Complete Parks of the Southwest and California

Los Angeles sprawls along the Pacific coast amid sun-drenched hills, palm trees and endless freeways, a centreless metropolis with a thousand different souls and the undisputed world capital of cinema and entertainment. To explore Los Angeles is to cross neighbourhoods that feel like separate universes: in Hollywood the Walk of Fame threads its stars along the pavement and the Dolby Theatre hosts Oscar night, while the famous Hollywood Sign looks down over the city from Mount Lee. Downtown blends soaring skyscrapers, Frank Gehry's gleaming Walt Disney Concert Hall and the creative buzz of the Arts District, packed with murals, galleries and cafés. The artistic heart beats along the Miracle Mile, home to the LACMA with its iconic street lamps, and on the hills of Brentwood, where the Getty Center holds European masterpieces with breathtaking city views. A more laid-back California unfolds towards the coast: at Santa Monica, with its historic pier and Ferris wheel over the Pacific, and in bohemian Venice Beach, a realm of skaters, street performers and bodybuilders along the boardwalk. Further south, Malibu lines up golden beaches and oceanfront mansions, while Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive embody luxury and high-end shopping. The food scene is a kaleidoscope, from Mexican taco trucks to gourmet restaurants, the stalls of Grand Central Market and the flavours of Koreatown and Little Tokyo. Nearby lie the theme parks of Universal Studios and Disneyland, and just a few hours' drive leads to deserts, mountains or inland vineyards. Dreamy and full of contradictions, blessed by sunshine almost year-round, Los Angeles is a city to be lived on the road, between glamour, ocean and the eternal promise of the Californian dream.

In the route between Los Angeles and Laughlin, you pass through Palm Springs, famous for its luxury resorts, golf courses, and mild climate, and Joshua Tree National Park, with its desert landscape dominated by the tree from which the park takes its name (a variety of yucca). Laughlin rises in the far south of Nevada, along the banks of the Colorado River, at the border with Arizona and California, a casino town nicknamed 'the little Las Vegas on the river'. Its large waterfront resorts offer gaming, shows and entertainment in a more relaxed and affordable atmosphere than nearby Las Vegas. The river invites cruises, water sports and relaxation, while the hot Mojave Desert provides the backdrop.

Kingman proclaims itself the "heart of historic Route 66," preserving the longest still-drivable stretch of America's legendary Mother Road, in northwestern Arizona. Set between the Mojave Desert and the Hualapai Mountains, it is a nostalgic stop for anyone chasing the myth of the open road: the Route 66 Museum, neon signs, and vintage diners recall the golden age of the automobile. From here you can reach spectacular destinations such as Grand Canyon West with the vertiginous Hualapai Skywalk, the Hoover Dam, and Lake Mead, as well as the ghost town of Oatman, where wild burros wander the streets. From Kingman, continue on Interstate I-40 until you reach Williams, where we recommend a short stop before getting on Highway I-40. Williams' Main Street is the best-preserved stretch of Route 66 in the USA: at every corner, you can see old gas pumps, diners, jukeboxes, and various memories from the 1950s. From Williams, you go up Route 64 through the ponderosa pines of the Kaibab National Forest until you reach the Grand Canyon. The South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park is the most visited side of one of the planet's most famous natural wonders, in Arizona. From here open dizzying vistas over the immense gorge carved by the Colorado River, over 1,600 metres deep and up to 29 kilometres wide. Grand Canyon Village, the historic El Tovar Hotel and overlooks such as Mather Point and Yavapai Point offer unforgettable views. Trails like the Bright Angel Trail descend toward the river. A geological spectacle and UNESCO World Heritage Site, the South Rim leaves visitors breathless.

