National Parks of the American West: Self-Launched

Fly into Harry Reid International Airport and check into your hostel or budget hotel on or near the Strip. Las Vegas is a great place to stock up on supplies for the road trip ahead. Pick up your rental car today or tomorrow morning — booking in advance via Kayak or Rentalcars.com will save you significantly. Spend the evening exploring the Strip for free.

🚌Fly into Las Vegas (Harry Reid International). Pick up a rental car — budget ~£35–50/day for a compact or SUV via Kayak or Rentalcars.com.

🛏Las Vegas Hostel or budget motel near the Strip (e.g. USA Hostels Las Vegas or Motel 6 Las Vegas) — approx. £25–35/night

• →Explore the Las Vegas Strip on foot (free)
• →Visit the Bellagio Fountains (free)
• →Stock up on road trip snacks at a local Walmart or grocery store

Set off early for Zion National Park (~2.5 hrs from Las Vegas). Purchase a 7-day America the Beautiful National Parks Pass (~£60/£75) — it covers entry to all the national parks on this itinerary and pays for itself within a couple of stops. Take the free park shuttle into the canyon and hike to the Emerald Pools and hanging gardens. The Lower Emerald Pool trail is accessible to most fitness levels, while the Upper Pools offer more challenge and reward.

🚌Drive from Las Vegas to Zion (~2.5 hrs, ~160 miles). Use free park shuttles inside Zion.

🛏Zion Canyon Campground (Springdale) or Under Canvas Zion for a slightly more comfortable stay — approx. £20–40/night

• →Hike to Emerald Pools (Lower, Middle & Upper) — free with park pass
• →Ride the free Zion Canyon Shuttle
• →Walk the Riverside Walk along the Virgin River
• →Photograph the towering sandstone cliffs of cream, pink, and red

Spend a full day exploring more of Zion. The famous Narrows hike — wading up the Virgin River through a towering slot canyon — is a bucket-list experience you can do independently. Rent waterproof gear and walking sticks from Zion Outfitter in Springdale (~£30). The Angels Landing hike requires a permit (book via Recreation.gov, ~£4), but the views are extraordinary. Alternatively, hike Canyon Overlook Trail for stunning views without the permit.

🚌Free park shuttle system within Zion National Park.

🛏Zion Canyon Campground or guesthouse in Springdale — approx. £20–40/night

• →Hike The Narrows (rent gear from Zion Outfitter, ~£30)
• →Angels Landing hike with permit via Recreation.gov (~£4 permit fee)
• →Canyon Overlook Trail (free, no permit needed)
• →Explore Springdale village for dinner

Drive from Zion to Bryce Canyon (~1.5 hrs). Arrive at one of the world's most otherworldly landscapes — a giant amphitheatre of eroded hoodoos, spires, and pinnacles in vivid shades of orange, red, and white. Walk the Rim Trail for panoramic views, or descend into the amphitheatre on the Queen's Garden and Navajo Loop Trail combination (~5.5 km, moderate). Sunrise and sunset at Bryce Point or Sunset Point are genuinely spectacular.

🚌Drive from Zion to Bryce Canyon (~1.5 hrs, ~85 miles).

🛏Bryce Canyon Inn or Bryce Valley Inn (Ruby's Inn area) — approx. £35–55/night

• →Navajo Loop & Queen's Garden Trail combo (~3.5 miles, moderate) — free with park pass
• →Rim Trail walk for panoramic amphitheatre views
• →Watch sunrise or sunset from Bryce Point or Sunset Point
• →Visit the Bryce Canyon Visitor Center

Drive from Bryce Canyon to Page, Arizona (~2.5 hrs) — home to two of the Southwest's most photographed natural wonders. Antelope Canyon is on Navajo Nation land and must be visited on a guided tour — book in advance via Antelope Canyon Navajo Tours or Ken's Tours (~£40–55). In the afternoon, take the short 1.5-mile round-trip hike to Horseshoe Bend for a breathtaking view of the Colorado River's horseshoe-shaped meander far below.

🚌Drive from Bryce Canyon to Page, AZ (~2.5 hrs, ~155 miles).

🛏Page Boy Motel or Courtyard by Marriott Page — approx. £45–65/night

• →Antelope Canyon guided Navajo tour — book via antelopecanyon.com or Ken's Tours (~£40–55)
• →Horseshoe Bend hike (1.5 miles round trip, $10 parking fee ~£8)
• →Sunset over Lake Powell (free)

Drive from Page to the Grand Canyon South Rim (~1.5 hrs). Spend the day exploring one of the world's true natural wonders. Walk the Rim Trail for free — it stretches 13 miles and offers jaw-dropping views at every turn. Hike partway down the Bright Angel Trail for a genuine canyon experience (note: the full hike to the river and back is a multi-day trip). For an insider geology and history experience similar to the tour's 'Grand Canyon Exclusive,' book a ranger-led programme at the South Rim Visitor Center (free). Add a helicopter flight over the canyon via Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters (~£150–200) for an optional splurge.

