Los Angeles to Zion & Bryce Canyon
 

We have about 4 days (3 nights) available in May and would like to visit Zion and Bryce. Would like advice on what to see in the near vicinity, given our limited time. We're not that anxious to visit Las Vegas, but might stay there for a night to break the trip up on the way back to Los Angeles. We enjoy scenic driving, but a detour through Death Valley or Grand Canyon seems to make up for too much driving. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

With 4 days and 3 nights you don't have much time.

Day 1 drive to Zion National Park - 433 miles about 6 1/2 hrs drive time.
Day 2 Spend day in Zion
Day 3 Make day trip to Bryce this will put you back in Springdale or Zion and closer to LA for the next day.
Day 4 drive back to Los Angeles

If you are returning to Los Angeles on a Sunday night, the traffic from Barstow to Los Angeles will be bumper to bumper from all the Las Vegas traffic returning to LA.

If it's over Memorial Day weekend the traffic could be bumper to bumper all the way from Las Vegas like it was over Thanksgiving weekend! I-15 was a parking lot going westbound on the Sunday of Thanksgiving weekend. We were traveling east bound and saw it!

Utahtea

Don't even think of driving between LA and Vegas on a holiday weekend. Period.

We're looking at middle of the week in early May. Utahtea, are you recommending that we spend all 3 nights in the Springfield/Zion area? Thanks!

We did a similar 4 day trip over labor day weekend one year. We spent one night in Vegas and three nights at the Desert Pearl in Zion. The drive is definitely doable in one shot (that is what we did on the way home). We enjoyed a great mid-week rate (I think $99) at the Phoenician, went to a really nice dinner and enjoyed the huge room. We left in the morning and arrived in Zion with time to explore. The Desert Pearl was a wonderful hotel and very close to the entrance of Zion. We did a day trip to Bryce, which entailed more driving than I would care to repeat on such a short trip, stayed for sunset and drove back to Zion - watch out for the deer on the side of the road at night.

I think I'd stay in the one place to save time from checking in/out and packing and unpacking. You have such a short time that I'd just make the day trip to Bryce. If you really want, you could spend the night in Bryce.

I'm glad to hear that your going during the middle of the week and not over the Memorial Day Weekend.

Utahtea

Thanks for the help!

On your drive back, visit the CORAL PINK SAND DUNES STATE PARK, UTAH. It's off the beaten path, but still a state park. You'll feel like you're visiting Mars with all of the colorful pink, red, and orange sand dunes. Two hours is all you'll really need to see the highpoints.

When I am looking for new places to visit, I use Google images to get a feel for the place. Your trip out there will be amazing. Bring warm stuff too, as I've seen it snow at Bryce in late June!

Thanks for the suggestion. It looks amazing! We'll add it to the itinerary.