The Open Road Travel

Best Place To Stop A Perfect Las Vegas To San Diego Road Trip

Being just a 5-hour drive means many people will aim to complete a Las Vegas to San Diego road trip in one go. However, if you plan to follow our perfect Las Vegas to San Diego road trip itinerary and want to enjoy everything the route has to offer, we suggest breaking it up. There are a few good places to do this, but none are as good as San Bernardino, California.



San Bernardino, California

The city of San Bernardino presents a wonderful combination of natural scenery, cultural history, and entertainment, nestled among the San Bernardino Mountains. It is filled with captivating attractions, such as The Original McDonald's Site and Museum, The California Theatre of the Performing Arts, and the San Bernardino History and Railroad Museum.

The adjacent 800,000-acre San Bernardino National Forest is an excellent venue for hiking, camping, and wildlife observation, and the Rim of the World Scenic Byway offers breathtaking views you can appreciate from your vehicle. Additionally, Glen Helen Regional Park features fishing lakes, picnic spots, and a swimming complex, making it perfect for families.

Depending on your time of visit, you might also have the opportunity to partake in some of the city’s remarkable annual events. These include the Route 66 Rendezvous classic car show and the National Orange Show Festival.

Best Hotel To Stay At In San Bernardino, California – DoubleTree by Hilton San Bernardino

DoubleTree by Hilton San Bernardino is a fabulous 4-star hotel providing contemporary comfort and easy access to attractions just off Interstate 10. The hotel boasts stylish accommodations, with each room featuring plush linens and furnishings, beautiful décor, and amenities such as cable TV, air conditioning, a refrigerator, a private bathroom, and complimentary toiletries.

The property also boasts a heated outdoor swimming pool, a fitness centre, a business centre, meeting facilities, a hot tub, a bar, and an on-site restaurant offering regional dishes. Private parking, room service, and facilities for disabled guests are also available.

Top 10 Attractions On A Perfect Las Vegas To San Diego Road Trip

Seven Magic Mountains

Seven Magic Mountains is a distinctive, large-scale art installation located in the Mojave Desert. Conceived by Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone in 2016, it’s free to visit and features seven imposing stacks of large, vividly coloured limestone boulders, all rising over 30 feet high. Initially intended as a temporary, two-year display, its immense popularity resulted in ongoing extensions, and it is currently expected to remain available until at least May 2027.

Primm, Nevada

Founded as a community named State Line in the early 1920s, Primm, Nevada, is located right on the Nevada side of the California–Nevada border. It was named after the town’s creator, Ernest Jay Primm, and was established to capitalise on the legality of gambling in Nevada, which was not permitted in California.

It is sometimes compared to Las Vegas, due to its numerous casino resorts and attractions similar to those offered at the origin of our route. However, the feel of the two is totally different. This can be attributed to Primm’s smaller stature, more isolated location, and far lower footfall.

The opportunity to view the notorious vehicle that Bonnie and Clyde were in at the time of their deaths might be the most famous draw in Primm, while the Primm Valley Resorts, encompassing Buffalo Bill’s, Whiskey Pete’s, and Primm Valley Resort, are perfect for piquing the interest of others.



Additional sites of interest in Primm include the Star Of The Desert Arena, Primm Valley Golf Club, and the Fashion Outlets Of Las Vegas mall, and amenities such as gas stations and convenience stores create a valuable stop for anyone traversing an otherwise desolate stretch of desert.

Mojave National Preserve

The 1.6 million-acre Mojave National Preserve is a wilderness area in the Mojave Desert and the third largest site in the United States National Park System. Its landscape is ideal for those seeking an authentic desert experience. It includes Joshua trees, dunes, hills, mountains, and many natural formations.

A popular location for outdoor recreational activities, including camping, hiking, horse riding, and four-wheel driving, it’s also ideal for ghost town enthusiasts, as Kelso Ghost Town and its historic rail depot can be found deep within the preserve. Historic markers found throughout the preserve further make this a history buff’s dream destination.

Baker, California

Baker, California, is a small community that’s gained significant notoriety. This is thanks to the presence of one of the finest selections of gas stations, fast food outlets, and convenience stores in the desert, as well as two noteworthy attractions: The “World’s Tallest Thermometer” and Alien Fresh Jerky.

The "World’s Tallest Thermometer" is a 134-foot (41-meter) high, 76,812-pound (34,841-kilo) operational thermometer that honours nearby Death Valley National Park, which recorded the highest temperature ever documented on Earth, 134°F (57°C), on July 10, 1913. With temperatures in the region again nearing that record high, which the thermometer maxes out at, it may soon need an update.



Alien Fresh Jerky is an extraterrestrial-themed shop specialising in various types of fresh jerky. With its impressive array of sculptures, models, snacks, and alien-themed souvenirs, it is a destination that everyone can appreciate. It also ranks among the more attractive stops in the area for alien aficionados outside of Roswell, New Mexico.

