Self-Launched Great American Road Trip: LA to New York (Coast-to-Coast)

Land at LAX and take the FlyAway bus (~$10/£8) or a shared shuttle into the city rather than a $60 taxi. Check into a hostel in Hollywood or Santa Monica. Spend the evening wandering Venice Beach and Santa Monica Pier (both free), grab a cheap taco dinner, and set up an Amtrak/USA Rail Pass and Greyhound account so future legs are bookable.

🚌FlyAway bus from LAX ~£8

🛏Hostel dorm in Hollywood/Santa Monica (~£28)

• →Santa Monica Pier & Venice Beach walk
• →Hollywood Blvd stroll

Take the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner from LA Union Station to San Diego (~$40/£32, 2h45m) — one of the most scenic coastal rail rides in the US. Afternoon at Balboa Park and Mission Beach, evening in the Gaslamp Quarter. Hostel near the Gaslamp.

🚌Amtrak Pacific Surfliner ~£32

🛏Hostel dorm in Gaslamp Quarter (~£30)

• →Pacific Surfliner coastal train
• →Balboa Park
• →Mission Beach
• →Gaslamp Quarter evening

Hire a car for the desert leg (cheapest way to link the parks) or take a Greyhound to Palm Springs and join a day tour to Joshua Tree (~£55 via GetYourGuide). Short boulder hike among the Joshua trees, then drive on to Lake Havasu City for a swim in the Colorado River. Motel or campground bed.

🚌Rental car share or Greyhound ~£40

🛏Motel/campground in Lake Havasu (~£35)

• →Joshua Tree National Park hike
• →Colorado River swim at Lake Havasu

Drive or bus to Seligman for classic Route 66 Americana — the historic general store and vintage motels. Continue to Grand Canyon Village, walk the Rim Trail, and watch sunset over the South Rim. Camp at Mather Campground inside the park (~$18/£14 per pitch, book on recreation.gov well ahead).

🚌Rental car ~£35 shared

🛏Mather Campground, Grand Canyon (~£16)

• →Seligman Route 66 stop
• →Grand Canyon South Rim sunset

Hike partway down the Bright Angel Trail (free, no permit needed for day use). Optionally splash out on a helicopter flight (~$200/£160) or rent a bike to cruise the rim. Second night at Mather Campground.

🚌On foot/park shuttle (free)

🛏Mather Campground (~£16)

• →Bright Angel Trail hike
• →Optional Grand Canyon helicopter flight
• →Rim bike ride

Drive east through the desert to Monument Valley. Grab lunch at a Navajo food truck, then either self-drive the 17-mile Valley Drive (~$8 entry) or join a local Navajo 4x4 tour (~$85/£68). Camp or stay at a basic motel in Kayenta.

🚌Rental car ~£30 shared

🛏Motel/campground in Kayenta (~£30)

• →Monument Valley Valley Drive
• →Navajo food truck lunch
• →Optional Navajo 4x4 tour

Morning short hike to Horseshoe Bend (~$10 park entry) for the classic meander shot near Page. Then head west via Route 89 through ghost towns to Las Vegas. Check into a hostel (yes, Vegas has them) and walk the Strip at night.

🚌Rental car ~£35 shared

🛏Hostel just off the Strip (~£30)

• →Horseshoe Bend hike
• →Las Vegas Strip evening

A full free day on the Strip. Casino-hopping (set a strict budget), free fountain shows at the Bellagio, and budget-friendly happy hours. Skip the $45 party bus unless it's your thing. Second hostel night.

🚌On foot / $8 bus day pass

🛏Hostel just off the Strip (~£30)

• →Bellagio fountains
• →Fremont Street
• →Optional Vegas show

Long drive (or Greyhound to St George plus a local shuttle) to Zion. Hike Angel's Landing (free permit lottery) or the Narrows, or take the free park shuttle along the canyon. Camp at Watchman or stay at a Springdale hostel.

