Self-Launched USA Road Trip: San Francisco to LA Adventure
7 days · California & the American Southwest (San Francisco to Los Angeles)
G Adventures charges £1,450
No-markup version: ~£735 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A do-it-yourself version of G Adventures' 7-day San Francisco to LA camping road trip — same route, same national parks, minus the group vehicle and participation camping. You'll tackle it solo or with a small crew of friends: Yosemite Valley hikes, Death Valley's extremes, the Las Vegas Strip, sunset on the Grand Canyon's South Rim, Route 66 kitsch, a swim at Lake Havasu and Joshua Tree before rolling into Los Angeles. Practical route: fly into SFO, then either hire a car (best value for 2+ people) or use a mix of Amtrak/Greyhound, YARTS and organised day tours if travelling solo. Costs are rough budget-traveller estimates in GBP and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive San Francisco — Union Square & Market Street
San Francisco
Arrive any time and check into a hostel near Union Square or Fisherman's Wharf. Take BART from SFO to Powell Street (~£7, 30 mins) — the cheapest and easiest airport transfer. Spend the afternoon walking Union Square, Chinatown and the Embarcadero, then sample the city's bar and live music scene in North Beach or the Mission. Pick up a Clipper card for local transit (~£2 plus top-up). If you're hiring a car, collect it tomorrow morning rather than today — San Francisco parking is expensive and unnecessary.
🚌BART from SFO to Powell Street ~£7
🛏Hostel dorm in Union Square / Downtown (e.g. HI San Francisco Downtown or Green Tortoise), ~£40/night
- →Self-guided Union Square & Chinatown walk
- →North Beach / Mission District evening out
San Francisco → Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park
Pick up a rental car early (pre-booked economy car ~£28-35/day) or, if travelling without a car, take the YARTS bus from Merced (reachable by Amtrak San Joaquins from Oakland/Emeryville, ~£30) into Yosemite Valley. Drive across the Bay Bridge, through California's Central Valley and stop at a farm stand near Modesto for fresh produce. Enter the park via the Big Oak Flat or Arch Rock entrance and settle into a campsite in Yosemite Valley (Curry Village or Housekeeping Camp) or a budget motel in El Portal. Book your park entry reservation and campsite weeks ahead — they sell out fast.
🚌Self-drive ~200 miles / 4.5 hrs, or Amtrak + YARTS combo
🛏Campground tent site in Yosemite Valley (~£22/site, splits to ~£11pp) or budget motel in El Portal ~£90
- →Bay Bridge & Central Valley drive
- →Valley floor sunset stroll
Yosemite Valley Hiking Day
Yosemite National Park
A full day on foot in Yosemite Valley. Start early on the Mist Trail to Vernal Fall (2.4 miles return, moderate) — bring a rain jacket, you will get wet. Afternoon options: the paved Lower Yosemite Fall loop, the Valley Loop Trail, or the harder hike to Columbia Rock. Drive to Glacier Point for sunset views over Half Dome if the road is open. Sequoia groves at Mariposa Grove are a short detour on the way out tomorrow.
🚌Walking plus short local drives within the valley
🛏Campground tent site in Yosemite Valley (~£22/site) or budget motel in El Portal ~£90
- →Mist Trail to Vernal Fall
- →Lower Yosemite Fall loop
- →Glacier Point sunset (optional drive)
Yosemite → Death Valley → Las Vegas
Las Vegas
Long driving day (~7 hrs total) but a spectacular one. Exit via Tioga Pass if open (closed Nov-May, check Caltrans road conditions), cross the Sierra Nevadas and drop into Death Valley National Park. Stop at Zabriskie Point, Badwater Basin (lowest point in North America, salt flats), Dante's View and Furnace Creek. Pay the £25 per-vehicle park entrance fee. Continue south to Las Vegas, arriving in the evening for a wander down the Strip. Note the US drinking age is 21 — bring ID.
🚌Self-drive ~420 miles / 7 hrs driving plus stops
🛏Budget hotel or hostel on/off the Strip (e.g. OYO Hotel or Las Vegas Hostel), ~£45/night
- →Death Valley National Park highlights
- →Zabriskie Point
- →Badwater Basin
- →Dante's View
- →Las Vegas Strip evening walk
Las Vegas → Route 66 → Grand Canyon South Rim
Grand Canyon South Rim
Leave Vegas mid-morning and pick up old Route 66 at Kingman — detour through Hackberry and Seligman to see vintage motels, the historic general store and roadside kitsch. Arrive at Grand Canyon South Rim in the late afternoon, pay the £28 per-vehicle park fee and catch sunset from Mather Point or Yavapai Point. Camp at Mather Campground inside the park (book on Recreation.gov well in advance, ~£14/night) — the alternative is an expensive motel in Tusayan.
🚌Self-drive ~280 miles / 5 hrs
🛏Mather Campground tent site inside the park (~£14/night) or budget motel in Tusayan ~£95
- →Route 66 stop in Seligman
- →Hackberry General Store
- →Mather Point sunset
Grand Canyon Rim Trail → Lake Havasu
Lake Havasu City
Hike a section of the Rim Trail before it gets hot — the flat 4-mile stretch from Mather Point to Yavapai is easy and panoramic. Any hike below the rim should start early and carry 3+ litres of water (down is optional, up is mandatory). If you want the splurge, book a Grand Canyon helicopter flight independently via GetYourGuide or the park's authorised operators (~£200-260 for 45-50 mins). Drive down to Lake Havasu in the afternoon, cross the London Bridge and take an evening swim in the Colorado River.
🚌Self-drive ~250 miles / 4.5 hrs
🛏Budget motel or hostel in Lake Havasu City, ~£50/night
- →Grand Canyon Rim Trail hike
- →Optional Grand Canyon helicopter tour (self-booked, ~£230)
- →London Bridge & Colorado River swim
Lake Havasu → Joshua Tree National Park → Los Angeles
Los Angeles
Early start for Joshua Tree National Park (~2.5 hrs). Pay the £25 per-vehicle fee and do the short Hidden Valley Nature Trail loop plus a wander among the boulders at Skull Rock, keeping an eye out for rock climbers and desert wildlife. Loop out via Twentynine Palms and Palm Springs toward LA, arriving in time for sunset. Drop the rental car at LAX or downtown — one-way hire fees from SF to LA are usually modest on this route. End of the trip; celebrate on Abbot Kinney or in Koreatown.
🚌Self-drive ~300 miles / 5 hrs including park stops
🛏Hostel dorm in Santa Monica / Hollywood / Downtown LA, ~£40/night (if staying on)
- →Hidden Valley Nature Trail
- →Joshua Tree boulders & Skull Rock
- →Palm Springs / Twentynine Palms drive
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£735 | £1,450 |
| Duration | 7 days | 7 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £715 per person (49%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£735
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 USA Road Trip: San Francisco to LA Adventure cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £735 per person for 7 days in California & the American Southwest (San Francisco to Los Angeles). 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 £1,450 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £735 — a saving of roughly £715 (49%) per person.
How long is the California & the American Southwest (San Francisco to Los Angeles) trip?+
This itinerary runs 7 days, covering 7 day-by-day stops through California & the American Southwest (San Francisco to Los Angeles).
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 California & the American Southwest (San Francisco to Los Angeles), 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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