Grand Canyon to Malibu Beach

Half way points: As suggested earlier, I really like a night or two in Las Vegas. That still leaves 281 miles to the San Fernando Valley, so about 310 miles to Malibu. Calico Ghost Town KOA is right off the 15 near Barstow. It is large, and kept very nice. It is a dirt and gravel campground. We've stayed there many years ago when we used to take the kids to Calico, but we still drive by it regularly and it is still well kept. From Calico to Malibu will be perhaps a 3 hour drive, depending again on traffic once you hit the city.

HighwayJunky wrote:
Thanks for all the advise and based on the comments I might need to plan for a second day of travel from Grand Canyon to Malibu..Any suggestions where to stay at a halfway point?

Also living in Los Angeles. Also recently done the same trip. I agree with the folks who suggest two days. We personally do it in three. I however recommend a longer first day drive in your case to just outside LA. Finish the last 25% on day two. This also makes it easier to enter LA just after the morning rush.

Happy travels.

Check out Desert Willow RV Resort in Hesperia, CA. Easy highway access, clean, reasonable rates.

Thanks for all the advise and based on the comments I might need to plan for a second day of travel from Grand Canyon to Malibu..Any suggestions where to stay at a halfway point?

I have done that trip many times from my home in the Malibu Hills. From your side take 40 west to Barstow then 15 south to Victorville then 18 west, 18 will have a detour in Phelan not bad at all, continue to 138 west to 14 south to 5 south stay to right and merge to 405 south thru San Fernando valley to 101 west exit at Las Virgenes/ Malibu Canyon rd. Turn left south to PCH HWY1 turn right in a few miles park will be on right. If it was me I would leave from your direction at 4am if you drive straight thru you should have little traffic. Under No Circumstance try to go over Kanan rd. no vehicles over 8000lbs or 2 axles are permitted no exceptions.

From your signature it appears that you might be retired and have plenty of time. Why not do the drive in at least two days and enjoy some spots along the way?

Even your planned couple of days at the Grand Canyon from Williams is not enough time to really enjoy the park. If you're taking the train you'll only be there a few hours.

I live in LA, the biggest problem is going to be the amount of traffic coming into the LA basin. I'm not talking about congestion, the problem is you be fatigued as it is driving rural highways, once you enter the Socal region, it turns into traffic mayhem! You'll discover 4 to 8 lanes across, people driving like absolute maniacs! It can be very stressful! Ultimately, you will end up in West LA on the 10 freeway, on PCH at Santa Monica in horrible traffic, you will hate it.

That's too far a drive for me, but it can be done. I would, and have, headed north at Kingman, Arizona to Las Vegas. It is a very nice mostly divided highway and with the bridge you no longer have to cross the Dam. Then head west on the I-15. Take the I-15 to the 210 West to catch the 405 to Malibu. Mileage wise it is a long drive. If you hit traffic it becomes a very long drive. Sunday from LV to LA can be horrible. If you hit rush hour on the 210 you will crawl for a long way, but the chance is less than the other inbound freeways. The 405 over the Santa Monica Mountains to the coast is usually packed, and often worse than packed. We usually plan on an hour to 1.5 hr drive from our home to LAX, 30 miles away.
Personally, I'd do Grand Canyon to Las Vegas. Enjoy the evening. Then head for the coast early on a weekday morning, reaching the 210 about noon to 1pm.
Enjoy.

Ke 101 to Canyon Drive which brings you out by Pepperdine and then a short hop to Malibu RV on PCH 1.Check the map for exact name of that cut across.

Barryrv wrote:
First time to drive any significant distance. Planning to visit Grand Canyon Railway Park staying a few days then proceeding from GC to Malibu Beach RV California in ONE DAY...Seems like a lot of miles and not knowing what to expect, wondering if anyone else has made this trip and If you forsee any issues for us other than simply the distance?

468 miles is a long day but not an impossible day. The problem might be the timing. Traffic is TERRIBLE in the area of CA you plan to travel any time of day but goes to HE77 in the late afternoon. That's 7 hours of driving assuming you don't take a single break. My guess is that you will need at least one and like a couple of breaks so that means this is an all day drive and if you leave Williams, AZ around 9 you will be "IN IT" when you get to CA with little or no chance of getting to your destination at a reasonable time of day.