Self-Launched New Orleans to San Francisco Road Trip
15 days · USA (New Orleans to San Francisco)
G Adventures charges £1,849
No-markup version: ~£985 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Take on the classic American road trip through the South and Southwest on your own terms. Starting in jazzy New Orleans, you'll wind through Texas hill country, explore Carlsbad Caverns, catch alien vibes in Roswell, walk ancient cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde, and stand at the rim of the Grand Canyon. From there it's a stretch of desert extremes through Death Valley before reaching the Golden Gate. Campsites and budget hostels keep costs low while a rental car gives you full freedom to set your own pace. This is a genuinely DIY/independent, self-launched riff on G Adventures' 18-to-Thirtysomethings New Orleans to San Francisco trip — same route, your own steering wheel.
Day-by-day
Arrive in New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
Fly or bus into the Big Easy and check into a French Quarter hostel. Spend the afternoon wandering the historic district, grab beignets at Café du Monde, and take in live jazz on Frenchmen Street in the evening.
🚌Arrival transfer — £10
🛏Hostel in the French Quarter (e.g. HI New Orleans) — £25-30
- →Explore the French Quarter
- →Beignets at Café du Monde
- →Live jazz on Frenchmen Street
New Orleans to Austin
Austin, Texas
Pick up your rental car (share costs with any travel mates). Drive west across Louisiana into Texas, passing bayous and lakes before hitting Austin's music scene in the evening. Dinner at a food truck or BBQ joint.
🚌Rental car petrol/driver share from New Orleans — £30
🛏Budget motel/hostel near downtown Austin — £35
- →Scenic drive across Louisiana into Texas
- →Explore South Congress (SoCo)
Free Day in Austin
Austin, Texas
A full day to live like a local. Swim in the spring-fed Barton Springs Pool, browse thrift stores in SoCo, and catch some live country or indie music at a local bar after dark. Austin's food scene is legendary — go taco or BBQ crazy.
🚌Local city transport/walking — £5
🛏Budget motel/hostel in Austin — £35
- →Barton Springs Pool swim
- →Thrift shopping in SoCo
- →Live music at a local bar
- →Texas food trucks/BBQ
Austin to Carlsbad
Carlsbad, New Mexico
Long drive day heading west across the Texas plains toward New Mexico. Arrive in time for the evening spectacle at Carlsbad Caverns, where hundreds of thousands of bats pour out of the cave mouth at sunset. Self-guided tours are easy to book at the entrance.
🚌Rental car petrol/shared — £30
🛏Campground or budget motel near Carlsbad — £25
- →Bat flight spectacle at Carlsbad Caverns sunset
- →Self-guided walk in the caverns
Carlsbad to Santa Fe via Roswell
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Break camp and detour to quirky Roswell for some alien kitsch and the UFO museum. Continue on to Santa Fe, the artsy capital of New Mexico, with its adobe architecture, galleries and spicy Southwestern food.
🚌Rental car petrol/shared — £25
🛏Budget motel/hostel in Santa Fe — £40
- →Roswell UFO Museum
- →Wander Santa Fe's old town
- →Southwestern dinner
Santa Fe to Mesa Verde
Mesa Verde, Colorado
Explore Santa Fe's plaza and galleries in the morning, then drive north into the high desert of Colorado toward Mesa Verde National Park. Set up camp and enjoy the mountain air.
🚌Rental car petrol/shared — £25
🛏Campground at Mesa Verde NP — £20
- →Santa Fe plaza and canyon road galleries
- →Arrive Mesa Verde National Park
Mesa Verde & Monument Valley
Monument Valley, Utah/Arizona
Hike to the ancient Ancestral Puebloan cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde, then wind toward the iconic red-rock spires of Monument Valley. Optional self-drive loop through the valley or book a Navajo-led jeep tour at the visitor centre.
