Self-Launched Coast-to-Coast USA Road Trip (Eastbound)
22 days · United States
G Adventures charges £2,600
No-markup version: ~£1,800 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of G Adventures' 22-day San Francisco to New York camping road trip. Instead of a private tour vehicle and a CEO-run camp kitchen, you'll string together Amtrak and Greyhound legs, cheap national-park shuttles, hostel dorms and a couple of tent nights — hitting Yosemite, Death Valley, Vegas, the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Mesa Verde, Santa Fe, Carlsbad Caverns, then across Texas to New Orleans, Memphis, Nashville, the Blue Ridge, Washington DC and NYC. Costs assume a flexible US trip using hostel dorms, budget motels and shared campgrounds, cooking most of your own food and booking park entry and shuttles directly. All figures are rough per-person estimates in GBP and will swing with season and how far ahead you book.
Day-by-day
Arrive San Francisco
San Francisco
Land at SFO and take BART into the city (~£6.50, 25 min) rather than a taxi (~£32). Check into a hostel dorm around Union Square or Fisherman's Wharf. Wander the Embarcadero, grab a burrito in the Mission and walk up to Coit Tower for sunset. Book your Amtrak/Greyhound onward legs tonight — the San Joaquin train to Merced is the cheap gateway to Yosemite.
🚌BART from SFO ~£6.50
🛏Hostel dorm, Union Square area (£30-40)
- →BART from SFO to downtown
- →Embarcadero and Fisherman's Wharf stroll
- →Mission District food walk
- →Coit Tower sunset
San Francisco to Yosemite
Yosemite National Park
Morning Golden Gate Bridge walk or bike hire (~£8-25). In the afternoon take the Amtrak San Joaquin from Emeryville to Merced (~£22, 2.5 hrs), then the YARTS bus into Yosemite Valley (~£11, 2 hrs) — the two are timed to connect. Pitch at a valley campground (book on recreation.gov the moment the 5-month window opens) or take a dorm bed at a Curry Village tent cabin.
🚌Amtrak ~£22 + YARTS ~£11
🛏Yosemite campground or Curry Village tent cabin (£20-45)
- →Golden Gate Bridge walk
- →Amtrak San Joaquin to Merced
- →YARTS bus into Yosemite Valley
- →Valley sunset at Tunnel View
Yosemite hiking day
Yosemite National Park
Free day on foot. Use the valley shuttle bus to reach trailheads — the Mist Trail to Vernal Fall (~3 hrs return) is the classic, or the flat Mirror Lake loop if you want an easier day. Bring your own lunch; valley food is pricey. Evening ranger talk at the visitor centre is free.
🚌Free valley shuttle
🛏Yosemite campground or Curry Village tent cabin (£20-45)
- →Mist Trail to Vernal Fall
- →Valley shuttle loop
- →Mirror Lake walk
- →Free ranger programme
Over Tioga Pass to the Eastern Sierra
Lee Vining / Mono Lake
If Tioga Pass is open (roughly June-Oct), take the YARTS highway 120 service over the pass to Lee Vining (~£10). Walk out to the South Tufa towers at Mono Lake (free, ~£3 parking/county fee if driving) and stay in a cheap motel or the small municipal campground. If the pass is closed, reroute via Merced and Fresno toward Bakersfield by Greyhound instead.
🚌YARTS over Tioga Pass ~£10
🛏Budget motel or campground, Lee Vining (£20-40)
- →Tioga Pass drive
- →Mono Lake tufa towers
- →Eastern Sierra walks
Death Valley and into Las Vegas
Death Valley / Las Vegas
No public bus crosses Death Valley, so this is the one day where hiring a car or joining a small-group day tour pays off. GetYourGuide runs Las Vegas-based Death Valley day trips (~£85-110 incl. park entry) that hit Zabriskie Point, Badwater Basin and the dunes — or rent a car in Bishop/Lone Pine one-way to Vegas (~£45/day plus fuel, split if you can). Evening: check into a hostel or budget casino hotel and wander the Strip.
🚌Death Valley day tour ~£95 or one-way car hire
🛏Hostel or budget casino hotel, Las Vegas (£30-50)
- →Zabriskie Point
- →Badwater Basin
- →Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes
- →Las Vegas Strip walk
Las Vegas free day
Las Vegas
Free day. Cheap thrills: the Bellagio fountains, the Fremont Street light show, and people-watching on the Strip are all free. Optional extras — a Cirque or comedy show (from ~£35), a party bus (~£35), or a day trip to the Hoover Dam (~£50). Eat off-Strip for the best value.
