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Looking for an incredible adventure? Consider going on an 1-month West Coast road trip. You’ll love the stunning scenery, breathtaking views, magical landscapes, bustling wildlife, and — of course — incredible memories! And to help you out, I’ve put together this ultimate 1-month USA West Coast road trip itinerary that’ll blow your mind!

Psst. This post contains affiliate links. Read our disclosure .

There’s nothing better than the big open road, a car with a full tank of gas, good company, and the opportunity for endless adventures.

That’s exactly what Dan and I experienced when we embarked on our incredible 1-month USA road trip across the West Coast earlier this year. In just 30 days, we visited 14 different states, nearly hit 8,000 miles in our little van, and made incredible memories. It’s something I’ll never forget.

Within these 14 days, we experienced a good number of things — both good and bad…

✓ Camped out in numerous Wal-Mart parking lots, only to be woken up by late-night truckers and visitors.

✓ Ate one of the best vegan donuts  ever , as well as my first vegan sausage McMuffin.

✓ Viewed the Mexico/US border from our car while driving to New Mexico from Dallas.

✓ Hiked in the Superstition Mountains near Phoenix .

✓ Drove through the darkness to find a good FREE camping spot and star gazed in the middle of nowhere near Sedona, AZ .

✓ Explored the nooks and crannies of Zion National Park.

✓ Experienced strange things on the Las Vegas strip (completely sober BTW).

✓ Got locked out of our van in Yosemite National Park (yep — we were  those people!).

✓ Unlocked the van with a piece of string, a stick, and sheer willpower.

✓ Walked with the giants (Giant Sequoia’s that is) in Sequoia National Park.

✓ Camped on a desolate beach on the California Coast (only to be  almost caught by the DNR when we woke up!).

✓ Saw endless ocean views along the stunning Oregon Coast .

✓ Drove through blizzard-like weather in Montana .

✓ Made a few Buffalo friends while in Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota.

✓ Safely made it back home to good ol’ Minnesota .

No doubt, it was an incredible adventure! In the end, this unbelievable west coast trip just made me realize  how much the United States really has to offer in terms of amazing natural beauty and fantastic places to explore.

So, with that in mind, are you ready to explore the United States with this awesome 1-month West Coast drive that’ll completely blow your mind? I thought so.

Side Note: This itinerary can also be used as just a general outline and inspiration! Bend it to your will and use it for West Coast road trip ideas; tailor it to find the perfect adventure for you!

Psst, ever thought about renting an RV for your US road trip adventure? Click HERE to read my post on 5 reasons why you need to rent one. (Hint: these reasons are pretty awesome!)

Table of Contents

THE ULTIMATE 1-MONTH USA WEST COAST ROAD TRIP ITINERARY

Since Dan and I nearly drove straight from Minnesota to Dallas, TX in the span of a day and a half, I definitely don’t expect you to start there.

So, because Arizona is damn near my favorite state ever, this mind-blowing west coast USA road trip starts in Phoenix and takes you through incredible national parks, breathtaking landscapes, and along spectacular coastal roads.

You’ll end in Seattle, Washington, where you can easily hop on another flight to get back to where you need to be!

QUICK SUMMARY: 

• Day 1-3 : Phoenix, Arizona
• Day 4-5 : Sedona, Arizona
• Day 6-7 : Grand Canyon National Park
• Day 8-10 : Las Vegas, Nevada
• Day 11-13 : Death Valley National Park
• Day 14-16 : Sedona National Park
• Day 17-20 : Yosemite National Park
• Day 21-22 : Sacramento, California
• Day 23-27 : California/Oregon Coast
• Day 28-29 : Portland, Oregon
• Day 30-31 : Seattle, Washington

Additionally, keep in mind that this is just a general itinerary! You can pick and choose how you’d like to go about it. Like one destination more than you thought? Stay a bit longer! Not feeling the vibe of another destination? Peace out!

**One great thing about using Booking.com (which the accommodations are linked to) is that you can usually cancel last minute without being charged — which means you can be more flexible with your road trip!

Psst, before you pack up and head out, don’t forget to take a peek at my handy dandy list of 55+ essentials to pack for a long-term road trip !

Day 1: Phoenix, Arizona

Depending on how you arrive in Phoenix, whether it be by car or plane, the first day on your epic road trip adventure will no doubt be filled with fatigue and jet lag. Although, if you have the energy, it’s a great place to get out and explore.

If not, take that nap! You deserve it. We all deserve the naps.

If you’re looking for a great restaurant to eat in the day, depending on what time you arrive, check out my list on 10 fantastic vegan restaurants in Phoenix !

Day 2-3: Phoenix, Arizona

Once you’ve rested and you’re reading to go, head out into the bustling city, as well as the city surroundings. Phoenix is a fantastic base for those who love to hike and those who love to shop. Whatever you’re choice, there’s options for everyone!

I recommend researching some awesome hikes in the nearby mountains; Superstition Mountains, Camelback Mountain, and the Phoenix Mountains. You can find some really great hiking trail suggestions here !

Additionally, if you’re not into hiking, the city of Phoenix offers a plethora of things to do.

Things to do in Phoenix:

• Head into Scottsdale Old Town and explore the Wild West-looking buildings.
• Check out the incredible Desert Botanical Garden and view adorable succulents, beautiful flowers, towering cacti, and gorgeous greenery!
• Ready to view beautiful Phoenix from above? Go on a Sunrise Phoenix Hot Air Balloon Ride !
• Depending on how hot it is, have a picnic in one of the many city parks.
• Visit the Heard Museum, which is devoted to Native American civilizations.
• Check out the Phoenix Mountains Preserve.
• Admire the Pueblo Grande Ruin.
• Spend time outside at the Tempe Beach Park.
• Explore the the Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix, Ro Ho En.
• Ultimately, get outside because the weather is usually spot-on and there are  so many things to do in parks, greenery, and mountains of Phoenix, AZ!

P.S. Check out these day tours and excursions from Phoenix  if you aren’t into planning activities yourself!

Where to stay in Phoenix:

As in many cities, there are various neighborhoods which are better than others! A few of my favorite suburbs of Phoenix are Scottsdale, Chandler, and Mesa.

• The Gainey Suites Hotel is a highly-rated hotel located in Scottsdale — and it’s surprisingly affordable!
• The Comfort Suites Old Town is a more affordable option in Scottsdale that’s in an awesome location — right in Old Town!
• In Chandler, the Cambria Hotel Phoenix Chandler – Fashion Center is an affordable, highly-rated option and is a guest favorite.
• Mesa, Arizona is a nice suburb of Phoenix closest to some of the best hiking in the Superstition Mountains. You can find a list of great hotels here !

Day 4-5: Sedona, Arizona

Out of all the destinations, I think Sedona, Arizona might be Dan and I’s favorite place.

The gorgeous red rock, non-existent light pollution, beautiful landscapes, and unbelievable star gazing won over our hearts. We spent one awesome night camping just outside Sedona’s city limits before heading up to the Grand Canyon and it was totally worth it!

Seriously, I can’t even tell you how many shooting stars we spotted. We spent  hours outside looking at the crystal clear skies and crazy cool stars. It was an awesome night!

Plus, if you get to Sedona early, you can go on a tour through the awesome Red Rock State Park . Sedona is also a pretty cool town to check out, with its cute cafes, gift shops, and nice locals.

Things to do in Sedona, Arizona:

• Hike one of the many different trails (like the Broken Arrow Trail — highly rated!).
• Check out Oak Creek Canyon.
• Visit Cathedral Rock.
• Explore the Red Rock Scenic Byway.
• Make your heart skip a beat by hiking the Devil’s Bridge Trail.
• Check out one (or a few) of the many gift and specialty shops — the crystal shops are amazing here!
• Visit the Palatki Ruins ( super   cool! ).
• Take a look at the Chapel of the Holy Cross.
• View Sedona from above and watch the sunset from the Airport Mesa.
• Marvel at the Palatki Ruins (Palatki Heritage Site), just outside of Sedona in the Coconino National Forest.

And if you want to stay in Sedona for a bit longer and make it your base, check out these awesome day tours and excursions which go from the city.

Psst, if you want a more detailed itinerary, click here to read a full guide on how to spend one day in Sedona !

Where to Stay in Sedona:

• The A Sunset Chateau is a great place for a relaxing and above-average stay.
• The Bell Rock Inn By Diamond Resorts is highly-rated mid-range accommodation.
• And the Sedona Village Lodge is for those on a budget but who still want to stay at a nicely-rated place!

Psst, want to camp out under the stars? Check out this post on how to find free RV camping around the US !

Also, if you want to spend more time in Arizona, don’t forget to check out my post on the ultimate 7-day Arizona road trip itinerary that explores Phoenix, the Grand Canyon, and Sedona !

Day 6-7: Grand Canyon National Park

No matter which route you take while traveling the west coast of America, you cannot — I repeat, you cannot! — miss out on the Grand Canyon!

Full of wonder and beauty, Grand Canyon National Park is a spectacular site in Northern Arizona which attracts hundreds and thousands of visitors each year. And when you first see it with your own eyes, it’s no wonder why.

Seriously, you may think you understand the enormity of it when you view the Grand Canyon in pictures, but they don’t do it justice! Its vast valley, mile deep ridges, and huge walls filled with the colors of red, orange, purple, and yellow is unbelievable.

Things to do in the Grand Canyon:

• 45 minutes helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon from Tuyasan, AZ (the town right next to the Grand Canyon National Park).
• Drive to one of the many viewpoints throughout the park.
• Go on a Grand Canyon East Rim jeep tour .
• Check out the Grand Canyon Village (surprisingly, a LOT of vegan options in the grocery store!).
• Grand Canyon Hermit Road Bicycle Tour .

Have you ever heard of Minnesota? Here are 15 reasons why summers are better in MN !

Where to stay near or within Grand Canyon National Park:

Dan and I camped in one of the many National Park’s campgrounds — which I highly recommend! — but if you aren’t planning to camp, many accommodations are available.

• For those on a budget: Grand Canyon Plaza Hotel
• Mid-range hotel, yet high ratings: The Grand Hotel at the Grand Canyon
• Great location, good ratings: Best Western Premier Grand Canyon Squire Inn

Day 8-10: Las Vegas, Nevada

The drive from the Grand Canyon National Park South Rim entrance to Las Vegas, Nevada takes about 4-5 hours, depending on how many stops you make to take photos of the surroundings!

When you get to Las Vegas and check-in to your accommodations, get your butt out onto the strip and people watch!

Depending on how much time you have, you can spend 2-3 nights in Las Vegas. Dan and I didn’t drink while exploring Las Vegas but we had such a fun time just walking the strip, seeing what different places had to offer, and watching all the craziness!

Things to do in Las Vegas:

• Walk the strip and people watch.
• Admire the water fountain show at the Bellagio .
• View Las Vegas from above at the Stratosphere.
• Win (or lose) some money at the slot machines.
• Go on a night flight to view Las Vegas from above and have an incredible dinner for two.
• See one of the many, many entertaining shows.
• Go crazy at the Adventuredome Theme Park.
• Check out the Mob Museum.
• Go on a Las Vegas brewery tour !
• See some (fake) celebrities at Madame Tussauds !

Where to stay in Las Vegas:

As you can imagine, there are numerous places to stay in Las Vegas! You can spend your top dollar at one of the many high-class hotels right on the strip or go for a budget accommodation somewhere on the outskirts.

Here are my recommendations:

• If you want to go upscale and splurge, the Bellagio is the place to do it. With its beautiful interior, amazing fountain show, and excellent reviews, there’s no other hotel like it in LV.
• A more affordable, yet just as great option is The Carriage House .
• Into more of a condo style hotel? Try the Jet Luxury at The Vdara .
• At just $60 per night,  The LINQ Hotel and Casino  is a super affordable option with pretty good reviews.

Day 11-13: Death Valley National Park, California

Okay, okay, this might have been my most favorite part on Dan and I’s west coast road trip!

Death Valley National Park looks and feels like another freakin’ planet and it’s the coolest thing ever. As the biggest national park in the continental US, Death Valley has a lot to offer.

No doubt, the best to see it all (or at least see part of it), is to rent a car and simply drive around. You’ll be blown away by the red rock, vast views, endless landscapes, and Mars-looking mountains.

Although, if you want to do a tour around Death Valley, there are a few that go from Las Vegas!

Things to do in Death Valley National Park:

• Visit Zabriskie Point.
• Check out the Artists Palette.
• Lookout at the landscape at Dante’s View.
• Visit the wondrous Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes.
• Explore the Mosaic Canyon.
• If you prefer to do tours, this Death Valley Day Trip tour goes from Las Vegas and is a full-day adventure filled with excitement.

Looking to be a more sustainable traveler? Check out these  20 helpful tips to get started .

Where to stay in Death Valley National Park:

Unfortunately, there’s not many place to stay  within Death Valley National Park, but there’s a few nice places on the outskirts.

If possible, I highly recommend camping in the National Park. You can find a few great free campsites from this website .

• A nice hotel in the middle of Death Valley and Sequoia National Park: Panamint Springs Hotel .
• The  Amargosa Opera House & Hotel is located in Death Valley Junction, near the California/Nevada border.
• The Longstreet Inn & Casino is the nicest out of the three, but it’s actually in Nevada, near the border. If you decide to leave Las Vegas early, this is a nice spot in between LV and Death Valley National Park.

Day 14-16: Sequoia National Park, California

Ready to see some giants? Giant trees, that is.

Sequoia National Park is one of the most popular national parks in California and after visiting, it’s easy to see why.

The Giant Sequoia and Redwoods, gorgeous views, breathtaking mountains, and incredible hikes are all worthy of the hype!

Things to do in Sequoia National Park:

• Visit the General Sherman Tree.
• Explore Grant Grove.
• Stroll the General Grant Tree Trail.
• Drive the Crescent Meadow Loop.
• Simply drive through this spectacular national park and take in the beautiful scenery!

Where to stay in Sequoia National Park:

Similar to other national parks on the list, there’s no real places to stay within Sequoia National Park unless you decide to camp.

The best places to find accommodations near Sequoia NP is in Three Rivers, Badger, or Pinehurst.

• Stony Creek Lodge is the only accommodation actually within Sequoia National Park. It has a fantastic location (obvi) and good reviews.
• The Rio Sierra Riverhouse has raving reviews and is a mid-range hotel.
• The Sierra Lodge Three Rivers is a budget accommodations with good reviews.
• In Badger, The Hummingbird House has incredible reviews and is a mid-range hotel with lots to offer.

Tip: If you’re visiting Sequoia National Park in the summer or in its busy season, make sure to book well in advance. Accommodations book up quickly and you don’t want to miss out on this place!

Day 17-20: Yosemite National Park, California

Even if you’re not from the United States, you might have heard of a magical not-so-little national park in America: Yosemite National Park .