🚌Drive from Page to Grand Canyon South Rim (~1.5 hrs, ~90 miles). Use free park shuttle buses on the South Rim.

🛏Phantom Ranch (book far in advance via recreation.gov) or Yavapai Lodge / Maswik Lodge on the South Rim — approx. £50–80/night

• →Walk the South Rim Trail — free with park pass
• →Hike partway down Bright Angel Trail
• →Free ranger-led talks and walks at the South Rim Visitor Center
• →Optional: Grand Canyon helicopter tour via Papillon (~£150–200, book at papillon.com)
• →Watch sunset from Mather Point or Yavapai Point

Head west along the iconic Route 66, stopping in Seligman — widely considered the birthplace of Route 66. Wander the historic general store, browse retro motels and diners, and soak up the kitschy Americana charm that inspired the Pixar film Cars. Continue driving west toward the Mojave Desert area for the night, positioning yourself for Death Valley tomorrow.

🚌Drive from Grand Canyon South Rim via Seligman to Barstow/Victorville area (~4–5 hrs total driving, ~300 miles).

🛏Budget motel in Barstow or Victorville, CA — approx. £40–55/night

• →Explore Seligman's historic Route 66 shops, murals, and diners
• →Visit Delgadillo's Snow Cap Drive-In for a classic Route 66 meal (~£10–15)
• →Photo stops at vintage Route 66 signs and classic car displays
• →Drive through the Mojave Desert

Head into Death Valley — the hottest, driest, and lowest national park in the USA. Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America at 282 feet below sea level, is a must-visit. Explore the surreal Artist's Palette coloured rock formations, the sand dunes at Mesquite Flat, and Zabriskie Point for panoramic badland views. Check in at Furnace Creek or Stovepipe Wells. Note: avoid visiting in summer (June–August) when temperatures can reach 50°C+.

🚌Drive from Barstow to Death Valley (~2 hrs, ~120 miles).

🛏Stovepipe Wells Village Hotel or Furnace Creek Ranch — approx. £60–90/night (limited options in the park; book ahead)

• →Badwater Basin — lowest point in North America (free with park pass)
• →Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes (free)
• →Artist's Palette drive and walk (free)
• →Zabriskie Point viewpoint (free)
• →Dante's View for sweeping valley panorama (free)

Depart Death Valley and drive north to Sequoia National Park (~3.5 hrs). Enter a world of giants — the General Sherman Tree is the largest tree on Earth by volume. Walk the Congress Trail loop through towering groves of ancient sequoias. The sheer scale of these trees is humbling and unlike anything else on the planet.

🚌Drive from Death Valley to Sequoia (~3.5 hrs, ~220 miles).

🛏Wuksachi Lodge (in park) or budget motel in Three Rivers, CA — approx. £45–70/night

• →Visit General Sherman Tree — largest tree on Earth by volume (free with park pass)
• →Congress Trail loop walk (~3.3 km, easy)
• →Moro Rock hike for panoramic Sierra Nevada views (free)
• →Crescent Meadow walk through sequoia groves

Spend a full day exploring Sequoia and the adjacent Kings Canyon National Park (both covered by the same park pass). Drive the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway down to Cedar Grove at the canyon floor — one of the most dramatic drives in California. Hike the Zumwalt Meadow loop for wildflower meadows and stunning valley views, then return through Grant Grove's giant sequoias.

🚌Self-drive within Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks.

🛏Wuksachi Lodge or campsite at Lodgepole Campground — approx. £30–60/night

• →Drive Kings Canyon Scenic Byway to Cedar Grove
• →Zumwalt Meadow loop hike (~2.5 km, easy)
• →General Grant Tree — 'Nation's Christmas Tree' (free)
• →Roaring River Falls short walk (free)

Drive north from Sequoia to Yosemite Valley (~3.5 hrs). Book a timed entry reservation in advance via Recreation.gov (required in peak season, ~£25 park entry covered by your America the Beautiful pass). Yosemite Valley is one of the most spectacular places on Earth — granite monoliths, waterfalls, and meadows at every turn. Hike to the base of Yosemite Falls or Mirror Lake for classic views.

🚌Drive from Sequoia to Yosemite (~3.5 hrs, ~190 miles). Use free Valley Shuttle inside Yosemite Valley.

