Epic Family Road Trip: Las Vegas to San Diego

Planning a road trip from Las Vegas to San Diego was no small feat. In the weeks leading up to our vacation over last Christmas break, Google and I became besties, as I typed every variation of “road trip from Vegas to San Diego” and “family trip to Joshua Tree” that I could think of. My aim was simple: squeeze every drop of adventure and experience out of our time, ensuring memories that would last a lifetime. 

VACATION FRUSTRATION
As I prepared, navigating through countless recommendations was often frustrating. It became challenging to discern genuine suggestions from those influenced by sponsorships, or paid promotion. Is that hotel really great for families? Or are you writing that because they comped your room? That’s why I decided to share our experience . . . one without sponsorships, free hotel stays, or brand promotions. It’s a just a recounting of our family road trip from Las Vegas to San Diego and back, and my only aim is to inspire and inform!

While this recount won’t be a blueprint for anyone’s vacation, it offers a mosaic of ideas, inspiration, and insights for anyone considering a road trip from Las Vegas to San Diego with your family!

The trip was everything we hoped it would be. From the lights of Las Vegas to the darkness of Yucca Valley to the tranquil beaches of San Diego, it proved to be a delightful mix of unexpected adventures, breathtaking scenery, and of course, the usual family dynamics of joy, arguing, and irreplaceable memories.

MICHIGAN TO LAS VEGAS

We started our journey by flying from Michigan to Las Vegas. My kids hadn’t flown in 5 years, since before the Pandemic, so this was exciting for them. We rented a car from Sixt car rental, and the process was so easy. Zero people pressuring us to upgrade, and really transparent pricing. I wish it available in more locations.

As we were leaving Las Vegas, we stopped at Ugo Rondinone’s Seven Magic Mountains art installation. This colorful artwork contrasts dramatically with its barren surroundings, symbolizing human creativity amid nature’s vastness. It was really unique, and I’m glad we stopped.

LAS VEGAS TO PALM SPRINGS/YUCCA VALLEY
From there, we were off to Yucca Valley. We chose the Mojave National Preserve route to Yucca Valley, not because it’s the quickest, but for the beauty it promised. And boy, did it deliver! 

Driving through the Mojave, one tip for fellow travelers: there’s barely any cell signal! Get a physical map or download offline maps. We learned this the hard way, winding up on a road that turned to sandy trail, bordered by cacti. I won’t say who, but one of my family members has the distinct honor of saying that they once had to crouch behind a cactus in a desert to go to the bathroom.

We used this site to map out where we wanted to stop, but because we didn’t save the map, we missed most of the stops, due to the lack of cell signal. 

Once we got turned around, we followed signs to the historic Kelso Depot, with its handy maps and fearless coyotes. This wasn’t a planned stop, but I’m so glad we found it. The history of the railroad in that area and the cafe that existed there was fascinating, and the building was beautiful.

The rest of the drive was filled with captivating views of the desert set against the mountainous terrains in the Mojave National Preserve. We stopped at Granite Pass and had a blast climbing and exploring on our way through.

When we arrived to Yucca Valley, the Fabulous El Dorado Getaway greeted us with splendid views that looked straight out of a postcard. 

PALM SPRINGS
The next day we drove about 30 minutes to Palm Springs, where the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway lifted our spirits, quite literally, to 8516 feet! The ride might not have been everyone’s cup of tea (due to the heights!), but the breathtaking view at the top was incredible. My advice: Purchase tickets ahead of time so you don’t have to wait. If you do have to wait, they do have refreshments and beautiful places to sit.

After having a delightful lunch at HeyDay (my kids claim these are the best burgers they’ve ever had), we explored the mystical Oasis at the San Andreas fault and wrapped up with delicious Date Shakes at Shields. Our Palm Springs adventures continued with a stroll downtown and a relaxing evening in the hot tub. 

JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK
The next day, Joshua Tree National Park beckoned. The park is an amalgamation of beautiful trails and magnificent rock formations. While the park promised clear skies for stargazing, the clouds played spoilsport.

