An Itinerary For Visiting Natural Locations Along The West Coast, US - Updated 2024

Starting, ending, and itinerary suggestions

The West Coast of the U.S. is best seen via a several day-long road trip. You will notice that between places even separated by only a few miles, the landscape and climate differentiate a lot. This is the most impressive thing on the West Coast; driving a hundred miles can change everything in your trip! You can stop in a cold area such as the Mammoth Mountains Winter Station and find yourself in Death Valley the next day, one the hottest place on Earth.

You may consider flying into San Francisco and from there drive to your first stop, Yosemite. It is a 170 mile (274 km) drive to Yosemite National Park from San Francisco. I suggest spending two to three days minimum at Yosemite National Park as it is huge. To reach your next stop, Mono Lake, you must drive 15 miles (25 km) from Yosemite. This is a one or two hour stopover before the Mammoth Lakes, where you should stay overnight. From Mono Lake to the Mammoth Mountains it is only a 29 mile (47 km) drive. Between Mammoth Mountains and Monument Valley, I’d suggest picking one or all of the following stops as the drive is very long: Death Valley National Park, Grand Canyon, or Las Vegas.

Day 1 to 3: Yosemite National Park and Mariposa, CA

Starting your trip in Mariposa, California, is ideal for spending a few days at Yosemite National Park. Yosemite National Park is the first stop of this itinerary and Mariposa is the place I you should stay while visiting the park. Mariposa is located 30 minutes away from the park (32.2 miles, about 51 km) and it offers several lodging choices, shops and restaurants. This is a typical American city that looks like it came out of a Western film. The town is surrounded by trees, it is very quiet and it allows you to relax after a long day exploring the park. Indeed, Yosemite National Park is the third largest park in California; there are gigantic trees, rivers, falls and if you are lucky, you can spot wild animals such as bears or snakes. I had the chance to see a bear!

Before starting your journey in the park, I recommend a full breakfast at the Mariposa Fruit & Nut Company, which is a great place to get some energy. The buffet includes: smoothies, fruits, drinks, waffles, bagels and so on. The prices here are reasonable; you can easily eat for less than 10 USD.

Day 4: Discover an original and mysterious place, Mono Lake (from USD 279)

From Yosemite National Park, your next stop should be Mono Lake. Mono Lake is located next to Yosemite National Park (about 25 minutes from the East of the park), and is a place not-to-miss! It extends over 2,030 square kilometers (about 784 sq. miles) in Mono County, California. This lake is not a classic one; it is a salt lake formed with sediments located above the water’s surface. These sediments make a kind of tower called a “tufa”. This phenomenon is due to the geologically active area of the volcanic chain located in the vicinity of the lake. The lake looks very unnatural with its clay domes and peaks; there is no need to visit Mars after seeing Mono Lake! No fish live in the lake due to its salinity levels. However, each year the lake attracts many bird species during their migration. I suggest you stay at Mammoth Lakes, your next stop, as it is extremely close to the lake (about 35 minutes away).

Day 4: Mammoth Lakes, a winter sport town to visit even in the summer

From Yosemite National Park, you will drive through stunning landscapes with lakes such as Mono Lake, forests, rocky mountains and amazing viewpoints. Mammoth Lakes is your third stop; from Mono Lake you can reach the winter station in about 45 minutes. Mammoth Lakes is a town surrounded by the Mammoth Mountains, which host numerous sports in the winter. This is a great place to ski in the winter, but is also a very nice place to rest in the summer if you drive through this area. Mammoth Lakes has a cozy atmosphere with outdoor concerts and you can find restaurants and shops.

For a relaxed stay, I recommend the Mammoth Mountain Inn, a resort for the winter vacationers, which is also open in summer. In the common area, there is a sporting and relaxation complex with an outdoor swimming pool and hot tub. Don’t forget your swimsuits!

Day 5: Death Valley

Death Valley National Park is located both in Nevada and California. It is a very arid area, part of the Mojave Desert; indeed, amongst the other deserts in North America, Death Valley is the “hottest, driest and lowest” area. It is difficult to put into words what we feel when we arrive at Death Valley. This is an immense arid land, there is no traffic noise, no city sounds, just you, the heat and the silence.

You can read more tips for visiting Death Valley National Park here.

Day 6 to 8: Grand Canyon and Las Vegas

The Grand Canyon is the US’ oldest National Park, it is a protected territory classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The canyon has been eroded throughout the years by the Colorado River, which gave these colour layers to the canyons. The park is huge, it covers 4,927 sq. kilometres (1,902 sq. miles). You will feel very tiny compared to this vast land.

Las Vegas is well-known for its measureless nightlife. You will probably be amazed and astonished by the huge buildings and impressive atmosphere that emerges from the city: luxury, casinos and lights everywhere. All the luxury can be a bit disturbing. If you are not a casino player, I recommend that you visit different hotels, as they are all very differently decorated. In my opinion, hotel “The Venetian” is the most amazing, with a reconstruction of the canals.

You can read more about visiting the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas here.

Day 9: Feel like a cowboy at Monument Valley National Park

Monument Valley is located at the border between Arizona and Utah. You cannot enter the park using a national park annual pass, as Monument Valley is property of the Navajos, an American Indian nation. The entrance costs 20 USD for a car with 4 people and an extra of 6 USD per person if there are more than four people in your car. The park can be visited by car only via a gravel road; therefore, low-riding cars must pay attention.

The other possibility is to take a Navajo guide, which allows to access paths with restricted access. For a full experience, you can rent a horse and visit the park with a guide, as in old Western films! There are several companies offering this service, so have a look on the website to choose in advance. You can also hike and camp there but you will need a special permit (see website below). Monument Valley has been the background to filming many movies including Once upon a Time in the West or Back to the Future.

The particularity of the park is the eroded plateau on which knolls emerge out of the ground to an elevation of up to 6000 feet (1,800 m). The colourful sediments create stunning photos and the panorama from the visitor center is just amazing. The views from the visitor’s center are called Mitten and Merrick buttes. The visitor’s center hosts a souvenir shop, snacks and restroom facilities.