One of my favorite stops on this West Coast America trip, Yosemite boasts breathtaking views, incredible mountains, lush forests, awesome hiking, magical wildlife, and overall an unbelievable atmosphere.

Things to do in Yosemite National Park:

• Go hiking! One of the best things to do here, no doubt. You’ll find hundreds of trails; some are hard, some are easy but you’ll easily find one you’ll love!
• Visit one of the many waterfalls. Some of the best include Bridalveil Falls, Vernal Fall, Yosemite Falls, and Chilnualna Falls.
• Just sit back and enjoy the views! Yosemite National Park is incredible so don’t miss out on just taking everything in.
• Go on a hiking adventure with a knowledgable guide! Cross the Half Dome, El Capitan, and Glacier Point off your bucket list with this Yosemite Hiking Excursion .

Vegan travel isn’t hard! Especially with these  10+ life-changing vegan travel tips .

Where to stay in Yosemite National Park:

Yosemite National Park is one of the best national parks where you can actually stay  within the national park itself.

While camping here is also great, the accommodations are in abundance — and all are relatively wonderful.

• The Rush Creek Lodge at Yosemite has excellent reviews and is in the heart of the national park.
• Yosemite View Lodge is one of the nearest accommodations near Yosemite Village and has some raving reviews. It’s also relatively affordable!
• Located on the outskirts of Yosemite National Park, the Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort is the budget accommodation on this list. At under $100 a night, it’s definitely affordable. Although, it’s not located in Yosemite itself.

Day 21-22: Sacramento, California

Even though Sacramento is the state capital of California, it’s not very big! And totally doable in one day.

Additionally, this city is totally optional. Dan and I didn’t spend much time here, only going to the California Automobile Museum because Dan is totes into cool cars.

So, if you need a little stop between Yosemite National Park and driving to the coast (because yes, the coast is next up on the list), Sacramento is a great place to have it.

No doubt, this west coast road trip itinerary is packed full of things to do and awesome adventures, so if you need a little chill day, have it here.

Things to do in Sacramento, California:

• Like old and new cars? Check out the California Automobile Museum . (Dan LOVED this place!)
• Visit the California State Railroad Museum.
• Take a stroll through Old Sacramento.
• Marvel at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament.
• Admire the California State Capitol Museum.
• Walk through one of the many city parks (William Land Park is particularly nice).
• Wander about the Leland Stanford Mansion State Historic Park.

Where to stay in Sacramento, California:

• Love staying in hostels? You’ll like the HI Sacramento Hostel ! Affordable AND awesome reviews.
• The Inn at Parkside is in an excellent location and has wonderful reviews at a great price.
• One of the higher-range hotels on the list, the Embassy Suites by Hilton Sacramento Riverfront Promenade is beautiful, has fantastic reviews, and is in the perfect location.

Day 23-27: California/Oregon Coast

One of my favorite destinations/regions on this USA road trip itinerary.

The California and Oregon Coast is filled with endless ocean views, heart-stopping cliffs, beautiful wildlife, captivating scenery, and incredible adventures!

(Check out this photo diary of the Oregon Coast if you don’t believe me!)

Even though Dan and I had to rush through the California and Oregon Coast, as we were running out of time, this particular road trip itinerary for the American West Coast focuses on spending 4 days meandering through the region.

Because, as one of the most beautiful parts of this itinerary, you need to spend time relaxing and admiring, rather than rushing!

Sample Itinerary for the California and Oregon Coast:

• Pull up Google Maps and find a route from Sacramento to Fort Bragg. (This will take about 4 hours, depending on how much you stop.)
• Fort Bragg has a beautiful glass sand that’s wonderful to explore. If you’d like, you can stay in Fort Bragg. There’s a good amount of affordable, nice hotels .
• P.S. Make sure to venture off the 101 and go onto the Avenue of the Giants. A gorgeous drive through the massive redwoods! Stop off at one of the pull-offs and just walk around to feel the magic of this state park for yourself.
• (This will take about 2 hours to arrive at the Avenue of the Giants from Fort Bragg.)
•  Throughout this drive, there will be a number of pull-offs to stop at. The beaches are beautiful to walk amongst and the cliffside viewing areas are especially breathtaking.
• Lastly, you’ll want to make your way towards Lincoln City, OR, to stay on the 101. After Lincoln City, you’ll make your way inland towards Portland.

Psst, ever thought about visiting Glacier National Park? Check out this post 32 photos of Glacier National Park that’ll blow your mind!

Where to stay along the California and Oregon Coast:

• In Fort Bragg, the Ocean View Lodge has awesome reviews and is in a great location.
• Crescent City is another nice stop along the California Coast. There are a number of fantastic hotels to suit your preference . The Lighthouse Inn has good reviews and breakfast is included!
• Go a little further than Crescent Bay and you’ll come to Newport, OR. A nice little coastal town with lots of hotels.  The Landing at Newport Condominium Hotel is in an incredible location and is a guest favorite!

Day 28-29: Portland, Oregon

Another one of my favorite cities in the United States, Portland is full of fantastic things to do and is a must-see stop on this US west coast itinerary.

And even better?

It’s  chock full of incredible vegan eateries, restaurants, cafes, and shops. As a vegan food fanatic, I love it! In fact, this city kind of reminds of Berlin, Germany; it’s hip, trendy, totally vegan-friendly, and packed with cool things to do.

Things to do in Portland, Oregon:

• Wander through the most magical book store — Powell’s City of Books! One of my favorite things to do in Portland.
• Visit the Lan Su Chinese Garden.
• Walk through the Portland Saturday Market, the nation’s largest weekly open-air arts and crafts market.
• Take a stroll through the Pittock Mansion, a century-old symbol of Portland’s dramatic transformation from a small lumber town to a bustling city.
• Visit the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, one of the nation’s leading science museums.
• Grab a vegan donut at Voodoo Donuts (you won’t be disappointed!).
• Explore the International Rose Test Garden and take in all the gorgeous sights and smells of the place.
• Do a day trip to the Columbia River Gorge Waterfalls and MT Hood .
• Avid wine drinker? Check out this  Willamette Valley Wine-Tasting Tour !

I recommend checking out this 2-day Portland itinerary for a more detailed guide on how to spend your time in this vibrant, hip city!

Where to stay in Portland, Oregon:

• Want to stay right in the heart of downtown Portland? The Hyatt House Portland/Downtown is perfect!
• At $85 a night, the HI – Portland Northwest Hostel is an affordable option with great reviews!
• The Oxford Suites Portland – Jantzen Beach is a mid-range option in a great location with awesome reviews.

Are you a Harry Potter fan like me? Take a look at this post on the  best Harry Potter sites and attractions in Edinburgh, Scotland (the birthplace of HP!).

Day 30-31: Seattle, Washington

One of the more iconic destinations on this west coast itinerary, Seattle, Washington, is a cool city just begging to be explored.

With its gum wall, Pike Place Market, Space Needle, and Museum of Pop Culture, it’s an incredible place to have an adventure.

Alas, I cannot tell lies… Dan and I didn’t actually visit Seattle . We bi-passed it completely to drive from Portland, OR, to Spokane, WA, to visit my sister. Although, it’s not logical to have you end in Spokane, am I right?

Thus, Seattle makes more sense, as it has a bigger airport if you’re planning to fly out.

Additionally, it has much, much more to do than Spokane. Overall, it just works out better as an ending point! Anyhow, without further rambling…

Things to do in Seattle, Washington:

• Take a ride up the Space Needle to see Seattle from above.
• Wander through the Pike Place Market.
• Stroll along the Seattle Waterfront and relax on some of the nice beaches (yes, they do exist in Seattle!).
• Explore Downtown Seattle and check out the restaurants, shops, eateries, theaters, and more.
• Take a photo in front of the infamous Seattle Gum Wall (just down the road from the Pike Place Market!).
• Venture down under and go on an Underground Tour !
• Relax in one of Seattle’s many parks.
• Get out on the water and admire Seattle from the sea on a boat tour .
• Head out to the field and go to a baseball game.
• Take a walk along one of the many trails surrounding the city.

Where to stay in Seattle:

• Looking to splurge on your last city? Check out the Paramount Hotel . Located in the heart of Downtown Seattle, it has raving reviews and excellent customer service.
• A more budget-friendly option is the Motif Seattle . At $197, it’s definitely one of the cheaper options throughout the city and has awesome reviews, as well as a great location.
• One of the most affordable accommodations throughout Seattle is the HI – Seattle at the American Hotel Hostel ; great reviews, $99 per night, and in Downtown Seattle.

What’s the Budget for a One-Month USA West Coast Road Trip?

I’ve gotten a lot of questions about how to properly budget for this 1 month USA road trip. While everyone’s budget is going to be slightly different, as people generally like to spend their time differently, here’s a rough idea of what you can expect to spend.

• Accommodation : $50-200 per night
• Food & Drinks : $20-70 per day
• Fuel : $250-300 total (roughly $.11 per mile)
• Attractions : $0-100 per day
• Insurance : $100-200 total (I highly recommend World Nomads travel insurance )
• Car Maintenance : $50-150 total
• Miscellaneous : $100-200

Since everyone likes to stay in different accommodations, eats different food, likes to go to different attractions, and do other miscellaneous activities, this budget is going to vary drastically.

To save on accommodation and eating at restaurants everyday, I couldn’t recommend renting an RV more. Use RVShare to explore your options!

Dan and I spent almost every night in our van, so we saved a ton on accommodation. Additionally, while we didn’t have a kitchen, we did use a Coleman camping stove to cook the majority of our meals, saving us loads of money.

Can I just say one word… wowza .

What a monster of a blog post, amirite?!

Although, no doubt, this American West Coast road trip itinerary is packed with helpful information, an easy to follow route, and — of course — awesome experiences!

If you want to discover what the best of the USA west coast has to offer, this itinerary delivers.

Have you visited the United States West Coast? Or have traveled around it? Additionally, let me know what you think of this itinerary in the comments! 

Not sure what to check out next? Readers love these posts:

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• Your guide to hiking Devil’s Bridge from Mescal Trailhead — Sedona, Arizona
• Road trip packing list – 55+ essentials you can’t forget (2020 edition)
• Best places for vegan food in Minneapolis & St. Paul
• Destinations along Minnesota’s North Shore

Like this post on the ultimate USA west coast road trip itinerary? Pin it!

Yay for transparency! This post contains affiliate links; if you make a purchase through one of the links, we receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read the full disclosure policy here .

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Article comments.

Kevin McCarthy

Hi Sophie, What a joyful month that seems to have been for you and Dan. Great commentary on the places I’ve seen, from a different spin. I loved it. Since I’m a retired HS English teacher I’m versed in good writing and that was good. One sticking point I had was your use of “Dan and I’s favorite place” several times., where “Dan and my favorite place” would be more precise. Just a niggling thing, I know, but retirement doesn’t shut down the linguist in me. Thanks for such a great look at our fabulous West. Kevin McCarthy

Bucket list material, that Grand Canyon: if you re just after an impression, you can visit the bad boy in one day. But since it was quite the drive to get there (6 hours), we decided to stay a bit longer. The first day we mainly checked out the east side, the second day the west side. If you re there, try to watch a sunset as well: the sun gives the canyon a truly magical color.

Would love it if you could provide a budget for this trip!

Hey Paige, that’s a great idea! Thank you for the suggestion. I will be sure to update the post with an estimated budget and an exact budget of what my partner and I spent on this road trip! Stay tuned. 🙂

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1 Month Across USA Road Trip Itinerary

by Sharyn McCullum | Last updated Jul 8, 2023 | Itineraries , Live Work Play Travel , USA Live Work Play

Thanks to a car-friendly culture and an unrivalled network of highways, taking a road trip across America is very appealing. And if you are looking for inspiration for a USA road trip look no further. Based on my own American travels I have put together this 1 month USA road trip itinerary taking you to many of the best bits of America. Of course you can’t go everywhere in one month, but we give it a good try on this road trip in America.  

Table of Contents

Where to Start this American Road Trip?

This great American road trip starts in New York and ends in San Francisco. Of course, you can do the trip in reverse or even deviate. This itinerary is a driving itinerary of the USA so you will need a car. A car or a van. If you don’t have one you can rent one, get availability and a great rate here . If you aren’t taking your accommodation with you, you will need to find accommodation at each nightly stop. Either walk in to a motel when you have pulled into town or book in advance. I always use Booking.com when pre-booking accommodation. When searching for accommodation it shows me what accommodation is available, if it is available and the price.

Unfortunately, we can’t visit every state on this road trip, but this road trip is a good start. It includes visits to many cities as you cross the USA from coast to coast. There are many routes you could take across the USA, I hope you enjoy this one.

1 Month Across USA Road Trip Itinerary at a Glance

Days 1-3 – New York 4 – driving to Washington 5-6 – Washington 7 – driving to Chicago 8-10 – Chicago 11-20 – Route 66 – Chicago to Santa Monica 21-23 – Los Angeles 24-26 – driving to San Francisco 27-29 – San Francisco

Days 1-3 – New York City, NY

Times Square, New York

New York is home to over eight million people and is where this one month USA road trip itinerary begins. There is so much to see and do here in New York to make the time to see as much as you can. After settling in to your accommodation, start making the most of your time in New York. I hope you’ve brought a good pair of walking shoes!

Where to Stay in New York

Hostel : Jazz on the Park Youth Hostel Budget Hotel : Bowery Grand Hotel Mid-range Hotel : Courtyard by Marriott Times Square West Splurge Hotel: Hyatt Grand Central New York

Best Things to See and Do in New York

• You may wish to purchase a New York City Pass allowing you to save on entrance fees.  
• Take the New York Hop-on Hop-off Bus to all the best bests in New York. Then you can go back to those spots you want to spend longer at.
• Go on a walking tour of New York, which you can book through GetYourGuide .  
• See the Statue of Liberty when you pay a visit to Ellis Island. Or take the Ferry to Staten Island and see it for free while passing by.
• Visit the 9/11 Memorial & Museum – There is a park commemorating the victims of 9/11 at the base of the Freedom Tower. Head inside the museum and see over 14,000 artefacts from that that day.  
• Go to the top of the Empire State Building for great views over the city. Hopefully, it is a clear day.
• Wander Central Park . This 843 acre park is one of the bet free attractions in town. Walk, hike, picnic or just people watch.
• Cross the Brooklyn Bridge for great Manhattan skyline views. It will take about 40 minutes to cross but this depends on how many photo stops you make.  
• Explore the Metropolitan Museum of Art (the Met) to see some of the best art collections in the world.

For more ideas of things to see and do in New York City, here’s my suggested New York itinerary .

Days 4-6 – to Washington, DC

Abraham Lincoln in the memorial

Distance: Washington is around 204 miles (329 km) from New York City and should take around four and a half hours to drive. Washington, DC, is the capital of the USA. There are plenty of iconic buildings to visit here.

