We’ve always loved going on road trips. It’s been an economical way to make the most of each vacation since we live in Hawaii and must always make the long trip over to the U.S. mainland.

But we found it's been a great way to see parts of our beautiful country that many people haven't seen and constitutes a travel "activity" without costing more than the price of gas and some food. No wonder the great American road trip has been a popular travel experience for ages. 

   

We’ve felt the need to embark on another road trip and it's had me reminiscing about the road trip we took in the Spring of 2019. We made an unforgettable trek between the Carlsbad Seapointe Resort and Hilton Grand Vacations at Trump International Hotel Las Vegas.  

We traveled during Spring Break in the last week of March, which also coincided with the full bloom of The Flower Fields in Carlsbad and the wildflower superbloom in Southern California.

The Carlsbad Seapointe Resort has quickly become a favorite Hilton Grand Vacations property for us. It's right across from the ocean, and the area has a much slower pace than nearby San Diego.

It's a relatively short drive from Los Angeles International Airport, and about a five-hour drive to Las Vegas, with easy freeway access and Highway 1 right next to the resort — making road trips from this property convenient.

   

In addition to The Flower Fields, there's an outlet mall, the Carlsbad Museum of Music, Legoland and various restaurants and breweries nearby. Plan your trip later in March if you want to see The Flower Fields in full bloom like we did, as they don’t start blooming until the first week of March. If you're lucky, you might also time your visit with the region's artichoke season, when most local restaurants serve unique and delicious artichoke dishes.

Carlsbad is also close to many larger attractions such as San Diego Zoo or their Safari Park location in Escondido, SeaWorld® and Disneyland®, which are only 30 to 60 minutes away.

Trump International Hotel Las Vegas was our first Hilton Grand Vacations experience years ago, and it's our go-to place in Vegas now. We love it because the hotel is smoke-free and doesn't have a casino. We also love the feeling of security we have. There's one main entrance and valet parking only.  

You can't beat the location, either. It's so close to Fashion Show Mall that you can carry all of your purchases back across the street, and if you do get the itch to gamble, the hotel has an all-day shuttle to the Wynn or Caesars Palace. 

The hotel is right next to the freeway, so it's a quick drive to the airport, downtown Las Vegas, outlet shopping and other venues like the new Raiders stadium. 

Mealtime in Las Vegas is just as over the top as everything else, and the list of places to eat in Vegas is endless. If you're feeling indulgent, try the Wynn. If you’re craving economical, head to Spring Mountain Road, where you'll find a variety of popular eateries.  

   

Even though we'd been to both Hilton Grand Vacations properties before, our timing, with the full bloom of The Flower Fields and the wildflower superbloom, made the trip truly special. Of course, the number and types of flower blooms vary from year to year, but there are many places near Hilton Grand Vacations’ Carlsbad resorts that you can go to see them.  

We chose an area on the way to Las Vegas with fewer crowds called Coyote Canyon, but well-known Joshua Tree National Park and Anzo Borrego State Park are both easily accessible, too.

I researched the recommended wildflower viewing areas in the immediate vicinity, and I can say that a little planning goes a long way to get the most out of the wildflower season.

In 2019, the blooms were so abundant that you could see them on the hillsides on both sides of the freeway heading from Carlsbad to Las Vegas.

When you plan your next vacation, I highly encourage you to road trip between two Hilton Grand Vacations properties. You can go for the great American road trip experience or try a mini-road trip to get started.

When you get creative and make each journey adventurous, you can enjoy two different experiences in one trip.  

   

We're already planning to explore South Carolina on a road trip between Ocean Oak Resort by Hilton Grand Vacations on Hilton Head Island and Liberty Place Charleston by Hilton Club (opening in 2021), although the options are endless.

How about catching a train between The District by Hilton Club in Washington D.C. and The Quin by Hilton Club in New York City? Or you might go island hopping in my home state — Hawaii.

Adventure through the islands from Hokulani Waikiki by Hilton Grand Vacations on Oahu to Kohala Suites by Hilton Grand Vacations on Hawaii Island, and end at Maui Bay Villas by Hilton Grand Vacations on Maui (opening Q3 2021). 

Beyond American road trips, you can even do this in other countries like Scotland and Japan! Once you look, I think you'll find more possibilities to travel this way than you may have realized.

Read Great American Road Trips Begin With Hilton Grand Vacations for more Hilton Grand Vacations road trip routes.