shaded midday breaks, more water than seems necessary — not as something a week’s worth of air conditioning fully cancels out. There is no version of a July desert crossing that can be promised as comfortable; plan around the heat rather than around avoiding it entirely.

Day 1: Arrival and Hollywood

Land at LAX (or one of the smaller alternatives — Burbank, Long Beach or Ontario can save real driving time depending on where you sleep tonight) and pick up your rental car; you will need it for the entire week. Spend the afternoon in Hollywood, getting oriented on Hollywood Boulevard and its studio-era landmarks. The Hollywood Sign itself cannot be reached on foot from below — it is viewed from marked overlooks in Griffith Park — and a short guided outing covers that ground efficiently on a jet-lagged first day.

a short guided hike to a marked Hollywood Sign viewpoint is an easy way to get the classic view without hunting for parking or trailheads on your own, and it fits into a low-key first evening. If you’d rather stay in the car, a Santa Monica Pier and Hollywood Sign combination tour covers both in one afternoon. Overnight in Hollywood or Downtown LA — see where to stay in Los Angeles by itinerary for how location affects the rest of this route.

Day 2: Griffith Observatory and east toward the desert

Start early at Griffith Observatory — entry to the building and grounds is free, but parking is the real constraint, especially later in the day, so an early visit avoids the worst of it. From there, begin the drive out toward the desert. Rather than driving straight through, this is a good point to detour toward Palm Springs for lunch and a look at the Coachella Valley before continuing to your base near Joshua Tree for the night. This eases you out of city traffic and into desert distances gradually, rather than jumping straight from LA freeways to open highway.

Day 3: Joshua Tree

A full day in Joshua Tree National Park, one of the more distinctive landscapes reachable from Los Angeles — a National Park with a per-vehicle entrance fee and limited services inside, so fill your tank and carry water before entering. In summer, plan around the hottest hours: an early start on the park roads and viewpoints, then a shaded midday break, rather than hiking through the peak afternoon heat.

In the evening, a soundbath experience under the desert night sky is a good match for the park’s dark skies and makes for a memorable, low-effort close to a hot day outdoors. Overnight near the park or in Palm Springs — see visiting the desert in summer for more on timing this stretch if you’re travelling June through September.

Day 4: Into Las Vegas

The drive from the Joshua Tree area to Las Vegas is roughly three to four hours depending on your exact start point, crossing open desert highway for most of the way — refuel before you leave and expect long stretches with limited services. Rental car versus rideshare in Los Angeles explains why a car remains the only realistic option for this leg; there is no bus or rail alternative that covers this route sensibly.

Arrive in Las Vegas by afternoon and use the rest of the day to settle in and explore the Strip. In the evening, the Chippendales show at Planet Hollywood is one of the better-known Strip shows if that’s your scene, or Criss Angel’s Mindfreak show, also at Planet Hollywood, for something closer to illusion and spectacle. Book either in advance rather than assuming walk-up availability.

Day 5: Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon

This is the longest driving day of the trip. From Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon is itself several hours away — combined with yesterday’s drive from the desert, the total distance from Los Angeles works out to roughly eight hours of driving in aggregate, which is exactly why this itinerary breaks the journey across multiple days rather than attempting it in one push. Leave Las Vegas early, refuel before the final stretch, and build in a proper rest stop; this is not a route to rush, particularly if temperatures are high.

Arrive at the South Rim in the afternoon with enough daylight left for your first look at the canyon and a short walk along the rim trail. Services inside the park are more limited than a first-time visitor might expect, so confirm your accommodation and fuel plan before you arrive rather than after.

Day 6: The Grand Canyon

A full day at the Grand Canyon: rim walks, viewpoints and, for those who want it, a longer hike below the rim (only for those prepared for the return climb in daytime heat — the canyon’s interior runs significantly hotter than the rim, and water needs to be planned accordingly, especially in summer). Sunrise and sunset at the rim are the standout moments and worth building the day’s timing around, since midday light and midday heat are both less forgiving.

This is also the day to accept that a same-day return drive to Los Angeles is not realistic — the distance and the day already spent getting here mean the sensible plan is an overnight near the park and a return drive tomorrow, broken up as needed.

Day 7: Return toward Los Angeles

Begin the long drive back, retracing the route through Las Vegas or angling more directly back toward the coast depending on your flight time. Given the distances involved, many travellers split this return leg with a final overnight near Las Vegas or in the desert rather than attempting the full drive back to LAX in one day, particularly if your flight is in the morning. Return your rental car at the airport and allow more buffer time than you think you need — desert highway traffic and any weekend congestion on the approach into Los Angeles can add unpredictable time to the final stretch.

Planning notes for this route

Leg	Approx. driving time	Notes
Los Angeles to Joshua Tree area	2.5–3 hours	Via Palm Springs detour
Joshua Tree to Las Vegas	3–4 hours	Long desert stretch, limited services
Las Vegas to Grand Canyon (South Rim)	4–4.5 hours	Refuel before departure
Los Angeles to Grand Canyon (direct, reference only)	~8 hours	Not attempted as a single day on this itinerary

Compare this against the shorter seven days combining Los Angeles and Las Vegas if the canyon extension feels like more than your trip needs — that version skips the long desert-to-canyon leg entirely and stays a notch easier. For a different pacing altogether, three days in Palm Springs and Joshua Tree covers just the desert portion without Las Vegas or the canyon.

FAQ: Los Angeles to the Grand Canyon via Las Vegas

How far is the Grand Canyon from Los Angeles?

The Grand Canyon is roughly eight hours of driving from Los Angeles in total, which is why this itinerary spreads the journey across several days with stops in Joshua Tree and Las Vegas rather than attempting it as a direct round trip.

Can I do a Grand Canyon day trip from Los Angeles?

Not by road — the one-way driving distance alone is around eight hours, making a same-day round trip impractical. This itinerary treats the canyon as the end point of a multi-day loop instead.

Do I need a car for this whole itinerary?

Yes. Every leg of this route — Los Angeles, the desert around Joshua Tree, the drive to Las Vegas and on to the Grand Canyon — runs through areas with no practical public transport alternative to a rental car.

How hot does the desert get in summer on this route?

Summer temperatures in Joshua Tree and along the drive to the Grand Canyon can be intense, and the interior of the canyon runs hotter than the rim. This itinerary is planned around early starts and shaded midday breaks; comfortable conditions cannot be guaranteed in peak summer.

What’s the difference between this itinerary and the Los Angeles and Las Vegas trip without the Grand Canyon?

The shorter seven-day Los Angeles and Las Vegas itinerary stops at Las Vegas and does not include the long desert drive to the canyon. Adding the Grand Canyon extends the total driving distance substantially, which is why this route is rated more challenging.

Is Las Vegas worth stopping at if the goal is the Grand Canyon?

Yes — Las Vegas sits roughly along the route and works well as a natural overnight break between the desert and the final push to the canyon, rather than a detour out of the way.

Should I book Grand Canyon accommodation in advance?

Yes. Services and lodging near the South Rim are more limited than many first-time visitors expect, so confirming accommodation before you arrive is safer than assuming availability on the day.

Is this itinerary suitable for a first Los Angeles trip?

It can work, but it prioritizes desert and canyon driving over time in the city itself. First-time visitors who want more city and beach time before a desert loop may prefer two days as a first-time visitor to Los Angeles as a starting point, extended with this route later.