Self-Launched: San Francisco to Las Vegas in 7 Days

Arrive into San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and make your way to your hostel in the city. BART trains run directly from SFO to central San Francisco — buy a Clipper card at the airport for around £3 and ride to Powell Street in about 30 minutes. Check in and spend the afternoon exploring on foot. Walk across the Golden Gate Bridge (free), wander the Palace of Fine Arts, stroll funky Haight-Ashbury for vintage shopping and coffee, then hop on a historic cable car down to Fisherman's Wharf. Tonight, grab dinner in the Mission District — taquerias here offer huge, authentic burritos for around £8–10. No group meeting required — you're on your own schedule.

🚌BART from SFO airport to central San Francisco (~£3). Use Muni buses and cable cars within the city (~£6 per ride). Pick up a hire car tomorrow morning — book in advance via Rentalcars.com or Kayak; expect around £45–55/day for a compact car, split between two people.

🛏HI San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf Hostel or Samesun San Francisco (the same hostel Intrepid uses, at 1475 Lombard St) — dorm beds from ~£35–45/night. Private room upgrade available from ~£80/night.

• →Walk the Golden Gate Bridge (free)
• →Explore Haight-Ashbury vintage shops and cafés
• →Cable car ride to Fisherman's Wharf (~£6 one-way)
• →Self-guided walking tour of the city
• →Optional: Book Alcatraz tickets in advance via alcatrazcruises.com (~£33)

Pick up your hire car first thing — allow around 3.5 hours of driving to reach Yosemite. Head east on the I-580 and CA-120, stopping at scenic viewpoints along the way. Your first glimpse of Half Dome rising above the valley is genuinely jaw-dropping. Check in to your campsite at one of Yosemite Valley's campgrounds (book well ahead via recreation.gov — these sell out months in advance). Spend the afternoon getting oriented: drive or cycle through Yosemite Valley, stop at Tunnel View for the classic panorama, and visit Bridalveil Fall (short, flat walk). Tonight, cook a simple camp dinner under a canopy of stars.

🚌Hire car from San Francisco (~3.5 hours drive). Note: Non-US residents aged 16+ must pay a non-resident National Park entrance fee of USD $35 per person (~£28) — payable at the gate. US residents can use an America the Beautiful annual pass (~£65) which covers all national parks.

🛏Upper Pines or Lower Pines Campground, Yosemite Valley — book via recreation.gov, ~£20–25/night per pitch. Bring your own sleeping bag and pillow (essential). Alternatively, Camp 4 (walk-in, first-come basis) is a backpacker classic.

• →Scenic drive from San Francisco via I-580 and CA-120
• →Stop at Tunnel View lookout (free)
• →Short walk to Bridalveil Fall (free)
• →Yosemite Valley exploration by car and on foot
• →Camp cooking and stargazing

Start early to beat the crowds. Drive to the Tuolumne Grove trailhead and hike the easy 2.5-mile round-trip trail through a stand of awe-inspiring giant sequoias — including the famous Dead Giant tunnel tree. Return to Yosemite Valley and spend the afternoon ticking off the highlights: stand on Sentinel Bridge for the iconic Half Dome reflection in the Merced River, marvel at Yosemite Falls (a short walk from the valley floor), and explore Cook's Meadow loop. If you have energy, tackle the Mirror Lake trail (4.5-mile loop, easy to moderate) for serene mountain reflections. The Yosemite Valley Visitor Center has excellent free exhibits on the park's geology and ecology.

🚌Use the free Yosemite Valley Shuttle Bus (runs frequently within the valley — saves parking headaches and is completely free). Your hire car stays at camp.

🛏Yosemite Valley campground (as Day 2), ~£20–25/night per pitch.

• →Hike Tuolumne Grove of Giant Sequoias (2.5-mile round trip, free)
• →Sentinel Bridge — Half Dome reflection viewpoint (free)
• →Yosemite Falls viewpoint walk (free)
• →Optional: Mirror Lake Loop hike, 4.5 miles (~2 hours, free)
• →Yosemite Valley Visitor Center (free)
• →Cook's Meadow Loop (free)

A full free day to explore Yosemite at your own pace — this is where self-guided travel really shines. For hikers, the Mist Trail to Vernal Fall (3-mile return, moderate) is one of the park's most spectacular routes, with spray-soaked views of the 97-metre waterfall. Feeling ambitious? Continue to Nevada Fall (7-mile return, strenuous) for panoramic valley views. Prefer something gentler? Rent a bike from Yosemite Valley Lodge or Curry Village (~£12/hour or £30/day, per the Intrepid itinerary's own optional activity price) and cycle the flat, car-free valley paths. In summer, rent a raft at Curry Village and float a gentle 3-mile stretch of the Merced River (~£30 including return shuttle). Tonight, visit the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center for a free ranger talk or evening programme.

🚌Free Yosemite Valley Shuttle Bus. Bikes available for hire at Curry Village and Yosemite Valley Lodge.