🚌Rental car ~£40 shared

🛏Hostel dorm in Springdale (~£30)

• →Angel's Landing hike
• →The Narrows walk
• →Free Zion park shuttle

Early start for Bryce Canyon — walk the Queen's Garden/Navajo Loop among the hoodoos. Then take Scenic Byway 12 past Grand Staircase-Escalante and Capitol Reef toward Moab. Camp or motel in Moab.

🚌Rental car ~£40 shared

🛏Campground/motel in Moab (~£28)

• →Bryce Canyon Queen's Garden hike
• →Scenic Byway 12 drive
• →Capitol Reef viewpoint

Morning whitewater rafting on the Colorado (~$80/£65) or mountain bike rental (~$80/£65). Afternoon hike Arches National Park (Delicate Arch at golden hour), then sunset at Dead Horse Point State Park (~$20 entry). Timed entry reservation needed for Arches in peak season.

🚌Rental car ~£20 shared

🛏Campground/motel in Moab (~£28)

• →Colorado River rafting
• →Arches NP hike (Delicate Arch)
• →Dead Horse Point sunset

Drive into Colorado. Afternoon at Glenwood Hot Springs pool (~$30/£24) — the world's largest — or hike Hanging Lake (permit required, ~$12). Evening in the historic downtown. Hostel or motel.

🚌Rental car ~£35 shared

🛏Hostel/motel in Glenwood Springs (~£32)

• →Glenwood Hot Springs pool
• →Hanging Lake hike
• →Glenwood Canyon bike ride

North through Flaming Gorge Reservoir for the Red Canyon Rim hike. This is the start of the long-haul western stretch — this is where you're saving big by self-driving rather than paying for a group vehicle. Motel in Rock Springs.

🚌Rental car ~£35 shared

🛏Budget motel (~£35)

• →Flaming Gorge Red Canyon Rim hike
• →Reservoir viewpoint stops

Drive to Jackson for the Million Dollar Cowboy Bar (free entry) and optional horseback riding. Enter Grand Teton National Park (~$35/£28 vehicle pass, valid 7 days) for the Snake River and Teton views. Camp at Jenny Lake or a Jackson hostel.

🚌Rental car ~£35 shared

🛏Jenny Lake campground/hostel (~£25)

• →Grand Teton viewpoints
• →Snake River
• →Jackson town stroll

Optional Snake River whitewater rafting before heading into Yellowstone via the South Entrance. Watch Old Faithful erupt, wander the Grand Prismatic Spring boardwalk, and spot bison and elk. Camp at Madison or Canyon campground (book on recreation.gov).

🚌Rental car ~£25 shared

🛏Yellowstone campground (~£22)

• →Old Faithful & geyser basins
• →Grand Prismatic Spring
• →Wildlife spotting

Second Yellowstone morning — Mammoth Hot Springs or the Lamar Valley for wildlife. Then drive north into Montana toward Glacier country. Motel in Bozeman or Missoula.

🚌Rental car ~£35 shared

🛏Budget motel (~£35)

• →Lamar Valley wildlife drive
• →Mammoth Hot Springs

Drive the Going-to-the-Sun Road (free with park entry) — one of the world's great scenic drives. Hike a short lakeshore trail or rent a kayak on Lake McDonald. Camp or motel near West Glacier.

🚌Rental car ~£25 shared

🛏Campground/motel near Glacier (~£28)

• →Going-to-the-Sun Road
• →Lake McDonald kayak/hike

Rest-day pace — lake kayaking at Coeur d'Alene (~$25/£20) and a stroll around the resort town. Drive on toward Spokane and drop the rental car. Bus/hostel night.

🚌Rental car final day ~£25 + drop-off

🛏Hostel/motel in Spokane (~£30)

• →Coeur d'Alene lake kayak
• →Spokane riverfront walk

FlixBus/Greyhound from Spokane to Seattle (~£28, 6h). Free afternoon at Pike Place Market and the waterfront; skip the pricey Space Needle for the free Kerry Park viewpoint instead. Hostel in Belltown.