Today's stage takes you from Grand Canyon National Park to Monument Valley in about 3 hours (285 km), through a variety of natural environments, from ponderosa pine forests to the desert. Leave the park following Desert View Drive (Route 64), which runs along the edge of the canyon for about 40 km until the eastern entrance of the park (East Entrance) with several scenic points: we recommend Grand View, Moran, Lipan, Navajo Point, and Desert View. Don't miss the viewpoint of the deep and narrow canyon of the Little Colorado River, about 35 km from Desert View Point. Leave Route 64 by turning left onto Route 89 towards Cameron, where one of the authentic Southwest post stations is located. You have just entered the largest Indian reservation in the USA, the Navajo Indian Reservation, which extends beyond the Arizona border into New Mexico and Utah with a population of about 200,000 Navajo. Just under 25 km from Cameron, turn right onto Route 160 towards Monument Valley via Tuba City and Kayenta. After about 7 km, pay attention to a hand-drawn sign on your left: a dirt road leads to a series of remarkable dinosaur footprints, guarded by some Navajo (they will guide you to the footprints for a tip). Continue for 130 km along Route 160 until Kayenta, where you can refuel. Here, turn onto Route 163, which will take you to the heart of Monument Valley in 40 km. Make sure you have $20 in cash to pay for the entrance to the tribal park. Monument Valley raises in the desert on the Arizona–Utah border its iconic spires of red sandstone, an immortal symbol of the American West. Part of the Navajo Nation, this sacred landscape has been captured in countless films and photographs, with its mesas and pinnacles outlined against the sky. Navajo-guided tours reveal the culture and legends of the place. Monument Valley is the grand, silent quintessence of the American frontier.

Today's stage takes you from Monument Valley to Page / Lake Powell in about 2 hours (200 km), crossing the largest Native American reservation in the USA, the Navajo Indian Reservation, which extends beyond the Arizona border into New Mexico and Utah with a population of about 200,000 Navajo. Follow Route 163 south for about 40 km until Kayenta, where you can refuel. Here, turn onto Route 160, which you will follow for about 55 km, then turn right onto Navajo Mountain Scenic Road (Route 98), named after a sacred mountain to the Navajo, Hopi, and Paiute tribes. The road crosses desert expanses with sparse vegetation that provides nourishment for sheep and horses and plays an important role in Navajo culture. Yucca roots are used to make shampoo, while other plants are used for medicinal infusions or dyeing fabrics. You will pass through the small community of Kaibito, which has a small store. In the last stretch of road before reaching Page, if you have time, make a stop at Horseshoe Bend, about 7 km from the center of Page. The Horseshoe Bend overlook is reached by a 2.5 km walk along an easy dirt trail. Bring water with you. Page was founded in the heart of the northern Arizona desert as a small service town for the construction of the Glen Canyon Dam, and is today an ideal base for exploring some of the most spectacular landscapes of the American Southwest. A few minutes away opens Lake Powell, a vast turquoise reservoir set among red sandstone canyons, a paradise for boat trips and houseboats. Nearby lie two icons of travel photography: Antelope Canyon, a slot canyon with undulating walls pierced by beams of light, and Horseshoe Bend, the dramatic curve of the Colorado River wrapping around a rock spur. The area, home to the Navajo Nation, offers guided tours, fiery sunsets and starry skies of rare purity.

You cross the bridge over the Colorado River near the magnificent Glen Canyon Dam, which forms Lake Powell, the second largest artificial lake in America, with stunning color contrasts between the blue water and the red hues of the rocks. You enter the Mormon state of Utah by passing through the town of Kanab, located in a picturesque area that has been used as a backdrop for many western films. Kanab lies in southern Utah, nicknamed “Little Hollywood” for the many Westerns filmed across its red-rock landscapes. This frontier town is the ideal base for exploring some of the American West’s most spectacular natural wonders: nearby are the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, the Coral Pink Sand Dunes and the famous undulating canyons of The Wave, in the Vermilion Cliffs area. Kanab is also a convenient launch point for Zion and Bryce Canyon national parks and the north rim of the Grand Canyon. Between slot canyons, hiking trails and remarkably clear night skies, it is a perfect destination for lovers of nature and great outdoor adventure. Bryce Canyon National Park reveals one of the most astonishing landscapes on Earth, a vast natural amphitheatre dotted with hoodoos, amber and pink rock spires sculpted by erosion on the Utah plateau. Viewpoints such as Sunrise and Sunset Point offer breathtaking views at dawn and dusk, while trails descend among the formations into the heart of the canyon. The high elevation ensures some of America's starriest night skies.