Where to Stay in Washington

Hostel : DC International Hostel 2 Budget : The Westin Washington DC Mid-range Hotel : Washington Plaza Hotel Splurge Hotel : Sofitel Lafayette Hotel

Best Things to See and Do in Washington

• Take the Washington Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour to see all the best spots in Washington. Then you can return to those you want to stay longer at.
• Visit iconic buildings of the Capital , White House and Supreme Court .
• See the Lincoln Memorial . This is a 19-foot statue of America’s 16th president that is surrounded by 36 columns – one for each state in the union at the time of his death in 1865. It is located on the National Mall.  
• Tour the Smithsonian Institution which is a group of world-class museums and research centres. Definitely visit the Air and Space Museum and the American Art Museum.

Days 7 – Drive to Chicago via Pittsburg

Distance : Chicago is a long drive from Washington. Some 700 miles (1126 km) which will take anywhere up to 11-12 hours to undertake, depending on stops you make. You may want to even stop in Pittsburg for a day or so.  

Days 8-10 – Chicago, Illinois

When in Chicago eating Deep Pan Pizza is a must!

Welcome to the Windy City – Chicago. Why is it called the windy city? Two reasons. First because of strong winds that can hit the city plus, it was believed a lot of people were full of wind! Find out for yourself!

Where to Stay in Chicago

Hostel : Hi Chicago Hostel Budget : Gateway Inn Mid-range Hotel : Congress Plaza Hotel Chicago Splurge Hotel : Viceroy Chicago

Best Things to See and Do in Chicago

• Start your visit to Chicago on the Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour which will take you to all the best spots in Chicago. Then you can choose which ones you wish to return to.
• Relax in Grant and Millennium Parks . Both parks are great to relax in, have a picnic or walk around.
• Enjoy a Deep-dish Pizza . Chicago is known for deep-dish pizzas so definitely try this local favourite.

Start your drive along Route 66 at the sign on the northwest corner of Adams Street and Michigan Avenue. Why not get a photo if you can to commemorate the beginning of this 1 month USA road trip journey.

Days 11-20 – Route 66

Route 66 is one of the world’s most iconic drives. It starts in Chicago and ends at Santa Monica Pier in California. Travelling some 2200 miles, if you drive direct it would take a couple of days. On this 1 month USA road trip, I have budgeted 10 days for the drive where you will take in some of the best things in the USA to see along the way. Head over to my post The Best Things to See and Do on Route 66 for this part of the road trip USA itinerary. Starting in Chicago, Illinois you will travel across 8 states. Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona before arriving in California and the end of the road at Santa Monica Pier.

There is plenty to see along Route 66 and you can deviate off the road to visit iconic places like the Grand Canyon and Las Vegas.

Days 21-23 – Los Angeles

See Disneyland Castle in Disneyland, Anaheim, Los Angeles

Route 66 ends at Santa Monica Pier in California. You could stay here and use it as your base to discover Los Angeles .

Where to Stay in Los Angeles

Hostel : Samesun Hollywood Budget Hotel : Metro Plaza Hotel Mid-range Hotel : Tuscon Garden Inn Splurge Hotel : Beverly Whilshire

Best Things to See and Do in Los Angeles

• Take the Hop on Hop off LA Sightseeing Bus and be driven to all the best sights in Los Angeles.
• Visit the Hollywood Sign high in Hollywood Hills.
• Take a tour of Paramount Studios and or Warner Bros Studios or Universal Studios .
• Spend the day or two at Disneyland.
• Shop till you drop along Rodeo Drive.
• Hit the beach at Malibu – or wait and visit on your drive up to San Francisco.

Days 24-26 drive to San Francisco

Bixby Creek Bridge

The drive between Los Angeles and San Francisco along the Pacific Coast Highway is approximately 445 miles (716 km) long. If you were to drive directly without deviating you could complete the drive in about nine hours. However, there is plenty to see along this scenic drive and I have budgeted 3 days to drive it. Places to stop along the Pacific Coast Highway could include:

• Santa Monica . Home of the Santa Monica Pier where Route 66 ends, if you didn’t finish Route 66 here, then you might want to visit. Walk along the pier and get that tourist shot of you on the pier!
• Next stop could be Malibu . Check out some of the multi-million dollar homes or visit some of the beautiful beaches. Depending on the weather you might want to relax at the beach for a couple of hours or enjoy a good meal.
• Santa Barbara could be next on your list to visit. Stroll along the harbour or go one of Santa Barbara’s Urban Wine Trails. You will discover some of the best wine in California!
• On leaving Santa Barbara pass a few beaches and deviate to Hearst Castle outside of San Simeon. This caslte was built by the newspaper mogul William Hearst. If you ever wanted to feel like you are in Europe, visit this castle!
• Elephant Seal Vista Point could be your next stop. See elephant seals relaxing on the beach.
• A highlight along the LA to San Francisco drive is Big Sur. You may want to spend a full day or more here enjoying the walks in the spectacular natural scenery. Ensure to stop at the iconic sites of Bixby Creek Bridge and McWay Waterfall.
• Stop in towns of Carmel , Monterey and Santa Cruz where you might want to spend the night!
• Half Moon Bay is around 30 minutes south of San Francisco and is worth a stop to stretch your legs and grab a coffee before arriving in San Francisco.

Days 27-29 San Francisco

Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco

Ah, San Francisco, famous for its cable cars, Golden Gate Bridge and great restaurants. A stay of a few days is a must.

Where to Stay in San Francisco

Hostel : Hi San Francisco Downtown Hostel Budget Hotel : Hotel Amari Mid-range Hotel : Queen Anne Splurge Hotel : The Ritz Carlton, San Francisco

Best Things to See and Do in San Francisco

• Take the Hop on Hop off Bus tour of San Francisco . Get taken to all the iconic spots that you can revisit at your leisure.
• Go to the Golden Gate Bridge . Opened in 1937, it is one of the longest suspension bridges ever created. It links San Francisco Bay and Marin County.
• Spend some time at San Francisco’s most famous waterfront community – Fisherman’s Wharf.
• Visit Alcatraz Island and discover for yourself how hard it would be to escape from.
• Take a ride on a cable car .
• Disney lovers may want to visit  The Walt Disney Family Museum and learn about the life of Walt Disney .

And so ends this 1 month across USA road trip itinerary.

Where to next? What about 1 month in Hawaiian Island Hopping ?

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Sharyn McCullum – Travel Writer / Blogger, Remote On-line Worker, sometime Digital Nomad and Travel, Live and Work Abroad Expert. Is a chocoholic, coffee connoisseur and lover of ’80s music. Been travelling all her life thanks to her dad who worked for an airline. Lived in London 4 years on a working holiday. Has holidayed in Hawaii over 15 times and currently calls Melbourne, Australia home. Is inspiring others to get the live work play travel lifestyle with this blog. Read more about Sharyn here.

I would love to do this trip one day. You have given great tips to do this one month and I wish I had this years ago when I was over there. Thanks for sharing.

We have done quite a few road trips in the US but usually take the route more north than you followed. We would love to follow Route 66 all the way from Chicago to Santa Monica. I love that you planned long enough stops in key places to get to enjoy them along the way.

Clever idea..you’ve chosen some great spots.. but I wish there was more time for the Midwest!

What an epic trip! I have never driven a fraction of this distance before, but at least you split it up with loooads of time for exploring and adventures. It sounds fab!

Great road trip ideas! We would love to take some time and really explore the US more. There are so many stops and detours that you can see along Route 66. It should be a fun trip.

I think 1 month should be the minimum amount of time to explore the USA. But not everyone gets that much holiday time! So you can only visit what you can in the timeframe you have.

Thanks a ton for sharing these awesome safety tips! Your post is like a travel buddy, guiding us through the must-knows for a safe adventure. I love how you make things simple, highlighting the prep and being aware of our surroundings – things we might forget in the excitement!

I’m so happy to sharing this with my limousine transportation team! Your post made safety sound less like a lecture and more like chatting with a friend who’s got your back. Can’t wait for more tips from you – keep it up!”

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The Ultimate 1 Month USA Road Trip Itinerary – California To Texas

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Planning to spend one month in America or just looking for the best US road trip ideas? I’ve got just the post for you! Check out this ultimate 1 month USA road trip itinerary from California to Texas!

This 1 month USA road trip itinerary takes you on an exciting journey from San Francisco, via Los Angeles and Las Vegas, into Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico before concluding in Austin, Texas!

This American road trip route is inspired by the many iconic road trip itineraries that Original Travel has to offer, as well as by the numerous road trips I’ve enjoyed in the USA so far.

Please note that this 1 month USA road trip itinerary isn’t exhaustive as it only includes some of my favourite destinations from California to Texas. For a much more comprehensive American road trip route, check out my 3-month itinerary . I will also be writing a USA road trip guide to the East Coast of America soon as well, so keep an eye out for that!

Read more: Ultimate 3 Month USA Road Trip Itinerary – New York To California

Top tours and attractions to experience on a 1 month USA road trip

• Alcatraz Visit with Ferry and Bay Cruise From San Francisco
• Skip-the-Line 1-Hour Bay Cruise by Boat
• Universal Studios Hollywood Entry Ticket Los Angeles
• Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood
• STRAT Tower Observation Deck Ticket
• Grand Canyon, Hoover Dam, Lunch, Skywalk Option From Las Vegas
• Bryce Canyon National Park Sightseeing Tour
• From South Rim: Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour
• Sunset Bat Watching Kayak Tour In Austin
• Hill Country BBQ & Wine Shuttle From Austin

1 month USA road trip map

I’ve calculated that this itinerary includes approximately 58 hours of driving time (without traffic and without any stops), from San Francisco, California all the way to Austin, Texas. No driving route should be longer than 8 hours in one day and you should definitely break up the journey by stopping every couple of hours.

I’ve also included stops at some of my favourite US National Parks, such as Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, Zion and Bryce Canyon. I’ve allocated just one day in most of these national parks, but you could easily spend longer if you want to extend this itinerary.

Based on my 1 month USA road trip itinerary below, I’ve allotted 28 days from San Francisco to Austin, but you can definitely remove some stops if you want to drive for longer stretches at a time and it’s also possible to add in a few extra stops along the way in places such as San Diego, Salt Lake City, Monument Valley and more.

1 month USA road trip itinerary summary

San francisco – 3 days, yosemite national park – 1 day, los angeles – 3 days, joshua tree national park – 1 day, las vegas – 3 days, grand canyon national park – 2 days, zion national park – 1 day, bryce canyon national park – 1 day, dead horse point state park – 1 day, arches national park – 1 day, glenwood springs – 1 day.

• Colorado Springs – 2 day

Santa Fe – 1 day

Albuquerque – 1 day, roswell – 1 day, dallas – 2 days, austin – 3 days, don’t have time to read this 1 month usa road trip itinerary now pin it for later using the images below.

This 1 month West Coast road trip across the USA starts in one of my favourite US cities; San Francisco .

Known for its iconic Golden Gate Bridge, the infamous Alcatraz Island and its seemingly never-ending steep streets, San Francisco is a great place to begin your 1 month USA itinerary as it’s a city that’s full of life and plenty of awesome things to do.

Best things to do/see in San Francisco on a 1 month USA road trip

• Tour Alcatraz Island
• See the iconic Golden Gate Bridge
• Explore Fisherman’s Wharf and see the sea lions on Pier 39
• Ride the iconic cable cars
• Admire Lombard Street

Where to stay in San Francisco

I will preface the accommodation recommendation section of each place on this cross-country road trip itinerary by saying that we (usually) stayed in the cheapest place, while still trying to find the best-rated accommodation.

Hotels in America are pretty expensive, so a vast amount of your road trip budget will be allocated to your accommodation.

We spent 3 nights in San Francisco on our American road trip and we stayed at the Alpha Inn & Suites . As with most of the hotels I’ll recommend on this itinerary, Alpha Inn & Suites is a super basic hotel, but it’s in a pretty good location, not too far from popular sights such as the Golden Gate Bridge and Lombard Street.

How to get to San Francisco

If you’re travelling from overseas (or from anywhere else in the US), you can fly into San Francisco International Airport from most major airports in the world.

Once you arrive in San Francisco, you can collect a rental car from the airport itself. For our 3-month road trip across America, we hired a car from Budget Rentals and paid around £1,000 ($1,300) for 28 days which was the cheapest car rental we could find at the time in February 2022.

Read more: Is The Alcatraz Tour Worth It? Alcatraz Tour Review

Yosemite is one of the most famous national parks in America and it was one of my absolute favourite destinations during our USA road trip so it definitely deserves a place on this itinerary.

Located in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, Yosemite National Park is less than four hours away from San Francisco and while it is a slight detour away from Los Angeles, it’s 100% worth visiting.

Best things to do/see in Yosemite NP on a 1 month USA road trip itinerary

• Tunnel View
• El Capitan (The Dawn Wall)
• Yosemite Falls
• Bridalveil Fall

If you don’t fancy visiting Yosemite on your own and would prefer to take a tour there from San Francisco, there are plenty of day trips that you can book that will take you around some of the best spots in the national park.

• Yosemite National Park & Giant Sequoias Hike From San Francisco
• Yosemite National Park Full-Day Trip From San Francisco
• Yosemite Valley 3-Day Camping Adventure
• Yosemite Lodge 2-Day National Park Tour From San Francisco
• 2-Day Yosemite Tour From San Francisco

Where to stay in Yosemite National Park

While it is possible to stay in/very near Yosemite National Park, we decided against doing so as it was much more expensive to stay inside the national park.

Instead, we opted to stay in the nearby city of Merced, known as the “Gateway to Yosemite”, which is around a 1-2 hour drive into the heart of the National Park. We stayed at the Days Inn Merced/Yosemite Area and paid £78 a night at the time of our visit in March 2022.

If you’d prefer to stay in the heart of Yosemite, but don’t feel like camping, I’d recommend checking out Yosemite Riverside Inn or Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite , both of which are in great locations for exploring the National Park and relatively reasonably priced at less than £100 a night.

Driving time from San Francisco

It takes between three and three and a half hours to drive from San Francisco into the heart of Yosemite NP. If you want to spend the night in Merced and then travel into Yosemite the following day, it will take you just over two hours to drive from San Fran.

Three days should give you enough time to experience the exciting city of Los Angeles, although you could definitely spend longer if you wanted to.

Los Angeles is a huge city, with so many things to see and do, and it can feel a little overwhelming at times, but it is very much worth adding to your 1 month USA road trip itinerary as it’s one of the most famous and iconic cities in America!

Best things to do/see in LA on a 1 month USA road trip itinerary

• Griffith Observatory
• Hollywood Walk of Fame/ Hollywood Sign
• Santa Monica Pier
• Universal Studios Hollywood
• Venice Beach

Where to stay in Los Angeles

We stayed at the Park Cienega Motel for four nights on our United States road trip as it was one of the cheapest options at the time at £72.50 a night.