🚌Greyhound/FlixBus ~£28

🛏Hostel dorm in Seattle (~£32)

• →Pike Place Market
• →Kerry Park skyline view
• →Waterfront walk

Full day to explore — Chihuly Garden and Glass or the free Olympic Sculpture Park, ferry to Bainbridge Island (~$10/£8 return) for a cheap harbour cruise, and the Gum Wall. Second hostel night.

🚌Public bus/light rail day pass ~£5

🛏Hostel dorm in Seattle (~£32)

• →Bainbridge Island ferry
• →Olympic Sculpture Park
• →Optional Chihuly Garden

Amtrak Cascades to Portland (~$40/£32, 3h30m). Afternoon among Portland's indie shops, Powell's Books, and food carts — Portland is a budget foodie paradise. Hostel in the Pearl District.

🚌Amtrak Cascades ~£32

🛏Hostel dorm in Portland (~£30)

• →Powell's Books
• →Food cart pod dinner
• →Alberta Arts District

Brewery hopping in the Pearl, a hike in Forest Park (free), or a bike rental along the river. Cheap, weird, and wonderful. Second hostel night.

🚌Bike rental ~£12

🛏Hostel dorm in Portland (~£30)

• →Forest Park hike
• →Brewery tour
• →Saturday Market

FlixBus/Greyhound south into California to the Redwood National Park area (~£30). Walk among the giant trees and stop at the elephant seal rookery near the coast. Motel or campground.

🚌Greyhound ~£30

🛏Motel/campground (~£30)

• →Redwood National Park walk
• →Elephant seal rookery

Option A: a detour inland to Crater Lake National Park for the impossibly blue water. Option B: take the Pacific Coast Highway south for cheaper coastal camping. Overnight near Ashland/Medford.

🚌Greyhound/local bus ~£28

🛏Motel/campground (~£30)

• →Crater Lake rim drive
• →Pacific Coast Highway viewpoints

Long bus day south to Sacramento. Evening in the Old Sacramento historic district. Hostel or motel.

🚌Greyhound ~£32

🛏Hostel/motel in Sacramento (~£28)

• →Old Sacramento walk
• →California State Railroad Museum (optional)

Bus or shuttle up to Lake Tahoe. Afternoon hike at Emerald Bay State Park and an optional paddleboard rental (~$40/£32). Cheap lakeside camping or motel.

🚌Local bus/shuttle ~£20

🛏Campground/motel (~£30)

• →Emerald Bay hike
• →Lake Tahoe paddleboard
• →Lakeside sunset

Take the seasonal YARTS public bus into Yosemite (~$20/£16). Enter via Tioga Pass if open (check seasonal closures). First evening in Yosemite Valley — watch sunset from Tunnel View. Camp at Housekeeping Camp or Curry Village tent cabins (book months ahead).

🚌YARTS bus ~£16

🛏Yosemite campground/tent cabin (~£35)

• →Tioga Pass crossing
• →Tunnel View sunset

Full day hiking — the Mist Trail to Vernal and Nevada Falls is the classic. Free valley shuttle to El Capitan meadow and the waterfalls. Second Yosemite night.

🚌Free valley shuttle

🛏Yosemite campground/tent cabin (~£35)

• →Mist Trail to Vernal & Nevada Falls
• →El Capitan viewpoint
• →Valley shuttle

YARTS/Amtrak combination to San Francisco (~£45). Check into a hostel in the Mission or Fisherman's Wharf area. Evening walk to the Golden Gate Bridge viewpoint at Crissy Field.

🚌YARTS + Amtrak ~£45

🛏Hostel dorm in SF (~£40)

• →Golden Gate Bridge walk
• →Fisherman's Wharf

Cable car ride (~$8/£6), Haight-Ashbury wander, a bike rental across the Golden Gate (~$25/£20), and a cheap burrito in the Mission. Second hostel night.

