West Coast Road Trip: LA to Vancouver — Self-Launched
21 days · USA & Canada West Coast
G Adventures charges £2,600
No-markup version: ~£1,790 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 21-day DIY version of G Adventures' "USA & Canada Road Trip: West Coast Discovery" (trip code NUUC, Los Angeles to Vancouver). Same grand sweep — Joshua Tree, the Grand Canyon, Route 66, Las Vegas, Death Valley, Yosemite, San Francisco, then the Canadian Rockies from Calgary through Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper and on to Whistler and Vancouver — rebuilt with public transport, hostels and self-bookable tours instead of a private van, camp crew and CEO. Realistically, a self-launched version of a North American road trip costs less in operator margin but more in per-person transport and accommodation, so expect real but modest savings rather than a bargain-basement price. Costs are rough per-person estimates in GBP and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Los Angeles
Los Angeles, USA
Land at LAX and get to your hostel by FlyAway bus or shared shuttle (~£8-12) rather than a £40 taxi. Settle in, walk Venice Beach or Santa Monica Pier at sunset (both free), and grab tacos or a burger for dinner. Sort your SIM/eSIM and download the FlixBus and Amtrak apps tonight — they'll carry you through the US leg.
🚌LAX FlyAway bus or shared shuttle ~£8-12
🛏Hostel dorm in Santa Monica or Hollywood (~£30-40/night)
- →Venice Beach boardwalk walk
- →Santa Monica Pier sunset
- →LA Metro tap card set-up
Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree / Lake Havasu, USA
Pick up a compact rental car in LA (worth it for the desert/parks stretch — ~£28-35/day with basic insurance, split between 2-3 people). Drive out to Joshua Tree NP (~2.5h) for a few hours among the boulders and Dr. Seuss trees on the Skull Rock and Hidden Valley loops. Park entry is $30/vehicle. Continue east to Lake Havasu City for the night — a genuinely odd, fun desert town on the water.
🚌Rental car LA → Joshua Tree → Lake Havasu, ~£18-22/person shared, fuel ~£8
🛏Motel or hostel-style private room, Lake Havasu (~£30-40/person)
- →Joshua Tree National Park loop hike
- →London Bridge at Lake Havasu (free)
- →Swim in Lake Havasu
Grand Canyon South Rim
Grand Canyon Village, USA
Drive ~3.5h to Grand Canyon National Park. Park entry $35/vehicle. Hike a portion of the Rim Trail or, if you're fit, partway down the Bright Angel Trail (remember: every step down is a step up). Stay for sunset at Mather Point or Hopi Point — the classic rim moment. Camp or dorm at Grand Canyon International Hostel in Flagstaff if South Rim lodging is full or pricey.
🚌Rental car ~£18/person shared, fuel ~£8
🛏Hostel dorm in Tusayan/Flagstaff or South Rim campground (~£30-45/person)
- →Bright Angel Trail partial hike
- →Rim Trail walk
- →Sunset at Hopi Point
Route 66 to Las Vegas
Las Vegas, USA
Optional early helicopter flight over the canyon (~£200+, book direct with Maverick or Papillon) if you want the splurge. Otherwise drive the historic Route 66 stretch through Seligman and Williams — proper roadside Americana, free to wander. Arrive Vegas late afternoon, walk the Strip, catch the Bellagio fountains (free) and hit a casino floor or a cheap show.
🚌Rental car ~£18/person shared, fuel ~£10
🛏Budget hotel on or near the Strip, e.g. Excalibur/Luxor midweek (~£45-60/person twin share)
- →Seligman Route 66 general store
- →Las Vegas Strip walk
- →Bellagio fountains
- →Optional Grand Canyon helicopter tour ~£200
Death Valley to the Sierra Nevadas
Death Valley / Bishop, USA
Drive into Death Valley National Park ($30/vehicle) — Badwater Basin (lowest point in North America), Zabriskie Point and Dante's View are all short walks with huge payoff. Carry far more water than you think. Continue to Bishop via Lone Pine for the night; cook dinner at the hostel/hotel and watch the stars come out over the Sierra.
🚌Rental car ~£20/person shared, fuel ~£12
🛏Budget motel or hostel in Bishop (~£40-50/person)
- →Badwater Basin salt flats
- →Zabriskie Point viewpoint
- →Dante's View
- →Stargazing in Bishop
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite, USA
Cross Tioga Pass (closed in winter — check road status) into Yosemite. Park entry $35/vehicle valid 7 days. Hike the Mist Trail toward Vernal and Nevada Falls, or the flat Valley Loop and Lower Yosemite Fall if you want something easier. Book Yosemite Valley campground or a Curry Village tent cabin well in advance — everything here sells out months ahead.