The motel itself was fine and I would recommend it as a place to stay in LA if you want to keep your road trip budget as low as possible, but it was a little far away from most of the top sights in the city, so you will have to drive everywhere.

Driving time from Yosemite National Park

It takes between four and a half hours and five hours to drive from Yosemite National Park to Los Angeles. If you want to break the journey up, I’d recommend stopping in Sequoia National Forest along the way. You could also divert off the main road slightly and drive along the coast to Santa Barbara and Santa Monica on your way into LA.

Read more: The Best 4-Day Universal Studios Orlando Itinerary

As I mentioned at the start of this 1 month USA road trip itinerary, you can definitely spend more time in each place than I have allocated for, but I’ve created this itinerary based on my own personal experiences of road-tripping across America, so I know that all these places can be enjoyed in the allocated time as well.

Joshua Tree National Park is such a fascinating place to add to your America road trip itinerary as it’s a completely otherworldly place. It’s not too far from LA or Las Vegas, so it’s also a great place to stop in between these iconic cities to break the journey up.

Best things to do/see in Joshua Tree National Park on a 1 month USA road trip

• Skull Rock Trail
• Hidden Valley Nature Trailhead
• Arch Rock Nature Trail

Where to stay in Joshua Tree National Park

We stayed right on the edge of Joshua Tree in Yucca Valley at the Super 8 by Wyndham and we paid £61 for one night in March 2022. As with most hotels that we stayed in, it was a super basic motel-style place, but it was ideal for what we needed for one night.

Driving time from LA

From Los Angeles, it should take less than two hours to drive to Joshua Tree National Park, so you don’t have to worry about a long and strenuous drive.

I think Las Vegas is very much a “love it or hate it” kind of city, so you don’t have to include it on your USA road trip itinerary if it’s not for you.

I personally very much enjoyed the sights and attractions of Las Vegas as it’s unlike anywhere else I’ve ever been. However, I don’t think I could spend longer than 3-4 days there and I actually think that’s just the right amount of time to experience the casinos, The Strip and the many other fascinating allurements of Vegas!

Best things to do/see in Las Vegas on a 1 month USA road trip itinerary

• Night Helicopter Flight over Las Vegas Strip
• Check out Fremont Street
• STRAT Tower Observation Deck
• See the iconic hotels such as The Bellagio, The Venetian and Caesars Palace
• Visit the Hoover Dam

Where to stay in Las Vegas

The hotel we stayed at in Las Vegas was easily the nicest place we stayed on our entire USA road trip and it was also actually one of the cheapest!

We spent three nights at the SAHARA Las Vegas at the end of February 2022 for Matt’s birthday and paid just over £65 a night, which I thought was incredibly reasonable for a hotel on the world-famous Las Vegas Strip!

The room was absolutely beautiful with a fantastic view of the STRAT and I would definitely stay there again and happily recommend it to you for your 4 week road trip across America.

Driving time from Joshua Tree

It can take between three and four hours to drive from Joshua Tree to Las Vegas as the traffic can be super busy as you approach Sin City.

Read more: The Best Casino Hotels In Las Vegas – Vegas Travel Guide

The Grand Canyon is another one of the most famous and iconic places in the United States and you could easily spend a whole week in the national park area and still not see everything!

For this particular Western USA road trip itinerary, I’ve allocated two days to explore the Grand Canyon, but you could easily spend more or less, depending on the kind of road trip experience you want to enjoy.

Best things to do/see in Grand Canyon on a 1 month USA road trip itinerary

• Mather Point
• Desert View Watchtower
• Bright Angel Point
• Grandview Point

If you don’t want to explore the Grand Canyon on your own, there are many tours to choose from that will take you to the best spots in the national park.

• Grand Canyon Spirit Helicopter Tour From South Rim
• The Grand Canyon Railway Round Trip Experience From Williams, Arizona
• Grand Canyon Helicopter Ride and Optional Hummer Tour
• Grand Canyon West & Hoover Dam Tour From Vegas

Where to stay in Grand Canyon National Park

We stayed at the Travelers Inn in Flagstaff, Arizona before heading into the Grand Canyon National Park the following day.

After exploring the Grand Canyon, we spent the night at Rodeway Inn & Suites in Big Water (and paid just £28 for one night which was by far the cheapest place we stayed during our USA road trip!). You can also stay inside the actual national park at places such as the Best Western Squire Resort or the Grand Canyon Inn and Motel – South Rim Entrance .

Driving time from Las Vegas

It takes around four and a half hours to drive from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon, so unless you want to set off super early in the morning, I would recommend allocating two days to exploring the infamous Canyon.

From Big Water, Utah, it’s just an hour and a half drive to one of my favourite places on this 1 month USA road trip itinerary; Zion National Park.

Utah is probably my favourite state in America (so far!) as there’s such an unfathomable amount of beauty to enjoy. I didn’t realise just how many incredible national parks Utah had, but I would love to go back and explore even more of them as it’s one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been!

If you have time on your road trip itinerary, you can also visit various sights such as Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend on your way to Zion National Park from the Grand Canyon.

Best things to do/see in Zion National Park on a 1 month USA road trip itinerary

• Observation Point (this is truly breathtaking!)
• Angels Landing
• The Narrows
• Zion Canyon Scenic Drive
• Canyon Overlook Trail

Where to stay in Zion National Park

Panguitch is a tiny town located just over an hour from Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park, so we spent the night at the Color Country Motel after visiting both national parks.

If you want to spend longer in both parks, I would recommend extending your stay a little longer or booking another motel in between so that you can easily explore this wonderful part of Utah.

Driving time from the Grand Canyon

The drive from the Grand Canyon to Zion National Park takes just over four hours and the drive from Big Water (where you can stay in after visiting the Grand Canyon and before visiting Zion) take around one and a half hours .

I’d only ever seen bright orange/red rock pictures of Bryce Canyon National Park, so when we visited on our American road trip in February 2022, I couldn’t believe that so much of the rock was covered in snow!

It’s yet another one of my favourite national parks in America and it’s definitely worth adding to your road trip itinerary as you travel through Utah.

Best things to do/see in Bryce Canyon National Park

• Bryce Point
• Sunrise Point
• Sunset Point
• Lower Inspiration Point
• Navajo Loop Trail

Driving time from Zion National Park

Despite looking fairly close together, it actually takes almost two hours to drive from Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon as you have to go all through the winding mountains and around the giant canyons.

If you spend the night in Panguitch after visiting Zion National Park, it’s only half an hour’s drive from there into Bryce Canyon.

Dead Horse Point State Park was originally recommended to me by my good friend Nele , who said that it was one of her favourite places in the US and that it somewhat rivalled the Grand Canyon!

After spending the day at Dead Horse Point State Park on our US road trip, I can safely say that it does have some resemblance to the iconic Grand Canyon, only it was much quieter, but arguably just as impressive!

Best things to do/see in Dead Horse Point State Park on a 1 month USA road trip

• West Rim Trail
• Rim Overlook
• Shafer Canyon Overlook
• Big Horn Overlook
• Dead Horse Point Overlook

Where to stay in Dead Horse Point State Park

After spending the afternoon at Dead Horse Point State Park, I’d recommend driving to the Inca Inn and Motel in Moab , which is located just half an hour away from the state park. You can spend the night here before heading to Arches National Park bright and early the following morning.

Driving time from the Bryce Canyon/ Panguitch

If you stay in Panguitch after spending the day/s at Zion and Bryce Canyon, it’s a four-and-a-half-hour drive to Dead Horse Point State Park. You don’t necessarily need an entire day here (although you absolutely can spend the whole day there if you want to see as much as possible!), so I’d recommend leaving Panguitch fairly early and aiming to get to Dead Horse Point State Park around lunchtime.

Arches National Park is another one of my favourite national parks in America and you could easily spend more than one day exploring its incredible beauty.

I’d seen plenty of pictures of the renowned arches inside the national park over the years, but nothing could prepare me for just how overwhelmingly beautiful and astonishing it was in real life!

Arches National Park definitely needs to be added to your West Coast USA road trip itinerary!

Best things to do/see in Arches National Park on a 1 month USA road trip

• Double Arch
• Balanced Rock
• La Sal Mountains Viewpoint
• Delicate Arch viewpoints
• Skyline Arch

Where to stay in Arches National Park

I would recommend spending an extra night in Moab at the Inca Inn and Motel as it’s another three-hour drive to get to the next stop on this 1 month USA road trip itinerary (Glenwood Springs) and I think it’s worth dedicating an entire day to Arches NP as there’s so much to see and do.

Driving time from Dead Horse State Park/Moab

The start of Arches National Park is just a 7-minute drive from Moab (where I would recommend spending two nights), so you really don’t have very far to travel at all!

Read more: The Ultimate One Day In Arches National Park Itinerary

Glenwood Springs is a great place to add to your West US road trip itinerary as it breaks up the long journey between Moab and Colorado Springs and it also allows you to explore another place in the state of Colorado.

We visited Glenwood Springs in the height of winter when the road conditions were super icy and snowy. We originally planned to stay in Aspen which is less than an hour’s drive from Glenwood Springs, but as we were there during peak ski season, hotels were a minimum of $600 a night, so it was much cheaper (and still super lovely!) to stay in Glenwood Springs.

We did venture to Aspen for a few hours during the day which I would recommend doing as it’s a gorgeous little ski resort town in the winter and a wonderful hiking town in the summer months.

Best things to do/see in Glenwood Springs on a 1 month USA road trip

• Iron Mountains Hot Springs
• Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park
• Glenwood Hot Springs Pool
• Yampah Spa & Vapor Caves
• Doc Holliday’s Grave Trailhead

Where to stay in Glenwood Springs

We stayed at the Silver Spruce Inn in Glenwood Springs and as it was still winter and completely covered in snow when we were there in February 2022, it was one of my favourite accommodations of our entire American road trip itinerary.

Driving time from Arches National Park

It should take less than three hours to drive from Arches National Park/Moab to Glenwood Springs, Colorado, but you can stop in a place called Grand Junction along the way if you want to rest or stretch your legs for a little while.

Colorado Springs – 2 days

Colorado Springs sits at the eastern foot of the Rocky Mountains and is renowned for its relatively close proximity to the iconic Pikes Peak.

I’ve allocated two days in Colorado Springs for this USA road trip itinerary as I thought it was about time that you spend a little longer in one place to enjoy some relaxing, but you can just spend one day there if you don’t want any downtime.

Best things to do/see in Colorado Springs on a 1 month USA road trip

• Garden of the Gods
• Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
• Sunrise hot air balloon ride
• Cave of the Winds Mountain Park
• Red Rock Canyon Open Space

Where to stay in Colorado Springs

If you’re looking for a fun and laid-back hostel vibe, I’d recommend spending a night or two at the ColoRADo Adventure Hostel .

Driving time from Glenwood Springs

The drive from Glenwood Springs to Colorado Springs takes approximately three and a half hours , but you can break the journey up a bit by stopping in Denver for a few hours to add another city to your itinerary.

On our 3 month USA road trip, we actually spent the night in Denver (at La Quinta by Wyndham Denver Gateway Park ) but we didn’t think there was an awful lot worth doing in the city apart from driving around the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge on the way out of the city, so I haven’t recommended it as a place to stay on this 1 month USA road trip itinerary.

Santa Fe wasn’t necessarily my favourite place on our USA road trip itinerary, but it’s a cute enough little town that’s worth visiting as you’re driving from Colorado into New Mexico.

On your way to Santa Fe from Colorado Springs, I would also recommend stopping at Great Sand Dunes National Park as you can spend a couple of hours here to break up the journey and see the remarkable sand dunes!

Best things to do/see in Santa Fe on a 1 month USA road trip itinerary

• Check out the Santa Fe Original Route 66 signs
• Santa Fe Plaza
• Visit the New Mexico Museum of Art
• Go to the IAIA Museum of Contemporary Native Arts (MoCNA)
• See the Palace of the Governors

Where to stay in Santa Fe

We stayed at Motel 6 in Santa Fe but it was by far the worst place we stayed on our entire American road trip, so the only reason I’m mentioning it is to encourage you to avoid it at all costs! The room itself was fine enough, but there was a lot of dodgy activity going on outside all night and it didn’t feel like a very safe place to be.

Instead, I’d recommend checking out the Best Western Plus Inn of Santa Fe or El Sendero Inn for a much better-rated, but still relatively reasonably priced place to stay!

Driving time from Colorado Springs

The drive from Colorado Springs to Santa Fe takes around five hours , so it can be done in one go, or you can break the journey up by stopping in places such as the Great Sand Dunes National Park, Pueblo or Taos if you need to.

Albuquerque is the largest city in New Mexico and offers a contrasting combination of modern city life with an old-worldly Old Town.

If I were to complete this particular road trip again, I’d probably skip Albuquerque and continue straight to Roswell from Santa Fe, but I wanted to include it in this USA guide to give you the option to add it to your own road trip itinerary.

Best things to do/see in Albuquerque on a 1 month USA road trip

• See the Petroglyph National Monument
• Ride the Sandia Peak Tramway
• Check out the Old Town and Plaza
• Visit the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
• Admire the San Felipe de Neri Church

Where to stay in Albuquerque

We spent one night at the GreenTree Inn Albuquerque North I-25 which was right next to the motorway, but we arrived in the city quite late at night and it was the most convenient option for us. Despite the drab location, it was actually a fairly decent place to stay and we even got free breakfast.

Driving time from Santa Fe

The drive from Santa Fe to Albuquerque usually only takes around one hour , provided that there’s no traffic.

Roswell is one of the most fascinating cities I’ve been to in America so far as it’s steeped in the infamous history of various UFO sightings and it feels like the whole place caters to people wanting to experience the phenomena for themselves!

We thoroughly enjoyed our day in Roswell as it felt quite gimmicky and a little bit surreal; if you want to experience a truly weird and unique place on your American road trip, definitely add Roswell to your itinerary!

Best things to do/see in Roswell on a 1 month USA road trip itinerary

• The International UFO Museum
• Check out the alien-themed McDonald’s
• The Roswell Museum
• Explore the Roswell Historic District
• Roswell UFO Spacewalk

Where to stay in Roswell

We spent one night at the Days Inn by Wyndham in Roswell; it was a super basic motel in a great location in the city to explore the famous alien sights and there were plenty of places to eat nearby.

Driving time from Albuquerque

It takes around three hours to drive to Roswell from Albuquerque and from what I can remember of this particular journey on our American road trip route, it was a fairly pleasant drive!

I personally wasn’t the biggest fan of Dallas as I had super high expectations of this iconic US city and then it just didn’t seem to live up to them, but I know that it’s on many people’s American road trip bucket list, so I wanted to include it in my 1 month itinerary.

