🤠10-Day U.S. Southwest Road Trip | Itinerary + Map

10-Day American Southwest Itinerary

Although the ideal is a 15-day U.S. Southwest road trip or a 3-week itinerary, if you only have 10 days, you'll have to choose your stops very carefully. The distances, although they may seem short on the map, are quite long between points, and you'll spend a large part of the trip driving.

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This itinerary, based on our experience traveling throught the U.S. Southwest on several occasions, is designed to visit the must-see places, combining nature and cities, and following the most optimized route to minimize time spent on the road. 💡 We also highly recommend reading our post full of tips for traveling to the U.S. Southwest—we're sure you'll find a lot of useful information there!

Since 10 days isn’t much time for this area, the best option is to fly into one airport and fly out of another, since returning to the same one means driving a lot of extra miles for no reason. In this case, it’s worth paying a little more for dropping off your rental car at another location! Our recommendation for this 10-day itinerary is to fly into San Francisco on the way there and fly out of Las Vegas on the way back, we did this on one of our trips and found it to be a perfect option.

😀 Before we go into detail about the route and the stops we recommend for each day, we've put together this table so you can see the itinerary we suggest in a very visual way:

We've also included this visual map showing the 10-day itinerary along the U.S. Southwest, which we'll describe in detail below:

Day 1: San Francisco

San Francisco is our favorite city among the three main cities on the West Coast, and we recommend starting your trip here. Ideally, you should arrive the day before and pick up your rental car at San Francisco Airport (or your rental camper or motorhome) so you can spend a full day exploring the city.

Personally, we love San Francisco: its red bridge, its surroundings, its diverse and colorful neighborhoods, its historic cable car, and, of course, its noisy sea lions. Not to mention Alcatraz!

😎 Although San Francisco deserves more time, if you follow our plan with everything to see in San Francisco in one day, you'll get to know the essential places in 24 hours. Other important things to keep in mind:

Where to stay in San Francisco

🏨 Take a look at our post about the best areas to stay in San Francisco and choose one of the five we recommend. You'll find hotels to suit all budgets, including some with free parking so you don't have to worry about parking your car, such as the Chelsea Inn and the Cow Hollow Inn and Suites.

Getting around San Francisco

🚍 You can get around the city in your own car, although parking is paid in many areas and on others there are some killer hills. Alternatively, we have a complete guide to transportation in San Francisco, where we explain all the different types, costs, and passes available.

Best tours in San Francisco

🛳️ If there's one tour you should book in advance in San Francisco, it's the one that takes you to Alcatraz Island. In our guide on how to visit Alcatraz, you'll find all the information you need, including the cheapest tour. This Golden Gate Bay Cruise it's also very nice and offers amazing views, it passes under the Golden Gate Bridge!

Day 2: Yosemite

• 🚗Distance: 310 km (192 mi)
• 🕛Travel time: 4 hrs
• 🛌🏼Where to stay: Yosemite View Lodge or Cedar Lodge

Yosemite is one of the most impressive and popular national parks in the United States due to its granite mountains, waterfalls, and wildlife. We were lucky enough to visit this park in the spring, when the waterfalls are at their most spectacular, and it really is a visual feast no matter which way you look.

That said, Yosemite is one of the most visited parks in the U.S., so during peak season, you’ll need to be patient, be aware that there may be lines at the entrances, and use the free shuttle system offered by the park to help relieve traffic on the main road through the valley.

💡Recommended: How to visit Yosemite National Park | Guide + Tips + Map |

😴 It’s not a good idea to sleep in on this day, since you’ll want to get up early to arrive at Yosemite at a reasonable hour. In our article on best things to see and do in Yosemite, we’ll tell you what to visit in the park depending on how much time you have, but to sum it up, it’s best to spend the rest of the morning in Yosemite Valley, stopping at its various overlooks and taking short hikes.

Later in the afternoon, head to Glacier Point, where you'll find the most breathtaking views of Yosemite Valley, with Half Dome dominating the landscape. We promise it'll be one of the most beautiful sights of your trip 🥰

To get there, take Glacier Point Road, a secondary road that is only open in summer and tends to be quite busy during peak season. The most popular time to visit this viewpoint is around sunset, as the view is absolutely stunning.

