Self-Launched California & Southwest Road Trip: LA, San Francisco, Yosemite, Vegas, Grand Canyon & Zion

Pick up a cheap shared rental car or grab an Amtrak Pacific Surfliner to Santa Barbara (about £20, 2.5 hrs) and explore the Spanish Mission and State Street on foot. From Santa Barbara take the Highway 101/Route 1 coastal route north via Solvang (the Danish-style village, easily a half-day detour by bus if you're car-free). Overnight in Carmel or Monterey — budget motels and hostels here are pricey in summer, so book early. If you're going car-free, the Surfliner + a Monterey-Salinas Transit connection is the cheapest option, but the rental car is the only realistic way to do the full coastal drive in one day.

🚌Amtrak Pacific Surfliner LA→Santa Barbara (~£20) or shared rental car split between 2–4 people (~£30–40/day each)

🛏Budget motel or hostel in Monterey/Carmel (approx £45–60)

• →Santa Barbara Spanish Mission and State Street
• →Solvang Danish village stroll
• →Pacific Coast Highway / 17-Mile Drive viewpoints
• →Carmel-by-the-Sea town walk and beach

Drive or take the bus up to San Francisco (Monterey-Salinas Transit / FlixBus, ~£20–25, or 2 hrs by car). Book a Golden Gate Bay Cruise with GetYourGuide or direct with Red & White Fleet (~£30) — it loops under the Golden Gate and around Alcatraz, just like the tour's included cruise. Then self-walk the classic sights: Fisherman's Wharf and Pier 39, a walk or bike across the Golden Gate Bridge, Union Square, Chinatown and Nob Hill. If you want to actually land on Alcatraz (the original tour only views it from the water), book Alcatraz City Cruises direct about 90 days ahead — ~£35–45. Evening: Bay Bridge lights from the Embarcadero.

🚌Monterey-Salinas Transit / FlixBus to SF (~£20–25) plus MUNI day pass (~£5)

🛏HI San Francisco hostel dorm (approx £35–45)

• →Golden Gate Bay Cruise (book via GetYourGuide, ~£30)
• →Optional Alcatraz Island landing tour (~£40, book direct early)
• →Golden Gate Bridge walk or bike hire
• →Chinatown, Union Square and Nob Hill self-walk

The classic self-launched move is a Yosemite day tour from SF (GetYourGuide/Extranomical, ~£120–140 including park entry) or, for more freedom, an Amtrak San Joaquins train to Merced plus the YARTS bus into the valley (~£35–45 return, park entry $35/vehicle or $20 on foot). Once in the valley, walk the Mist Trail to Bridalveil Fall, the Yosemite Falls trail (short lower loop, 1–2 hrs), and El Capitan and Half Dome viewpoints from the valley floor. The original tour does this as a long day from the Bay Area — an overnight at a valley campground or Curry Village tent cabin (~£60–80) lets you see sunset and sunrise instead.

🚌Amtrak San Joaquins to Merced + YARTS bus into the valley (~£35–45) or guided day tour (~£130)

🛏Curry Village tent cabin or valley campground (approx £60–80) — or return to SF hostel

• →Yosemite Valley floor walk: El Capitan, Bridalveil Fall, Half Dome viewpoints
• →Lower Yosemite Falls trail
• →Optional Mist Trail hike to Vernal Fall (2–3 hrs)
• →Yosemite Visitor Center

Cheapest route from the Bay Area to Vegas is a budget flight (Southwest/Frontier/Spirit from Oakland or SFO, ~£50–80 one way, 1.5 hrs) — far quicker than the tour's full-day coach transfer. Check in at a budget Strip-adjacent motel or hostel (no hostel scene on the Strip itself, so a cheap motel or the Hostel Cat near the Strip, ~£40–60). Spend the afternoon and evening self-walking the Strip: Bellagio fountains, Caesars Palace, the Venetian, Paris Las Vegas, New York New York, Luxor, Treasure Island. Optional splurge: a Cirque or comedy show (~£50–90) booked via Vegas.com or GetYourGuide. Keep gambling money separate and small.

🚌Budget flight OAK/SFO→LAS (~£50–80) plus Strip monorail or Deuce bus day pass (~£6)

🛏Budget motel or hostel near the Strip (approx £45–60)

• →Self-guided Las Vegas Strip walk (Bellagio, Venetian, Caesars, Luxor)
• →Bellagio fountain show (free)
• →Optional Vegas show (~£50–90)
• →Optional Fremont Street evening

Take a very early FlixBus/Greyhound from Las Vegas to Williams or Flagstaff (~£40–55, 4–5 hrs), then the Grand Canyon Shuttle or Arizona Shuttle into the South Rim (~£20–25). Alternatively, a small-group day tour from Vegas (GetYourGuide, ~£120–140) works if you're short on time. On the rim, walk the Rim Trail between Mather Point and Yavapai Point, catch a sunset at Hopi Point, and browse the Native American arts and crafts marketplaces near the village. Overnight in the park (Bright Angel Lodge or Mather Campground, ~£50–80) or in Tusayan.

🚌Greyhound/FlixBus Vegas→Williams or Flagstaff (~£45) plus Arizona Shuttle to the rim (~£22)

🛏Bright Angel Lodge or Mather Campground, Grand Canyon Village (approx £50–80)

• →Rim Trail walk (Mather Point to Yavapai Point)
• →Sunset at Hopi Point
• →Native American arts and crafts marketplaces
• →Optional ranger talk at the Visitor Center

This is the tightest day — the original does it by coach. Self-launched, do it as: morning shuttle from the Grand Canyon to Page (~£45–60, 2.5 hrs), then a Lower Antelope Canyon Navajo-guided tour booked direct with Ken's Tours or Dixie Ellis (~£45–55, book weeks ahead, timed entry). After lunch, continue via shared shuttle/rental car to Bryce Canyon (~3 hrs). Catch sunset from Sunset Point or Inspiration Point, which is exactly what the tour does. Overnight in Bryce Canyon City or Cannonville. If you'd rather not rush, split this over two days and skip Bryce — Antelope alone is worth the trip.

🚌Shared shuttle Grand Canyon→Page (~£50), rental car or shuttle Page→Bryce (~£35)

🛏Budget motel or lodge in Bryce Canyon City (approx £55–75)

• →Lower Antelope Canyon Navajo-guided tour (~£50, book direct with Ken's Tours)
• →Horseshoe Bend viewpoint (free, 10 min from Page)
• →Bryce Canyon sunset from Sunset/Inspiration Point

Drive or shuttle from Bryce to Zion (~1.5 hrs, ~£25–35 shared). Take the free park shuttle into Zion Canyon and walk the Riverside Walk along the Virgin River to the base of the Narrows (~2 hrs return, easy), or the slightly tougher Canyon Overlook Trail. In the afternoon, continue to Las Vegas (~2.5 hrs) to finish where the coach tour ends, at the Luxor. If you need to get back to LA, a late FlixBus Vegas→LA is ~£35–45 (5–6 hrs).

🚌Shuttle/rental car Bryce→Zion (~£30), Zion→Las Vegas (~£25), optional FlixBus Vegas→LA (~£40)

🛏Not included — onward travel or final night in Las Vegas hostel/motel (approx £45)

• →Zion Canyon shuttle and Riverside Walk along the Virgin River
• →Optional Canyon Overlook Trail
• →Emerald Pools short hike
• →Evening arrival Las Vegas or overnight bus to LA