There is something about the American Southwest that stops you cold. I grew up on the East Coast and spent most of my life surrounded by trees, lakes, and seasons. Nothing prepared me for the moment we crossed into New Mexico and the landscape opened up into something that looked like another planet. In this post I am sharing a collection of trips we have taken to the Southwest USA to help you plan your next adventure.
Cactus as far as you could see. Mountains turning pink in the sunset. White sand dunes glowing in the evening light. Colors I had never seen outside of a photograph. These are some of the experiences we had when visiting the Southwest.
We planned our Southwest road trip as a bucket list family vacation and it became one of the best trips we have ever taken. Years later we are still talking about it. And California has pulled us back three separate times, each trip completely different, each one worth every mile from Rochester.
The Southwest is the part of the United States that surprises East Coast families the most. The culture, the food, the landscapes, the history, it is unlike anywhere else in this country and it rewards families who make the effort to get there.
Part of our USA Destinations Guide: Family Travel Across America — our complete hub for every US destination we have covered as a family.
Family Travel Destinations in the Southwest We’ve Visited
This guide covers everything we have experienced across the Southwest, organized by destination. Every post linked here is from a real family trip. If we went, I wrote about it.
The Southwest Road Trip
If you are planning your first Southwest family trip, start with the road trip. It is the best way to experience the region because the drive itself is part of the adventure.
The landscape changes so dramatically from state to state. Desert to mountains to cactus fields to white sand dunes to the Pacific coast. The hours between destinations feel as memorable as the destinations themselves.
We flew into Albuquerque, New Mexico and drove west through New Mexico and Arizona before finishing in Southern California. It was 9 days and covered more ground than any trip we had taken before. It remains one of our favorite family travel experiences.
9-Day Southwest USA Road Trip Itinerary: Our complete day-by-day road trip guide including where we stayed, what we did, honest tips from the road, and everything you need to plan your own version of this trip.
A few things we learned planning a Southwest road trip from the East Coast:
- Fly into the city closest to your first destination, we flew into Albuquerque but would fly into El Paso next time to shorten the Day 1 drive to White Sands
- Rent a larger vehicle than you think you need, hours in a car with five people and luggage requires space
- Get on the road early every day, the East Coast time advantage is real, you wake up naturally on East Coast time and beat traffic and crowds at every stop
- Plan a mix of driving days and slow days. Don’t try to cover ground and see major attractions on the same day
New Mexico
New Mexico was the biggest surprise of our entire Southwest trip. I did not know what to expect and what we found was completely extraordinary. The landscape between Albuquerque and White Sands alone, mountains giving way to desert, desert giving way to white sand, is worth the trip.
White Sands National Park
White Sands is unlike anything I have ever experienced and I mean that without exaggeration. Miles of pure white gypsum sand dunes stretching in every direction, completely silent, completely unlike any landscape on the East Coast. We arrived late in the afternoon and caught the most spectacular sunset of our lives.
If you go, bring your own sleds or buy them before you enter the park. The gift shop closes early and park sleds are expensive. And go as close to sunset as you can. The light on those dunes in the evening is something I will never forget.
Guide to White Sands Sledding in New Mexico: Everything you need to know before your visit, including sledding tips and the best time of day to go.
Arizona
Arizona was where the landscape truly shifted into something otherworldly for our East Coast family. The cactus was everywhere, not just in parks, but lining the highway for hundreds of miles. I was genuinely not prepared for how dramatic and beautiful it was.
Tucson
Tucson was a one-night stop on our road trip and we wished we had more time. Old Tucson, a working film studio and western town, was a fun and unique stop, especially for kids who love movies and history. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is the real standout though. It is part zoo, part botanical garden, part natural history museum, and one of the best things we did on the entire Southwest trip.
2-Day Tucson Itinerary for a Quick Getaway– Our full Tucson guide including Old Tucson, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, where to eat, and tips for a short stay.
Nevada & Las Vegas
Las Vegas was a natural road trip stop on the way from Utah to California and it surprised our whole family. There is genuinely a lot for families to do beyond the casino floor, the strip itself is fascinating to walk, the Hoover Dam is an incredible day trip, and combining it with Zion National Park makes for one of the best 4–5 day itineraries in the Southwest.
Las Vegas
Las Vegas Itinerary 4 Days: Las Vegas with Kids– Our complete Las Vegas family itinerary including a day at Zion National Park, a Hoover Dam day trip, and how to navigate the strip with kids.
