You can make Phoenix to Las Vegas in about 4.5 hours, but the people who love this drive never do it in one straight shot. At around 300 miles on US-93, it is short enough to start after breakfast and long enough to earn a night somewhere memorable close to the park gates.
Open this route in XCRSNLeaving Phoenix
Aim to clear Phoenix before the morning rush, or after it, never in it. Fill the tank on the edge of town where prices usually drop, set the playlist, and settle in for the first 61 miles to Wickenburg.
The headline stop on this route is Joshua tree forest on US-93. Leave real time for it; it sets the tone for the whole trip.
Wickenburg
Wickenburg sits about 61 miles in. It makes a good spot to stretch, eat something that is not from a gas station, and swap drivers.
Nearby, Route 66 museum in Kingman is worth the short detour if the day is going well.
Kingman, the last stretch
Kingman sits about 193 miles in. It is the natural place to stop for the night: hotels are plentiful, rates beat the big-city ends of the route, and you wake up with the hardest miles already behind you.
Rolling into Las Vegas
The final 107 miles always go faster than you expect. Save a little energy for Hoover Dam bypass bridge; it is a fitting finish.
By the end you will have seen Joshua tree forest on US-93, Route 66 museum in Kingman and Hoover Dam bypass bridge, and you will understand why this corridor is a classic.
When to go and how to pace it
One night is the sweet spot. Kingman, AZ is where most people stay, so book ahead on summer weekends.
Check live gas prices along US-93 before you go; they can swing a lot from one state or county to the next. XCRSN prices every leg for your exact car.
