Best of the US Express — Self-Launched Edition
14 days · United States (New York to San Francisco)
G Adventures charges £2,450
No-markup version: ~£1,680 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A two-week coast-to-coast US road-and-rail adventure from New York to San Francisco, rebuilt for independent travellers. Same cultural touchstones as the small-group original — Times Square, the monuments of Washington DC, Shenandoah and the Appalachians, Nashville and Memphis, Bourbon Street, Joshua Tree, the Grand Canyon rim at sunset, Route 66, Death Valley, Vegas, Yosemite and the crookedest street in the world — but using Amtrak, budget flights, hostel dorms and national-park campgrounds instead of a private coach and guide. Costs are rough per-person estimates in GBP; bookings via Amtrak, airline sites, Recreation.gov and GetYourGuide/Klook. US note: campsites and park entries are cheap, but the domestic flight and big-city hostels are the main money sinks.
Day-by-day
Arrive New York — Times Square & Brooklyn Bridge
New York City, NY
Land at JFK, EWR or LGA and take the subway/AirTrain into Manhattan rather than a $70 taxi. Check into a hostel dorm in Brooklyn (Greenpoint/Williamsburg) or the Upper West Side. Spend the evening walking Times Square, then loop over Brooklyn Bridge for the skyline at dusk. Free — the best introduction to the city costs nothing.
🚌AirTrain + NYC Subway from JFK ~£9; OMNY contactless taps ~£2.30/ride
🛏Hostel dorm (HI New York Upper West Side or a Brooklyn hostel), ~£45/night
- →Times Square walk
- →Brooklyn Bridge sunset walk
- →Greenwich Village wander
New York morning → Washington DC by Amtrak
Washington, DC
Morning in the Big Apple: Central Park loop or a free Staten Island Ferry round trip for Statue of Liberty views. Mid-afternoon catch the Northeast Regional (or cheaper BoltBus/FlixBus) south to DC, roughly 3.5 hours by train. Dump bags at a hostel near Dupont Circle or NoMa and walk the National Mall after dark — the monuments are floodlit and free.
🚌Amtrak Northeast Regional NY–DC ~£35–55 if booked ahead; FlixBus ~£20
🛏Hostel dorm (HI Washington DC or Duo Housing), ~£40/night
- →Central Park
- →Staten Island Ferry
- →National Mall at night
Free day in Washington DC
Washington, DC
All the headline sights are free: Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument grounds, White House exterior, Smithsonian museums (Air & Space, Natural History, African American History & Culture — free timed entries, book online). Optional add-ons: Arlington National Cemetery (free), a Capitol tour (free, reserve ahead), or a food hall lunch at Union Market.
🚌Walking + Metro day pass ~£6
🛏Hostel dorm, ~£40/night
- →Smithsonian museums (free)
- →Lincoln Memorial & Reflecting Pool
- →Arlington National Cemetery
Washington DC → Shenandoah National Park / Appalachia
Shenandoah National Park, VA
Pick up a cheap rental car (split between a few travellers if possible) or take a bus to Front Royal and arrange a local shuttle. Drive Skyline Drive for the classic Blue Ridge overlooks, then hike a stretch of the Appalachian Trail — Hawksbill Summit or Stony Man are short and superb. Camp in a Shenandoah campground (Mathews Arm or Big Meadows).
🚌Rental car shared ~£35/day plus fuel; or bus + shuttle ~£25
🛏National park campground tent pitch, ~£12/night (plus £22/vehicle park entry valid 7 days)
- →Skyline Drive
- →Hawksbill Summit hike
- →Appalachian Trail section
Appalachians → Nashville
Nashville, TN
A long driving day west through the Appalachians (about 7-8 hours). Break it up with a diner stop in Knoxville or Chattanooga. Arrive Nashville in the evening: check into a hostel near downtown and hit Broadway's honky-tonks, where the live music is free and the neon never sleeps.
🚌Rental car shared ~£35/day + fuel; long-distance bus alternative ~£40
🛏Hostel dorm (Nashville Downtown Hostel), ~£42/night
- →Broadway honky-tonk crawl
- →Country Music Hall of Fame (optional £20)
Nashville → Memphis: Graceland & Beale Street
Memphis, TN
Morning drive (3 hrs) to Memphis. Options: Graceland (£32–48, book online), Sun Studio (£11), the National Civil Rights Museum (£12, genuinely unmissable), or the Rock 'n' Soul Museum (£9). Evening on Beale Street for blues bars, ribs and live music. Sleep in a Memphis hostel.
🚌Rental car shared; or Greyhound Nashville–Memphis ~£25
🛏Hostel dorm, ~£35/night
- →Graceland
- →National Civil Rights Museum
- →Beale Street live music
Memphis → New Orleans
New Orleans, LA
Drive or take the bus south (~6 hrs) into Louisiana. Check into a hostel in the Marigny or Lower Garden District. Walk the French Quarter, grab beignets at Café du Monde (£7), and let Bourbon Street do the rest. Optional: a £20 ghost tour or a Mississippi steamboat ride (£25–33).