🚌Muni day pass ~£5

🛏Hostel dorm in SF (~£40)

• →Cable car ride
• →Haight-Ashbury
• →Golden Gate bike ride

Day trip to Sonoma County for wine tasting (~$25/£20 tasting fees) via bus or a shared tour. Back to SF for a third hostel night.

🚌Bus/shared tour ~£25

🛏Hostel dorm in SF (~£40)

• →Sonoma wine tasting
• →Vineyard tour

Like the original tour, use an internal flight for the big westward hop — a budget carrier like Southwest/Spirit from SFO to Chicago (~£120 one-way, book early). Check into a hostel in the Loop or Wicker Park.

🚌Domestic flight SFO–ORD ~£120

🛏Hostel dorm in Chicago (~£35)

• →Millennium Park & Cloud Gate
• →Chicago Riverwalk

Navy Pier boardwalk (free), Millennium Park, deep-dish pizza, and the free Lincoln Park Zoo. Optional Willis Tower Skydeck (~$35/£28). Second hostel night.

🚌CTA day pass ~£5

🛏Hostel dorm in Chicago (~£35)

• →Navy Pier
• →Lincoln Park Zoo
• →Deep dish pizza

Greyhound/FlixBus south to Nashville (~£35, 8h). Evening on Broadway — free live music in almost every honky-tonk. Hostel near downtown.

🚌Greyhound ~£35

🛏Hostel dorm in Nashville (~£32)

• →Broadway honky-tonks
• →Free live music

Country Music Hall of Fame (~$28/£22) or the cheaper Johnny Cash Museum (~$22). Afternoon at Centennial Park and the Parthenon. Second hostel night.

🚌Bus ~£5

🛏Hostel dorm in Nashville (~£32)

• →Country Music Hall of Fame
• →Centennial Park & Parthenon

Bus to Memphis (~£25). Afternoon on Beale Street and a walk to the Mississippi riverfront. Hostel or motel.

🚌Greyhound ~£25

🛏Hostel/motel in Memphis (~£30)

• →Beale Street
• →Mississippi riverfront walk

Graceland (~$50/£40) if you're an Elvis fan, or better value: the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel (~$20/£16) and Sun Studio (~$20/£16). Second Memphis night.

🚌Local bus/tram ~£5

🛏Hostel/motel in Memphis (~£30)

• →National Civil Rights Museum
• →Sun Studio tour
• →Optional Graceland

Bus south to New Orleans (~£30). Evening in the French Quarter — Bourbon Street is free to walk, and street music is everywhere. Hostel in the Marigny.

🚌Greyhound ~£30

🛏Hostel dorm in New Orleans (~£32)

• →French Quarter stroll
• →Bourbon Street evening

Beignets at Café du Monde (~$5/£4), a Creole cooking class (~$35/£28), optional steamboat ride, and a self-guided walk through the Garden District. Second hostel night.

🚌Streetcar ~£3

🛏Hostel dorm in New Orleans (~£32)

• →Café du Monde beignets
• →Garden District walk
• →Optional Creole cooking class

Long travel day east along the Gulf Coast — Greyhound via Mobile/Pensacola to Orlando (~£60, or split over two days for comfort). Budget motel or hostel near International Drive.

🚌Greyhound ~£60

🛏Budget motel in Orlando (~£35)

• →Gulf Coast stopover
• →International Drive evening

Pick one park — a single-day Disney/Universal ticket runs ~$120/£95, so choose carefully — or do something cheaper like Kennedy Space Center (~$75/£60) or a free day at Lake Eola. Second Orlando night.

🚌Lynx bus ~£5

🛏Budget motel in Orlando (~£35)

• →Optional theme park day
• →Lake Eola Park

Bus north to Savannah (~£40). Wander the oak-lined squares of the Historic District (all free), and take a self-guided walk past Bonaventure Cemetery. Hostel in the historic core.

