Campervan and RV Rental Los Angeles — Pacific Coast Highway, Joshua Tree and Tips for 2027

Los Angeles is the starting point for two classic drives: north along the Pacific Coast Highway, and east into the deserts of Joshua Tree and Death Valley. The rental depots are in the wider metropolitan area, not on the beach, so you pick the campervan up and leave the city quickly. The city itself is hard going for a large vehicle: traffic is heavy, parking garages have low clearances and overnight rules are strict. This guide covers routes, overnight stops and the costs guests often forget. For general advice on renting in the United States, see our guide for European visitors.

Routes from Los Angeles

• The Pacific Coast Highway north (Highway 1): Malibu, then Santa Barbara, about 150 km and two hours away, and on to Big Sur, a further day. Los Angeles to San Francisco along the coast is about 720 km. Landslides regularly close sections of Highway 1 in Big Sur, so check the Caltrans QuickMap before and during the trip.
• Joshua Tree National Park (about 210 km, two and a half hours): rocks and desert, with a campground inside the park. On the way, Palm Springs is about 170 km from Los Angeles.
• Death Valley (about 470 km, five hours): the hottest and driest national park in the United States. In summer only a few campgrounds stay open because of the heat.
• San Diego (about 190 km, two hours): the coast road leads past Orange County's beaches; state beach campgrounds fill up quickly in summer.
• Further east: Las Vegas is about 435 km away; see our guide to campervan hire in Las Vegas.

Where to stay overnight

• State beach and county campgrounds. They have the best locations by the sea and are booked months ahead for summer weekends.
• National park campgrounds. In Joshua Tree and Death Valley you book online; in winter and spring the popular ones are full.
• Private RV parks. They have full hookups: electricity, water and sewer. Near the coast a night often costs more than US$100.
• No wild camping. Sleeping in a vehicle on the street, at the beach or in a car park is restricted in Los Angeles and in most coastal towns, and it is fined. The City of Los Angeles bans RV parking between 2 am and 6 am on a list of streets, and on parts of the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu overnight parking is banned between 10 pm and 5 am.

Driving and costs that guests forget

• Traffic. Freeways are jammed at rush hours. Plan long legs for the middle of the day and leave the city before 7 am or after 9 am.
• Vehicle size. A typical American Class C motorhome is seven to nine metres long and more than three and a half metres high. A smaller campervan is easier on narrow coastal roads and in car parks. Watch out for low bridges and tunnels.
• Tolls and express lanes. Some freeway lanes around Los Angeles are paid electronically. The rental company bills the charge afterwards, usually with a fee.
• Mileage and generator. American rental companies often charge separately for miles above the included allowance and for generator hours. Read the quote to the end.
• Wildfires. In late summer and autumn, hot dry winds raise the risk of fires, which close roads and campgrounds. Have a plan B for your route.

When to go

Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the best times: pleasant temperatures on the coast and bearable heat in the desert. In June the coast is often under fog. Summer is the high season, with the highest prices and a desert too hot for comfort. Winter is mild on the coast but rainy, with a greater risk of landslides.

A campervan in Los Angeles through Crystalium Booker

We are still building our campervan offer in Los Angeles. Send us your dates and group size through the contact page and we will look for a vehicle for you, and keep an eye on the campervans in Los Angeles page for new listings. Do you rent out a campervan in or around Los Angeles? List it with us.