On the way to Zion National Park, less than two hours drive from Bryce, stop for some photos at Red Canyon. If you love minerals, take a look at the Orderville Mine Rock Shop in Orderville, which has a great selection of local stones. You can also make a stop at Mount Carmel Junction for a slice of homemade pie at the Thunderbird Restaurant; try the strawberry and rhubarb one. Zion National Park astonishes with its imposing walls of red and white sandstone, carved by the Virgin River in the heart of south-western Utah. The main canyon is explored on foot along legendary trails such as Angels Landing and The Narrows, where one walks through water between narrow gorges. Hanging waterfalls, sculpted monoliths and lush vegetation create an extraordinary contrast. Zion is the ideal destination for those seeking spectacular canyons, unforgettable hikes and the red majesty of the American Southwest. From the magnificent scenery of rocks, streams, and forests of Zion, one descends into the Nevada desert and arrives in the expanse of lights and golden skyscrapers of Las Vegas. Las Vegas rises like a luminous mirage in the Mojave Desert, the world capital of entertainment, where excess becomes spectacle and the night never ends. Its pulsing artery is the Strip, the famous Las Vegas Boulevard lined with themed resorts that recreate the planet's great icons in miniature: at the Bellagio, fountains dance in choreographies of water and music before an artificial lake; the Paris Las Vegas is crowned by a replica of the Eiffel Tower; at the Venetian, gondoliers glide along Venetian-style canals beneath painted skies; at the Luxor, a black glass pyramid and a great sphinx evoke ancient Egypt, while the Mirage and the other gaming giants animate the scene with dazzling casinos. By night the city becomes a continuous stage: Cirque du Soleil shows, concerts, magic acts and residencies by major stars fill the theatres, while celebrated restaurants and gaming tables keep the metropolis awake until dawn. A short distance away, historic Downtown preserves the city's original face around the Fremont Street Experience, a pedestrian arcade canopied by a barrel vault of LED lights that brings the old Las Vegas back to life amid vintage neon signs and a more intimate atmosphere. Yet Las Vegas is also the gateway to magnificent natural landscapes: nearby, the Hoover Dam blocks the Colorado River to create Lake Mead, an ideal basin for boating and outdoor activities; Red Rock Canyon offers red sandstone formations crossed by trails and climbing walls; the Valley of Fire sets the desert ablaze with scarlet rock; and to the east opens the immensity of the Grand Canyon, one of the most beloved day trips. The city's most theatrical tradition is here too, that of the wedding chapels where couples marry in minutes, now an integral part of its legend. Between lights, desert and desire, Las Vegas remains a place where anything seems possible.

Not even 200 km and the change of environment couldn't be more extreme: from the artificial oasis of Las Vegas to the lunar desert landscapes of Death Valley. The road passes through Red Rock Canyon, with bustling formations of multicolored rocks, visible only by entering the park from RT159. Stop for refueling and refreshments in Pahrump; not far away are the springs and streams of Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. Death Valley is the lowest, hottest and driest point in North America, where you can picture the earth as it was before the appearance of man. Conditions here are infernal, and it is no coincidence that many of the viewpoints bear names such as Funeral Mountains, Furnace Creek, Dante's View, Coffin Peak and Devil's Golf Course. Distances within the park are enormous, so if you only have one day, start at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center to get your bearings. Unmissable sights include Artists Palette (along the scenic Artists Drive), Harmony Borax Works, Badwater, Devil's Golf Course, Zabriskie Point and the superb panoramic balcony of Dante's View.

