In this post I’ll be covering day three of our trip:

Paso Robles, CA → Tucson, AZ

On the third day of our trip, we really wanted to have time to stop and sight see. We set out extra early and were able to make a few stops along the way! Our original plan was to stop in Blythe, CA. but we decided to drive late into the night to make it to Tucson, AZ.

Here’s the route we took:

We had a few stops in mind for day three, so we checked out of our hotel at 8 am, grabbed breakfast, and headed out. Our first stop was Santa Monica, to see the pier, but unfortunately it was foggy so we couldn’t see much. We grabbed lunch, got gas, then began the trip to our next stop: Blythe, CA. There, we got dinner and gas, then drove well into the night to get to Tucson.

Be sure to check the weather if you plan to stop at the pier. And if you have the time to stop and explore, there are tons of family friendly activities in the area. We didn’t make any more stops between Santa Monica, CA. and Tucson, AZ. (other than to get food and gas) but there were a few cool places along the way!

My biggest tip would be to make sure you won’t be travelling through Los Angeles during rush hour. We spent nearly 2 hours trying to get through the city on our trip and it really pushed us back schedule wise. So, be sure to check traffic times before you start your trip!

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Recommendations

Gas Stations/Travel Centers:

• Chevron – 1866 Lincoln Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90404
• Chevron – 321 S Lovekin Blvd, Blythe, CA 92225

Food:

• McDonald’s – 1540 2nd St, Santa Monica, CA 90405
• Pier Burger – 330 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, CA 90401
• Subway – 650 W Donlon St, Blythe, CA 92225
• Denny’s – 876 W Donlon St, Blythe, CA 92225

Hotels:

• La Quinta Inn & Suites – 6020 W Hospitality Rd, Tucson, AZ 85743 )free wi-fi, free breakfast, pet friendly)
• Holiday Inn Express & Suites – 8373 North Cracker Barrel, Tucson, AZ 85743 9 (free wi-fi, free breakfast, no pets allowed)
• Comfort Inn & Suites – 8425 N Cracker Barrel Rd, Tucson, AZ 85743 (free wi-fi, free breakfast, no pets allowed)

*We stayed at La Quinta Inn and our room was phenomenal! The beds had really cool back lighting and our room even had neon lights you could turn on, which our oldest daughter loved. We loved our stay here the most!

Things to See & Do:

• Santa Monica Pier – 200 Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica, CA 90401
• TCL Chinese Theatre – 6925 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028
• Hollywood Walk of Fame – N Highland Ave & Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028
• Madame Tussauds Hollywood – 6933 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028

Suggestions

• Try to get everything done in one stop (eating, restroom break, getting gas). It will definitely make the trip go a lot smoother.
• Don’t make hotel reservations ahead of time. Road trips can have lots of unexpected delays, so wait until you’re close to your nightly stop before booking your room for the night.
• Plan your trip accordingly, as to avoid LA traffic. Leave early and if you happen to get to LA around rush hour, stop and sight see to kill some time.
• The trip from Blythe, CA. to Phoenix, AZ. is pretty bland. There will be less chances to stop as well, so be sure to fill up with gas before you reach a quarter tank; gas stations are sparse.

And there you have it. My “Road Trippin'” series has come to an end. I hope this series of posts was helpful for you all!