Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival in Las Vegas
Landing in Las Vegas today, so after you grab your rental car, head straight to check in at your hotel. Once you've settled, cool off with a swim in the pool before heading out to explore the Strip as evening hits. The iconic Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign makes for good photos, and you can catch the free Bellagio fountain show or watch the Mirage volcano. If you want to spend extra, the Stratosphere Tower or High Roller wheel are there too.
Optional Activities
- Visit Stratosphere Tower
- Ride High Roller observation wheel
- View Bellagio fountain show
- Watch Mirage volcano eruption
Landmarks/POIs Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign The Stratosphere Tower High Roller Bellagio Fountains The Mirage The Venetian Luxor Paris Las Vegas 
- Day 2
Las Vegas
Today's about wandering through Vegas's themed hotels and getting a feel for how wild they are. Walk through the Venetian with its canal replicas, check out the Luxor's Egyptian vibe, or see the Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas. If you're into history, the Neon Museum has over 200 original signs from Vegas's glory days, and they light them up in the evening which is worth seeing.
Optional Activities
- Explore The Venetian themed canals
- Visit Luxor Hotel
- Explore Paris Las Vegas
- Visit Neon Museum
Landmarks/POIs The Venetian Luxor Paris Las Vegas Neon Museum - Day 3
Las Vegas
You can spend the day relaxing by the pool with sunscreen and a smoothie, or head to Downtown Vegas and Fremont Street instead. The neon lights down there are great, plus there's live DJs and free light shows starting at 6 pm. Check out the Golden Gate and Golden Nugget casinos for that classic Vegas feel. Another option is taking a day trip to the Grand Canyon if you want to see something totally different.
Optional Activities
- Visit Fremont Street Downtown Vegas
- Explore Golden Gate Casino
- Explore Golden Nugget Casino
- Day trip to Grand Canyon
Landmarks/POIs Fremont Street Golden Gate Casino Golden Nugget Grand Canyon - Day 4
Las Vegas to Los Angeles
Drive from Las Vegas to Los Angeles today, roughly 4 hours. Once you arrive, head to Beverly Hills and then take the legendary Mulholland Drive through the hills for those winding road views. Stop at the Walk of Fame to see all those pink stars, then make your way to Griffith Observatory. The sunset views from there combine city lights with the Hollywood Sign visible in the distance, so it's a solid spot to end the day.
Optional Activities
- Visit Beverly Hills
- Drive Mulholland Drive
- Visit Walk of Fame
- Hike to Hollywood Sign
- Visit Griffith Observatory
Landmarks/POIs Beverly Hills Mulholland Drive Walk of Fame Hollywood Sign Griffith Observatory 
- Day 5
Los Angeles
Head to Santa Monica Pier in the morning and spend time on the Ferris wheel and roller coaster with the Pacific Ocean as your backdrop. The wooden pier itself is worth photographing, and the ocean views are nice. After lunch, drive over to Venice Beach and walk along Ocean Front Walk to see the street performers, bodybuilders at Muscle Beach, and all the graffiti art. There's plenty of cafes and restaurants scattered around to grab food.
Optional Activities
- Visit Santa Monica Pier
- Ride Santa Monica Pier Ferris wheel
- Ride Santa Monica Pier roller coaster
- Visit Venice Beach
- Explore Muscle Beach
- Walk Ocean Front Walk
Landmarks/POIs Santa Monica Pier Venice Beach Muscle Beach Ocean Front Walk 
- Day 6
Los Angeles
Today you choose between relaxing on the beach or exploring the city. Venice Beach has that iconic cult vibe, or Malibu Beach offers endless sandy shores if you want something quieter. If city exploration sounds better, head to Downtown L.A. to see the futuristic Disney Concert Hall surrounded by skyscrapers, then walk through Union Station which is a beautiful historic spot that shows up in movies all the time.
Optional Activities
- Visit Venice Beach
- Visit Malibu Beach
- Visit Disney Concert Hall
- Visit Union Station
Landmarks/POIs Venice Beach Malibu Beach Walt Disney Concert Hall Union Station - Day 7
Los Angeles to San Diego
Spend your final L.A. morning at Venice Beach watching the bodybuilders, street artists, and skateboarders do their thing. Then drive down to San Diego, which takes about 2.5 hours. Once you're there, either explore the Gaslamp Quarter for neon signs and rooftop bars with live music, or hang out at Seaport Village where you can grab a burrito and watch the sunset over sailboats on the water.
Optional Activities
- Visit Venice Beach
- Visit Malibu Beach
- Explore Gaslamp Quarter
- Visit Seaport Village
Landmarks/POIs Venice Beach Malibu Beach Gaslamp Quarter Seaport Village 
- Day 8
San Diego
Drive to La Jolla to see the turquoise water, sea lions lounging on rocks, and those dramatic cliffs. Walk down to La Jolla Cove and you can either relax or paddle out by kayak to explore sea caves if you want (you'll pay for that at the site). Grab some tacos and cold brew for lunch, then head to Torrey Pines for a short hike with Pacific Ocean views and the sound of waves crashing below.
Optional Activities
- Visit La Jolla Cove
- Kayak through sea caves
- Hike Torrey Pines
Landmarks/POIs La Jolla Cove Torrey Pines Shore Rider - Day 9
Departure from San Diego
Your last morning in California, so grab one final coffee with a view and take any last photos you need. Drive back to the airport and return your rental car. Check in for your flight, then head through security. As you take off, you'll see the entire coastline and landscape shrink below you, giving you time to think back on everything you've seen and done.
- Day 10
Arrival Home
Your plane lands and you're back home. Collect your luggage and you're ready to start telling everyone about your road trip. All those memories from Vegas to San Diego are fresh in your head and ready to share with friends and family.