🚌Walking / Deuce bus day pass ~£6
🛏Hostel or budget casino hotel, Las Vegas (£30-50)
- →Fremont Street Experience
- →Bellagio fountains
- →Strip walk
- →Optional show or Hoover Dam trip
Route 66 to the Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon South Rim
Take a Greyhound or FlixBus from Vegas to Kingman/Williams (~£30), then the Grand Canyon Railway shuttle or Arizona Shuttle to the South Rim (~£25). Cheaper alternative: hop a Las Vegas-to-South Rim day tour bus (~£75) and simply stay on at the rim. Catch sunset from Mather Point, then camp at Mather Campground or take a dorm bed at a Tusayan hostel.
🚌Bus to Williams ~£30 + shuttle ~£25
🛏Mather Campground or Tusayan hostel (£20-40)
- →Route 66 stop in Seligman/Kingman
- →Sunset at Mather Point
- →South Rim Trail stroll
Grand Canyon hiking day
Grand Canyon South Rim
Free day with the free park shuttle. Hike partway down the Bright Angel Trail (turn around at the 1.5-mile resthouse — do not attempt rim-to-river in a day in summer). Optional splurge: a 45-min helicopter flight over the canyon (~£190). Free ranger talks at the Visitor Center. Stock up on food at the general store.
🚌Free park shuttle
🛏Mather Campground or Tusayan hostel (£20-40)
- →Bright Angel Trail hike
- →Free park shuttle to Hermits Rest
- →Ranger talk
- →Optional helicopter flight
Monument Valley
Monument Valley
No public transit reaches Monument Valley — the realistic self-launched options are a small-group tour from Flagstaff/Vegas (~£120-150 incl. Navajo-led jeep tour) or hiring a car for two days. Stay overnight at The View campground or a Kayenta motel, and take a Navajo-guided jeep tour into the backcountry (~£60-75, book direct with the tribal tourism office).
🚌Small-group tour or 2-day car hire ~£60
🛏Campground or Kayenta motel (£25-45)
- →Monument Valley scenic drive
- →Navajo-guided jeep tour
- →The View sunset point
Mesa Verde cliff dwellings
Mesa Verde National Park
Drive or take a shuttle to Cortez, Colorado, then the free-ish park road into Mesa Verde. Book a ranger-led tour of Balcony House or Cliff Palace directly through recreation.gov (~£6-8 per tour) — the only way to get inside the dwellings. Camp at Morefield Campground inside the park.
🚌Car/shuttle to Cortez + park road ~£25
🛏Morefield Campground, Mesa Verde (£15-25)
- →Cliff Palace ranger tour
- →Balcony House ladder climb
- →Mesa Top Loop drive
Santa Fe
Santa Fe
Drive or bus to Santa Fe (via Durango, ~3-4 hrs). Afternoon exploring the Plaza, the adobe streets and the Palace of the Governors market stalls. Free entry to the Cathedral Basilica; the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum is ~£14. Stay at a hostel or budget motel on Cerrillos Road.
🚌Bus/drive ~£30
🛏Hostel or budget motel, Santa Fe (£30-45)
- →Santa Fe Plaza
- →Palace of the Governors
- →Canyon Road galleries
- →Optional O'Keeffe Museum
Roswell and Carlsbad Caverns
Carlsbad, New Mexico
Drive south via Roswell for the obligatory alien photo stop, then on to Carlsbad Caverns. Enter the Big Room via the natural entrance on foot (park entry ~£8) and stay for the sunset bat flight from the amphitheatre (free, seasonal May-Oct). Sleep in Carlsbad town.
🚌Car hire ~£35/day shared
🛏Budget motel, Carlsbad (£30-45)
- →Roswell alien kitsch stop
- →Carlsbad Caverns Big Room walk
- →Sunset bat flight
Long haul to Austin
Austin, Texas
A big driving day — Carlsbad to Austin is roughly 8 hrs. Break it with a night in Midland/Odessa or push through by car. Alternatively take a Greyhound/FlixBus combo (~£60, 12 hrs). Austin hostel dorms on the east side are good value.
🚌Car hire + fuel ~£40 or bus ~£60
🛏Hostel dorm, Austin (£25-40)
- →West Texas road miles
- →Evening walk on South Congress
Austin
Austin, Texas
Free-ish day: swim at Barton Springs Pool (~£6), browse SoCo vintage shops, and catch free live music on Rainey Street or Sixth Street in the evening. Splurge on proper Texas BBQ (Franklin's queue is a rite of passage; ~£20-25). Summer travellers can tube the Guadalupe River (~£15 with a shuttle).
