Pacific Coast USA Self-Launched: Seattle to Los Angeles
14 days · US Pacific Coast (Seattle to Los Angeles)
DERTOUR charges £4,200
No-markup version: ~£1,605 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of DERTOUR's 14-day guided coach tour down the US West Coast, rebuilt for independent travellers. You'll cover the same spine — Seattle, Victoria, Mount Rainier and Mount St Helens, Portland, the Oregon coast, Redwood National Park, Napa, San Francisco, Monterey and Carmel, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles — but using Amtrak Cascades and Coast Starlight trains, local buses, and a couple of short budget flights instead of a tour coach. The Napa Valley Wine Train and the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner segment are kept exactly as in the original, since they're self-bookable anyway. Costs assume hostel dorms and simple motels, supermarket breakfasts and casual diners, and advance-purchased train tickets. All figures are approximate and priced in GBP per person.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Seattle — waterfront and Pike Place
Seattle, Washington
Land at SEA airport and take the Link Light Rail (about $3, ~£2.50) into Downtown, roughly 40 minutes. Check into a hostel in Belltown or near Pike Place. Spend the afternoon free-wheeling: wander the waterfront, get lost in Pike Place Market (go late afternoon when the crowds thin), and pop into the Starbucks Reserve Roastery on Capitol Hill. If the weather is clear, buy a Space Needle ticket online in advance (around £28) — or skip it and head to Kerry Park for the free skyline view instead.
🚌Link Light Rail from SEA airport, ~£2.50
🛏Hostel dorm in Belltown/Pike Place area (e.g. Green Tortoise Hostel), ~£32
- →Self-guided Pike Place Market wander
- →Waterfront walk
- →Starbucks Reserve Roastery (free entry)
- →Space Needle observation deck (own booking, ~£28)
Day trip to Victoria, BC by ferry
Victoria, British Columbia
Do the Victoria day trip independently via the Clipper passenger ferry from Pier 69 (book ahead online — round trip runs roughly £85-100 and takes about 2h45 each way), or take the cheaper but longer route: Amtrak/local bus to Anacortes and the Washington State Ferry to Sidney. On arrival, walk the Inner Harbour, then take local bus #75 to Butchart Gardens (entry ~£28) or book a whale-watching trip direct with a Victoria operator (about £85). Eat farm-to-table in the Inner Harbour area before the evening ferry back. Alternatively, base yourself overnight in Victoria and return the next morning if you prefer a slower pace.
🚌Victoria Clipper fast ferry from Pier 69, ~£90 return
🛏Return to Seattle hostel dorm, ~£32
- →Inner Harbour walk (free)
- →Butchart Gardens (~£28)
- →Optional whale watching (~£85)
- →Farm-to-table dinner
Mount Rainier and Mount St Helens by rental car
Seattle to Portland, Oregon
The original covers both volcanoes in a single coach leg — doable but long. Self-launched, the cleanest option is a one-way car rental from Seattle, driving through Mount Rainier National Park (Paradise/Reflection Lakes, $30 vehicle entry) and then south on I-5 towards Mount St Helens (Johnston Ridge Observatory, $8 entry). Drop the car in Portland. Split the rental cost if you can find travel companions. Public transport to either volcano is essentially non-existent, so this is the one day where a car genuinely makes sense — expect ~£60-70 for the rental plus fuel split between travellers.
🚌One-way rental car Seattle to Portland, ~£65 including fuel (split between travellers)
🛏Hostel dorm in Portland (e.g. HI Portland Hawthorne), ~£30
- →Mount Rainier National Park drive and short trails (~£18 entry)
- →Mount St Helens Johnston Ridge Observatory (~£6 entry)
Portland food, beer and bookshops
Portland, Oregon
A full free day in Portland, which is one of the best cheap-eating cities in the US. Self-guided food stroll through the Alberta Arts District or the Central Eastside; sample a flight at a brewery (about £8-10); browse Powell's City of Books (free). Saturday visitors should hit the Portland Farmers Market at PSU. In the evening, board game bars like Ground Kontrol or Guardian Games are cheap and sociable — a good way to meet locals and other travellers.
🚌TriMet buses and MAX light rail day pass, ~£4.50
🛏Hostel dorm in Portland, ~£30
- →Self-guided neighbourhood food stroll
- →Brewery tasting flight (~£9)
- →Powell's City of Books (free)
- →Farmers market if Saturday (free)
- →Board game bar (~£6 entry)
Oregon coast: Cannon Beach and Haystack Rock
Portland to Florence, Oregon
Take the POINT bus (NorthWest POINT/Amtrak Thruway) from Portland to Cannon Beach — about 2 hours, roughly £12. Walk the beach to Haystack Rock at low tide (free, incredible tide pools). Continue south with Amtrak Thruway or a local bus link to Tillamook and then Florence (total ~£30-35). Florence is a small town with hostel and motel options; if you'd rather break the journey, overnight in Cannon Beach or Newport instead and adjust the following day.
