This part of the world will be on every bucket list: a road trip to the west coast of USA, past all those sights! That’s why I’ve listed them for you. These are the most beautiful natural wonders, national parks and cities that you simply cannot miss. We drove straight through the forests, deserts and prairies in the states of Utah, Arizona, Nevada and California. And we did that with a beautifully colored camper! You know, one that you can convert with a tent on the roof! Would you like to make such a road trip yourself? We got the cheapest deal at Escape Campervans USA!
10. Horseshoe Bend, Colorado River
You really have to be in the United States for these kinds of views. The landscape in this part of America is rugged, with a hidden natural wonder here and there. The Colorado River makes a bend in the shape of a horseshoe here, hence the name. So be sure to stop on highway 89, just after Lake Powell on the road to Flagstaff. The Horseshoe Bend is a 5 minute walk up the road there and you can just stand on the edge and take this amazing photo.
9. Death Valley
Of all the West Coast USA sights, Death Valley is perhaps the most special. The name actually says it all: any form of life is virtually impossible here. With the exception of a few cactus, it is simply too dry and too hot for plants to grow. We jump here for a reason, because we are at the lowest point below sea level in all of North America. Our feet almost burned on the boiling hot salt flats!
8 . Antelope Canyon
Not far from Horseshoe Bend, my number 10, you will find another hidden natural wonder. It is not visible at all on the surface! There is a crack in the earth of about 200 meters between Lake Powell and Page. At a depth of 30 meters you can walk the entire stretch through the gorge. Mother nature has really made this a masterpiece, because the various rock formations have bizarre shapes. In the photo we see the ‘Lady in the Wind’. Do you understand him?
7 . Bryce Canyon
In this list we are of course also looking for places that are unique and that you would recognize in any picture out of thousands of places. A true West Coast USA sight that has that quality is Bryce Canyon. Hundreds of stone pillars and natural bridges make this a kind of moonscape between forest and desert. You can spend the night here, take breathtaking walks and watch the most beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Pure romance!
6. Sin City: Las Vegas
A place that has stolen my heart forever. A true hate-it-or-love-it destination. And in my case? I love it! Many people may have the impression in advance that this would be too American or too massive. We experienced this very differently. Las Vegas is actually a pleasant village, where there is a fair 365 days a year! Okay, a very big fair then. If you want to experience it as we do, then I arecommend you the hotel Elles Island Casino. There is a small casino, restaurant, a fantastic karaoke bar and you can get dozens of specialty beers for little money! The only brewery in Las Vegas is located in the hotel and during Football matches all beers are one buck per half liter!
5. San Francisco
San Francisco is often the start or end point of a road trip along the West Coast of the USA. In addition to picking up the car, I would definitely plan a few days to get to know this city. This is the most progressive and hip city in the United States! Here are the must-dos:
Alcatraz
Formerly the most secure prison in the USA and now one of the biggest attractions in the country. Until 1963, the biggest gangsters such as Al Capone were locked up here. It is best to book your tickets months in advance, because this is obviously popular!
Golden Gate Bridge
Already impressive during the day, the bridge that connects San Francisco with Marin County; but be sure to look at this beautiful illuminated metal wonder in the dark. Perhaps the most famous bridge in the world?
Fisherman’s Wharf
This is the San Francisco area with countless restaurants, shops and attractions. In the colonial past, this was a true pirate’s lair, where sailors enjoyed a night out. You can also spot seals here; take a short walk to pier 39.
China Town
San Francisco has the oldest and most traditional Chinatown in the USA. That is not surprising, since the first Asian immigrants landed here after their journey across the Pacific Ocean.
San Francisco Cable Car
Finally, you haven’t been to San Francisco if you haven’t ridden the legendary streetcar. The hilly streets and typical terraced houses are a major attraction!
4. Zion
The true highlights of the West Coast USA are the national parks. The nature here is so unique and so different per region that you have to visit several to get an impression. Zion is a very diverse park full of forests, mountains, canyons and amazing views.
When choosing a walk you will find that you can never see everything. Do you want a little bit of everything and still have a walk that is easy to do in terms of length? Then I would choose Angels Landing. This is about 8 km long and therefore not too busy with other tourists.
3. Yosemite
At number 3 we find an iconic and unique park, which seems to have been taken straight from a Bob Ross painting. The smell of Yosemite alone is one you will never forget. When you think of the first settlers crossing the mountains on foot, setting up camp, chasing away bears and roasting fish over a fire: that is Yosemite!
It could hardly be more romantic when we drive the camper over a mountain pass into the park and wake up the next morning with a view of a clear blue lake between the mountains.
By car or on foot you can visit waterfalls, the Half Dome and the most beautiful view of Glacier Point (see photo).
2. Monument Valley
As far as I’m concerned, it’s the picture postcard of the Wild West. Here you can see it all in front of you: the cowboys and Indians trotting across the prairie on horseback. This landscape has been used in hundreds of Western films as the ultimate setting for a story from the seventeenth or eighteenth century and the origins of the USA. These parks have now rightly been returned to the hands of the former Native American people, in this case the Navajo Indians. A tour through their landscape is enchanting.
Wout of the World also made an episode about this special part of the USA. Watch the video of Monument Valley here!
1. The view of views: Grand Canyon
So for the true number one of all West Coast USA sights. There is no denying this one. Literally, by the way, because the greatest natural wonder on our planet is the Grand Canyon, which extends over three different states: Nevada, Arizona and Utah. The legendary Colorado River flows at the bottom of the gorge and hundreds of meters above it you can enjoy a thousand different viewpoints. The Grand Canyon is so big that you will never actually see it completely.
For a visit, I recommend visiting the south side. This way you have the sun at your back and you don’t have to look into the sun with your camera with every photo you take. We wake up just before sunrise at the Desert View Watch Tower, an amazing lookout point. A little further on you can take the beautiful South Kaibab Hike downhill. This way you really see more of the Grand Canyon, including Ooh Aah Point. This point is often called the most beautiful part of the Canyon, where you will say ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ at the amazing view.
Just outside the top 10, as a bonus…
Places that are also definitely worth a visit, but just outside my top 10:
- Arches National Park, Utah
- Napa Valley, California
- Lake Tahoe, California
- Los Angeles, California (see photo).
That’s it for this top 10 for an unforgettable road trip along the West Coast of the USA. We exchanged the United States from Los Angeles for a tiny island near Honduras. What a contrast! Watch the video of our trip with a mini plane to the island of Roatan in Honduras here.
