The Ultimate Guide to a Westward Road Trip-USA
Harry & I decided to spend my Thanksgiving Break driving out west to places I’ve always wanted to go. Before this trip, I had never been farther West than Oklahoma. On this fun vacation we visited Las Vegas, the Hoover Dam, Grand Canyon National Park, Monument Valley, Moab, Arches National Park, and Salt Lake City! Read our itinerary, tips, and tricks below!
Las Vegas
We flew from Atlanta to Las Vegas on Saturday morning. We chose to fly into Vegas so that we could make it out West faster to get our trip going! We rented a car that we picked up at the Las Vegas airport, drove through the strip, and started our trip! We were pretty hungry, so we made a pit stop at In-N-Out Burger (YUM)! In hindsight, we wish we would’ve stayed in Vegas for a night. Maybe next time!
Hoover Dam
As we were driving from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon, we decided to make a stop at the Hoover Dam as we approached the exit off the interstate. The Hoover Dam was quite a sight & we enjoyed reading about its history. Parking was free, and you’re able to walk up to peer over the Dam. You can pay for a tour, but we felt content with our visit. After about 45 minutes, we were off to the Grand Canyon!
Grand Canyon National Park
The drive from the Hoover Dam to the Grand Canyon was long, flat, and scenic. Definitely fill up before you leave Vegas because you won’t approach any gas stations until you’re almost at the Grand Canyon. We chose to stay just outside the Grand Canyon Village to save money and chose the Red Feather Lodge. We were pleasantly surprised at how wonderful the hotel was, and ate a hearty dinner at a steakhouse across the street.
The next day, we woke up early to get to the Grand Canyon! We entered the park for a $30 fee. It was freezing! Layers are a MUST when visiting in November. We decided to hike a few miles and pop in a few of the shops. The view all around is absolutely breathtaking! We walked for hours just admiring the view, taking pictures, and reading about the Canyon formation & how the state park came about. You could easily spend several days at the park, but we wanted to head to Monument Valley before the day ended. This is the best time to fill up your gas tank!
What to wear:
Layers are a must!! Lauren wore the following:
- Thermal shirt
- Thermal “long johns”
- Flannel shirt
- Leggings
- Regular socks
- Wool socks
- Down vest
- Hat
- Tennis shoes
- Gloves would be a good idea
Monument Valley
Next, we embarked on the longest part of our journey. We traveled from The Grand Canyon to Moab, making a stop in Monument Valley. Monument Valley was a “must-see” on Harry’s list because he visited once when he was younger. The rock formations began changing throughout the drive & there’s so many amazing sights to see!
Once you get to Monument Valley, parking is free and there’s a nice cafeteria where we grabbed a late lunch. It truly is amazing to learn about how the rock formations were created. We grabbed some cute Sandstone Coasters at the gift shop after lunch & started the rest of our trek to Moab.
Moab, AZ
Moab is known for offering amazing outdoor sports! If you are into rock climbing, off-roading, mountain biking, or other outdoor activities then this is a place to you to visit!
The long drive there was filled with sightseeing and jamming out to 90’s music. Once we finally made it into Moab, we checked into the Hotel Moab Downtown. We chose this hotel because it was in walking distance to restaurants and the Moab Brewery. We love craft beer, so this is where we ate and drank that night!
Arches National Park
Arches National Park is located right outside of Moab. This was tied with the Grand Canyon as Lauren’s favorite part of the trip! We spent the whole day there hiking and exploring. The park is very drivable and accessible. We drove trough the park, parked the car, and hiked throughout the spots where we stopped. The only complaint we had was that none of the water fountains were working. Definitely be sure to pack extra water bottles because this is a desert environment. Even if you don’t feel hot, you can risk dehydration. The arches found throughout were incredible! There were lots of opportunities to climb on the rock formations.
Salt Lake City, UT
We drove from Arches National Park to Salt Lake City, Utah. This drive felt long because we were tired from our day of hiking. This was also the first time we encountered typical highway traffic in several days. It was crazy to watch the climate change throughout our drive. We stayed at the Raddison Hotel near the airport. There was a bar and restaurant across the street where we ate and enjoyed a few cocktails. The hotel had a shuttle to the airport, and the next morning we flew home to Atlanta.
We would recommend this trip to everyone! It is family friendly, fun for couples, and would make a great friend getaway.
You May Also Like