🏨 For staying overnight, we recommend choosing one of the hotels near the Arch Rock Entrance, such as the Yosemite View Lodge or the Cedar Lodge. ➡️ You can find more information in our post about where to stay in Yosemite, which covers all the options both inside and outside the park.

Day 3: Yosemite and arrival in Death Valley

• 🚗Distance: 455 km (283 mi)
• 🕛Travel time: 5 hrs
• 🛌🏼Where to stay: The Ranch at Death Valley or Stovepipe West Village
• ⚠️Things to keep in mind: Tioga Pass is closed for a few months of the year

Today is the day to see the tallest trees in the world in person! If you had more time, we'd recommend going to Sequoia National Park to see these giants, but since it's quite a few miles away, we think it's best to stay in Mariposa Grove.

🌳 This area is located next to the southern entrance to Yosemite and has a group of around 500 sequoias, so even if you can't see General Sherman (the largest tree in the world in terms of volume), you'll still be satisfied. Keep in mind that you have to leave your vehicle parked at the Mariposa Grove Welcome Plaza and take the free shuttle there to Mariposa Grove, where you can then choose the trail that most appeals to you.

Another option, if you don't want to drive that far, is to go to Tuolumne Grove. This forest, although it doesn't have as many sequoias, is more on your way to Tioga Road, your next stop.

When you finish your visit, it's time to get back in the car and drive along the scenic Tioga Road, which is 62 km (46 mi) long and follows the Sierra Nevada mountain range. You can stop at impressive viewpoints such as Olmsted Point and Tenaya Lake until you reach Tioga Pass, the highest point at an altitude of 3,031 meters (9,945 feet).

⚠️ It's important to note that this road isn't open year-round—only from June through October (the dates change each year depending on weather conditions). For this reason, you can only take this route if you're visiting the Southwest during those months.

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Once you reach the end, you'll come across Mono Lake, a spectacular salt lake known for its tuff towers, which are very curious formations.

From here, it's about 365 km (227 mi) to Death Valley, a park that won't have time to visit this day. For this reason, it’s best to stay at a hotel in the surrounding area or at one of the options located within the park itself. ➡️You’ll find all the information in our post on where to stay in Death Valley, with all the lodging options both inside and outside the park.

🏨 We recommend staying at the Dow Villa Motel in Lone Pine if you don’t want to drive all the way to the park; it’s a historic hotel about 40 minutes from the entrance. If you’d rather stay inside Death Valley, the best options are The Ranch at Death Valley or Stovepipe West Village, but these places tend to book up well in advance. 💫 That said, staying inside the park means you’ll be able to enjoy one of the best starry skies in the United States.

Day 4: Death Valley and arrival in Las Vegas

• 🚗Distance: 210 km (130 mi)
• 🕛Travel time: 2 hrs 15 min
• 🛌🏼Where to stay: Paris Las Vegas or New York New York if you're are looking for a themed hotel, otherwise Sahara Las Vegas

🔥 The day has finally come to discover the hottest place on Earth! Visiting Death Valley at certain times of year is no joke—for example, in August, temperatures can reach highs of nearly 50ºC (122 ºF) 😱 For this reason, we recommend taking advantage of the early morning hours to visit Death Valley’s must-see spots, such as the spectacular Badwater Basin, the scenic Artists Drive, and the Zabriskie Point overlook.

💡Recommended: How to visit Death Valley National Park | Guide + Tips + Map |

When you're done, head to Las Vegas, which is just over two hours away. If you have time, on the way you can stop in Amargosa Valley and take pictures with the world's largest firecracker or be a geek at the Area 51 Alien Center. Stops like these are what make the trip even more fun 😜

Las Vegas is the city where madness, entertainment, and fun reach their peak! You either love it or hate it, we've been there twice and still don't know which camp we fall into 🤣

It's a good idea to spend the rest of the afternoon and evening in downtown Las Vegas, the city's historic district, which is packed with glowing neon signs. Here you'll be amazed by Fremont Street Experience with its sound and light show, its atmosphere, and the characters running around.

🥳 You can also book this Las Vegas Night Tour, which includes a guide, hotel pickup, and transportation to see the city's main attractions at night.