🚌POINT bus / Amtrak Thruway Portland to Cannon Beach then on to Florence, ~£35
🛏Budget motel or hostel in Florence, ~£45
- →Cannon Beach walk
- →Haystack Rock and tide pools (free)
- →Oregon coast scenic stops
Sand dunes and the redwoods to Eureka
Florence to Eureka, California
Morning on the Oregon Dunes — either a guided dune buggy or sandboarding session booked direct in Florence (about £35-45), or simply hike the dunes for free. Then head south: there's no direct public transport along this stretch, so the practical budget options are a Greyhound/Amtrak Thruway combination via Coos Bay and Crescent City (long, ~7 hours, ~£30), or splitting a one-way rental car with other travellers. Either way you'll pass through Redwood National Park near Crescent City — stop for the Stout Grove or Lady Bird Johnson Grove trail (free, ~1 hour). Arrive in Eureka in the evening.
🚌Greyhound / Amtrak Thruway via Coos Bay and Crescent City, ~£30 (or shared one-way car rental)
🛏Budget motel in Eureka, ~£50
- →Oregon Dunes hike or sandboard rental (~£10-45)
- →Redwood National Park grove walk (free)
Eureka to Santa Rosa via the Avenue of the Giants
Eureka to Santa Rosa, California
Bus south on the Redwood Coast Transit / Greyhound connection to Garberville, then arrange a lift or take the seasonal Humboldt Transit Authority link to see the Avenue of the Giants — the classic redwood drive. The simplest independent option is a one-way rental car from Eureka to Santa Rosa (about £60, cheaper split), which lets you stop freely at Founders Grove and the Drive-Through Tree. Arrive Santa Rosa, the gateway to Sonoma wine country, and pick up groceries for breakfast rather than paying hotel rates.
🚌One-way rental car Eureka to Santa Rosa, ~£60 (split where possible)
🛏Budget motel or hostel in Santa Rosa, ~£50
- →Avenue of the Giants drive
- →Founders Grove loop trail (free)
- →Santa Rosa evening stroll
Napa Valley Wine Train to San Francisco
Santa Rosa to San Francisco, California
Take the SMART train from Santa Rosa to Napa (about £6, 1 hour) and book the Napa Valley Wine Train directly through their own website — the gourmet lunch journey is the same experience the tour includes, roughly £125-150 depending on class. Book well ahead. Afterwards, take the Vallejo ferry or the VINE bus to the El Cerrito del Norte BART station, then BART into San Francisco (~£10 total). Drop your bag at a hostel in the Mission or North Beach.
🚌SMART train Santa Rosa to Napa (~£6) + VINE bus/Vallejo ferry + BART to SF (~£10)
🛏Hostel dorm in San Francisco, ~£40
- →Napa Valley Wine Train with gourmet lunch (direct booking, ~£135)
- →Mission District evening walk
San Francisco in a day, the cheap way
San Francisco, California
Skip the paid coach city tour — SF is very walkable and Muni's cable cars and buses cover the rest. Start at Union Square, walk to Civic Center, ride the Powell-Hyde cable car to Fisherman's Wharf (~£6 per ride, or a Muni day pass ~£5), watch the sea lions at Pier 39, and taste sourdough at Boudin and Ghirardelli chocolate (free samples). Bus #37 or a short walk gets you to Twin Peaks for the skyline. Optional extras: a self-booked Alcatraz ferry and cellhouse ticket (book weeks ahead, ~£35) or a budget Red & White harbour cruise (~£25).
🚌Muni day pass, ~£5
🛏Hostel dorm in San Francisco, ~£40
- →Cable car ride (~£6)
- →Fisherman's Wharf and sea lion viewing (free)
- →Twin Peaks viewpoint (free)
- →Optional Alcatraz self-booked tour (~£35)
Monterey and Carmel via the 17-Mile Drive
San Francisco to Monterey/Carmel, California
Take the FlixBus or Greyhound from SF to Monterey (about 3 hours, ~£22 booked ahead). Once there, the 17-Mile Drive is easiest by rental car or with the Monterey-Salomon transit loop; alternatively hire a bike in Pacific Grove and cycle the coastal section. Visit the Monterey Bay Aquarium if you want (book online, ~£40) and walk Carmel's beach and village. Overnight in Monterey or Pacific Grove — expect modest motels, higher than inland.
