San Francisco, Las Vegas to Los Angeles - 10 days (Self-Launched)
10 days · Western USA
On The Go Tours charges £1,780
No-markup version: ~£1,120 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of On The Go Tours' 10-day San Francisco–Las Vegas–Los Angeles loop, swapping coach-and-guide for Amtrak trains, Greyhound/FlixBus, a rented car for the canyon leg, and self-bookable activities. Same big-ticket scenery — Yosemite valley, the Mojave, Bryce, the Grand Canyon, Route 66 and Hollywood — at roughly a third of the group-tour price. Note: this route is genuinely car-dependent in the national park section; the cheapest workable approach is a small-group day tour from Las Vegas plus public transport elsewhere, or a shared rental car split between 2-3 travellers. All costs are approximate backpacker/mid-budget rates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive San Francisco
San Francisco
Land at SFO and take BART into the city (~£8, 30 mins) rather than a taxi. Check into a hostel in Union Square, Fisherman's Wharf or the Mission — the Mission is cheapest for food and has the best taquerias. Spend the afternoon walking the waterfront and sorting your transport for the next few days: buy an Amtrak/Greyhound ticket in advance and check Yosemite day-tour availability.
🚌BART from SFO ~£8
🛏Hostel dorm or private room, Union Square/Mission (£25-35/night)
- →BART transfer from SFO
- →Waterfront and Ferry Building wander
- →Mission District food crawl
San Francisco city day
San Francisco
Do the group tour's 'guided city tour' yourself on foot and by cable car. Walk Union Square, ride the Powell-Hyde cable car (~£6 single) down to Fisherman's Wharf, then loop back via Lombard Street and Chinatown. Optional: a self-booked Bay cruise or Alcatraz tickets via GetYourGuide (Alcatraz sells out weeks ahead — book early). Sunset at Twin Peaks or the Presidio.
🚌Cable car + Muni day pass ~£10
🛏Hostel dorm or private room (£25-35/night)
- →Cable car ride Powell-Hyde
- →Union Square, Lombard Street, Chinatown walk
- →Optional Alcatraz or Bay cruise (~£35-45, book ahead)
Yosemite National Park day trip
Yosemite National Park / Fresno
The cheapest way to see the valley floor without a car is a self-booked small-group day tour from San Francisco (Extranomical, Incredible Adventures or similar via GetYourGuide, ~£120-140 pp) which covers the 4-hour drive each way and stops at Tunnel View, El Capitan and Half Dome viewpoints. Alternatively take Amtrak San Joaquins to Merced then the YARTS bus into the park and overnight in Fresno — slower but cheaper (~£35 total) if you're happy to self-navigate. Overnight in Fresno, which has the cheapest beds on the route.
🚌Day tour from SF or Amtrak + YARTS ~£35-140
🛏Budget motel/hostel, Fresno (£30-40/night)
- →Yosemite Valley floor viewpoints
- →El Capitan and Half Dome
- →Tunnel View photo stop
Fresno to Las Vegas via the Mojave
Las Vegas
The group tour does this stretch by coach; book a Greyhound or FlixBus from Fresno to Las Vegas via Bakersfield (~£40-50, 7-8 hrs) and watch the Mojave Desert roll past from the window. Arrive in Vegas, check into a budget strip or Fremont Street hostel/hotel (Fremont is much cheaper), then do a free self-guided walk of the Strip at night — Bellagio fountains, the Venetian canals, the Welcome sign.
🚌Greyhound/FlixBus Fresno–Las Vegas ~£45
🛏Budget hotel or hostel, Fremont Street area (£30-45/night)
- →Mojave Desert scenic bus ride
- →Fremont Street and the Strip at night
- →Bellagio fountain show (free)
Las Vegas and Death Valley
Las Vegas
Take the optional Death Valley trip independently: a self-booked small-group Death Valley day tour from Vegas (~£110-130 via GetYourGuide/Klook) hits Zabriskie Point, Badwater Basin and Artist's Drive — cheaper and easier than driving yourself. If you'd rather save money, spend the day on free Vegas: the Bellagio conservatory, the Neon Museum (book ahead, ~£20) and a pool afternoon. Evening back on Fremont Street for cheap eats.