I’ve allocated two days in Dallas for this itinerary as it’s such a huge city and while I don’t personally think that there’s a tonne of things to do there, you will likely need enough time just to get around!

Best things to do/see in Dallas on a 1 month USA road trip

• Dallas Cowboys AT&T Stadium Tour
• The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden
• Visit the Fort Worth Stockyards from Dallas
• Enjoy the views from the top of the Reunion Tower
• JFK Assassination and Sixth Floor Museum Tour

Where to stay in Dallas

For our 3 month USA road trip, we actually spent a few nights in Dallas as we had to catch up on some work and we also collected our hire car in Dallas to begin the driving leg of our trip.

We stayed at the Comfort Inn & Suites Love Field – Dallas Market Center which isn’t in the most amazing central location, but it worked for us as we only needed a base there to work and meet my friend who lives just outside of the city.

Driving time from Roswell

The drive from Roswell to Dallas is by far the longest drive you’ll experience during your 1 month USA road trip from California to Texas as it can take anywhere between seven and eight hours .

We actually did this journey all in one go (with a few bathroom breaks and food stops along the way!), but you might want to stop for longer or even spend the night somewhere halfway in between Roswell and Dallas if you don’t want to drive for that long.

Austin is one of my favourite US cities as it’s got such a great vibe, a super fun nightlife scene and so much incredible food, so it only felt right to conclude this 1 month West USA road trip itinerary in Austin!

Three days will give you more than enough time to explore the top sights and attractions in the city and hopefully give you a little time to rest after a super busy month of driving from California to Texas!

Best things to do/see in Austin on a 1 month USA road trip

• See the Texas Capitol
• Sunset Bat Watching Kayak Tour
• Eat your way around the food trucks on Rainey Street
• Wander through Waller Beach at Town Lake Metropolitan Park
• Visit the Museum of Ice Cream

Where to stay in Austin

During our time in the city, we stayed at the Days Inn by Wyndham Austin/University/Downtown which was the cheapest option for us at the time.

While the accommodation itself was fine (it was a typical, standard American motel), it was a little far out of the city, so I would probably recommend staying somewhere more central such as the Canopy By Hilton Austin Downtown or the Hampton Inn & Suites Austin-Downtown .

Driving time from Dallas

After the long drive to Dallas from Roswell, the final leg of your road trip journey in America to Austin, Texas should only take you around three hours , although it can often be longer due to traffic.

FAQs on road trips in the USA

In the FAQ section below, I’ve included some of the most common questions about planning a road trip in America, including the cost of a 1 month road trip in the USA, the best hire car companies, how long you should plan for your USA road trip and how to drive safely in America.

How much does a 1 month USA road trip cost?

If you’re wondering “how much money do you need for a road trip across America?”, you can expect to spend anywhere between £2,000 and £5,000 ($2,600 to $6,500) each, depending on the type of transport you use, where you stay, where you eat and the activities you take part in.

Because we spent £7,974.52 each for 3 months in America, it’s safe to say that road-tripping across America is not cheap!

However, £3,111.67 of that USA budget was spent on staying in New York City for one month alone, so really, we spent £4,862.85 each for two months, which works out at approximately £2,431.43 each for a one month road trip across America!

I would recommend allocating a budget of around $70 to $120 a day for your 1 month USA road trip from California to Texas as this should cover you for everything from food, drinks, accommodation, transport, activities and more.

Of course, you could easily spend more than this if you’re hiring a huge RV and eating out for every single meal, but I think a rough budget of $70 to $120 per day should cover you.

Hiring a car for your 1 month USA road trip

Hiring a car in America certainly isn’t cheap, but there are a few budget car rental places in the US that can offer you a fairly good deal for your 1-month road trip!

We hired our car with Budget rentals and we paid just over £1,000 for car hire and insurance for 1 month, plus another £530 on petrol. At the time of our USA road trip in February/March 2022, this was the cheapest and best car rental for us.

Check hire car prices in America here!

How long do you need for a USA road trip?

I would personally recommend allowing as much time as possible for your USA road trip. One month in America is enough time to see and experience many incredible things, but I think 2-3 months is much better if you can travel for that long as it will give you enough time to experience so many more states, cities and national parks throughout the vast country.

Are roads safe in the USA?

Before beginning our road trip in the US, I was super anxious about how scary it would be to drive on the huge, open roads.

While it was certainly a little daunting at first as everything is so much bigger than in the UK, once we got used to driving on the other side of the road in a huge American muscle car, it was actually super easy and a lot of fun!

You do have to be extra careful when driving in America, especially if you’ve never driven on the “other side” of the road before, but the roads are so huge and seemingly never-ending, so it’s surprisingly easy to drive safely.

I hope this 1 month USA road trip itinerary helps you to plan your own epic cross-country road trip in America!

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Pin for later – 1 month USA road trip itinerary

Would you like to embark on a cross-country American road trip for one month? What other stops would you add to this itinerary? Let me know in the comments or on Instagram at @imjustagirl_16 .

How To Spend Two Days In Washington D.C. – Best Things To Do & See

The Best Casino Hotels In Las Vegas – Vegas Travel Guide

The Ultimate 2 Month USA Road Trip Itinerary

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The perfect itinerary for an epic USA roadtrip (48 states at once)

• Post author: Andrew D'Amours
• Post published: December 28, 2022
• Post category: Travel inspiration / Trip itineraries & destination discoveries
• Post comments: 23 Comments

Do you like roadtrips? They happen to be a very American tradition and we found the perfect itinerary to visit every state in the continental USA during 1 epic roadtrip. A great trip idea for those who have a lot of time but want to stay closer to home .

Personally, I love roadtrips and I hit the road as much as I can, despite also being an aviation geek: you can like both, right? What matters is traveling and seeing new places , no matter how.

So here are the maps and details of the 2 itineraries that allow you to see all the lower 48 states at once, depending on your travel preference.

Basics of the 2 epic USA roadtrip itineraries

The USA is a huge country, almost as big as Europe (it’s even larger than Canada when considering land area alone).

So the USA has a lot of variety in terms of landscapes, but even in terms of culture too (even if many who aren’t from the country don’t realize that).

If you aim to eventually visit every state, any 1 of these 2 itineraries is a great way to almost all of them at once. The only 2 states you’ll have left to visit after this roadtrip will be Hawaii and Alaska.

There’s a version for national parks and points of interest and a version for cities.

I’m on the quest to visit all 50 states myself (in addition to also visiting every country obviously), and I’m not doing too bad with 47 already.

But let’s just say it would’ve been much quicker to get to 48 at once with this roadtrip instead of having to do it over dozens of trips.

Here are the details.

48-state roadtrip – national parks/points of interest version

Here’s a map of the 1st itinerary.

It was conceived by American Ph.D. student Randy Olson, on  his blog , and it was done scientifically to optimize the routing: each stop represents a national park or a point of interest.

So you’re not just seeing every state, you’re seeing cool parts of every state (which sadly wasn’t our case in North Dakota during our very random 1200-miles-nonstop-in-2-days Flytrippers roadtrip across the Midwest just for fun).

Good times. Roadtrips always make for great stories.

Anyway, the itinerary has also been optimized to be as efficient a route as possible to see all 48 states, so you can rest assured you won’t be wasting any time.

If you only stop to sleep, you can complete this roadtrip in only 9 days, but we recommend taking at least a couple of weeks to explore all these places obviously.

And gas is significantly cheaper in the US in case you were wondering. You can start anywhere, it’s a continuous loop, and it passes through many spots near the Canadian border.

You can even take a shortcut from Michigan to Vermont through Canada, as the stop in Cleveland is only to keep Americans without a passport from crossing into the Great White North.

Here is the complete list of all 50 landmarks (48 states + Washington, DC + a bonus stop in California):

1. Grand Canyon, AZ 2. Bryce Canyon National Park, UT 3. Craters of the Moon, ID 4. Yellowstone National Park, WY 5. Pikes Peak, CO 6. Carlsbad Caverns National Park, NM 7. The Alamo, TX 8. The Platt Historic District, OK 9. Toltec Mounds, AR 10. Elvis Presley’s Graceland, TN 11. Vicksburg National Military Park, MS 12. French Quarter, LA 13. USS Alabama, AL 14. Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, FL 15. Okefenokee Swamp Park, GA 16. Fort Sumter National Monument, SC 17. Lost World Caverns, WV 18. Wright Brothers National Memorial Visitor Center, NC 19. Mount Vernon, VA 20. White House, Washington, D.C. 21. Colonial Annapolis Historic District, MD 22. New Castle Historic District, DE 23. Cape May Historic District, NJ 24. Liberty Bell, PA 25. Statue of Liberty, NY 26. The Mark Twain House & Museum, CT 27. The Breakers, RI 28. USS Constitution, MA 29. Acadia National Park, ME 30. Mount Washington Hotel, NH 31. Shelburne Farms, VT 32. Fox Theater, MI 33. Spring Grove Cemetery, OH 34. Mammoth Cave National Park, KY 35. West Baden Springs Hotel, IN 36. Abraham Lincoln’s Home, IL 37. Gateway Arch, MO 38. C. W. Parker Carousel Museum, KS 39. Terrace Hill Governor’s Mansion, IA 40. Taliesin, WI 41. Fort Snelling, MN 42. Ashfall Fossil Bed, NE 43. Mount Rushmore, SD 44. Fort Union Trading Post, ND 45. Glacier National Park, MT 46. Hanford Site, WA 47. Columbia River Highway, OR 48. San Francisco Cable Cars, CA 49. San Andreas Fault, CA 50. Hoover Dam, NV

These are all very enticing attractions, for the most part. It seems I’ve only seen 14 of those, so maybe I should hit the road again after all.

How about you? Tempted?

48-state roadtrip – city version

Here’s a map of the 2nd itinerary.

If you’re more of a city slicker, the map’s author has created a 2nd version that routes you through amazing cities instead.

It is slightly shorter but quite as impressive: it makes you go through the “Best City to Visit” in each state, according to TripAdvisor .

But you won’t have all the lower 48 states, unlike the other itinerary. That’s because no city in Vermont, West Virginia, or North Dakota made the top 400 cities to visit ranking, unfortunately. So plan on making a few extra detours if you want to hit all states at once with this version of the itinerary.

Here is the complete list of all cities:

• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
• Wichita, Kansas
• Denver, Colorado
• Albuquerque, New Mexico
• Phoenix, Arizona
• Las Vegas, Nevada
• San Francisco, California
• Portland, Oregon
• Seattle, Washington
• Boise, Idaho
• Park City, Utah
• Jackson, Wyoming
• Billings, Montana
• Sioux Falls, South Dakota
• Omaha, Nebraska
• Des Moines, Iowa
• Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Milwaukee, Wisconsin
• Chicago, Illinois
• Indianapolis, Indiana
• Louisville, Kentucky
• Columbus, Ohio
• Detroit, Michigan
• Cleveland, Ohio
• Manchester, New Hampshire
• Portland, Maine
• Boston, Massachusetts
• Providence, Rhode Island
• New Haven, Connecticut
• New York City, New York
• Ocean City, New Jersey
• Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Wilmington, Delaware
• Baltimore, Maryland
• Washington, D.C.
• Virginia Beach, Virginia
• Charlotte, North Carolina
• Charleston, South Carolina
• Orlando, Florida
• Atlanta, Georgia
• Nashville, Tennessee
• Birmingham, Alabama
• Jackson, Mississippi
• New Orleans, Louisiana
• Houston, Texas
• Little Rock, Arkansas
• Branson, Missouri

I do a little better on this list, with 31 already visited. You can see I love cities. How about you?

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If you were looking for an excuse to go on a roadtrip, this is it. And since we always enjoy giving you more for your money, we think 48 states instead of only 1 or 2 is something you’ll enjoy!

What’s the coolest roadtrip you’ve ever been on? Tell us in the comments below.

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Explore awesome destinations : Travel inspiration

Learn pro tricks : Travel tips

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Featured image: The itinerary (image credit: Randy Olson)

Original publication date: May 29, 2018

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Andrew D'Amours

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This post has 23 comments.

Hello Andrew, the PHD student suggests in the 1st Itinnerary that the one stop to make in Washington State is the Hanford Nuclear Reservation?! Flat out, that is a terrible idea. It is in the middle of nowhere, I am just shocked it’s mentioned. Out of all the beautiful and amazing places to see in such a diverse state as Washington, a Nuclear Site was chosen? Surely this student could have done so much better. Thank you for allowing comments.

Having been all around the Olympic Peninsula, I agree that’s there are better stops. But my understanding is that he really optimized for the quickest way to do all 48 and had to choose a point of interest that wasn’t too far off that optimal path, hence that choice (I think).

thanks for sharing this information with us.

I have taken a road trip from California to the the most northeastern part of theUS. west Quaby light house. it was my 1st trip across the us. .I seen so many amazing places.

Quite the drive for sure! Must have been epic.

Why do Americans always think the Statue of Liberty is in NY? it is in NJ. I’ve done road trips now that have taken in 39 states. Here’s a quiz to see how well you know the USA: Which state has only one syllable? Only one city has been name-checked on the moon. In which state is it? Which is the most Northerly of the contiguous states? In which state were Tennessee Williams and Elvis Presley born? Which was the last of the contiguous states to be admitted into the USA? Which four states all share a border with each other? Which state has the lowest population? Twelve cities are name-checked in “Get Your Kicks on Route 66” but only three states. Which? Which state has the longest name? Which two states have the most borders with other states? In which state is the geographical centre of the USA – and which one if you exclude Hawaii and Alaska? Which of the states of the USA has respectively the most Northerly, Southerly, Easterly and Westerly points?

The official Statue of Liberty address is Liberty Island, New York, NY, 10004.

Wow, these comments are very rude for no reason. Thanks for the article, maybe when I graduate from college I’ll consider hitting part of one of these itineraries.

“it’s a huge country (even larger than Canada when considering land area alone).”

Canada – 3.855 million mi² USA – 3.532 million mi² Where does this math fail you?

Where did reading fail you :P? It explicitly says “ when considering LAND area alone ” The quote you copied literally has a link provided under “even larger than Canada” and if you read that, it explains how Canada is only larger than the US due to water area being counted 🙂

There is no stop in North Dakota on the city version. You should stop in Fargo after Billings and before Sioux Falls

I’m 46 years old .. I have been to all 50 states and I’m 17 away from all 50 twice .. I have driven to 47 .. flown to Alaska, Hawaii and Washington..

Wow! That’s impressive :O

This is awesome

This is inspiring! Thank you for sharing!

“this roadtrip in only 9 days“ is extremely false statement. It is only 9 days if you are driving non stop, no breaks to even get out of your car, get gas, or actually see these places. From start to finish drive time it is 225 hours, 16 minutes = 9 days. Wow. Take some time to enjoy the view.