🛏Yosemite Valley Lodge, Curry Village tent cabins, or Housekeeping Camp — approx. £45–75/night (book months in advance)

• →Yosemite Valley Floor Loop walk or cycle (bike rental ~£12/hr)
• →Hike to Lower Yosemite Falls (free, 1.6 km round trip)
• →Valley View and Valley Floor meadow walks
• →Tunnel View overlook — iconic first look at El Capitan and Half Dome

A full day in Yosemite to explore at your own pace. Hike the iconic Half Dome trail if you have a permit (book via Recreation.gov, ~£8 — extremely competitive, apply months ahead). For most travellers, the Half Dome cables hike without a permit isn't possible in peak season, so opt for the spectacular Mist Trail to Vernal and Nevada Falls (~12 km round trip, strenuous), or the more moderate Mirror Lake loop. The Valley is magical at dawn before crowds arrive.

🚌Free Yosemite Valley Shuttle.

🛏Yosemite Valley Lodge or Curry Village — approx. £45–75/night

• →Mist Trail to Vernal Falls & Nevada Falls (~7.5 miles round trip, strenuous) — free
• →Mirror Lake loop (~8 km, easy-moderate) — free
• →Optional: Half Dome day hike with permit via Recreation.gov (~£8 permit)
• →El Capitan Meadow — watch climbers on the world's most famous rock face

Drive west out of Yosemite and join the legendary Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1) heading south toward Big Sur (~4–5 hrs total driving). This is one of the most scenic coastal drives in the world — pull over at McWay Falls, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, Bixby Creek Bridge, and Point Sur. The thundering surf and dramatic clifftops are unforgettable. Book accommodation in Big Sur well in advance — it's popular and limited.

🚌Self-drive from Yosemite via Monterey/Carmel to Big Sur (~4–5 hrs, ~250 miles).

🛏Big Sur Campground & Cabins or Fernwood Resort Big Sur — approx. £50–80/night

• →Drive Pacific Coast Highway 1 (Highway 1) — pull over at as many viewpoints as possible
• →McWay Falls overlook — free (Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, ~£8 parking)
• →Bixby Creek Bridge photo stop (free)
• →Pfeiffer Beach — purple sand beach (~£12 parking)
• →Point Sur Lighthouse State Historic Park

Continue north along Highway 1 to Monterey. The Monterey Bay Aquarium is one of the best in the world — book tickets online in advance (~£35–40) to avoid queues and get the same behind-the-scenes experience available to G Adventures travellers. Explore Cannery Row, walk the Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail, and check out the Old Fisherman's Wharf for fresh clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl.

🚌Drive from Big Sur to Monterey (~1.5 hrs, ~50 miles).

🛏HI Monterey Hostel or budget hotel in Monterey — approx. £35–55/night

• →Monterey Bay Aquarium — book online (~£35–40 adult entry, montereybayaquarium.org)
• →Walk Cannery Row and Old Fisherman's Wharf
• →Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail walk or cycle
• →17-Mile Drive scenic route through Pebble Beach (~£10 entry fee)
• →Fresh clam chowder at Old Fisherman's Wharf

Drive north from Monterey to San Francisco via Highway 1 or Highway 101 (~2–2.5 hrs). Arrive in San Francisco and drop off your rental car — return it to SFO airport or a city depot. Spend the afternoon and evening exploring the city: walk across the Golden Gate Bridge, explore Fisherman's Wharf, ride a cable car, or head to the Mission District for burritos and street art. This is your last night — celebrate with the crew you've made along the way!

🚌Drive from Monterey to San Francisco (~2–2.5 hrs, ~120 miles). Drop off rental car.

🛏HI San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf Hostel or USA Hostels San Francisco — approx. £35–50/night

• →Walk or cycle across the Golden Gate Bridge (free to walk, bike rental ~£15)
• →Explore Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39
• →Ride a historic cable car (~£7 one way)
• →Explore the Mission District — street art, taquerias, and bars
• →Visit Alcatraz Island (book in advance via alcatrazcruises.com, ~£35)

Your self-launched adventure ends today. Head to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) for your onward flight, or extend your stay to explore more of this world-class city. If you have time before departing, grab breakfast at a classic San Francisco diner, visit the Ferry Building Marketplace, or stroll through Golden Gate Park.

🚌Taxi, Uber/Lyft, or BART train to SFO airport (~£10–20).

🛏Check out of accommodation

• →Morning walk through Golden Gate Park (free)
• →Ferry Building Marketplace — local food and coffee
• →Depart from San Francisco International Airport (SFO)