Los Angeles is the perfect road trip launchpad. Within two hours you're in the Mojave Desert watching stars above Joshua Tree, in Santa Barbara wine country, or on the Pacific cliffs of Malibu. Within five, you're at Big Sur, Yosemite, or Las Vegas. Reddit's r/LosAngeles and r/roadtrip communities have tested every route. Here are the 10 they keep recommending.
1. Pacific Coast Highway to Big Sur
Distance from LA: ~320 miles to Big Sur | Drive time: 5–6 hours
Reddit's most iconic road trip recommendation — and the one that defines California driving. Highway 1 north runs from Malibu through Santa Barbara, Pismo Beach, San Luis Obispo, Morro Bay, Hearst Castle, and into the dramatic cliffs and redwood canyons of Big Sur. Stop at McWay Falls — the only waterfall in California that drops directly onto a beach — and eat at Nepenthe with its unbeatable coastal views. Check Caltrans road conditions before every trip — Big Sur sections close frequently after rain. Reddit: "There's no drive in America that beats PCH on a clear day. This is a two-day trip minimum, not a day run."
2. Joshua Tree National Park
Distance from LA: ~140 miles | Drive time: 2–2.5 hours
Reddit's unanimous weekend escape pick. Joshua Tree National Park sits at the intersection of the Mojave and Colorado Deserts — a surreal landscape of twisted Joshua trees, ancient boulder formations, and skies dark enough to make the Milky Way visible by 9 p.m. Hike Barker Dam, scramble through Hidden Valley, and catch sunrise at Keys View overlooking the Coachella Valley. Add Pioneertown — a 1940s Western movie set turned live music venue — 30 minutes from the park. Reddit: "Leave LA at 5 a.m. on Friday, beat traffic completely, and watch the desert sunrise. Joshua Tree on a clear night is genuinely one of the best things in Southern California."
3. Santa Barbara & the Santa Ynez Valley
Distance from LA: ~95 miles | Drive time: ~1.5 hours
Reddit's most recommended day-trip-to-weekend-upgrade. Santa Barbara — California's "American Riviera" — earns its nickname with whitewashed Spanish Colonial architecture, excellent restaurants on State Street, Stearns Wharf, and beaches backed by the Santa Ynez Mountains. Thirty minutes north through the mountains, Solvang serves Danish pastries and cold Scandinavian charm in an unexpected valley setting. The Santa Ynez Valley wine region — Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah — rounds out one of Reddit's most self-contained great trips. Reddit: "Santa Barbara for the night, wine country the next morning, and back in LA by Sunday afternoon. That's the perfect SoCal weekend."
4. Highway 395 & the Eastern Sierras
Distance from LA: ~220 miles to Lone Pine | Drive time: ~3.5 hours
Reddit's most underrated road trip route in California. US-395 north from the LA Basin passes through Victorville, Barstow, and then transforms dramatically — Lone Pine and the Alabama Hills in front of the Sierra Nevada; Bishop for its craft beer and fly-fishing culture; Mammoth Lakes for skiing or summer hiking; and eventually, the ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest where the world's oldest living trees grow above 10,000 feet. Reddit: "Highway 395 is what people mean when they say California has everything. Desert floor to glacier-carved peaks in an afternoon. It's constantly underestimated."
5. Las Vegas
Distance from LA: ~270 miles | Drive time: ~4 hours
Reddit's most debated road trip — controversial because of Barstow, celebrated on arrival. The I-15 northeast to Las Vegas passes the Mojave Desert, Mojave National Preserve, and the iconic Barstow pit stop before delivering you to the Strip. Reddit's consistent tip: drive to Vegas Thursday night, avoid the Friday afternoon I-15 parking lot entirely. The return Sunday is easier than feared. Reddit: "Vegas is best appreciated arriving Thursday at 10 p.m. — the city is perfect, traffic is light, and you have all of Friday. Sunday evening drive home is fine."