🚌Greyhound ~£40

🛏Hostel dorm in Savannah (~£30)

• →Historic District squares
• →Bonaventure Cemetery walk
• →River Street

Short hop to Charleston (~£20). Afternoon among the pastel houses of Rainbow Row, the Battery, and the City Market. Hostel or motel.

🚌Greyhound ~£20

🛏Hostel/motel in Charleston (~£32)

• →Rainbow Row
• →The Battery waterfront
• →City Market

Long train or bus day north to DC (Amtrak ~£70, or Greyhound ~£45). Evening arrival — hostel in Dupont Circle or Capitol Hill.

🚌Amtrak/Greyhound ~£55

🛏Hostel dorm in DC (~£38)

• →Union Station arrival
• →Neighbourhood evening walk

The National Mall is free — Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, reflecting pool, and the world-class Smithsonian museums (all free). Optional Monuments by Moonlight evening walk (free self-guided). Second DC hostel night.

🚌Metro day pass ~£6

🛏Hostel dorm in DC (~£38)

• →National Mall & Lincoln Memorial
• →Smithsonian museums (free)
• →Monuments at night

Amtrak/bus to Philadelphia (~£25). Afternoon at Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell (free), and a proper cheesesteak. Hostel in Old City.

🚌Amtrak/Greyhound ~£25

🛏Hostel dorm in Philadelphia (~£32)

• →Independence Hall & Liberty Bell
• →Old City walk

Long bus day north to Buffalo/Niagara Falls (~£55). Evening walk to the falls lit up at night — free. Motel or campground on the US side.

🚌Greyhound ~£55

🛏Budget motel near the falls (~£35)

• →Niagara Falls night viewing
• →Niagara Falls State Park

Maid of the Mist boat ride (~$28/£22) or the cheaper Cave of the Winds (~$21/£17). Afternoon hike to Taughannock Falls en route east if driving, or stay and enjoy the state park. Second night near the falls.

🚌Local bus ~£5

🛏Budget motel (~£35)

• →Maid of the Mist boat ride
• →Cave of the Winds
• →Niagara gorge walk

Bus east across New York State (~£40). Stop in the Finger Lakes or Hudson Valley for a small-town afternoon. Budget motel or hostel.

🚌Greyhound ~£40

🛏Budget motel (~£35)

• →Finger Lakes stop
• →Hudson Valley town stroll

Final bus leg into Manhattan (~£25). Check into a hostel in Brooklyn or Harlem — cheaper than midtown. Evening walk across the Brooklyn Bridge at sunset (free) and a slice of pizza.

🚌Greyhound ~£25

🛏Hostel dorm in Brooklyn (~£45)

• →Brooklyn Bridge sunset walk
• →Brooklyn neighbourhood explore

Walk Central Park, Times Square, and Fifth Avenue — all free. Optional Empire State Building (~$44/£35) or Top of the Rock (~$40/£32). Second NYC hostel night.

🚌MetroCard ~£6

🛏Hostel dorm in Brooklyn (~£45)

• →Central Park walk
• →Times Square
• →Fifth Avenue

Visit the 9/11 Memorial (free) and museum (optional ~$33/£26). Take the free Staten Island Ferry for the best free view of the Statue of Liberty, then explore Chinatown and Little Italy on foot. Final hostel night.

🚌Metro ~£6

🛏Hostel dorm in Brooklyn (~£45)

• →9/11 Memorial
• →Free Staten Island Ferry
• →Chinatown & Little Italy

Final morning for a last coffee and bagel before heading to JFK/Newark for your international flight home. Coast-to-coast complete — done independently and at a fraction of the group-tour price.

🚌AirTrain/subway to airport ~£10

🛏None (departure day)

• →Farewell breakfast
• →Flight home