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While I didn’t exactly drive to nowhere (2 US National Parks), I did partner with Aussie-based Travellers Autobarn to hire a campervan and jump on the #vanlife craze. They have rental hubs in the western part of the US, so if you’re dying to visit any of the beautiful National Parks or beaches out in that direction, Travellers Autobarn has got you covered with convenient locations in Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Our Kuga campervan was a 2012 Chevy 2500 panel van that Travellers Autobarn converted into a campervan. We really don’t think the whole process of campervan hire could have been any easier, and we’re very grateful to Travellers Autobarn for facilitating our trip!

One of the most iconic road trips in the world is the one up Highway 1 & 101 along the California coast, and in this post you’ll read about the best stops on Pacific Coast Highway. These are my absolute best recommendations for the best stops on Pacific Coast Highway on a road trip from Los Angeles to San Luis Obispo. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links, at no cost to you Start off your road trip at one of the best stops on Pacific Coast Highway, the famous (and fun) Santa Monica Pier. El Matador is one of the most photographed beaches and is definitely one of the best stops on Pacific Coast Highway in Southern California.

To Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles Drive your own car: you can access the Observatory by the Fern Dell, Hillhurst, or Vermont entrances off of Los Feliz Blvd. LA Metro Bus 96: The LA Metro 96 bus runs through the eastern end of Griffith Park, so while it doesn’t go directly to the Observatory, it stops at at few points within the park that could connect you to the Parkline (mentioned below) or to a rideshare to take you the rest of the way. If you hike to the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, it’s best to do it in the cooler times of day or year. If you want to ride the DASH bus or Parkline Shuttle, you can park throughout most of Griffith Park for free.

I can’t talk about Bombay Beach without giving a quick history lesson about the Salton Sea; so, the Salton Sea was a nasty accident. Away from many prying eyes or any type of homeowner’s association, they’ve begun to turn some of the town’s decay into art installations. The Bombay Beach Bienniale is a recently imagined annual event, a poor man’s Burning Man of sorts where artists, locals, volunteers, and visitors get together for a full weekend of creating and showcasing art. There’s one particular “city block” that has been taken completely over by artists, where some of the hollowed-out buildings have been painted in different colors, had things strung up from the ceilings (such as dozens of toilet brushes in a very green bathroom), and had a swimming pool of brown carpet filled with tiny plastic baby toys.