🚌Rental car ~£15/person shared, fuel ~£10
🛏Yosemite campground or Curry Village tent cabin (~£35-55/person)
- →Mist Trail hike to Vernal Fall
- →Valley Loop walk
- →Tunnel View photo stop
Yosemite to San Francisco
San Francisco, USA
Drive into SF and drop the rental car at the airport (one-way fees apply — budget ~£40-60 extra). Check into a hostel in Fisherman's Wharf or the Mission. Ride a cable car ($8), walk Lombard Street, then head to Golden Gate Bridge for sunset. Dinner in Chinatown or the Mission for good cheap burritos.
🚌Rental car return + Muni/BART day pass ~£20
🛏Hostel dorm, San Francisco (~£35-45/night)
- →Golden Gate Bridge walk
- →Cable car ride
- →Lombard Street
- →Fisherman's Wharf
- →Optional Alcatraz tour (~£32, book weeks ahead)
San Francisco to Calgary
Calgary, Canada
Cheap cash fare on Flair or WestJet from SFO/OAK to Calgary — book several weeks out for the best price (~£90-150 one way plus ~£25-40 checked bag). Land, take Calgary Transit's Route 300 bus downtown (£3), and hit a pub on 17th Ave. Sort your Parks Canada Discovery Pass online (£50ish) and plan to rent another car tomorrow for the Rockies leg.
🚌Flight SFO→YYC ~£90-150, airport bus ~£3
🛏Hostel dorm or budget hotel downtown Calgary (~£35-45/night)
- →Calgary pub night
- →Downtown walk
Calgary to Banff
Banff, Canada
Pick up a rental car or, cheaper, take the Brewster/On-It express bus from Calgary to Banff (~£20-28). In Banff, walk the Bow River trail, hike Tunnel Mountain (short, free, big views) and soak in the Banff Upper Hot Springs (~£9). Banff accommodation is expensive — hostels like HI Banff are the budget option and worth booking early.
🚌Calgary → Banff bus ~£20-28 or shared rental car ~£20/person
🛏Hostel dorm Banff (HI Banff or Samesun, ~£40-50/night)
- →Tunnel Mountain hike
- →Bow River walk
- →Banff Upper Hot Springs soak
Lake Louise
Lake Louise, Canada
Ride the Roam Transit Route 8 bus from Banff to Lake Louise (~£6-8) or drive the hour. Do the Lake Agnes Tea House hike (7km round trip) for a tea and a scone at the top — worth the climb. Carry bear spray and check trail conditions at the visitor centre. Swim-shock-cold dip optional.
🚌Roam bus Banff → Lake Louise ~£6-8
🛏HI Lake Louise hostel dorm (~£40-50/night)
- →Lake Agnes Tea House hike
- →Lakeshore walk
- →Fairmont Chateau Lakeside visit
Yoho National Park
Yoho / Lake Louise, Canada
Take the Parks Canada shuttle or drive to Emerald Lake for a loop walk, then to Takakkaw Falls — second-highest waterfall in Canada, a 10-minute walk from the car park. Afternoon option: whitewater rafting on the Kicking Horse River (~£55-70 booked direct with Glacier Raft Co). Back to Lake Louise for the night.
🚌Shared car or Parks shuttle, ~£10-15
🛏HI Lake Louise hostel dorm (~£40-50/night)
- →Emerald Lake loop walk
- →Takakkaw Falls
- →Optional Kicking Horse rafting ~£55-70
Icefields Parkway to Jasper
Jasper, Canada
Drive the Icefields Parkway — one of the world's great roads. Stop at Bow Lake, Peyto Lake viewpoint and the Columbia Icefield Centre, where you can walk on the Athabasca Glacier with an ice-walk tour (~£70, book direct with Pursuit) or just view it from the toe for free. Continue to Jasper for the night; campfire and marshmallows if you're camping.
🚌Shared rental car ~£25/person, fuel ~£15
🛏HI Jasper hostel dorm or Whistlers campground (~£35-50/night)
- →Peyto Lake viewpoint
- →Bow Lake
- →Columbia Icefield / Athabasca Glacier walk
- →Jasper evening walk
Maligne Lake & Jasper
Jasper, Canada
Optional Bald Hills hike (10km, steep but the best panorama of Maligne Lake) or a gentler walk along the Maligne Canyon. Afternoon: canoe on Pyramid Lake or an Athabasca River raft trip (~£45-70). Free wildlife viewing is a genuine possibility — elk and bear are common on the Maligne Road at dusk.
🚌Local shuttle or shared car ~£10
🛏HI Jasper hostel dorm (~£35-50/night)
- →Bald Hills hike
- →Maligne Canyon walk
- →Optional Athabasca rafting ~£45-70
- →Pyramid Lake canoe
Mount Robson & Wells Gray
Clearwater / Wells Gray Provincial Park, Canada
Drive the Yellowhead Highway west, stopping at the Mount Robson visitor centre — the tallest peak in the Canadian Rockies, top visible on a clear day. Continue to Clearwater and Spahats Creek Falls in Wells Gray Park. Join a half-day canoe trip on Clearwater or Azure Lake (~£45-60 direct with a local operator) — flat water, calm and beautiful.