Yes, that’s what we said too 😛

Thanks for the tip 😊

Do you know the total distance of this itinerary? At what moment of the year doing this trip would be the best? Thanks!

Hi! It is 13,699 miles (22,046 km) for the landmarks itinerary and 12,290 miles (19,780 km) for the city version. You can even have the Google Maps links on the creator’s original post (I’ve reposted the link below). As for the timing, I guess it depends on your preferences, but I’d want to avoid that top half of the country (so half the itinerary) in the winter for sure! http://www.randalolson.com/2015/03/08/computing-the-optimal-road-trip-across-the-u-s/

Crappy itinerary! Does not even include Zion National Park… and so many stops in the North Eastern states?? Nobody cares about those places except maybe a couple of places.

As explained, the PhD student who built the itinerary wanted to have one stop per state, and there are many states in the North-East so that’s why there are many stops there. I agree that Zion is an iconic spot, but his goal was also to optimize a routing that was as short as possible so that’s why it’s billed as an itinerary to see all lower 48 states at once and not an itinerary to see *the best spots*. But those interested in doing this can definitely adapt it and add many interesting stops for sure 🙂

Curtis, you are crappy. Obviously this is meant as a guide that can be adapted to add spots. I think it’s awesome.

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7 Epic USA Itineraries: Planning The Perfect US Trip

Plan the perfect USA itinerary with this guide. Whether you have one week, 10 days or 1 month, I have you covered. 

Planning a trip to the USA ? The possibilities are endless. 

Do you want to scope the chilled-out vibes of the Southwest, or do you prefer a glimpse of the hustle and bustle in the Northeast? Maybe you’re planning a 1-month USA itinerary where you can see the highlights, or perhaps you only have 10 days in the USA. 

Let’s get a few things straight: with so much ground to cover, planning the perfect USA itinerary can be a tough gig. I travel to the States quite a few times a year, and it’s always difficult to balance wanting to see as much as possible during the course of a trip with the sheer scale of the place. However you plan to visit the USA, you’ll want to plan where to stay, what to do, and choose a few locations you can’t live without. Not to worry, I’m here to help. These travel itineraries for the USA will help you plan a straight-up banging trip so you can kick back, relax, and enjoy the ride. 

USA Itineraries

West Coast Road Trip

Looking to see the best of the USA in 10 days? A West Coast road trip is a bucket list holiday for so many people. – Start driving down the PCH, and you’ll figure out why before your first exit. Start in San Francisco by taking the Golden Gate Bridge south (a bit of a detour, but well worth the vistas). 

On your way down Highway 1, prepare to stop a lot more than you planned. The views are epic, the towns often have their own unique charm, and there are plenty of amazing family-run restaurants (and In-N-Out burgers) you can access with a short detour.

You can take your time over 2 weeks, but if you want to do a 10-day USA itinerary, I suggest starting in San Francisco and choosing 2-3 overnight stays like I map out in this itinerary.

Route Summary

San Francisco >> Carmel-by-the-Sea >> Santa Barbara >> Los Angeles >> San Diego 

Distance: 625 miles (1,000 km) 

Length of Trip: 10 Days to 2 Weeks  

How to Do It: Car 

Highlights of the Trip

San francisco.

When it comes to San Francisco , I like to veer a bit off the beaten path here and spend a couple of days exploring the street art in the Mission District, epic views of the Golden Gate Bridge from the Presidio (a former military post that’s now a national park) and take an urban hike through the sprawling Golden Gate Park. 

Save room for incredible cuisine at the best neighbourhood joint in SF – Nopa . 

Suggested Stay: Argonaut Hotel

Carmel-by-the-Sea

Hit up white sand beaches, secret gardens, and charming boutique shops in this vibrant coastal city just before the famous Big Sur . It’s a perfect jump-off point for exploring the epic coastal hikes in Big Sur and Point Lobos .

Suggested Stay: Carmel Bay View Inn

Santa Barbara

I love the laid-back vibes, excellent beaches, and surprisingly vibrant downtown in Santa Barbara . Check out Sama Sama for excellent Southeast Asian cuisine in a youthful, trendy setting on your 10-day trip out west. 

Suggested Stay: Kimpton Canary Hotel

Los Angeles

The Hollywood Hills, Downtown LA, Santa Monica Pier – whichever part of sprawling Los Angeles in SoCal you decide to stay in, you’ll love every minute of your star-studded stay. 

Be sure to eat all the street tacos you can, shop til you drop, and visit the iconic Venice Beach for the best people-watching and chill California vibes. 

Suggested Stay:   Mama Shelter Hollywood  

Spend a chunk of your California itinerary in San Diego , where you can enjoy a day in the sprawling open space of Balboa Park, hit up Old Town for some handmade tortillas and fiery salsa, and end your evening in the Gaslamp Quarter or North Park for craft beer and nightlife. 

Don’t forget to check out Coronado, Pacific Beach, and Mission Beach for the best fun in the sun.

Suggested Stay: Hotel Indigo

Best of the USA

How can you see everything the USA has to offer in 1 month? I’m not going to lie. You won’t. But you can definitely get a feel for how different each region is with this round-the-map trip throughout the United States. Start in NYC (because why not?) before moving your way west and discovering the Great Plains, Wild West, and American South. Get ready for some of the best cuisine you’ll have anywhere and everywhere, along with some epic hiking, brilliant beaches, and plenty of nightlife on this 1-month USA itinerary.

You’ll need to take a few flights on this journey to fit everything in but plan to hire a car for the national parks portion of this United States trip.

Route Summary 

New York City >> Chicago >> Yellowstone >> Utah’s Mighty Five >> Grand Canyon >> Las Vegas >> Los Angeles >> Phoenix >> New Orleans >> Miami

Distance: 6,200 miles (10,000 km) 

Length of Trip: 1 Month 

How to Do It: Plane and Car 

New York City

Start your trip off in the most iconic city in the United States, New York City. If you’ve never been, you’ll want to check out the bright lights of Times Square, shop along Fifth Avenue, and mosey through Central Park. Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and shop in Williamsburg before grabbing a slice at Best Pizza.

Suggested Stay: The Wallace Hotel  

Add a stop to this great Midwest city located on one of the iconic Great Lakes – Lake Michigan. Chicago is a great place to shop along The Magnificent Mile, watch a Cubs game at Wrigley Field, and try a local dish like Italian Beef or Chicago-style hot dogs.

Suggested Stay: Thompson Hotel

Yellowstone

Next up is one of America’s great national parks – Yellowstone. Check out the roaming bison, sky-high geysers, and epic hiking trails in Yellowstone National Park.

Suggested Stay: Elk Country Inn

Utah’s Mighty Five

For the most adventurous travellers, you can fit in all of Utah’s Mighty Five National Parks. But if you’re short on time, you can hit Arches National Park before visiting Zion and Bryce Canyon for natural bridges, sandstone and red rock formations and epic stargazing.

Suggested Stay: The Advenire

Grand Canyon

Want to know my favourite national park in the US? Grand Canyon. Visit the massive canyon along the Colorado River and take a hike around the South Rim Trail for the most stunning views. 

If you want a more challenging hike and have the time, Bright Angel allows you to hike into the canyon, but it’s a gnarly trek with 5,000+ miles of elevation change and can be extremely hot. 

Suggested Stay: El Tovar

Visiting the Grand Canyon? Here’s What You Shouldn’t Miss

Now that you’ve had some time in the best national parks in the USA, it’s time to party. Whether you head to the luxury resorts and world-class entertainment along the Las Vegas Strip or want to explore hipster coffee shops and historic hotels Downtown, Las Vegas is a winner on your USA itinerary.

Suggested Stay: Circa Resort & Casino

Head to the Hollywood Hills and bask in the California sun, with a few days in one of the best cities along the West Coast. Los Angeles offers great shopping in areas like Beverly Hills and pristine beaches in Malibu and Santa Monica. 

The (already stellar) food scene has taken off in the past few years, so try local favourites like the 2-Michelin-starred Mélisse Restaurant.

Suggested Stay: The Hoxton, Downtown LA

You can’t leave the American West without stopping by Phoenix for some desert-chic vibes in the Valley of the Sun. I found some seriously cool bars and restaurants last time I was there. 

Check out the Southwestern flavours at Valentine before hiking at Camelback Mountain and seeing a show at the historic Orpheum Theatre.

Suggested Stay: Rise Uptown

New Orleans

Ready to enjoy the best food in the USA? Head to The Big Easy to enjoy heaping plates of jambalaya, the rich and tangy flavours of muffulettas, and, of course, a plate of the famous fried dessert treat, beignets. 

Spend some time people-watching in the French Quarter and catch a jazz show at Palm Court Jazz Cafe for the perfect New Orleans trip.

Suggested Stay: The Pontchartrain Hotel

Want to find the best beaches in the USA? Head to Miami Beach in Miami to explore the white sands, and warm waters in this vibrant Florida city. When you’re ready to explore the city, check out the street art at Wynwood Walls and the vibrant bar scene in South Beach.

Suggested Stay: Esme Miami Beach

Music Trail

Rock and roll, the blues, country, R&B, jazz… you get the picture. Visiting America’s South is full of rich history and culture dating back centuries – and music is a big part of that history. 

You can explore some of the big cities in the South and watch a show at storied theatres, visit iconic recording studios, and maybe catch an impromptu show in a park (check the Musician’s Corner Calendar). Save your appetite, the food in the American South is ridiculously good. Staples like fried chicken, collard greens, mac and cheese, and bread pudding show up often and are usually incredible. 

If you have more time, make stops in small towns along the way, like Tupelo, Mississippi (the birthplace of Elvis), or Jackson, Tennessee, for Sun Studio and the Rock-a-Billy Hall of Fame.

Nashville >>  Memphis >> Clarksdale >> Jackson >> New Orleans

Distance:  630 miles (1015 km) 

Length of Trip: 1 Week

Start your one-week vacation in the USA in Nashville. If you’re a country music fan, you can mosey over to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum for a history lesson before seeing a live show at the legendary Grand Ole Opry .

Suggested Stay: The Hutton Hotel

Memphis 

Is there a more iconic rock and roll studio in the USA than Sun Studio? For $15, you can tour the “Birthplace of Rock & Roll,” where Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Johnny Cash recorded many of their hit songs. 

If you’re not content as a spectator, book a recording session at the world-famous studio. And of course, no music tour of the South is complete without a visit to Graceland. 

Suggested Stay: The Guest House at Graceland

When I think of music in the American South, the Blues immediately come to mind. Clarksdale is home to this unforgettable genre of music, and legends like Muddy Waters got their start right here. The history is very much alive in places like Ground Zero Blues Club and the Delta Blues Museum, where you can learn all about the artists, their stories, and songs.

Suggested Stay: Travelers Hotel

Visit the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum to learn more about slavery, the Jim Crow laws, and the heroes who fought for equal rights and freedom in the American South. 

Suggested Stay: Fairview Inn

End your 1-week USA itinerary in New Orleans. The home of Jazz music, New Orleans features dozens of excellent jazz clubs. I like the idea of stopping by Sweet Loraine’s, where you can check out some of the best jazz music and grab a Po Boy sandwich for a taste of The Big Easy.

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Southwest National Parks 

You’re getting the best of the American Southwest with this epic 14-day USA itinerary. Buckle up; this road trip sets you off from Salt Lake City through Utah’s Mighty Five before exploring the deserts and canyons in Arizona and New Mexico . I love this as an idea for a USA itinerary because you learn more about indigenous history and culture and sample delicious flavours of the Southwest. And, of course, you get to tick the most famous national park in the USA – the Grand Canyon .

Arches >> Canyonlands >> Bryce >> Zion >> Grand Canyon >> Saguaro >> White Sands

Distance:  1,3712 miles (2208 km) 

Length of Trip: 2 weeks 

Moab (Arches and Canyonlands)

Between your visits to two of Utah’s Mighty Five, you can bed down in Moab, where you’ll find plenty to do around town. Of course, most of your time here will be spent exploring natural bridges at Arches and hiking around the vast trail system in underrated Canyonlands.

Suggested Stay: Red Cliffs Lodge

St. George (Zion and Bryce Canyon)

Cross off another two of Utah’s Mighty Five when you stay in St. George. Try epic hikes like Angel’s Landing in Zion and explore the hoodoos and rock formations at Bryce Canyon . Visit Bryce Canyon on your way to St. George and return to Zion the next day.

The Grand Canyon is over 1,900 square miles of beautiful red-rock canyons along the Colorado River, and visiting Arizona is the most popular way to see it. 

I think hitting the South Rim along Desert View Drive is the perfect way to see the sweeping canyons from above along several different viewpoints.  

Suggested Stay: The Grand Hotel at the Grand Canyon  

Saguaro National Park

Next up on your trip around America’s Southwest is Saguaro National Park . 

Where else can you see cacti the size of redwoods? Ok, they might not be that tall, but the candelabra-shaped thorned beauties stretch over 40 feet high, and a hike along King Canyon or joy ride along Bajada Loop Drive are the perfect ways to take in the beauty of the desert.

Suggested Stay: The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain

White Sands National Park 

Last but not least, you’ll want to head to White Sands National Park for one of the most unique landscapes you’ll see anywhere on your USA itinerary. Take the 13-mile Dune’s Drive loop to bask in the rolling snow-white sand dunes that stretch as far as you can see. 

Suggested Stay: Home2 Suites

East Coast Itinerary

Planning a USA East Coast Itinerary over 2 weeks? Check out this non-stop tour of the iconic cities and hidden gems along the Northeast United States. 

One thing I love about this trip is that it’s the rare USA itinerary in 2 weeks where you can rely on trains and public transportation to get to most destinations. 

Along the way, you’ll see the nation’s capital, the Big Apple, and the scenic coastline of Maine. You’ll want to hire a car for the final stretch, but the drive is gorgeous – especially if you’re lucky enough to see the trees change colours in Autumn. 

Washington DC  >> Annapolis >> Baltimore >> New York City >> Hartford >> Boston >> Portland

Distance:  600 miles (1,000 km) 

Length of Trip: 1 Week 

How to Do It: Train and Car

Washington DC

You can’t plan a US travel itinerary over two weeks on the East Coast and not hit the nation’s capital. 

The Washington Monument and Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial makes the National Mall well worth a visit, but underrated gems like Blind Whino – where local artists collaborate and host weekly live events are a fun way to experience DC like a local. 

Suggested Stay: The Normandy Hotel

If you want the chance to truly chill out during your 2 weeks in the USA, there are plenty of charming towns – especially in the Northeast. Annapolis is one of my favourites, and the boutique hotels, seafood restaurants, and cobbled streets will transport you to another time. 

Suggested Stay: Historic Inns of Annapolis

Catch a baseball game at Camden Yards, eat as much blue crab as you can in one sitting, and visit the Civil War landmark Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine for a piece of American history. 