🚌FlixBus/Greyhound SF to Monterey, ~£22
🛏Budget motel in Monterey/Pacific Grove, ~£65
- →17-Mile Drive (drive/bike, ~£10)
- →Carmel Beach walk (free)
- →Optional Monterey Bay Aquarium (~£40)
Big Sur coast to Santa Barbara by Amtrak Surfliner
Monterey to Santa Barbara, California
Morning bus (Monterey-Salinas Transit #20) from Monterey to Salinas, then the Amtrak Thruway to San Luis Obispo — a long but scenic journey (~£30). Wander SLO and see the Mission San Luis Obispo de Tolosa, then board the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner to Santa Barbara (~£20), exactly the rail leg the original tour includes. Sit on the ocean side. Overnight near State Street; the waterfront and Stearns Wharf are a 20-minute walk for a cheap dinner.
🚌MST bus + Amtrak Thruway to San Luis Obispo (~£30) + Pacific Surfliner to Santa Barbara (~£20)
🛏Budget motel or hostel in Santa Barbara/Carpinteria, ~£60
- →San Luis Obispo Mission (free)
- →Pacific Surfliner coastal rail journey
- →Stearns Wharf and waterfront walk
Santa Barbara to Los Angeles and Hollywood
Santa Barbara to Los Angeles, California
The Pacific Surfliner continues from Santa Barbara to LA Union Station in about 2h40 (~£22). From Union Station, take the Metro B Line to Hollywood and do the Walk of Fame yourself — free, and you can see the Hollywood Sign from the Hollywood & Highland viewing deck. Then the Metro to Santa Monica for the pier and beach, or a bus through Beverly Hills. LA's Metro is cheap and reasonably fast; a TAP card day pass is about £6. Stay in a hostel in Hollywood or Santa Monica.
🚌Amtrak Pacific Surfliner SB to LA Union Station (~£22) + LA Metro day pass (~£6)
🛏Hostel dorm in Hollywood or Santa Monica, ~£42
- →Hollywood Walk of Fame (free)
- →Hollywood Sign viewpoint (free)
- →Santa Monica Pier (free)
- →Beverly Hills stroll
Free day in LA — Universal or San Diego
Los Angeles, California
Pick your own adventure. Cheapest full day: a self-guided LA neighbourhood day — Griffith Observatory (free entry, best city view), Grand Central Market for lunch, and the Arts District. Mid-range: book Universal Studios Hollywood tickets online in advance (~£85-95). Or replicate the tour's San Diego excursion independently: Amtrak Pacific Surfliner from Union Station to San Diego (~£30 each way, 2h45), then walk or take the trolley to Old Town, the Gaslamp Quarter and Seaport Village. A San Diego bay cruise can be booked direct for about £25.
🚌Metro day pass (~£6), or Amtrak to San Diego (~£60 return)
🛏Hostel dorm in Hollywood or Santa Monica, ~£42
- →Griffith Observatory (free)
- →Grand Central Market (free entry)
- →Optional Universal Studios (~£90)
- →Alternative: San Diego day trip by train (~£60 + £25 bay cruise)
Departure from Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Depending on your flight time, spend the morning on a last beach walk at Santa Monica or Venice, or a free stroll through the Getty Center (free entry, small parking fee if driving). Take the LAX FlyAway bus from Union Station (~£7) or the Metro C/G Line plus a shuttle to the airport. Total note: this itinerary works best with trains and buses booked 4-8 weeks ahead, when Amtrak and FlixBus fares are at their lowest.
🚌LAX FlyAway bus from Union Station, ~£7
🛏None (departure day)
- →Venice or Santa Monica beach walk (free)
- →Optional Getty Center (free entry)
Self-launched vs. DERTOUR
| This itinerary (self-launched) | DERTOUR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,605 | £4,200 |
| Duration | 14 days | 14 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £2,595 per person (62%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more DERTOUR-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,605
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 Pacific Coast USA Self-Launched: Seattle to Los Angeles cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,605 per person for 14 days in US Pacific Coast (Seattle 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 DERTOUR?+
Yes — DERTOUR charges around £4,200 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,605 — a saving of roughly £2,595 (62%) per person.
How long is the US Pacific Coast (Seattle to Los Angeles) trip?+
This itinerary runs 14 days, covering 14 day-by-day stops through US Pacific Coast (Seattle 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, budget trip through US Pacific Coast (Seattle 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?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
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