6. Yosemite National Park
Distance from LA: ~310 miles | Drive time: ~5.5 hours
The grand California road trip. Reddit recommends building two nights minimum at Yosemite — a single day never does justice to El Capitan, Half Dome, Vernal Falls, and Tunnel View. The standard LA route runs north on I-5 or CA-99 to Merced, then east on CA-140 into the valley. Book accommodation and park entry timed entry permits months in advance — Reddit warns repeatedly that Yosemite's popularity has made last-minute access nearly impossible in peak season. Reddit: "Book your timed entry permit the moment they release. Every Reddit thread about Yosemite ends the same way: 'I wish I'd planned further ahead.'"
7. Palm Springs & the Coachella Valley
Distance from LA: ~110 miles | Drive time: ~1.5–2 hours
Reddit's easiest full-weekend road trip from LA. Palm Springs delivers mid-century modern architecture, the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway rising 8,500 feet into the San Jacinto Mountains, and a desert resort culture with year-round sunshine. Combine with Joshua Tree to the east (45 minutes) for a desert-double-header weekend. Reddit: "Palm Springs on Friday night, tram ride Saturday morning, Joshua Tree Saturday afternoon, home Sunday. That's the perfect two-day desert run from LA."
8. San Diego Road Trip
Distance from LA: ~120 miles | Drive time: ~2 hours (traffic-dependent)
Reddit's sneaky great road trip — often dismissed as too close, consistently praised once people do it. Drop into Encinitas and Del Mar on the way down via the 101 coastal highway, arrive in San Diego for beaches, Balboa Park, the Gaslamp Quarter, or a Padres game. Add a Coronado Island morning and you have a complete weekend. Reddit: "People skip San Diego because they think it's not a real road trip. Those people are wrong. Take the 101 down, not the 5. It's a different drive entirely."
9. Death Valley National Park
Distance from LA: ~270 miles | Drive time: ~3.5 hours
Reddit's pick for the road trip that makes people feel genuinely far from civilization. Death Valley — the hottest, driest, and lowest national park in America — is best visited October through March. Badwater Basin sits 282 feet below sea level; Zabriskie Point turns gold at sunrise; Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes feel Saharan; Dante's View looks down over the basin from a mile-high ridge. Reddit: "Death Valley in November or February is otherworldly. Don't go in summer unless you have a specific reason to survive it."
10. Sedona & the Grand Canyon (Southwest Loop)
Distance from LA: ~480 miles to Sedona | Drive time: ~7 hours
Reddit's ultimate multi-day southwestern road trip from LA. The route runs east through San Bernardino and the Joshua Tree area, northeast through Arizona to Sedona — red rock formations, vortex energy, and exceptional hiking at Cathedral Rock and Devil's Bridge. Add two hours north to Grand Canyon South Rim, explore the rim, and return via Las Vegas for a full loop. Reddit: "Sedona is probably the most scenic place in Arizona and like nowhere else I've ever been. Add it to any Southwest loop from LA — it's always worth the detour."
Reddit's LA Road Trip Survival Guide
- Leave early or very late — every LA road trip begins with escaping the city; aim for 5–6 a.m. or after 8 p.m. on Fridays
- Check road conditions always — PCH, Yosemite, and Death Valley all see weather-related closures; Caltrans QuickMap is the Reddit-recommended tool
- Fill your tank in LA — gas prices drop and availability thins once you're in national park territory
- Book permits in advance — Yosemite timed entry, Joshua Tree campgrounds, and Zion shuttles all require planning that casual visitors underestimate
Los Angeles sits at the center of one of the great road trip networks on earth. Desert, coast, mountains, national parks, and neon cities — all within a tank of gas.
Put the address in. Start driving.
Related Travel Guides
23 Best Things to Do in LA, From Art Museums to Markets, According To Reddit
The Best Hotels on Catalina Island, According To Reddit
The 15 Best Beaches in San Diego, According To Reddit
Disclaimer: Road conditions, park entry requirements, campground reservations, and highway access change frequently. Always check Caltrans QuickMap, Recreation.gov, and individual national park websites before departing. Some routes (Big Sur, Yosemite Tioga Pass) may be closed seasonally. Gas availability is limited in remote areas — fill up before entering national parks.