🚌Rental car petrol/shared — £20
🛏Campground at Monument Valley/Goulding's area — £25
- →Mesa Verde cliff dwelling hike/tour
- →Monument Valley scenic loop
- →Optional Navajo-guided jeep tour
Monument Valley to Grand Canyon South Rim
Grand Canyon, Arizona
Drive to the Grand Canyon's South Rim. Take in sweeping first views of the immense gorge from the rim viewpoints, then catch an unforgettable sunset as the canyon walls glow red and orange.
🚌Rental car petrol/shared — £25
🛏Campground or budget lodge at Grand Canyon South Rim — £25
- →Grand Canyon South Rim viewpoints
- →Sunset at the rim
Grand Canyon Free Day
Grand Canyon, Arizona
A full day of choice. Day-hike the Rim Trail or descend Bright Angel Trail into the canyon. Optional splurge on a helicopter flight for a bird's-eye view over the red rock labyrinth and winding Colorado River.
🚌Shuttle/walking within park — £0
🛏Campground or budget lodge at Grand Canyon South Rim — £25
- →Rim Trail or Bright Angel day hike
- →Optional helicopter tour (~£180 extra)
- →Sunset viewpoints
Grand Canyon to Las Vegas via Route 66
Las Vegas, Nevada
Drive the classic Route 66 corridor, stopping at a retro burger joint along the way. Roll into Vegas and gawk at The Strip's lights and spectacle — fountains, casinos and street performers everywhere.
🚌Rental car petrol/shared — £25
🛏Budget motel off the Strip — £30
- →Route 66 drive and classic diner stop
- →Walk the Las Vegas Strip at night
Free Day in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Lazy and loud in equal measure. Sleep in, hit a cheap all-you-can-eat buffet, wander the themed hotel casinos, and maybe catch a show or watch the Bellagio fountains. Vegas does what you let it.
🚌Local bus/walking on the Strip — £5
🛏Budget motel off the Strip — £30
- →All-you-can-eat buffet
- →Themed casinos and fountains
- →Optional Vegas show
Las Vegas to Death Valley
Death Valley, California
Head into one of Earth's most extreme landscapes. Death Valley brings sand dunes, badlands, towering peaks and spots below sea level — including Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America.
🚌Rental car petrol/shared — £25
🛏Campground in Death Valley (e.g. Furnace Creek) — £20
- →Death Valley National Park scenic drive
- →Badwater Basin & sand dunes
Death Valley to Yosemite
Yosemite National Park, California
Drive over the Sierras toward Yosemite National Park. Set up camp and spend the afternoon discovering granite giants like El Capitan and Half Dome, plus the thundering waterfalls of Yosemite Valley.
🚌Rental car petrol/shared — £25
🛏Campground in Yosemite Valley — £25
- →Yosemite Valley viewpoints
- →El Capitan & Half Dome sights
- →Walk to a waterfall
Free Day in Yosemite
Yosemite National Park, California
A day to earn the views. Opt for a proper day hike to Glacier Point or Upper Yosemite Falls for panoramic granite views. Book campsites and permits ahead of time for summer months; they fill up fast.
🚌Park shuttle/walking — £0
🛏Campground in Yosemite Valley — £25
- →Glacier Point or Yosemite Falls hike
- →Wildlife spotting
- →Swim in the Merced River
Yosemite to San Francisco
San Francisco, California
Make the scenic final drive to the Bay Area, drop off the rental car, and celebrate in San Francisco. Walk the Golden Gate Bridge, ride a historic cable car up a steep hill, and grab burritos in the Mission District before flying home.
🚌Rental car drop-off + local transit — £30
🛏Hostel in San Francisco (e.g. HI Fisherman's Wharf) — £35
- →Golden Gate Bridge walk
- →Cable car ride
- →Mission District burrito
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£985 | £1,849 |
| Duration | 15 days | 15 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £864 per person (47%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£985
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 Self-Launched New Orleans to San Francisco Road Trip cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £985 per person for 15 days in USA (New Orleans 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 £1,849 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £985 — a saving of roughly £864 (47%) per person.
How long is the USA (New Orleans to San Francisco) trip?+
This itinerary runs 15 days, covering 15 day-by-day stops through USA (New Orleans 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 road-trip, adventure, budget trip through USA (New Orleans 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?
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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