Suggested Stay: Ulysses

New York City 

The food, the culture, the museums…NYC is the city you need to pencil into any United States itinerary. I love Manhattan, and it’s probably the most walkable city anywhere in the USA. Checking out the East Village for the best restaurants and bars, visiting Central Park or The High Line when you need a bit of fresh air, and exploring the bustling urban marketplace, Chelsea Market , are a few things you won’t want to miss. 

Suggested Stay: The Wallace Hotel

The small city of Hartford, Connecticut, is the perfect stop on your USA itinerary, with some standout landmarks like Mark Twain’s former residence, the beautiful gardens at Elizabeth Park Conservancy, and the large collection of European and American artwork at Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art .

Suggested Stay: The Goodwin

Take the train up to Boston and explore the world-class universities like Harvard, dine on some fresh seafood, and grab a New England-style IPA at Trillium Brewery, one of the best craft beer spots you’ll find on your USA itinerary.

Suggested Stay: The Revolution Hotel

Visit this charming New England town and photograph the iconic lighthouses, eat freshly caught lobster at Portland Lobster Company , and take a whale-watching tour if you’re around in May or June.

Suggested Stay: Portland Harbor Hotel

California Itinerary 

Rent a nice set of wheels for this 21 day USA itinerary, you’re going to rack up more than a few miles. Start off in San Diego and drive your way up the coast, stopping by some of my favourite locations along the way. Get your hike on in the Santa Monica Mountains before exploring charming towns like Pismo Beach and Sausalito on your drive north. 

But you’ll also see everything California offers away from the Pacific Ocean, like Yosemite National Park , Lake Tahoe, and Wine Country. Top Tip: You can always plan a great 1 week trip in the US in California, so feel free to just tackle part of this itinerary.

San Diego >> Santa Monica  >> Pismo Beach >> Sausalito >> Sonoma County >> Lake Tahoe >> Yosemite

Distance:  1,000 miles (1,610 km) 

Length of Trip: 3 weeks 

Start off in San Diego , where you can hit up the sandy shores of Coronado and Pacific Beach before an evening out exploring bars and restaurants in Hillcrest or Downtown San Diego.

Santa Monica

Before you head to some of the best hikes in Southern California , explore Santa Monica’s beaches and nightlife. I love hanging out at the Santa Monica Pier and riding the Ferris Wheel by the beach before strolling through the shops and restaurants on the lively 3rd Street Promenade.

Suggested Stay: Shutters on the Beach

Pismo Beach

Once you reach Pismo Beach , you’ll fall in love with the small-town beach vibes in this Central California coastal gem. I don’t blame you if you want to just hang out at the state beach and pier, but you can also explore wineries in nearby Paso Robles, check out a monarch butterfly grove, or relax at Avila Hot Springs. Your call.

Suggested Stay: The Cliffs Hotel and Spa

Just across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco is the charming coastal village of Sausalito. Explore the artsy town full of charming boutiques before digging into a seafood lunch at Scoma’s. You can’t visit Marin without checking out the redwoods, so reserve a spot for hiking in Muir Woods National Monument.

Suggested Stay: Cavallo Point

Sonoma County

You can’t explore Nor Cal without making a stop for wine tasting in Sonoma County. Santa Rosa is a great home base to explore amazing wineries – Patz & Hall and Gundlach Bundschu Winery are two of my favourites. Russian River Brewing Company is a great option if you’ve had enough wine tasting.

Suggested Stay: Vintners Resort

Where else can you paddle out in crystal clear waters overlooking snow-capped mountains on a sunny day in California? Not many places sum up a grand Alpine Lake experience quite like Tahoe.

Suggested Stay: Edgewood Tahoe Resort

Yosemite National Park

No trip to Northern California is complete without a visit to Yosemite . Make your way into the valley, park, and look up in awe at Half Dome, El Capitan, and the iconic Yosemite Falls.

Suggested Stay: The Ahwahnee Hotel

USA Itinerary: Practical Tips for Planning Your Trip 

• Weather can play an enormous role in your USA itinerary. Check the forecast before you leave, and pack for all seasons if you’re planning a longer itinerary in any season but summer.
• Summers get extremely hot in the USA. Bring lots of suntan lotion, lightweight clothing, and wide-brimmed hats. 
• There are a lot of hotel options in the USA, but the most popular locations fill up fast on the weekends and in the summer. Book ahead for the best rates and the most options. 
• If you’re visiting from outside the USA, apply for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization online well ahead of your holiday. 

Read All USA Country Guides

Add these to Your USA Itinerary

• 55 Things You Should Have on Your USA Bucket List  
• Ridin’ Along the West Coast – A Step by Step Itinerary  
• The Ultimate California Road Trip

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I’m Julianna Barnaby - a professional travel writer and geek extraordinaire. I started The Discoveries Of to help you to discover the best of new destinations from around the world.

Discovering new places is a thrill - whether it’s close to home, a new country or continent, I write to help you explore more and explore differently.

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Amazing 1 Month Family Vacation Road Trip Across the USA with Kids (Itinerary and Activities)

This article may contain affiliate links and I may receive compensation if you purchase something through one of these links

During the summer of 2021, our family set out on a 5 week epic, adventure road trip across the United States. You can see our complete itinerary and experience below. If you aren’t ready to commit to this long, you can easily break this up into several smaller family vacation road trip itineraries (such as a 2 week road trip USA Rocky Mountains or Utah National Parks).

You could also extend this into a 2 month road trip across the USA by adding more time at each destination or going further south or west. If you wanted to make this into a 1 month road trip (USA) you could leave off the time in McCall, Idaho, or if you aren’t driving all the way from the East coast you would save a few days of driving.

We also have plenty of ideas on how to plan a successful road trip with kids, tweens and teens and lots of information on different destinations .

• How to Have the Best Road Trip with Teens and Kids (find planning information and kid’s road trip essentials)
• 20 Not Boring Things to do on a Car Trip with Teenagers (find fun things to do in the car with kids and teens)

Quick Look at our 5 Week Family Vacation Road Trip

Here’s a quick look at our itinerary. Note that we’re including 5 weeks of travel here since we needed to drive out and back. This is really a 1-month road trip itinerary.

Week l – Drive from our home in New Hampshire west over several long days. Stop to see friends in Wisconsin. Camp at the Badlands and hike. Drive from here to Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse – camp in Red Lodge Montana. Drive over Beartooth Pass into Yellowstone. Spend 2 days in Yellowstone .

Week 2 – Drive to the Grand Tetons for 3 days to hike and explore. Drive to McCall Idaho via Craters of the Moon National Par k. Spend 5 days at a rental house in McCall, Idaho with family.

Week 3 – leave McCall and do an overnight at Sawtooth and Alpine Lake in Idaho. Drive down for the night to Antelope Island . Rock climb in Cottonwood Canyon. Continue on to Capitol Reef NP for a night and on to Kodachrome State Park for several nights. Hike slot canyons and visit Bryce NP .

Week 4 – Spend 3 days in Zion NP exploring. Drive to Mesa Verde NP for a day. Drive up to Boulder to visit friends. Hike the Flatirons and explore the Rocky Mountains – overnight backpacking trip into the mountains.

Week 5 – camp at Rocky Mountain NP and do day hikes into the mountains for 3 days. Start driving east. We drove pretty much straight home with a stop at some family in New York

Highlights of this Itinerary

• Seeing 8 National Parks
• 2 Overnight Backpacking Trips
• Having our Bikes to Explore near the campgrounds
• Seeing friends along the way
• The variety of landscapes including canyons, mountains, geysirs and more

Complete Details For Your Own Family Vacation Road Trip

This itinerary includes camping and an emphasis on hiking and other outdoor activities. We also started our trip in NH and drove out west and back, but I’m only including the portion of the road trip that starts in the Badlands and ends in Rocky Mountain National Park. If you’re going to follow this itinerary, you will want to adjust your starting and ending locations – the days listed below allow for some extra time to get to the start of the trip and back home at the end.

Day 1 – Arrive at the Badlands in time for sunset and visit some of the overlooks on your way to your campground at Cedar Pass inside Badlands National Park .

Day 2 – Get an early start to see the Badlands in the morning light. Hike the challenging and fun Notch Trail and then explore the Castle Trail (we did this as a point to point as two-person didn’t want to hike so could pick us up). After your hikes drive through the Badlands Loop Road. Stop at the Fossil exhibit for a short walk and then stop along the way at any of the overlooks that strike your fancy. Leave the Badlands and stop off at Wall Drug then drive to your campground for the night near Mount Rushmore. Camp at Sheridan Lake or Roosevelt Inn Mount Rushmore.

Day 3 – Visit Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse . You need just about an hour at each location. I recommend watching the welcome video and snapping some photos at both these sites. You still have a 7 hour drive, so hit the road and head to Red Lodge. There are lots of places to stay – we camped at Parkside campground, but you can also check out the Red Lodge Inn .

Day 4 – Get an early start (we left by 5:30). Drive over Beartooth Pass. Pack some breakfast and eat on the way up or find a breakfast picnic area once your up there. This is an AMAZING drive so enjoy it! You will descend into Yellowstone National Park just in time to see Bison as you drive into the Lamar Valley. Stop at Mammoth Spring and Norris Geyser Basin on your way to stay at the Old Faithful Inn. You can see old faithful and stay here for the night.

Day 5 – Head out to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and hike either the North Rim or the South Rim Trail, drive through the Hayden Valley and visit 1-2 geyser basins. Check out the Grand Prismatic Spring or West Thumb, then drive south to the Grand Tetons. There are many excellent places to stay near the Grand Tetons. We camped at Gros Ventre, but you can also check out Wyoming Inn at Jackson Hole .

Day 6 and 7 – Explore Grand Tetons National Park . Choose one of the longer hikes for one of the days. We loved hiking Cascade Canyon. We also recommend renting boats at Jenny Lake or biking along the trail to Jenny Lake. You can eat in Jackson or Moose.

Day 8-13 – Drive to Craters of the Moon and spend a few hours exploring this unique place. We took a break during the next few days to stay with family. You can either skip ahead to the next section from here or choose a place to explore and set up camp for a few days or rent a house. We stayed in McCall, Idaho , and loved the variety of things to do including white water rafting, hiking, climbing, and biking.

Day 14 – Backpack to Sawtooth and Alpine Lake in Idaho. This is an amazing backpack to Sawtooth, but we recommend staying a little closer at Alpine Lake and hiking up to Sawtooth from there. Stay the night by the water and watch the sunrise the next morning.

Day 15 – Backpack to the car and head south to Antelope Island for the night. We stopped for lunch in Ketchum and then headed right to the campground. Get there in time to see the sunset.

Day 16 – Before you leave the campground, go for a drive, hike or bike around Antelope Island and look for the wildlife that lives here including bison. You are heading south from here to Capitol Reef National Park . You can head straight there or we stopped outside Salt Lake City to go rock climbing. If you get to Capitol Reef in time take a short sunset hike – we explored Grand Wash. Camp right in the National Park at Fruita campground.

Day 17 – Enjoy Capitol Reef in the morning and then drive to Kodachrome State Park. Stop on the way at Peek a Book and Spooky Gulch. You can also take a hike at Kodachrome on one of the many trails. We camped here for 2 nights.

Day 18 – Get an early start and head to Bryce Canyon National Park . Hike down into the Amphitheatre – try the Navajo Trail. Spend the whole day here or head back to quieter Kodachrome for the afternoon and evening. Try hiking or biking at Kodachrome .

Day 19 – Hike Willis Creek Slot Canyon and then drive 1.5 hour to Zion National Park . We stayed in two different places during our 3 nights in Zion. We stayed at Springdale Suites by Marriot and loved the pool. We also camped for a night at Zion Ponderosa Ranch Resort and had a blast playing mini-golf and swimming in the pool.

Day 20 and 21 – Explore Zion National Park. We did the Zion Narrows, Emerald Pools, and did some bike riding. Zion is crowded with a shuttle service so getting an early start here is important.

Day 22 – Get ready for a driving day to Mesa Verde . There are several options of places to stop at along the way including Lake Powell, 4 corners and more. The drive is about 6 hours. We stayed at the Morefield campground.

Day 23 – drive and explore Mesa Verde. If you can book a tour and check out one of the houses. Leave here and drive up to Boulder. We spent the next 2 nights with friends.

Day 24 – Get out and explore the Front Range. We hiked the Flatirons.

Day 25 – head up into the mountains and hike and camp for the night. We stayed at Golden Gate State Park

Day 26 – Backpack into Jasper Lake for the night and camp in the woods at the lake. Get there early as the parking lot does fill up and enjoy a night out under the stars.

Day 27 – Backpack out and then head to Rocky Mountain National Park. We spent 3 nights at the Hermit Park Campground and loved it.

Day 28 and 29 – Explore Rocky Mountain National Park . Make sure you get in some good hikes while you’re here. We loved hiking to Nymph and Emerald Lake and also the longer hike to Sky Pond via Glacier Gorge . Even at the end of August it was cold here, so pack well!

Day 30 – that’s a wrap – we headed east from here but you can head on to your own home or your next destination.

What we Loved About This Family Vacation Road Trip

This road trip was amazing and while our kids are well travelled in general they still hadn’t seen much of the country. This trip pushed them out of their comfort zones and gave them a new perspective. Here are some of the things we loved about our trip:

• Since we drove, we saw parts of the country that weren’t on our list but gave us a fresh perspective on the United States
• The National Parks are amazing and we can’t wait to visit more!
• We loved the time together as a family
• We were able to keep the trip relatively inexpensive by camping, cooking and doing free activities
• We enjoyed breaking up the travel with some stops to see friends
• Our kids were highly motivated to adventure since that was the only option!
• We tried to drive during the middle of the day when it was hot and explore early and late when possible
• It was a very active trip with not much downtime which worked well for us, but might not for everyone

Some of the Challenges of This Road Trip with Kids

• Since we were in a mini-van with lots of adventure gear, it was tight and difficult to get to everything we needed
• We loved having the bikes with us, but the rack on the back meant we couldn’t open the back of the car which was challenging (we also got 8 flat tires on our bikes during one bike ride)
• Balancing time together as a family and time to ourselves

We loved this road trip and are inspired to plan another big US road trip. The United States has so many extraordinary places to see and we can’t wait for our next adventure!

About the Author: Gretchen Stuppy Carlson

A passionate adventurer and travel agent dedicated to getting families outside and exploring. Gretchen is an expert in adventure travel with 15+ years of experience working in outdoor education and travelling with her own family.

View all post by Gretchen Stuppy Carlson | Website

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USA road trips

The great explorer.

Travel the great classics of the American West on this colorful road trip through the national parks!

