Texas to California Road Trip Itinerary
Texas to California Road Trip Itinerary Overview
This road trip takes you from the historic heart of Texas to the Pacific Ocean, combining culture, canyon country, and iconic desert landscapes. Begin in San Antonio with two easy-to-pair highlights: The Alamo for a quick, meaningful look at Texas history, and the San Antonio River Walk for a scenic stroll along shaded paths and bridges through downtown.
Head west into wide-open country toward Guadalupe Mountains National Park, where big desert views and challenging but rewarding trails showcase a wilder side of Texas. Next, dive underground at Carlsbad Caverns National Park to experience massive chambers and intricate formations, then continue to White Sands National Park for a completely different desert—brilliant white gypsum dunes that glow at sunset.
As you push into Arizona, Saguaro National Park delivers the classic Sonoran Desert scene with towering cacti and scenic drives, followed by Sedona’s Cathedral Rock for unforgettable red-rock vistas and a short, steep hike with huge payoff. The journey builds to a major centerpiece at Grand Canyon National Park (South Rim), where rim viewpoints and accessible trails reveal one of the world’s most dramatic landscapes. Finally, cross into California for Joshua Tree National Park’s surreal boulder fields and distinctive trees, then wrap up at Santa Monica Pier—an iconic, celebratory finish on the edge of the Pacific.
