Las Vegas to Los Angeles via Death Valley
 

Hi,

Flying into LV for a couple of nights, then have 6 nights in LA - thought I would make the drive to LA a little more interesting by going via Death Valley...

Is this possible? Advisable?? Or would it better to go to Death Valley as a side trip whilst based in LV?

Thanks

Jocky

When - time of year? If in summer, it is best to avoid DV.

But detouring to Death Valley on the way to LA will add 3-4 hours to your drive time plus stops.

Driving from Las Vegas is shorter so that option is the most attractive. Here are the approximate driving times and distances:

Las Vegas to Death Valley: 157 miles or 2.5 hours
Los Angeles to Death Valley: 304 miles or 4.4 hours

Death Valley is an interesting place to visit for a day or two. We stayed at Furnace Creek Inn Resort which is very nice but expensive. Great restaurant on premises, too. Furnace Ranch is nearby and less expensive. Beaty, Nevada looks to be the closest town to Death Valley where more reasonable accommodations are available.

We took a self guided tour of the ghost town Rhyolite which is between Beaty and Death Valley. Here are some web sites that you may find useful:

Death Valley National Park
http://www.nps.gov/deva/index.htm

Rhyolite
https://rhyolitesite.com/index.html

Thanks for the replies - we are there in August, so I am guessing that it will be roasty toasty hot!

I think we will give it a miss - we are travelling with 2 kids (7 and 11) and just wanted to break the journey up a bit for them, I think we will do the usual and break the journey at Baker.

I have to say these forums are great - years ago (before kids) my wife and I used them to go on a bit of Route 66 from Vegas to San Diego - would have loved to recreate that for the kids (both fans of the movie Cars), but the itinerary doesn't suit this time...

Cheers

Jocky

Your children may enjoy Calico Ghost Town, which is about two hours out of LA:
http://cms.sbcounty.gov/parks/Parks/...GhostTown.aspx

Baker is another hour farther on. There isn't much in Baker. The fast food restaurants (Burger King, Jack in the Box, etc.) are on the east end of town. The much ballyhooed Mad Greek was a big disappointment to us.

Las Vegas is about a 1 1/2-hour drive from Baker.

HTtY

The LV-LA drive is 4-5 hours depending on when you hit LA-area traffic; if you're hitting the LA county line anytime after 3 PM or so, I can guarantee a slow slog to get wherever you're headed to.

Not far from Calico Ghost Town in Yermo, if you want to bypass Baker but still want some American kitsch, you'll find Peggy Sue's 50's Diner:

http://www.peggysuesdiner.com/

For diner-style grub and a few laughs on the way to LA, it's fine. Just don't expect great food or some kind of floor show. It's a bit of a tourist trap, to be honest. My suggestion is simple: Get in the car and just get to LA.

I will also remind you that Vegas in August is blast-furnace hot. LA will be some 30 to 40 degrees cooler, depending on where your final destination is. Which begs the question: Just where WILL you be heading in LA?

I also love Peggy Sue's diner. When you get to the first exit for Barstow, you can drive the length of Main street which was Rt. 66. Continue on the National Trails Highway all the way to Victorville. In Victorville there is a Rt. 66 Museum across from the Amtrak station.
The most memorable part of Baker is the world's tallest thermometer next to a Bob's Big Boy.
Peggy Sue's is much better.

Hi,

I know the thermometer from previous trips - quite like the sound of Calico

Thanks TomFuller - wouldn't be a real trip without some Route 66! ;-)

In LA we are staying InterContinental Century City, already booked Disneyland (7yr is a girl) and Universal Studios (11yr is a boy)

Can't wait!

Cheers

Jocky