Today awaits you a long day of driving (about 500 km, over 6 hours without counting stops), but with exciting views. The change in scenery and altitude is remarkable: you will go from the depression of Death Valley (-58 m below sea level at Furnace Creek Ranch) to the highest mountain pass in California (Tioga Pass, 3,031 m above sea level), from the desert to the mountains and forests of the High Sierra. Your journey today also includes a visit to Yosemite National Park, so you will have to leave very early to make the most of the day, especially considering the queues you will find in Yosemite. Leave Death Valley following RT 190 until the intersection with RT 136, which takes you to Lone Pine. Scenes from famous films, such as "How the West Was Won," were shot in the vicinity of Lone Pine. Make a stop in Bishop for a snack with the famous sandwiches from Erick Schat's Bakkery. Pass Mammoth Lakes, a mountain resort surrounded by some of the highest peaks in the West. In Lee Vining, turn left onto Hwy 120, the Scenic Byway Tioga Road + Big Oak Flat Road, which takes you to Yosemite Park through the spectacular Tioga Pass, cutting through the Sierra Nevada from east to west. Yosemite National Park is one of the world's most famous natural sanctuaries, set among the granite peaks of California's Sierra Nevada and designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Yosemite Valley opens between the imposing walls of El Capitan and Half Dome, the thundering waterfalls such as Yosemite Falls and the meadows crossed by the Merced River. Forests of giant sequoias and alpine plateaus complete a legendary landscape. Yosemite is the ideal destination for those seeking grand nature, climbing and the iconic wilderness of California. El Portal rises at the western threshold of Yosemite National Park in California, along the Merced River that flows between the walls of the Sierra Nevada. A tiny hamlet of services, it is a convenient base for exploring the famous valleys, waterfalls and granite domes of the park. The river offers rafting and moments of calm among the forests. El Portal is the quiet gateway to one of America's most beloved natural sanctuaries.

Spread along the southern shore of Lake Tahoe, on the California–Nevada border, South Lake Tahoe is one of the most beloved mountain destinations in the United States, blending the crystal-clear waters of one of the world's purest alpine lakes with the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada. In winter it is a paradise for skiers, with the vast Heavenly resort offering panoramic runs overlooking the lake; in summer the lake becomes a playground for kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing and swimming in sandy coves like Pope Beach and Baldwin Beach. A visit to Emerald Bay, an emerald inlet crowned by the picturesque Vikingsholm mansion, is a must. On the Nevada side, in Stateline, casinos and nightlife add a lively touch. With hiking trails, alpine vistas and stunning nature, South Lake Tahoe is a perfect destination in every season.

Wrapped in the fog that drifts in from the bay and draped over steep hills facing the Pacific, San Francisco is one of America's most beloved cities, refined, rebellious and deeply cosmopolitan. Its symbol is the Golden Gate Bridge, the unmistakable red span reaching out towards the ocean, revealed and hidden by the morning mists. To walk the city is to be surprised by its rolling streets, still climbed today by the famous cable cars that scale the heights of Nob Hill and Russian Hill, offering sudden glimpses of the water. Along the Fisherman's Wharf waterfront the sea lions of Pier 39 bark and the air smells of sourdough bread and fresh crab, while offshore stands the island of Alcatraz, with its historic penitentiary reachable by boat. The charm of San Francisco lives in its neighbourhoods: the Victorian Painted Ladies around Alamo Square, the Chinese energy of Chinatown, the oldest and liveliest in America, the rainbow, activist streets of the Castro, and the bohemian ferment of Haight-Ashbury, cradle of hippie culture. At the city's core, Union Square buzzes with shopping and theatres, while the Civic Center and museums such as SFMOMA and the de Young reveal its cultured soul. Green spaces abound: the vast Golden Gate Park holds Japanese gardens, conservatories and trails down to the ocean. The dining scene is among the most innovative in the country, from fusion cuisine to the wines of the nearby Napa and Sonoma Valley and organic markets. From San Francisco it is easy to set out for California's national parks, the redwoods of Muir Woods and the Big Sur coast. Free, creative and swept by the ocean wind, San Francisco wins over anyone willing to be led by its hills and its suspended light.