🏨 The number of hotels in Las Vegas is overwhelming, and choosing one could easily be as challenging as earning a college degree 😂 Check out our post on where to stay in Las Vegas, where we try to help you a little with your decision. Personally, we like the Paris Las Vegas and the New York New York as themed hotels, but the Sahara Las Vegas is also great.

Day 5: Las Vegas

Spend the whole day exploring the Sin City. There are lots of things to see and do in Las Vegas: step inside the themed hotels on the Strip and their endless casinos, visit the wedding chapels (or even get married with Elvis as the officiant), take a photo with the legendary Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign, feast at one of the best restaurants in Las Vegas... It's impossible to get bored!

💡Recommended: 23 Cool Things to Do in Las Vegas | with Map & Tips |

Day 6: Zion or Bryce

• 🚗Distance: 260 km (162 mi) to Zion and 420 km (261 mi) to Bryce
• 🕛Travel time: 2 hrs 15 min to Zion and 4 hrs to Bryce
• 🛌🏼Where to stay: for Zion at Montclair at Zion and for Bryce at Best Western Ruby Inn
• ⚠️Things to keep in mind: there's a time difference between Nevada, Arizona, and Utah. Vehicles longer than 35ft 9in (10.9 m) aren't allowed to drive on the Zion-Mt Carmel Highway between Canyon Junction and the East Entrance

For this day, you have several options: choose between visiting Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park, or both. Our opinion, after having been to both on several occasions, is that you should choose just one. Going to both would mean rushing around all day and not being able to enjoy either of them 100%, but it's true that many people do this and prefer to see a little of each. It's a matter of taste!

⚠️ What is important, though, is to keep in mind the time difference between states. This is something you can very easily forget (we speak from experience), and it’s extremely important. In Utah, the time is always 1 hour ahead of Nevada, and the time difference between Arizona and Utah only applies during what are considered the summer months.

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So, which of the two parks should you choose? Zion and Bryce are completely different from each other, and which one you visit will depend largely on your personal preferences.

Zion is very impressive in terms of landscape, with the Virgin River winding between reddish cliffs. Here, you'll need to take the free shuttle service and stop at the various lookout points along the way. There are also plenty of hiking options, including the spectacular Angel's Landing hike (its views are among our favorites on the U.S. Southwest, but you have to apply for a lottery) or the well-known The Narrows.

💡 Recommended: How to visit Zion National Park | Guide + Tips + Map |

🏨 If you decide to visit Zion, we recommend staying near the park. You’ll find plenty of information in our post about where to stay in Zion, but the best option is Springdale, a town located right at the park’s entrance, where we recommend the Montclair at Zion. Would you like to have more services and don’t mind driving a few more miles? Then you can head to Kanab and stay at La Quinta Kanab.

Bryce, however, offers a more relaxed visit and allows you to explore it in your own vehicle. Although it does have some hikes such as the Navajo Loop, it focuses more on admiring the views from the different viewpoints. Here, nature has worked its magic in the form of hoodoos sculpted by water, wind, and ice, creating a landscape that seems unreal.

💡 Recommended: How to visit Bryce Canyon National Park | Guide + Tips + Map |

⚠️ Getting to Bryce Canyon means taking a detour and driving about 170 km (106 mi) further from Las Vegas, in addition to the extra 60 km (37 mi) the next day to get to your next stop. It’s important to consider this, since this trip already involves a lot of driving.

🏨 If you decide to visit Bryce, it's best to stay in Bryce Canyon City, a tiny town that was built to serve the park's tourists and has a few hotels, such as the Best Western Ruby Inn. You'll find other options in our article on where to stay in Bryce Canyon.

Day 7: Page

• 🚗Distance: 253 km (157 mi) from Springdale, 120 km (75 mi) from Kanab, or 240 km (150 mi) from Bryce Canyon City
• 🕛Travel time: 2 hrs 45 min from Springdale, 1 hr from Kanab, and 2.5 hrs from Bryce Canyon City
• 🛌🏼Where to stay: Wingate Page Lake Powell or The Wesley Boutique Hotel
• ⚠️Things to keep in mind: there's a time difference between Utah and Arizona in summer. Book your Antelope Canyon tour well in advance

Page is one of the essential stops on any trip through the U.S. Southwest. This small town in the middle of the desert with just 7,000 residents, is strategically located among several natural wonders that you simply must visit.

