San Francisco to New Orleans Self-Launched Road Trip
15 days · United States
G Adventures charges £1,800
No-markup version: ~£1,170 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 15-day DIY version of G Adventures' "San Francisco to New Orleans Road Trip" (trip code NUFO) — same route through Yosemite, Death Valley, Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Mesa Verde, Santa Fe, Carlsbad Caverns and on to New Orleans. Instead of a private 25-seat coach and participation camping with a CEO, you'll self-drive a budget rental car (or use a mix of buses/Amtrak, though a car is strongly recommended for this route) and stay in hostels, motels and cheap campgrounds. All the national park entry fees, hikes and viewpoints are identical — they're public land, so the "included activities" cost you only park passes. The big saving is the tour markup: G Adventures charges roughly $2,000-2,600 USD (approx £1,600-2,050) per person depending on season, before flights and optional activities. Self-launching brings the core trip to roughly £1,300-1,500 per person with a shared car, or less if you camp most nights. Booking your own tickets (GetYourGuide, Klook or direct) for Alcatraz, helicopter flights, Monument Valley tours and New Orleans cooking classes is usually cheaper than the tour's optional extras.
Day-by-day
Arrive San Francisco — hills, Wharf and Haight
San Francisco, California
Fly into SFO and take BART into the city (~$8.10, 25 min) — far cheaper than a $40+ taxi. Check into a downtown or Fisherman's Wharf hostel (HI San Francisco Downtown or Green Tortoise are solid solo-friendly options). Spend the afternoon walking the hills, Fisherman's Wharf, and the free Haight-Ashbury district, then ride a cable car ($7). Pre-book Alcatraz on the official Alcatraz City Cruises site (around $33-45 — book 2-3 weeks ahead, it sells out).
🚌BART from SFO ~$8
🛏HI San Francisco Downtown Hostel (dorm, ~£40/night)
- →BART airport transfer
- →Fisherman's Wharf walk
- →Haight-Ashbury
- →Cable car ride
- →Alcatraz (pre-book direct)
San Francisco to Yosemite National Park
Yosemite, California
Pick up a budget rental car (book ahead — a compact from SFO is roughly £380-450 for two weeks if you split it with a co-driver). Cross the Golden Gate Bridge, then drive 3.5-4 hours into the Sierra Nevada. Grab a Yosemite park pass ($35/vehicle, valid 7 days) and camp or stay in a hostel at Midpines/Bass Lake. Yosemite Valley campgrounds (Upper Pines) need reservations on Recreation.gov, released months ahead — set an alert.
🚌Rental car, ~4 hrs driving
🛏Campground near Yosemite (Upper Pines or private site, ~£15/person shared)
- →Golden Gate Bridge photo stop
- →Drive into Sierra Nevada
- →Set up camp
Full day hiking in Yosemite Valley
Yosemite, California
Free day in Yosemite — hike the Mist Trail to Vernal and Nevada Falls (5.5 miles, strenuous but doable), or the easier Mirror Lake loop. Watch sunset from Tunnel View. Bike rentals are available in the valley (~$30-40). No guide needed; park shuttle buses are free.
🚌Free park shuttle
🛏Same campground
- →Mist Trail hike
- →Mirror Lake loop
- →Tunnel View sunset
- →Optional bike rental
Yosemite to Death Valley via Tioga Pass
Lee Vining / Death Valley, California
Drive the spectacular Tioga Pass (closed in winter/early spring — check Caltrans road status), stop at Mono Lake's tufa towers, then continue south down the eastern Sierra. Long driving day (~6 hrs). Overnight at a cheap motel or campground in Lone Pine/Panamint Springs area.
🚌Rental car, ~6 hrs driving
🛏Motel in Lone Pine or Panamint Springs campground (~£25)
- →Tioga Pass scenic drive
- →Mono Lake tufa towers
- →Eastern Sierra viewpoints
Death Valley National Park to Las Vegas
Death Valley / Las Vegas, Nevada
Explore Death Valley ($30/vehicle entry) — Badwater Basin (lowest point in North America), Zabriskie Point and the Mesquite Flat sand dunes. Bring lots of water; this is genuinely extreme heat in summer. Drive 2.5 hrs to Vegas and check into a hostel or budget Strip-adjacent hotel (Vegas hostel dorms are ~£40-50). Walk the Strip in the evening.
🚌Rental car, ~2.5 hrs driving
🛏Hostel/budget hotel Las Vegas (~£45)
- →Badwater Basin
- →Zabriskie Point
- →Mesquite Flat dunes
- →Vegas Strip walk
Las Vegas free day
Las Vegas, Nevada
Free day. Options: a show (book on GetYourGuide or direct — prices vary wildly), the Neon Museum, Hoover Dam day trip (~$65 by tour, or drive yourself for the $10 parking), or just pool-and-casino time. Keep gambling money separate from your trip budget.
🚌Walking / local bus
🛏Same hostel/budget hotel
- →Optional show
- →Hoover Dam visit
- →Neon Museum
- →Casino/pool day
Las Vegas to Grand Canyon South Rim via Route 66
Grand Canyon Village, Arizona
Drive Route 66 via Seligman (the best preserved stretch, and the inspiration for the Cars film), then arrive at the South Rim ($35/vehicle). Catch sunset from Mather Point or Hopi Point. Camp at Mather Campground (book on Recreation.gov) or a budget motel in Tusayan.