🚌Local bus ~£4
🛏Hostel dorm, Austin (£25-40)
- →Barton Springs Pool
- →South Congress shopping
- →Live music on Sixth Street
- →BBQ dinner
Austin to New Orleans
New Orleans
Greyhound or FlixBus Austin to New Orleans takes about 9-10 hrs (~£45-60). Arrive evening and check into a hostel in the Garden District or Marigny — cheaper than the French Quarter. First night stroll down Bourbon Street.
🚌Greyhound/FlixBus ~£50
🛏Hostel dorm, New Orleans (£30-45)
- →Bus across Louisiana
- →Bourbon Street evening walk
New Orleans
New Orleans
Free day in the city. Walk the French Quarter, listen to buskers at Jackson Square, and take the St Charles streetcar (~£1.25) out to the Garden District. Optional: a Creole cooking class (~£30), a ghost tour (~£20), a Mississippi steamboat ride (~£28), or beignets at Café du Monde (~£8).
🚌Streetcar ~£1.25
🛏Hostel dorm, New Orleans (£30-45)
- →French Quarter and Jackson Square
- →St Charles streetcar
- →Garden District walk
- →Optional cooking class or ghost tour
New Orleans to Memphis
Memphis
Bus to Memphis (~8 hrs, ~£40) or the Amtrak City of New Orleans to Jackson then a connection — the bus is simpler and cheaper. Evening on Beale Street for free live blues and a cheap plate of ribs.
🚌Greyhound ~£40
🛏Hostel dorm or budget motel, Memphis (£30-45)
- →Bus to Memphis
- →Beale Street evening
Memphis to Nashville
Nashville
Morning at Sun Studio (~£12) or the National Civil Rights Museum (~£13) — the latter is worth the time. Then a Greyhound to Nashville (~3.5 hrs, ~£20). Evening on Broadway's honky-tonks, which are free to enter.
🚌Greyhound ~£20
🛏Hostel dorm, Nashville (£30-45)
- →Sun Studio or Civil Rights Museum
- →Bus to Nashville
- →Broadway honky-tonks
Nashville to the Blue Ridge
Shenandoah / Blue Ridge
A long transit day toward the east coast — bus or car to Roanoke or Charlottesville (~8 hrs, ~£50). If you have a car, detour onto the Blue Ridge Parkway for the overlooks. Sleep cheap in a motel on the I-81 corridor.
🚌Bus or car share ~£50
🛏Budget motel, Roanoke/Charlottesville (£30-45)
- →Transit day
- →Optional Blue Ridge Parkway overlooks
Shenandoah and Washington DC
Washington DC
Morning hike in Shenandoah National Park (~£8 park entry, or free with the America the Beautiful annual pass ~£65 if you've been hitting parks all trip), then bus to DC (~£30). Evening walk on the National Mall — the monuments are dramatically lit after dark and entirely free.
🚌Bus ~£30
🛏Hostel dorm, DC (£35-50)
- →Shenandoah hike
- →Bus to Washington DC
- →National Mall at night
Washington DC to New York
New York City
Free morning: Lincoln Memorial, the White House exterior, Arlington Cemetery across the river — all free. Then take the budget bus (Bolt/Megabus, ~£20, 4.5 hrs) or Amtrak Northeast Regional (~£45) to New York. Evening in Times Square or a Brooklyn rooftop.
🚌Megabus/Amtrak ~£20-45
🛏Hostel dorm, Manhattan or Brooklyn (£45-65)
- →Lincoln Memorial
- →Arlington Cemetery
- →Budget bus to NYC
- →Times Square
New York and depart
New York City
Final day. Walk the Brooklyn Bridge, wander Central Park and Chinatown — all free. Optional: Top of the Rock (~£30), Statue of Liberty ferry (~£16), or the 9/11 Memorial (~£20). Head to JFK/Newark by subway and AirTrain (~£9).
🚌Subway + AirTrain ~£9
🛏Hostel dorm, Manhattan or Brooklyn (£45-65)
- →Brooklyn Bridge walk
- →Central Park
- →Chinatown
- →Optional observation deck
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,800 | £2,600 |
| Duration | 22 days | 22 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £800 per person (31%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,800
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 Self-Launched Coast-to-Coast USA Road Trip (Eastbound) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,800 per person for 22 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 £2,600 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,800 — a saving of roughly £800 (31%) per person.
How long is the United States trip?+
This itinerary runs 22 days, covering 22 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, budget 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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