USA Road Trip: The Best of Cali — Self-Launched Edition
9 days · California, USA
G Adventures charges £1,750
No-markup version: ~£690 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 9-day self-launched version of G Adventures' California road trip: Los Angeles to Santa Cruz up the Pacific Coast Highway, three days exploring Yosemite, then back south to Venice Beach for a surf lesson. Instead of a private van and camping crew, you'll use Amtrak's Coast Starlight and Pacific Surfliner, YARTS buses into Yosemite, hostel dorms, and public campgrounds / canvas tents. You can self-book the surf lesson through GetYourGuide, Klook or a Venice surf school directly. Costs are approximate backpacker rates in GBP and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Los Angeles to Santa Monica & on to Santa Margarita
Santa Monica / Santa Margarita
Start your morning in Santa Monica — walk the pier, cruise the shoreline, and swing by the Santa Monica Farmers Market (Wednesdays and Saturdays are the big days) to stock up. After lunch, take the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner or Thruway bus north to San Luis Obispo (~£20-28, 4-5 hrs). Wander to Bubblegum Alley and grab provisions from a Trader Joe's or SLO Public Market before a short local bus/rideshare to your campground or hostel outside town.
🚌Amtrak Pacific Surfliner/Thruway bus LA-San Luis Obispo (~£22); local bus/rideshare to campground (~£6)
🛏Hostel or public campground near San Luis Obispo/Santa Margarita (camping ~£12-18)
- →Santa Monica Pier walk
- →Santa Monica Farmers Market
- →Bubblegum Alley, San Luis Obispo
Up the coast to Santa Cruz via the 17-Mile Drive
Monterey / Santa Cruz
Take the Coast Starlight or a Greyhound/FlixBus north to Salinas or San Jose, then a local bus (MST Line 20 or similar) to Monterey. Walk or cycle the 17-Mile Drive through Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach (~£10 toll for cars, free on foot/bike on the coastal path) for cypress forests and Pacific views. Continue to Santa Cruz by bus (~£8-12) and check into a hostel or campground near the beach.
🚌Greyhound/FlixBus to Salinas/San Jose (~£15) + Monterey-Salinas Transit + local bus to Santa Cruz (~£10)
🛏Santa Cruz hostel dorm or campground (~£25-35)
- →17-Mile Drive / Monterey Peninsula coastal walk
- →Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk stroll
Half Moon Bay & San Francisco orientation
San Francisco
Head north on the Highway 1 bus route to Half Moon Bay for coastal cliffs and a coffee stop, then continue into San Francisco (~£12-15 total). Do a free self-guided orientation: walk from the Ferry Building through Chinatown to Union Square or head to the Mission for murals and burritos. Optional extras: cable car ride (~£6), bike rental across the Golden Gate (~£10-25), or a sunset sail booked via GetYourGuide.
🚌SamTrans/local bus Santa Cruz-San Francisco (~£14); Muni day pass (~£5)
🛏HI San Francisco or Green Tortoise hostel dorm (~£30-40)
- →Half Moon Bay coastal walk
- →Ferry Building & Chinatown wander
- →Optional Golden Gate bike rental
San Francisco to Yosemite via the Central Valley
Yosemite National Park
Take the YARTS bus (Yosemite Area Regional Transportation) from San Francisco to Yosemite Valley (~£22-28, 5-6 hrs) — book online in advance. Stop for produce in the Central Valley towns en route. On arrival, hike the Tuolumne Grove trail to see giant sequoias, then catch sight of El Capitan and Bridalveil Fall before settling into Camp 4 or Housekeeping Camp.
🚌YARTS bus San Francisco-Yosemite Valley (~£25); park shuttle is free
🛏Camp 4 walk-in campsite (~£8-12) or canvas tent cabin (~£45)
- →Tuolumne Grove sequoia hike
- →El Capitan & Bridalveil Fall viewpoints
Yosemite Valley at your own pace
Yosemite Valley
Free day in the valley using the free park shuttle. Easy options: the Lower Yosemite Fall Trail or the Swinging Bridge loop, with Half Dome and El Capitan looming overhead. Want a challenge? Climb the Upper Yosemite Falls trail or Four Mile Trail. End the afternoon with a drink at the Yosemite Valley Lodge deck and watch climbers on El Capitan.
🚌Free Yosemite Valley shuttle
🛏Camp 4 or canvas tent cabin
- →Lower Yosemite Fall Trail
- →Upper Yosemite Falls hike (optional, strenuous)
- →El Capitan climber watching
Waterfalls, bikes and campfire stories
Yosemite Valley
Get active: hike the Mist Trail to Vernal and Nevada Falls (8-10 km, book a free wilderness permit online if you go beyond Nevada Fall), or rent a bike at Curry Village and cruise the valley loop (~£25-30). After dark, join a ranger talk or stargaze around your campfire — Yosemite's night skies are spectacular.
🚌Free valley shuttle / walking
🛏Camp 4 or canvas tent cabin
- →Mist Trail to Vernal & Nevada Falls
- →Optional valley bike rental
- →Ranger talk / stargazing
Back south to Venice Beach
Venice Beach, Los Angeles
Early YARTS bus back to Merced (~£10) and Amtrak to Los Angeles Union Station (~£30-40, 5-6 hrs) — a long travel day, so pack snacks. Arrive in Venice in the late afternoon via Metro E Line + bus (~£3), walk the boardwalk and beach during golden hour, and grab a sunset dinner on the sand.
🚌YARTS to Merced (~£10) + Amtrak San Joaquins to LA (~£35) + Metro/bus (~£4)
🛏Venice Beach/Santa Monica hostel dorm (~£40-50)
- →Venice Boardwalk
- →Sunset on Venice Beach
Surf lesson & beach day in Venice
Venice Beach
Book a group beginner surf lesson through GetYourGuide, Klook or a Venice surf school directly (~£55-75 including board and wetsuit, 1.5-2 hrs). Then it's free time: lounge on the sand, walk out to the pier, rent a beach cruiser (~£12) or a board for a second session, and find a beachfront cafe or taco spot for people-watching.
🚌Walking / Metro Breeze bike share (~£5)
🛏Venice Beach/Santa Monica hostel dorm
- →Group beginner surf lesson
- →Beach bike rental (optional)
- →Venice Pier
Departure day
Venice Beach / LAX
Check out and make your own way to LAX — the FlyAway bus from Union Station or a local bus + Metro connection costs ~£4-8, a rideshare ~£25-30 and takes about 25 minutes. Book onward flights no earlier than midday to leave buffer.
🚌Metro/bus to LAX (~£5) or rideshare (~£28)
- →Final beach walk
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£690 | £1,750 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,060 per person (61%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£690
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 USA Road Trip: The Best of Cali — Self-Launched Edition cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £690 per person for 9 days in California, 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,750 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £690 — a saving of roughly £1,060 (61%) per person.
How long is the California, USA trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through California, 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, backpacker, road-trip trip through California, 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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