There're many things to see and do in Page, but the two main attractions are visiting Horseshoe Bend (the bend in the Colorado River) and booking a tour of one of its slot canyons (narrow sandstone canyons carved out by water over many years).

The most famous slot canyon is Antelope Canyon, which is located in Navajo Territory, and it's mandatory to book a guided tour to explore any section of it. ℹ️ Our guide to visiting Antelope Canyon has tons of information to help you choose the best section of the canyon for you (Upper, Lower or other), the best time of day, best tours, how to see the light beams, tips on what to bring, etc.

The most common option for a first visit is to choose between this Upper Antelope Canyon tour or this Lower Antelope Canyon tour, since these are the most popular sections. No matter which one you choose, be sure to book well in advance, as these tours are in high demand, especially during the light beams season.

💡 If you want to try something less well-known, you can take this Antelope X Canyon tour, and if you have time, head to the Carl Hayden Visitor Center to see Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell. You can also opt for this tour that combines Horseshoe Bend, Upper Antelope Canyon, and Glen Canyon Dam, visiting the 3 places with a guide.

🏨 There are many hotels to stay at in Page, but we love The Wesley Boutique Hotel because it’s in the center of town and is very beautiful with its newly renovated boutique style. Another option is the Wingate Page Lake Powell, an American chain hotel located on the outskirts of town that’s much larger and offers more amenities.

🍴 In Page, you have to eat at the Ranch House Grille, a family-run Navajo restaurant where the portions are huge and the food is delicious.

Day 8: Monument Valley

• 🚗Distance: 195 km (121 mi)
• 🕛Travel time: 2 hrs
• 🛌🏼Where to stay: same hotel in Page or Goulding's Lodge if you're excited about sleeping with a view of Monument Valley
• ⚠️Things to keep in mind: Monument Valley time is the same in Utah, not Arizona. Motorcycles and RVs aren't allowed in the scenic drive

🤠 The day has come when you'll feel like an actor or actress in an American Western movie. John Wayne and Tom Hanks immortalized the landscapes of Monument Valley in their films, but seeing it in person is another story (and a good one at that!). No matter how many places we've seen around the world, Monument Valley is always at the top of the list. That's why we've been there several times—you never get tired of this place! 😊

💡Take a look at our guide to visiting Monument Valley, where you'll find endless tips and information about this place: the best viewpoints, when it's necessary to book a tour with a Navajo guide, the cost of admission (and now also the additional fee to access the scenic drive with your own vehicle), specific times for sunrise and sunset, etc.

⚠️ Keep in mind that the scenic road is unpaved, and the first section is quite rough (it’s full of potholes and steep). For this reason, although a 4x4 isn’t required to access the road, depending on your car, you might have a bit of a rough time at the beginning. If this concerns you, you always have the option of booking a guided tour of Monument Valley, led by a Navajo guide, which allows you to learn more about the culture and history of this nation.

📷 If you have enough time, head over to the famous Forrest Gump Point, the spot where Forrest Gump stopped running, which has now become a popular photo spot. Just be careful when taking pictures here, because it's right in the middle of the road.

🏨 When it comes to spending the night, you have the option of returning to Page and staying at the same hotel or choose one of the best hotels in Monument Valley if your budget allows. As you can imagine, rooms with views of the imposing monoliths sell out quickly, and enjoying that magical sunset from your terrace won’t come cheap. Goulding’s Lodge offers the best value for your money!

Day 9: Grand Canyon

• 🚗Distance: 170 km (106 mi) from Page or 260 km (163 mi) from Monument Valley
• 🕛Travel time: 1 hr 45 min from Page or 2 hr 45 min from Monument Valley
• 🛌🏼Where to stay: The Grand Hotel (next to the park's entrance) or The Red Garter Inn (Williams)

The Grand Canyon needs little introduction, that deep gorge carved out by the Colorado River that leaves so many people speechless. An immense landscape, one of those where you can't see the end and you ask yourself... how can something like this be real?

Spend the whole day enjoying this unique place, specifically the South Rim. During peak season, a free shuttle bus service stops at several of the best viewpoints. Be sure to visit the Hermit Road and Desert View areas, and climb the Desert View Watchtower, a replica of a prehistoric Native American tower that offers some of the best views of the Grand Canyon.