There are several beautiful seaside locations along the way, such as Half Moon Bay, Santa Cruz and Capitola Beach. Monterey stretches along its namesake bay on California's central coast, where the nature of the Pacific puts on a show. Its celebrated Monterey Bay Aquarium, overlooking the old canning district of Cannery Row immortalised by John Steinbeck, ranks among the finest in the world. From here begins the scenic 17-Mile Drive, winding past wind-sculpted cypresses, cliffs and coastal mansions to Pebble Beach. Nearby, Carmel-by-the-Sea charms with its art galleries and white beaches, while the bay rewards visitors with sightings of whales, otters and sea lions. Between seafood cuisine and inland vineyards, Monterey is an invitation to experience the most authentic and wild side of California.

Carmel-by-the-Sea is a refined town on the California coast, overlooking the turquoise waters of Monterey Bay, famous for its fairy-tale charm and artistic soul. Its little streets, without sidewalks or neon signs, wind among cottages with steep roofs, elegant boutiques, art galleries and gourmet restaurants, in an atmosphere reminiscent of a European village. The white-sand beach fringed with cypresses and the iconic Carmel Mission, founded in the eighteenth century, complete its unique character. A few minutes away unfolds the spectacular 17-Mile Drive, a coastal route past cliffs, legendary golf courses like Pebble Beach and wind-sculpted cypress forests. Between art, sea and timeless calm, Carmel is a refuge of elegance on the Pacific coast. Although it is not an official geographical designation, Big Sur is the name given to the 150 km of rocky, wild and rugged cliffs pounded by stormy waves between Hearst Castle and the Monterey Peninsula; and it extends inland for about 30 km, between the Santa Lucia Mountains. The breathtaking Pacific Highway 1 was carved into the rock above the stormy ocean in 1937. The best way to enjoy its beauty is to drive slowly, often leaving the car and exploring its numerous parks: a simple ten-minute walk immediately transports you into the wild nature. But for those with little time, the must-see stops are Bixby Bridge and McWay Falls, a waterfall that drops over 20 m onto a remote beach in Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park. Look up to the sky to see the endangered condors, and watch the sea for whales or sea otters swimming among beds of kelp, a typical California marine habitat. Ventura stretches along the Californian coast between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, a laid-back beach town that keeps its historic wooden pier and a walkable downtown lively with art galleries, vintage shops and restaurants. Its Spanish past lives on in Mission San Buenaventura, founded in 1782, while the seafront invites strolls, surfing and Pacific sunsets. From here ferries depart for the Channel Islands, a wild archipelago protected by a national park where sea lions, whales and endemic species can be spotted among cliffs and pristine coves. Inland, the Ojai Valley adds vineyards, citrus groves and a spiritual atmosphere. With its slow pace and mild year-round climate, Ventura is an ideal destination for those seeking sea, nature and authentic Californian coastal life away from the crowds.

Anaheim rises in Orange County, southeast of Los Angeles, and is universally known as the city of Disneyland, the first theme park created by Walt Disney in 1955. Around the Disneyland Resort and Disney California Adventure revolve hotels, restaurants and the lively pedestrian district of Downtown Disney, which animate the city year-round. Beyond the magic of the parks, Anaheim hosts major sporting events and the Anaheim Packing District, an elegant reinterpretation of an old citrus warehouse turned food hall. Its location makes it a convenient base for the beaches of Orange County, from Huntington Beach to Newport Beach. Anaheim embodies the Californian dream of entertainment, perfect for families and fun-seekers alike.