Best of the West: California, Utah & Las Vegas

Start early with a morning loop through Los Angeles in your rental car, ticking off the places you know from the movies: Beverly Hills' Rodeo Drive, a look at the Hollywood sign, and a run down Sunset Boulevard. Then leave the sprawl behind and point the car north onto the Pacific Coast Highway. Break up the drive with a lunch stop in Santa Barbara, a laid-back coastal city where you can grab something cheap and stretch your legs near the water. Continue up the coast to Santa Margarita KOA and pitch your tent while there is still light. Finish the day with a short drive over to San Luis Obispo for dinner before heading back to camp.

Start early with a drive up the Pacific Coast Highway. You will trace the winding cliffs of Highway 1, stopping in San Simeon to watch the massive elephant seals lounging on the beach. Further north, hit Ragged Point for a steep, short hike down to the surf for a scenic picnic. By afternoon, head to Avila Beach to rent a cruiser bike or just lounge by the water. Finish the day in the college town of San Luis Obispo for a cheap dinner before heading back to camp under the stars in Santa Margarita.

Pack up camp and swap the coastal breeze for the Sierra Nevada. You will drive inland today, breaking up the journey with a quick lunch stop in Fresno to stock up on cheap road snacks and ice. Enter Yosemite National Park through the Arch Rock entrance, where the massive granite walls immediately close in and the Merced River runs alongside the road. Set up your campsite in El Portal, then take a late afternoon walk to get your first look at the valley's towering cliffs before the evening chill sets in. Keep an eye out for local wildlife like deer and coyotes along the riverbanks as the sun goes down.

Today is dedicated entirely to Yosemite's classic trails. Your best move is to hit the trailheads early before the park shuttles get crowded. Choose between the misty stairs of the Mist Trail up to Vernal Fall, or tackle the longer, demanding switchbacks of Nevada Fall. If your legs are shot, rent a cruiser bike on the valley floor to pedal under the shadow of El Capitan and watch climbers scale the sheer granite face. Grab a cheap sandwich for a picnic lunch by the river, and end the day swapping stories back at the campsite in El Portal.

Break camp and head high into the Sierra Nevada. Start with a hike down into Tuolumne Grove to stand among giant sequoia trees, some of the oldest living things on earth. After a quick trail lunch, tackle the steep Lembert Dome hike for panoramic views over the subalpine meadows of Tuolumne. From there, drive over the dramatic Tioga Pass, crossing the crest of the range at nearly 10,000 feet before dropping down the eastern escarpment. You will roll into the high-desert climbing hub of Bishop by early evening to pitch tents and grab a craft beer in town.

Leave the mountains behind and drop into the lowest, hottest place in North America. Death Valley is a stark landscape of extremes. You will make quick stops at the salt flats of Badwater Basin, the colorful badlands of Zabriskie Point, and the desert oasis at Furnace Creek. Keep stops short to beat the intense midday heat. By afternoon, the desert gives way to the neon skyline of Las Vegas. Check into your hotel on Fremont Street, grab some cheap dumplings in Chinatown, and spend the night exploring the casinos and bars with the rest of the crew.

Leave the neon behind and head northeast into Utah, losing an hour as you cross the time zone. Stop for a quick lunch in Cedar City before climbing up to the high plateau of Bryce Canyon National Park. The landscape here is unlike anything else, packed with thousands of red-rock spires called hoodoos. Hit the Navajo Loop and Queens Garden trail to hike down into the natural amphitheater, weaving through narrow rock slots and towering stone walls. Pitch your tent at the campsite nearby and cook up a hot dinner under a dark, star-filled sky.

Wake up early, pack a lunch, and make the short drive to Zion National Park. You will board the park's canyon shuttle to access the deepest parts of the gorge, where sheer pink and cream sandstone walls tower overhead. Spend the day hiking your choice of trails: wade into the cold waters of the Virgin River at the Narrows, climb the steep switchbacks to Scouts Lookout, or take the quieter Watchman Trail. Afterward, head to East Zion to set up camp at a ranch resort, roast marshmallows by the fire, and stargaze with the crew.

Hit the road early toward Arizona. Your first major stop is Horseshoe Bend, where a short walk leads to a dramatic cliff edge looking down 1,000 feet at the emerald Colorado River looping through the orange canyon. Grab lunch at a Navajo-inspired trading post along the highway before continuing south. You will arrive at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon in the late afternoon, just in time to set up camp at Mather Campground and head to the rim to watch the canyon walls glow red and purple in the setting sun.

Today is all about exploring the immense scale of the Grand Canyon. Fuel up with breakfast, pack a trail lunch, and head out to the South Rim. You can walk the flat Rim Trail for endless panoramic views, or challenge your knees by hiking down into the canyon on the Bright Angel or South Kaibab trails. Remember, hiking down is optional, but climbing back up is mandatory. In the evening, grab a spot on the rim with a couple of cheap pizzas to watch the sunset paint the rock layers in brilliant orange.

Break camp and head southwest onto historic Route 66. Stop in the quirky towns of Seligman and Kingman to grab a classic diner lunch and snap photos of vintage roadside Americana. From there, cross into California and enter the Mojave Desert, where the bizarre, twisted shapes of Joshua trees dominate the landscape. Set up camp near the park, then spend your evening exploring the old-school movie sets of Pioneer Town. Finish the night laying out under some of the clearest, darkest skies in Southern California to spot shooting stars with the crew.

Pack up your camping gear for the last time and drive west toward the Pacific. You will arrive in Santa Monica by early afternoon, leaving the rest of the day completely free. Your best move is to head straight to the beach. Walk down the historic Santa Monica Pier, rent some rollerblades to cruise the beachfront path, or grab a spicy margarita at an open-air bar. Tonight, skip the tents and check into a lively hostel just blocks from the ocean, perfect for a final night out in the city.

Pack up your bags and say goodbye to your hostel mates. You can depart Santa Monica at any time today to catch your flight home, or choose to extend your stay to explore more of the Southern California coast.