💡 Recommended: How to visit Grand Canyon | Guide + Tips + Map |

🚁 If you want to make the most of this trip, taking a helicopter flight over the Grand Canyon is something you will surely never forget! The one we're recommending departs from Tusayan Airport (next to the entrance to the South Rim) and is the most affordable option you'll find, but there are many more options you can check out in our post with the best helicopter tours of the Grand Canyon.

🏨 To choose your hotel for this day, we recommend checking out our post on where to stay at the Grand Canyon. One option is The Grand Hotel in Tusayan, the town at the park entrance. You can also drive another hour and stay in Williams, a charming Route 66 town with more offer. The Red Garter Inn is historic and full of charm!

Day 10: Route 66 and Hoover Dam

• 🚗Distance: 350 km (218 mi)
• 🕛Travel time: 3 hrs
• 🛌🏼Where to stay: Holiday Inn Express E Tropicana or Best Western McCarran Inn (close to Las Vegas Airport)

One of the most legendary things to do on the U.S. Southwest is to travel part of Route 66. This historic highway runs from Chicago to Santa Monica, and you'll spend the last day exploring a small section of it.

There're several stops along Route 66 in Arizona, such as the previous mentioned Williams, Seligman, and Hackberry, where you can say hello to Charlie the cat for us—he's a super sweet little ball of fur! 😻 In Kingman, drive under the famous Route 66 arch and eat at Mr. D'z, a very unique (and touristy) diner.

If you have time, take a detour to Oatman, where donkeys are the real stars and the access road offers wonderful views. Alternatively, before heading to Las Vegas, a stop at the Hoover Dam is a great idea—it's one of the most impressive engineering feats in the United States! Our guide to visiting Hoover Dam tells you about the best free viewpoints and much more.

🏨 End your trip at a hotel near the Las Vegas Airport if necessary, depending on when your return flight is. The international airport is very close to the southern part of the Strip, so you can stay at a hotel in that area, such as the ones we recommend above.

10-day U.S. Southwest itinerary map

On this map, you're going to find the entire itinerary and stops that we've recommended for each day:

A variation of the 10-day U.S. Southwest itinerary

In the itinerary we've proposed, Tioga Pass (day 3) and Death Valley (day 4) are a stops that depend on the time of year you choose to travel.

If you decide to travel between mid-October and mid-May, Tioga Pass will most likely be closed, making it impossible to reach Death Valley via this route. On the other hand, if your trip is during the height of summer (June to August), the temperatures in Death Valley are so high that it might not be a visit you'd want to make, unless you're prepared to get up very early.

If either of these scenarios applies to you, we would suggest skipping Mariposa Grove in Yosemite on day 3 and heading directly to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, where there are many more sequoias (some of the largest in the world) and other interesting sites.

Stay overnight in Three Rivers or Exeter, and the next day head to Las Vegas. It's a long drive that will take at least 6 hours, but you can make some cool stops along the way, like:

• 🍔Peggy Sue's 50 Diner: for a bite in the Route 66.
• 👻Calico: to visit a ghost town.
• 🌡️World's Tallest Thermometer: if you want to see the tallest thermometer in the world, whose height is related with Death Valley.
• 🏜️Mojave: to see sand dunes and Joshua trees.

FAQs about 10-day trip to the U.S. Southwest

Is 10 days enough time to travel to the U.S. Southwest?

Yes, although it’s a pretty tight schedule, so you’ll need to prioritize the places you visit and focus only on the must-sees.

Which cities should you include on a 10-day itinerary?

Since you only have a few days, it’s best to choose just two cities. We recommend San Francisco and Las Vegas.

How many miles do you cover on a 10-day road trip?

Typically, you’ll cover between 1,500 and 2,200 miles (2,500 and 3,500 km), depending on the itinerary you follow.

Is it better to take a linear or circular route?

In this case, the best way to make the most of your time is to take a linear route, flying in to one airport and out of another.

Can you visit national parks on a 10-day trip?

Of course, it’s possible to visit between 4 and 5 national parks, such as Yosemite, Death Valley, the Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce.

When is the best time to take this trip?

The best times are late spring and early fall, as that’s when there are fewer tourists and temperatures are pleasant in most places.

We hope you enjoy this magnificient and epic trip!