🚌Rental car shared ~£35 + fuel; Greyhound alternative ~£35
🛏Hostel dorm (India House or Auberge NOLA), ~£38/night
- →French Quarter walk
- →Café du Monde beignets
- →Bourbon Street evening
- →Optional ghost tour £20
New Orleans → Los Angeles (budget flight)
Los Angeles, CA
Fly the long leg: Southwest/Spirit/Frontier one-way MSY–LAX often runs £70–110 if booked early (bag fees extra — travel carry-on only). Afternoon in LA: Hollywood Walk of Fame, Griffith Observatory for the sunset skyline (free), or Venice Beach. Hostel in Hollywood or Santa Monica.
🚌One-way flight New Orleans–LA ~£90; LA Metro day pass ~£5
🛏Hostel dorm (USA Hostels Hollywood / Santa Monica), ~£45/night
- →Griffith Observatory
- →Hollywood Walk of Fame
- →Venice Beach boardwalk
LA → Joshua Tree → Lake Havasu
Lake Havasu City, AZ
Early rental-car pickup (essential leg — split costs) and drive east. Joshua Tree National Park: £22/vehicle entry, hike the Hidden Valley loop and scramble the boulders. Continue to Lake Havasu City on the Arizona border for a swim in the clear Colorado River water and a lakeside campground or budget motel.
🚌Rental car shared ~£35/day + fuel
🛏Lake Havasu campground pitch ~£14 or budget motel ~£50
- →Joshua Tree National Park
- →Hidden Valley hike
- →Lake Havasu swim
Lake Havasu → Grand Canyon South Rim sunset
Grand Canyon National Park, AZ
Quick photo stop at London Bridge (shipped brick-by-brick from London), then drive to the South Rim. Walk the Rim Trail, or descend partway on Bright Angel Trail — remember it's three times harder coming up. Camp at Mather Campground (book on Recreation.gov the moment dates open) and eat pizza at the rim watching the sun drop into the canyon.
🚌Rental car shared ~£35/day + fuel
🛏Mather Campground tent pitch, ~£14/night (park entry £28/vehicle)
- →London Bridge
- →Rim Trail walk
- →Bright Angel Trail (partial)
- →Sunset at the South Rim
Grand Canyon → Route 66 → Las Vegas
Las Vegas, NV
Optional splurge: a Grand Canyon helicopter flight (book via GetYourGuide/Klook, £180–260 — the priciest optional on the whole route). Otherwise hike the rim at sunrise. Then drive Route 66 via Seligman and stop for kitsch at a roadside ghost town. Arrive Vegas for a hostel night on or near the Strip — the people-watching and casino floors are free.
🚌Rental car shared ~£35/day + fuel
🛏Hostel dorm (Hostel Cat / Sin City Hostel), ~£40/night
- →Route 66 / Seligman
- →Las Vegas Strip walk
- →Optional helicopter flight £200
Las Vegas → Death Valley → Sierra Nevada
Bishop / Eastern Sierra, CA
Cross into Death Valley National Park (£22/vehicle): Badwater Basin (lowest point in the US), Zabriskie Point, Dante's View, Furnace Creek. Carry plenty of water — summer heat is brutal. Then climb into the Eastern Sierra and camp near Bishop for a campfire night under enormous stars.
🚌Rental car shared ~£35/day + fuel
🛏Sierra campground tent pitch ~£12 (or Bishop budget motel ~£55)
- →Badwater Basin
- →Zabriskie Point
- →Dante's View
Sierra Nevada → Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park, CA
Drive into Yosemite (£27/vehicle entry, or free with the America the Beautiful annual pass £62 if you're visiting several parks). Hike the Mist Trail to Vernal Fall, walk to Mirror Lake, or rent a bike in Yosemite Valley (£25–30). Camp at a park campground or in a nearby national forest site; a valley lodge is the splurge option.
🚌Rental car shared ~£35/day + fuel
🛏Yosemite-area campground pitch ~£15 (or Curry Village canvas tent ~£70)
- →Mist Trail / Vernal Fall hike
- →Yosemite Valley viewpoints
- →Optional bike rental £25
Yosemite → San Francisco & Lombard Street
San Francisco, CA
Final drive west to San Francisco (3.5–4 hrs). Return the rental car at the airport. Walk Lombard Street's switchbacks, ride a cable car (£6), see the Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman's Wharf. If time allows, book Alcatraz ahead (£28–33 — sells out weeks in advance) or cycle the bridge to Sausalito. Finish with a burrito in the Mission.
🚌Rental car shared ~£35 + fuel; Muni visitor pass ~£18
🛏Hostel dorm (HI Fisherman's Wharf / Green Tortoise), ~£45/night
- →Lombard Street
- →Golden Gate Bridge
- →Cable car ride
- →Optional Alcatraz £30
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,680 | £2,450 |
| Duration | 14 days | 14 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £770 per person (31%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,680
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 Best of the US Express — Self-Launched Edition cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,680 per person for 14 days in United States (New York to San Francisco). 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 £2,450 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,680 — a saving of roughly £770 (31%) per person.
How long is the United States (New York to San Francisco) trip?+
This itinerary runs 14 days, covering 14 day-by-day stops through United States (New York to San Francisco).
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, culture, road-trip trip through United States (New York to San Francisco), 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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