We used a YouTube video to shortlist the trails at Joshua Tree. With input from the kids, we hiked several trails, with Barker Dam and Skull Rock as the highlights. The kids’ risky climbing often had me on edge, especially when they neared cliff ledges. A family could spend days in the park and still not see everything.

Barker Dam might have been my favorite stop on our entire vacation. It’s a cultural and ecological landmark within Joshua Tree, constructed by early 20th-century cattlemen, including the Barker and Shay families. The dam served as a water reservoir for livestock and miners in the region. Over the years, the area around the dam has transformed into an oasis, attracting wildlife such as bighorn sheep, birds, and even the occasional desert tortoise. The hiking trail that lead us around the dam was a super easy hike and offered glimpses into the rich history and beauty of this area.

The thing that made it my favorite, however, wasn’t any of that. It was the petroglyphs. These prehistoric markings are believed to have been created by the Native American tribes that once inhabited the area and depict abstract designs, figures, and animals. Being up close to these actual relics left by the ancient people of the Mojave Desert took my breath away.

A day was not nearly enough. We could easily have spent a week at Joshua Tree National Park.

PALM SPRINGS TO SAN DIEGO
On New Year’s Day, before heading to Los Angeles, we enjoyed brunch at Sherman’s in Palm Springs. A renowned restaurant I’d heard much about, Sherman’s lived up to its reputation. We were so impressed that we took some dessert with us for the road.

Los Angeles greeted us with an unexpected guest: rain! Although the weather was a dampener, our spirits weren’t. Many things were closed due to the holiday, but we managed to fill our afternoon with Hollywood boulevard, the iconic sign, and the lively Santa Monica pier. We wrapped up the day at In-N-Out Burger because, when in LA, it’s only natural. 

Our Beach House in Sunset Cliffs in San Diego was perfect for our family, and we could see the ocean out of the front window. Our first morning’s breakfast featured orange juice, freshly squeezed from the oranges picked fresh from our back yard! It was lovely.

Our adventures in San Diego ranged from visiting PetCo Park and Balboa Park to relishing brunch at Hash House a Go Go. This is the best brunch I’ve ever had. Hands down.

Despite the occasional rain, the Sunset Cliffs still offered breathtaking views of the Pacific.

We also stopped at Donut Bar (best service EVER), saw the seals at the Children’s Pool in La Jolla, Charlie Rose Baseball Shop, and the upmarket Fashion Valley Mall (that was most certainly a place meant for people in a different tax bracket than ours).

We even tried recreating a photo from our honeymoon at Embarcadero Marina Park, a trip down memory lane! We had hoped to visit the zoo . . . because, well . . . it’s the San Diego Zoo. Sadly, it rained for almost the entirety of our time in San Diego.

SAN DIEGO TO LOS ANGELES
After San Diego, we headed back to Las Vegas . . . but not without stopping to catch what we missed in LA. Our stop at the California Science Museum in LA was simply to see the space shuttle Endeavor, and it was 100% worth it. I really wish we’d planned more time to spend in the museum. We also stopped at Dodger Stadium, because again . . . my baseball loving boys could not miss the opportunity.

LOS ANGELES TO LAS VEGAS
Back in Las Vegas, we stayed at Shani’s Place, and the location was perfect. With just one full day in Las Vegas, we maximized our time. Starting with breakfast at Babystacks Cafe, we went on to the Hoover Dam, and crossed just far enough into Arizona to say that we’d been there.

Later, we explored the Strip, stopping at each hotel guided by an online map. We saw almost all of them, and walked close to 12 miles. My advice: Comfort over fashion, when it comes to shoes in Vegas. Our experience, topped off with a delightful dinner at Nacho Daddy, made us realize that Vegas has more to offer than we anticipated. While we may have come with the idea of ticking it off our travel list, the city’s intrigue has enticed us to consider a return.

This trip provided a wonderful bonding experience for our family. Between hiking, relaxing, eating, and sharing laughter, it was the perfect way to spend our Christmas break. Despite our adventures, there’s still so much left to explore; we could revisit and have an entirely new experience, because of all we left undone.

We flew back to Michigan with not just memories, but also a newfound appreciation for the unexpected joys of travel.