A Long Weekend From LA: Vegas to the Canyon
Three days out of LA is the version most people actually mean when they say “Vegas and the Grand Canyon.” This route drives to Las Vegas first (270 miles, 4 to 4.5 hours), then day-trips to the Grand Canyon’s West Rim rather than the South Rim, since the South Rim alone is an 8 to 8.5 hour drive from LA and would consume this entire trip on its own. If LA itself is still on your list, see the Los Angeles guide for that separately; this route assumes you have already covered the city.
Book these before you go
- Reserve a rental car before you land; you need it for all 3 days.
- Check Las Vegas hotel rates ; you are staying 2 nights here, and weekend prices move fast.
- Book a Grand Canyon West Rim tour in advance if you want the Skywalk itself; walk-up Skywalk slots sell out on busy weekends.
Day 1: LA to Las Vegas
Depart mid-morning to clear the Inland Empire and Cajon Pass before Friday afternoon traffic sets in. Route 66 fans can swing through historic Barstow for a short stretch of the old alignment before rejoining I-15 north.
Budget 4 to 4.5 hours of driving, plus stops. Check into your Vegas hotel with the afternoon still ahead of you and spend the evening on the Strip; save your energy for an early start tomorrow.
Day 2: Vegas to the Grand Canyon West Rim and Back
This is a genuine day trip, not a side errand: 125 miles and 2 to 2.5 hours each way on US-93, passing the Hoover Dam en route. Leave by 7am to get a full afternoon at the rim rather than a rushed hour before the drive back.
The West Rim, on Hualapai land, is a different place from the South Rim you have seen in photos: less forest, more open desert, and the glass Skywalk if you booked it. General admission runs $67, the Skywalk add-on brings it to roughly $99 to $113 with taxes. Drive back to Vegas for a second night; do not attempt this leg and the return to LA in the same day.
Day 3: Las Vegas to LA
A relaxed morning, since yesterday’s early start earned it, then start the drive home by early afternoon to beat Sunday evening traffic on I-15 into LA. Budget the same 4 to 4.5 hours as Day 1, more if the Cajon Pass is backed up.
| Day | Focus | Drive Time |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | LA to Las Vegas | 4-4.5h |
| Day 2 | Vegas to Grand Canyon West Rim, round trip | 2-2.5h each way |
| Day 3 | Las Vegas to LA | 4-4.5h |
Is the West Rim the “Real” Grand Canyon?
It is a real part of the canyon, just not the one on most postcards. The South Rim has the classic wide views and the historic lodges, but it is 8 to 8.5 hours from LA on its own. The West Rim trades some of that scenery for reachability: a 2 to 2.5 hour hop from Vegas instead of a second multi-day trip.
What if I Want the South Rim Instead?
Then this 3 day version will not work; the South Rim needs its own 2 day round trip from LA at minimum, on top of whatever time you spend once there. Extend to the 7 day itinerary or plan the South Rim as a separate trip entirely.
For a shorter version that skips the canyon detour, see the 2 day itinerary . To keep going past Vegas into Death Valley and Utah, see the 4 day , 5 day , and 6 day itineraries, or the full guide for all 7 road trips out of LA.