🚌Rental car, ~4.5 hrs driving
🛏Mather Campground or Tusayan motel (~£20)
- →Route 66 drive
- →Grand Canyon South Rim
- →Sunset at the rim
Grand Canyon full day
Grand Canyon Village, Arizona
Hike into the canyon on the Bright Angel or South Kaibab Trail (go early, turn around before it gets hot — this is serious desert hiking). Optional helicopter flight over the canyon — book direct or via GetYourGuide, roughly $250-300 for 45-50 mins, considerably more than the tour's listed $150 add-on so shop around. Free Rim Trail walks and visitor centre exhibits.
🚌Free park shuttle
🛏Same campground/motel
- →Bright Angel Trail hike
- →Optional helicopter flight
- →Rim Trail walk
Grand Canyon to Monument Valley
Monument Valley, Arizona/Utah
Drive the South Rim Desert View Drive, then on to Monument Valley ($8/person entry). Book a Navajo-guided 4x4 tour direct (around $80-100 for 2.5-3 hrs) rather than the tour's $150 overnight excursion — the guided access to restricted areas is worth it. Camp at Goulding's or The View Campground for sunrise over the buttes.
🚌Rental car, ~3.5 hrs driving
🛏Goulding's Campground or The View (~£20)
- →Desert View Drive
- →Monument Valley Navajo 4x4 tour
- →Sunrise/sunset viewpoints
Monument Valley to Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde, Colorado
Drive up through the Four Corners region to Mesa Verde ($20/vehicle, Nov-Apr cheaper). The cliff dwellings are ticketed separately — Balcony House and Cliff Palace ranger tours are around $8-12 per person, book on Recreation.gov. Hike the self-guided Spruce Tree House viewpoints if ranger tours are full.
🚌Rental car, ~3 hrs driving
🛏Morefield Campground or Cortez budget motel (~£22)
- →Mesa Verde scenic drive
- →Cliff Palace ranger tour
- →Balcony House tour
Mesa Verde to Santa Fe
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Drive ~4 hrs to Santa Fe, one of the oldest and most characterful cities in the US. Wander the Plaza, the adobe architecture, and the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum. Eat green chile stew. Stay in a hostel or budget motel on Cerrillos Road (~£50-60).
🚌Rental car, ~4 hrs driving
🛏Santa Fe budget motel (~£55)
- →Santa Fe Plaza
- →Georgia O'Keeffe Museum
- →Canyon Road galleries
Santa Fe to Carlsbad via Roswell
Carlsbad, New Mexico
Drive south via Roswell for the alien kitsch (free to wander, the UFO museum is ~$5-10), then on to Carlsbad Caverns ($15/person, book timed entry on Recreation.gov). The bat flight at sunset (May-Oct) is free and genuinely spectacular — 400,000 bats leaving the cave entrance. Overnight in Carlsbad town.
🚌Rental car, ~4.5 hrs driving
🛏Carlsbad budget motel (~£45)
- →Roswell alien sites
- →Carlsbad Caverns self-guided tour
- →Sunset bat flight
Carlsbad to Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Long driving day (~6.5 hrs) across west Texas to Austin. Break it with a stop in Fort Stockton or Marfa if you have the energy. Arrive in Austin and hit South Congress (SoCo) for vintage shops and food trucks, or Barton Springs Pool ($8-9) if it's warm.
🚌Rental car, ~6.5 hrs driving
🛏Austin hostel (Firehouse Hostel, ~£45)
- →South Congress walk
- →Barton Springs Pool
- →Food trucks
Austin — BBQ, music and Texas
Austin, Texas
Full day in Austin. Queue for proper Central Texas BBQ (Franklin Barbecue if you're committed, or Terry Black's for a shorter wait). Catch live music on Rainey Street or Sixth Street in the evening — most venues are free entry. Country dancing at the Broken Spoke is a classic. Optional tubing on the Guadalupe River in summer (~$25 rental).
🚌Local bus / rideshare
🛏Same Austin hostel
- →BBQ lunch
- →Live music on Rainey St
- →Country dancing
- →Optional river tubing
Austin to New Orleans — end of the road
New Orleans, Louisiana
Drive ~8 hrs (or take the Amtrak Sunset Limited if you'd rather not drive — it runs Austin-New Orleans overnight 3x weekly, from ~$60). Arrive in NOLA, return the car, and finish in the French Quarter: Café du Monde beignets (~$10), Bourbon Street, and a ghost tour ($25) or Creole cooking class ($25-35) if you have the evening. Drop the car at MSY or downtown and fly home from Louis Armstrong International.
🚌Rental car, ~8 hrs driving (or Amtrak ~$60)
🛏New Orleans hostel (Auberge NOLA, ~£40)
- →French Quarter walk
- →Café du Monde beignets
- →Optional ghost tour
- →Optional Creole cooking class
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,170 | £1,800 |
| Duration | 15 days | 15 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £630 per person (35%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,170
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does San Francisco to New Orleans Self-Launched Road Trip cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,170 per person for 15 days in United States. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,800 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,170 — a saving of roughly £630 (35%) per person.
How long is the United States trip?+
This itinerary runs 15 days, covering 15 day-by-day stops through United States.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a road-trip, adventure, hiking trip through United States, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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