🚌Shared rental car ~£25/person, fuel ~£15
🛏Hostel or campground in Clearwater (~£30-40/night)
- →Mount Robson viewpoint
- →Spahats Creek Falls
- →Half-day Wells Gray canoe trip ~£45-60
Wells Gray to Kamloops
Kamloops, Canada
A transition day heading west. Swim at Moul Falls or Helmcken Falls in Wells Gray in the morning, then drive to Kamloops and set up for the Okanagan stretch. Do laundry, restock groceries, and enjoy a cheap night in.
🚌Shared car ~£25/person, fuel ~£12
🛏Budget motel or hostel Kamloops (~£35-40/night)
- →Helmcken Falls viewpoint
- →Moul Falls walk
- →Kamloops riverside walk
Kamloops to Whistler
Whistler, Canada
A long drive day west through Lillooet and Pemberton on the Duffey Lake Road. Arrive Whistler in the afternoon, check into a hostel, walk the Village Stroll and hit Lost Lake for a swim. Whistler hostels are the only realistic budget option here — book early, especially in summer.
🚌Shared car ~£30/person, fuel ~£15
🛏HI Whistler or Whistler Lodge hostel dorm (~£40-50/night)
- →Duffey Lake Road viewpoints
- →Lost Lake swim
- →Whistler Village walk
Whistler hiking & Tofino option
Whistler / Tofino, Canada
Hike the Train Wreck Trail and Cheakamus Lake, or ride the Peak 2 Peak Gondola (~£50) and walk alpine trails from the summit. Alternatively, save the whale watching for tomorrow's detour — if you have the time and budget, drive 3h to Tofino for a Zodiac whale watch (~£90-110 direct with Remote Passages or Jamie's Whaling Station). It's a long detour, so only do it if you're happy to lose a day elsewhere.
🚌Local walking; shared car for Tofino option ~£25/person
🛏Hostel dorm Whistler (~£40-50/night)
- →Train Wreck Trail hike
- →Cheakamus Lake
- →Peak 2 Peak Gondola ~£50
- →Optional Tofino whale watching ~£90-110
Whistler to Vancouver
Vancouver, Canada
Drive the Sea-to-Sky Highway south — 2 hours of constant coastline. Stop at Shannon Falls and Porteau Cove. Return the rental car in Vancouver, check into a hostel, and walk the Seawall to Granville Island for dinner at the public market.
🚌Shared car ~£20/person, fuel ~£8
🛏Hostel dorm, Vancouver (~£35-45/night)
- →Sea-to-Sky Highway drive
- →Shannon Falls
- →Granville Island market
- →Stanley Park Seawall walk
Vancouver
Vancouver, Canada
Full day in the city: bike or walk Stanley Park, hit the Grouse Mountain gondola (~£45) or the Lynn Canyon suspension bridge (free), wander Gastown, and eat your way through Richmond's night market in the evening. Public transit (TransLink) is cheap and easy — a day pass is ~£7.
🚌TransLink day pass ~£7
🛏Hostel dorm Vancouver (~£35-45/night)
- →Stanley Park cycle
- →Gastown walk
- →Lynn Canyon suspension bridge (free)
- →Richmond Night Market
Victoria day trip (optional)
Victoria / Vancouver, Canada
Optional day trip: BC Ferries from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay (~£15-18 each way, walk-on) plus a bus to Victoria. Visit Butchart Gardens (~£30) or the Royal BC Museum (~£14), walk the Inner Harbour, and sail back in the evening. Otherwise, take the day slowly in Vancouver — Kitsilano Beach, Wreck Beach, a coffee crawl.
🚌BC Ferries walk-on ~£30-36 return + transit ~£8
🛏Hostel dorm Vancouver (~£35-45/night)
- →Optional Victoria day trip (ferry ~£30-36 return, Gardens ~£30)
- →Inner Harbour walk
- →Kitsilano Beach
Depart Vancouver
Vancouver, Canada
Last morning for a Seawall walk or a proper brunch before heading to YVR on the SkyTrain (~£7). Trip over — 21 days, two countries and about 5,000km of coastline, desert and mountain behind you.
🚌SkyTrain to YVR ~£7
🛏N/A — departure day
- →Last morning walk
- →SkyTrain to airport
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,790 | £2,600 |
| Duration | 21 days | 21 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £810 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.~£1,790
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 West Coast Road Trip: LA to Vancouver — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,790 per person for 21 days in USA & Canada West Coast. 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 £2,600 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,790 — a saving of roughly £810 (31%) per person.
How long is the USA & Canada West Coast trip?+
This itinerary runs 21 days, covering 21 day-by-day stops through USA & Canada West Coast.
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 USA & Canada West Coast, 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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