Utah
Zion National Park was one of the most beautiful places we have ever been as a family. The scale of the canyon walls, the color of the red rock, the Virgin River running through the valley floor — it is the kind of place that makes you feel small in the best possible way. If you only have time for one national park in the Southwest, make it Zion.
Zion National Park
1 Day Zion National Park Itinerary: How to Maximize Your Time– Our full day-by-day guide to making the most of 24 hours in Zion, including the best trails for families with kids.
California
California has called us back three times and each trip has been completely different. Our first visit was the final stretch of our Southwest road trip, ending in Carlsbad with Disneyland and LEGOLAND.
Our second trip was theme-park focused with more time at Disneyland and Universal Hollywood.
Our third trip added more of Los Angeles. The Academy of Motion Pictures, Griffith Observatory, Warner Bros. Studio Tour, the Hollywood Bowl, and showed us a completely different side of Southern California.
California is the destination that rewards repeat visits more than any other place we have traveled. There is simply too much to do in one trip and each time we go we find something new.
Southern California
Southern California Itinerary: What to Do and Where to Stay: Our most comprehensive California post, covering all three of our trips in detail. If you are planning a Southern California vacation this is your starting point. Includes Disneyland, Disney California Adventure, Universal Studios Hollywood, Los Angeles, Carlsbad, and more.
Disneyland & California Adventure:
- Best Things to Do at the Disneyland Resort
- 1-Day Disneyland CA Itinerary
- 1-Day California Adventure Itinerary
- Disneyland and California Adventure: 2 Parks in 1 Day
- Disneyland vs. Universal Studios Hollywood: Which is Best?
- Courtyard Anaheim Theme Park Entrance Review
Universal Studios Hollywood:
Carlsbad, CA:
- 3 Night Carlsbad CA Itinerary
- First Time Tips for LEGOLAND California
- West Inn and Suites Carlsbad Review
Roadside Stops:
- Cabazon Dinosaurs: California Roadside Attraction — A fun road trip stop between the desert and Anaheim. The giant T-Rex and Brontosaurus are genuinely impressive and the film history connection (Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, The Wizard) makes it worth a stop.
Southwest Road Trip Planning Tips
After one multi-state road trip and three California trips, here is what we know about planning a Southwest family vacation from the East Coast:
Use the time change to your advantage. East Coast families wake up naturally 2–3 hours ahead of local time for the first few days. Use this tip and you will be at trailheads and park entrances before crowds arrive and get on the road before traffic builds.
Book accommodations that work for families. We consistently chose Springhill Suites and Courtyard Marriott properties for the Southwest because they offer suite-style rooms, breakfast, and pools. The combination that makes multi-night stays with kids comfortable without spending resort prices.
Plan driving days around destination days. On days with 3+ hours of driving, plan something quick and easy at your destination, a hotel pool, a quick dinner, an early night. Save the big attractions for days when you arrive rested.
Rent a bigger car than you think you need. We learned this the hard way. Five people, luggage, and snacks for 9 days in an SUV is tight. Minivan or large SUV if you are a family of four or more.
Fly into different airports. We flew into one city and out of another on our road trip- Albuquerque in, San Diego out. It opens up a much better route and saves you from backtracking. Small California airports (Long Beach, John Wayne/Santa Ana, San Diego, Ontario) are dramatically easier than LAX for families.
Build in rest days. The Southwest is physically demanding- heat, high altitude, long drives, big hikes. A slow hotel day mid-trip pays dividends in energy and mood for the second half. We never regret the rest days.
Final Thoughts
The Southwest changed how our family thinks about travel. Growing up on the East Coast, the idea that somewhere this different, this dramatic, and this beautiful existed within the same country felt almost impossible until we actually drove through it. White Sands at sunset. Cactus stretching to every horizon in Arizona. The walls of Zion rising straight up from the valley floor. La Jolla seals barking on the beach.
These are the memories our family will carry for the rest of our lives. If the Southwest is on your bucket list, stop waiting. It is worth every mile.
Looking for more USA travel inspiration? Visit our USA Destinations Guide for every destination we have covered across the country. Also check out our Theme Park Guide for Disneyland, Universal Hollywood, and LEGOLAND California.
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Leah has been traveling with her family of 5 since 2012 and sharing her expertise on planning family vacations and visiting theme parks since 2016. Leah has been featured in Visit Rochester, Undercover Tourist, and Home Publications. She has worked with brands like Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, Hersheypark, Toyota, and various Tourism boards and destinations. Leah creates family travel itineraries based on real trip experiences with her family. Her guides and tips help others plan great family vacations. Learn more about Leah and Five for the Road.