🚌Walking/monorail/deuce bus ~£8
🛏Budget hotel or hostel (£30-45/night)
- →Optional Death Valley day tour (~£110-130)
- →Neon Museum (book ahead)
- →Free Strip and Fremont exploring
Las Vegas to Bryce Canyon
Bryce Canyon National Park
Pick up a shared rental car in Vegas (splitting a compact between 2-3 people works out at ~£25-30 pp/day including fuel and insurance) and drive to Bryce via St George and Cedar City (~4 hrs). Enter the park, then walk the Rim Trail and catch Sunset Point and Inspiration Point for the hoodoos at golden hour — the amphitheatre is genuinely spectacular. Sleep in Bryce Canyon City or Tropic, both cheap and close to the gate.
🚌Shared rental car ~£30 pp incl. fuel
🛏Budget motel or cabin, Bryce Canyon City/Tropic (£35-50/night)
- →Drive Las Vegas–Bryce Canyon
- →Rim Trail walk
- →Sunset/Inspiration Point hoodoo viewpoints
Bryce Canyon to the Grand Canyon via Kanab
Grand Canyon South Rim / Williams
Drive south through Kanab and the Painted Desert to the Grand Canyon South Rim (~4 hrs). Pay the £30 per-vehicle park entry (split between the car) and walk Mather Point and the Rim Trail. Optional helicopter flight over the canyon can be booked directly or via GetYourGuide (~£200 — this is the biggest cost variable on the trip). Continue to Williams for the night, which has cheap Route 66 motels.
🚌Shared rental car ~£30 pp incl. fuel
🛏Route 66 motel, Williams (£30-45/night)
- →Grand Canyon South Rim viewpoints and Rim Trail
- →Optional helicopter flight (~£200)
- →Painted Desert drive
Route 66 to Laughlin
Seligman / Kingman / Laughlin
Drive the classic Route 66 stretch: Williams to Seligman (the birthplace of the iconic highway, with its retro souvenir shops) then on through Kingman and down to Laughlin on the Colorado River (~4 hrs total, lots of photo stops). Wander Seligman's main street, then in Laughlin do the riverwalk and grab a cheap casino buffet dinner — Laughlin hotels are among the cheapest in the USA midweek.
🚌Shared rental car ~£30 pp incl. fuel
🛏Budget river hotel, Laughlin (£28-40/night)
- →Route 66 scenic drive
- →Seligman souvenir shops and diners
- →Laughlin riverwalk
Laughlin to Los Angeles via Palm Springs
Palm Springs / Los Angeles
Drive west via Palm Springs (~4 hrs) and stop for a wander around the mid-century modern architecture and vintage shops downtown, plus the aerial tramway if you have time (~£25). Continue into LA and drop the car at LAX or downtown. Check into a hostel in Hollywood or Santa Monica, then do the group tour's 'orientation tour' under your own steam on the Metro: Downtown, Hollywood Boulevard and a walk up into the Hollywood Hills for sunset.
🚌Shared rental car ~£30 pp + LA Metro day pass ~£5
🛏Hostel, Hollywood or Santa Monica (£30-45/night)
- →Palm Springs architecture walk
- →Metro self-guided LA orientation: Hollywood, Downtown
- →Hollywood Hills sunset viewpoint
Los Angeles and depart
Los Angeles
Last morning on your own terms: Griffith Observatory (free) for the best view over the city, a walk along Santa Monica beach and pier, or the Venice Beach boardwalk. Grab an In-N-Out or a taco truck lunch, then take the FlyAway bus from Union Station to LAX (~£8) for your flight home. Allocate a couple of hours if you're heading to the airport in the evening.
🚌FlyAway bus to LAX ~£8
🛏N/A — depart
- →Griffith Observatory
- →Santa Monica/Venice Beach boardwalk
- →FlyAway bus to LAX
Self-launched vs. On The Go Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | On The Go Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,120 | £1,780 |
| Duration | 10 days | 10 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £660 per person (37%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more On The Go Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,120
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, Las Vegas to Los Angeles - 10 days (Self-Launched) cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,120 per person for 10 days in Western USA. 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 On The Go Tours?+
Yes — On The Go Tours charges around £1,780 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,120 — a saving of roughly £660 (37%) per person.
How long is the Western USA trip?+
This itinerary runs 10 days, covering 10 day-by-day stops through Western USA.
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 adventure, road-trip, hiking trip through Western USA, 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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