Calico Ghost Town

Calico is a deserted silver-mining town from the Old West. Clearly visible from the highway, as its name is inscribed on the hills in white stones, it has been carefully preserved and restored to provide one of the finest opportunities to explore a genuine Wild West town in the country.



Offering train rides into the mine, demonstrations of shops showcasing the production of traditional goods, and a genuine saloon serving peanuts and classic sarsaparilla, along with excellent photo opportunities and a gift shop featuring local handicrafts and indigenous products, it presents a thoroughly immersive experience that all will appreciate.

Barstow, California

Barstow, California, is a community situated along the famous Route 66. Renowned for the historic railroad station that was founded alongside the town in 1847, Barstow is a remarkable destination for those fascinated by Route 66, automobiles, trains, or railways in general, featuring a variety of displays and sites devoted to each.



The highlight among these is the Barstow Route 66 Mother Road Museum, which showcases an impressive assortment of artwork, vintage vehicles, photographs, and artefacts related to Route 66.

Riverside, California

Riverside is a city with a remarkable combination of history, culture, and natural beauty. Its most notable landmark is the striking Mission Inn Hotel & Spa, established in 1876 and celebrated for its Spanish Mission style design. Other key sites in Riverside include the Riverside Art Museum, the Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture, the Fox Performing Arts Center, and California Citrus State Historic Park.

For those wanting additional natural attractions, nearby Mount Rubidoux’s hiking paths offer sweeping views of the city; Fairmount Park has lakes, scenic trails, and picnic spots; and the University of California Riverside Botanic Gardens features a varied collection of plants and themed gardens.

Lake Matthews Estelle Mountain Reserve

The 13,000-acre Lake Mathews Estelle Mountain Reserve encompasses the protected land surrounding the Lake Mathews reservoir. Created in 1982 and broadened in the early 1990s, it provides an essential habitat for a wide variety of plant and animal species, including over 250 plants, 125 birds, and 35 mammals.

It is particularly significant for hosting a population of the endangered Stephens' kangaroo rat and serving as an important resting and feeding location for migratory birds such as bald eagles, golden eagles, and numerous duck and grebe species during the winter. Lake Mathews reservoir access is restricted to preserve its ecosystem, but the Estelle Mountain region presents its offerings.

The hiking trails throughout the reserve also feature sweeping vistas of the lake, its wildlife, and the Temescal Mountains.

Palomar Mountain

The 6,140-foot Palomar Mountain is an excellent getaway from urban life, which enables visitors to appreciate the region’s natural environment. Its thick pine, fir, and cedar woodlands, along with verdant meadows, provide ideal locations for hiking, camping, and picnicking, and showcase a variety of wildlife. However, the main attraction of Palomar Mountain for many is the Palomar Observatory.

Home to the iconic 200-inch Hale Telescope and managed by the California Institute of Technology, the Palomar Observatory has been a significant site for astronomical research since it opened in 1949. Guests can visit its museum, join guided tours that detail its role in space exploration and observation, or traverse the 4.8-mile Observatory Trail at night to enjoy stargazing in a more natural environment.

San Diego Zoo Safari Park

The San Diego Zoo may be the most famous zoo on Earth, yet it might not even be the best animal attraction in the region. The San Diego Zoo Safari Park in Escondido, California, is run by the same company and provides an unforgettable wildlife experience where you can see the animals in far larger, more faithful recreations of their natural habitats.

Spanning 1,800 acres of undulating hills and open environments that mimic African savannas and Asian grasslands, attendees can embark on guided safari tours, ride the Africa Tram, or stroll along picturesque trails to view rhinos, giraffes, lions, elephants, and more at close range. In addition to animal sightings, the park prioritises conservation and education, contributing to global initiatives to safeguard endangered species.

Guests can even take part in interactive activities such as ziplining, behind-the-scenes safaris, and designated children’s play areas, all set amidst lovely landscapes. With its blend of adventure, education, and natural splendour, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park provides an inspiring outing for families, nature enthusiasts, and wildlife lovers alike.

Final Thoughts On A Perfect Las Vegas To San Diego Road Trip

That concludes our guide to planning a perfect Las Vegas to San Diego road trip itinerary. You should now have all the information you need to make the drive yourself, including when to go, what route to use, how long it will take, and what to see and where to stay along the way.

All you need to do now is work out what to take with you and set your budget, so you can start booking things and looking forward to enjoying it all for yourself as soon as possible. If you need tips on where to stay in Las Vegas, what to see while you’re there, and how to enjoy it all without breaking the bank, we even have guides that can help you out there, too.

Those looking to extend the drive may also find our roster of road trips from San Diego helpful. These include:

A road trip from San Diego to Yosemite National Park

A perfect San Diego to San Francisco road trip