🛏Yosemite Valley campground (as Day 2/3), ~£20–25/night per pitch.

• →Mist Trail to Vernal Fall (3-mile return, free)
• →Optional extension to Nevada Fall (7-mile return, free)
• →Bike rental in Yosemite Valley (~£12/hour or £30/day)
• →Optional: Merced River raft rental, seasonal (~£30)
• →Yosemite Museum and Ansel Adams Gallery (free)
• →Free ranger evening programme at the Visitor Center

Set off early and head east over the spectacular Tioga Pass (open roughly June–October — check nps.gov/yose for current status). The road climbs to over 3,000 metres with stunning high-country scenery. Stop at Mono Lake — a surreal, ancient saline lake filled with otherworldly tufa towers (calcium carbonate spires rising from the water). The South Tufa Area has a free 1-mile trail; the Mono Lake Committee Information Center in town offers free exhibits. Continue south on US-395 to the small town of Bishop in the Owens Valley, dramatically framed by the Sierra Nevada and White Mountains. In the afternoon, visit Keough Hot Springs (~£15) for a well-earned soak, or head to the free wild hot springs at Benton Crossing (about 30 minutes from Bishop, free and clothing-optional). Stop at Erick Schat's Bakkery for legendary sheepherder bread.

🚌Hire car from Yosemite over Tioga Pass east to Mono Lake, then south on US-395 to Bishop (~5 hours total driving). If Tioga Pass is closed, the alternate route goes south via CA-41 and around through Mojave — add 2+ hours.

🛏Bishop City Park Campground (~£18/night, basic facilities) or Brown's Town Campground (~£22/night, better facilities with hot showers). Book ahead in summer.

• →Tioga Pass scenic drive (included in park entry)
• →Mono Lake South Tufa Area walk (free — note: a small Mono Lake Tufa State Reserve fee of USD $3/person may apply)
• →Mono Lake Committee Information Center (free)
• →Erick Schat's Bakkery, Bishop — famous sheepherder bread (~£5)
• →Keough Hot Springs soak (~£15) or free Benton Crossing wild hot springs

Hit the road from Bishop south on US-395, then cut east via CA-127 or US-95 through the Mojave Desert to Las Vegas — around 5 hours of driving through spectacular desert landscapes. Stop at Mojave National Preserve if time allows. Arrive in Vegas, check into your hotel, and head straight to the Strip. Wander the casinos, gawp at the free Bellagio Fountains show (runs every 15–30 minutes), stroll through the air-conditioned mega-resorts, and people-watch on the boulevard. For a budget dinner, head to the Cosmopolitan's secret pizza place (a legendary, cheap slice), or try the In-N-Out Burger on the Strip. Tonight, splurge on a show or simply stay up late watching Vegas do its thing — it's free entertainment in itself.

🚌Hire car from Bishop to Las Vegas (~5 hours, ~320 miles). Note: most Strip hotels charge daily resort fees and parking fees (~£10–20/night for parking) — factor this in. Alternatively, return the hire car on arrival and use the free Strip tram, the Deuce bus (~£5/day pass), or rideshare within Vegas.

🛏Excalibur Hotel, Circus Circus, or Luxor — budget-end Strip hotels from ~£40–70/night. Alternatively, try the Downtown Grand or a hostel like Hostel Cat Vegas (~£25–35/dorm). Avoid booking on arrival — rates spike hugely walk-in.

• →Mojave Desert scenic drive
• →Bellagio Fountains (free, runs all evening)
• →Stroll the Las Vegas Strip (free)
• →Optional: Las Vegas Sphere experience (~£30–50 depending on show)
• →Optional: Mob Museum (~£27)
• →Optional: Neon Museum (~£20)
• →Optional: Eiffel Tower at Paris Las Vegas (~£22)
• →Optional: Las Vegas Monorail pass (~£5–13)

Las Vegas is your oyster for a final morning. If you didn't catch them last night, the Bellagio Fountains run from noon during the day. Explore the free attractions: the Venetian's indoor canal, the Mirage's tropical atrium, the Fremont Street Experience in old Downtown Vegas. If you're flying home, check out of your hotel by midday (standard check-out) and head to Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) — a cheap Uber or the Deuce bus (£3) from the Strip. Return your hire car to the airport if applicable. Alternatively, extend your stay and drive to the Grand Canyon South Rim (~4.5 hours) or Zion National Park (~2.5 hours) for an extra day of epic scenery.

🚌Uber/Lyft or Deuce bus to Las Vegas airport (~£5–15 depending on option). Return hire car if driving. Flight connections from LAS are excellent to most major US and international hubs.

🛏Check out — no accommodation needed unless extending.

• →Bellagio Fountains daytime show (free)
• →Fremont Street Experience, Downtown Vegas (free)
• →The Venetian Grand Canal Shoppes (free to wander)
• →Optional: Grand Canyon day trip (~4.5hrs drive, NPS entry fee applies)
• →Optional: Hoover Dam visit (~45 mins from Strip, USD $10 entry)