5 good reasons to rent a campervan for your USA road trip

The best 2-week usa self-drive holiday, 7-day florida tour: map + itinerary, the best 3-week usa road trip holidays, the best california family tour, 10 stops along route 66 between kingman and los angeles, the ultimate california rv road trip, the best 2-week road trip in the american west, the best 10-day california road trip itinerary, the ultimate louisiana road trip, the ultimate california road trip, the ultimate family road trip in the american west, guide to route 66: las vegas to the grand canyon, the ultimate florida road trip, the ultimate rv road trip in the american west, faq on road trips in the usa, when should i visit the u.s..

It is possible to enjoy a USA road trip all year round, depending on the region you are travelling to.

For a Western USA road trip for example, peak season is from mid-July to mid-August . That is also when there are the most travellers on the road and prices are at their highest. It is also possible to travel in winter ( mid-December to mid-March ), but it is important to note that some destinations, such as the Grand Canyon and Bryce Canyon, may even see snow.

Travel in Florida is enjoyable all year round but be aware that hurricane season is from August to October.

Visit our " When should I visit? " section to learn more.

Driving in the U.S.

It's a good idea to learn about the American highway code before setting out on your USA road trip .

And our blog article " Driving in the U.S ." contains useful information, driving tips and some things you'll need to watch out for when driving in the land of Uncle Sam.

When should I book my trip to the U.S.?

For your road trip to California or elsewhere in the U.S., it is best to book at least 6 months in advance .

To be sure of availability, or to at least make sure that the top attractions are not sold out, you need to book early. For some destinations, such as the American West , many travellers book up to 1 year in advance .

Availability isn't the only reason to book in advance. The earlier you book, the more you save.

So there is really no good reason to wait until the last minute to book your trip to the U.S.!

Visit our " When should I book my trip? " section to find out more.

How do I choose between a road trip by car or by RV?

Should you take to the American roads in a rental car or RV ? There is no wrong answer.

Contrary to popular belief, it's not necessarily cheaper to travel by RV.

Check out our " Car vs RV " section to help you make an informed choice!

See all FAQ about U.S. road trips

Consult our complete list of FAQ about road trips in the U.S. or our " Practical Information " section to help in planning your trip to the land of Uncle Sam.

Customize your canadian road trip on the Authentik Canada trip planner .

25 Best Road Trips in the USA (Itinerary Ideas + Tips!)

If there’s one travel bucket list experience that our home country of the United States is best for, it’s road trips.

From small towns to big cities, from mountain ranges to deserts, from forests to plains, and from sea to shining sea, there is no shortage of epic destinations for road trips in the USA.

We’ve taken USA road trips in about 30 of the 50 states ourselves (and hope to finish them all off one day!).

To help fill in the gaps, we asked fellow travel bloggers to share some of their favorites for this Great American road trips blog post.

They delivered an enormous variety of USA road trip itinerary ideas, from weekend trip options to weeks-long excursions!

Dreaming of taking a road trip in the United States and not sure where you want to go?

This list of exciting USA road trip itinerary ideas will help you decide where to hit the open road next! 

Table of Contents

Quick Tips for Your USA Road Trip

Cross-country usa road trip ideas, southern road trips in the usa, united states road trip ideas in the west, east coast road trips in the usa, central usa road trip routes, non-continental usa road trips.

Some links in this post may be affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Please see our disclosure policy for more detail.

Before we dive into exploring the best USA road trips, there are a few tips to be aware of–especially if you’re visiting as an international tourist and haven’t explored the United States before!

If you’re renting a car, shop around.

The best company to rent a car from for your United States road trip will likely vary dramatically depending on where and when you’re traveling.

Sometimes large international carriers offer the best prices, sometimes local outfits.

Sometimes one company has an excellent base price, but terrible rental requirements.

The best way to find your rental car is to search through  Discover Cars , which will sift through dozens of companies to find the best combination of low prices and reasonable rental terms for your USA road trip.

Browse rental cars for your American road trip today!

Read the rental requirements carefully.

Especially make sure you know how many miles you’ve been allotted (or ideally, if they’re unlimited), if you need to return the car empty or full of fuel, what to do if the car breaks down, and what damages you’re liable for in the event of an accident.

On the off chance that you’re planning on continuing your road trip into Canada or Mexico , be sure to check any requirements for crossing the border as well.

Book travel insurance.

We don’t ever suggest traveling without travel insurance–anything can happen on the road, and an epic road trip is definitely a case of better safe than sorry.

Check prices and inclusions with Safety Wing for road trips in the USA!

Don’t underestimate how sparsely populated parts of the USA are.

If this is your first time visiting the USA, you may be surprised to see just how long you can drive in the United States without coming across a town or even a gas station–especially out west.

Be sure to keep an eye on your directions, and fill up your gas tank before heading into any particularly unpopulated areas!

Make sure you pack the right gear.

From safety gear to snacks, a big USA road trip requires bringing the right tools along, whether you’re taking a short vacation, diving into van life , or somewhere in between.

We recommend taking a look at the suggestions in our road trip packing list before you go!

Consider bringing your sleeping arrangements along with you.

It’s not right for everyone, but there’s a reason that using an RV or campervan is such a classic American road trip experience!

And, you don’t need to dive into the RV lifestyle and buy one for your next trip in order to try it out: you can try out the experience by renting RVs and camper vans from Outdoorsy .

Browse RVs available to rent with Outdoorsy today!

If possible, stop in at least one national park!

Our home country is filled with an enormous number of interesting and beautiful places, but perhaps none shine quite as brightly as our national park system.

Want to climb sand dunes? We have that.

Marvel at glaciers? Check.

Hike across mountains? Take your pick.

Go scuba diving? Definitely.

Admire the power of incredible geysers? Got that, too.

Whatever kind of outdoor wonder you have in mind, you can find it at one of the most beautiful national parks in America !

From Stephanie of Oklahoma Wonders

Route 66 is the quintessential American road trip, inspiring songs, movies, and novels.

Starting in Chicago and ending in Santa Monica, Route 66 passes through nine states: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and California.

Some of the best things to do on the route are enjoying the kitschy 1950s motels, gas stations, and restaurants that harken back to the days of the Great American Road Trip.

You’ll also find tons of quirky roadside attractions like the Catoosa Whale, Cadillac Ranch , and the Twin Arrows that are must-sees.

If you want to enjoy some nature along the way, you can visit the Grand Canyon or Petrified Forrest National Park.

The most typical way to explore Route 66 is to start in Chicago and drive all the way to Santa Monica, but there are many who drive smaller portions of it or go from west-to-east instead of east-to-west.

There’s no single “right” way to make the drive. Just make sure you enjoy yourself as you go!

Recommended Road Trip Length

Because the route is so long and there’s so much to see, it’s recommended you spend two weeks exploring it one way.

New York to Los Angeles

Driving across the United States from New York to Los Angeles is one of those classic American road trip routes that, quite honestly, is not suited to most USA vacations–you’ll be looking at a lot  of cornfields and open plains along the way and spend many days on the road.

… But that being said, the legend and myth of this USA road trip route endure because it does make for quite the adventure!

With nearly 3,000 miles of driving to do between NYC and LA, you have extreme flexibility to create your own USA road trip itinerary!

However, the most direct route (a mere 44 hours of drive time, not including stops and traffic!) will take you to Chicago, across the open fields of Iowa and Nebraska, through some stunning nature in Colorado and Utah, and right through Las Vegas before delivering you to the beauty of the Pacific Ocean.

If you’re open to detours, plenty of national parks will be within your reach on this USA road trip, including Rocky Mountain National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Zion National Park, and even the Grand Canyon!

If you’d like to enjoy a coast-to-coast road trip in the USA, we recommend setting aside at least two weeks to ensure you have enough time to experience the route along the way (and avoid spending too many days at a time looking at nothing but highways)!

Blue Ridge Parkway

From Carl of NC Tripping

If you’re exploring the western parts of North Carolina or Virginia , the Blue Ridge Parkway is always lingering somewhere nearby.

It’s the most popular road trip between the two states and connects two of the United States’ most-visited national parks, Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Shenandoah National Park.

At 469 miles in length, this road will take some time to explore !

Narrowing things down to a few places you must visit is tough, but here are some “musts.” 

Moving north to south, highlights on the Virginia side include Humpback Rocks (Milepost 5), Mabry Mill (MP 176), Peaks of Otter (MP 85), and the Blue Ridge Music Center (MP 213).

Across the border in North Carolina, you at least need to see Linville Falls (316), Craggy Gardens (MP 364), Graveyard Fields (418), and Oconoluftee (MP 469) at the end of the line.

Of course, there are more spots scattered throughout that are within a short drive of the Parkway , such as the ever-popular Asheville, NC , the Biltmore Estate , and more charming mountain towns than you can count.

That, along with its length, is why this is one USA road trip that will take some time, if ever, for you to complete. 

Please note that some areas of the Blue Ridge Parkway close during winter through parts of spring. The NPS is pretty good about keeping information up to date on their website .

While you can drive the Blue Ridge Parkway in less time, ideally, if you want to hike and explore along the route, a week is a great starting point for this USA road trip route.

Kentucky Bourbon Trail

From Katie-Beth of Her Life in Ruins

Who doesn’t love a nice glass of bourbon?

On the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, you tour 18 different distilleries, try multiple bourbons (and other treats) at each, and take in tons of bottled-up history throughout the gorgeous Bluegrass State. 

While there is no official route for the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, stay in either Lexington or Louisville as a “home base” for the experience, as all of the distilleries are within a few hours’ drive of these cities (some are mere minutes!).

Each day, pick 4-5 distilleries to visit, starting when they open in the morning and touring until they close.

Try to do the distilleries that are closest together on the same days (less driving and easier to get from one place to another).

If you’re a serious drinker, there are some bus tours that will chauffeur you throughout the Trail!

You’re never given more than about 2 ounces of alcohol at each distillery, but you may want a designated driver just in case.

On the drive between distilleries, you’ll see the rolling hills of Kentucky, some of our famous horse farms, and, of course, rick houses holding millions of gallons of the delicious spirit. 

In order to visit all of the distilleries, I recommend spending 4-6 days on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

Southeast Coastal Road Trip

The stretch of coastline running from St. Augustine, Florida to the Outer Banks of North Carolina is packed with beautiful sights, historic cities, and laid-back beach towns.

We consider this area one of our personal favorites for road trips in the USA, and we’ve taken dozens of road trips in the region!

Start in St. Augustine, founded in 1565 by Spanish settlers and one of the most historic cities in the USA.

Explore its beautiful Castillo de San Marcos, check out the Fountain of Youth, relax on the beach, and explore the Colonial Quarter.

From there, head north to Savannah , where you can enjoy its incredible architecture and town squares, and then move on to Charleston , where you’ll find compelling American history and the lovely Folley Beach.

As you move up the coast, consider detouring for brief stops in Beaufort, South Carolina and/or Hilton Head Island, before heading into North Carolina.

Historic Wilmington and New Bern are always worth a look as you pass by, and while you’ll need to head all the way up to Kitty Hawk and Nag’s Head to experience the classic Outer Banks destinations, the Crystal Coast ( Emerald Isle , Morehead City, Beaufort , Atlantic Beach , etc.) has been my family’s haunt for generations and is also well worth experiencing.

And, the Crystal Coast also happens to be closer geographically to the rest of the stops on this United States road trip itinerary!

Want to continue north to the Outer Banks?

Ocracoke Island, Nags Head, Duck, Kitty Hawk (famously home to the Wright Brothers’ first-ever flight!) and more are all ready to welcome you.

We recommend spending about 10 days enjoying this USA road trip route.

Orlando to New Orleans Road Trip

From Christine of Live Love Run Travel

Driving from Orlando to New Orleans  gives you plenty of options for stops along the way as well as enough to fill up an entire vacation at the starting point and ending point of the road trip.

From natural springs to beaches to caverns, there is plenty to see along this route to break up the trip.

Orlando is of course known for its iconic theme parks including Disney and Universal Studios.

However, Orlando and Florida also offer plenty of natural highlights including the natural springs.

On the way from Orlando to New Orleans , stop at Rainbow Springs, Silver Springs, or Ginnie Springs along I-75.

Once you get onto I-10, make sure to stop at Florida Caverns State Park for a unique Florida experience.

Plus, if you are taking this trip in the summer, you’ll appreciate the cooler air in the caverns!

Along I-10, there are also plenty of opportunities to stop for some time at the beach.

Consider Pensacola, Florida, or the Gulf Shores, Alabama, or any of Mississippi’s beaches to avoid a long drive off the main road.

From there you are in New Orleans where you can enjoy the bayou, lots of amazing food and live music, and plenty of history and beautiful architecture in the various districts within the city.

The length of this road trip depends on a few factors including how long you want to spend in Orlando and New Orleans.

The drive itself only takes about 9 hours, but if you want to spend time at the springs, beaches, and caverns, stretch it out to a 2 or 3 day drive, with a few days on either end to explore Orlando and New Orleans.

Washington State

From Katie of Two Wandering Soles

With rugged driftwood-strewn beaches, snowcapped peaks, small towns, and major cities, Washington State is a true gem.

Home to incredibly diverse landscapes and endless adventures to be had, this Pacific Northwest destination is one of the best places to take a road trip in the United States. 

Start by  exploring Seattle (if you have the time) because there is plenty to do in this PNW hub. But when you’re ready to get out of the city, head straight to the Olympic Peninsula .

With temperate rainforests, waterfalls, remote beaches, and a towering mountain range, Olympic National Park is arguably the most diverse swath of land in the state, if not one of the most unique places in the country, and is the perfect place to try out some hikes in Washington .

Another drive well worth your while is to head northeast toward the iconic Mount Baker.

If you have the time, continue north to Highway 20 which brings you into the breathtaking North Cascades National Park.

Make photo stops along the way (like at the spectacularly beautiful turquoise waters of Lake Diablo), set off on epic hikes, and refuel at the small towns along the way.

Eventually, you’ll reach Lake Chelan , which is a perfect spot to cool off on a hot summer day.

From Lake Chelan, you have a stunning drive on Highway 2 back to Seattle with many more opportunities for exploring small towns and hiking along the way, if time allows. 

If you want to cover this whole route, you should allow 1.5 – 2 weeks. If you have less time, shorten your USA road trip itinerary accordingly.

Southwest Colorado Road Trip

From Tanya of Rad Family Travel

Exploring Southwest Colorado on a memorable summer road trip through the mountains offers adventure in every direction.

Sand-sled through Great Sand Dunes National Park, drive breath-taking mountain passes, soak and swim in hot springs, and climb ladders to ancient Puebloan dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park.

From there, imagine taking a jeep ride to old mining towns, biking along scenic trails, and hiking among wildflowers.

Arrive in Telluride in style via a free gondola, go whitewater rafting or alpine sliding, sleep under the stars, and top it all off with local burgers and cold brews.

In other words: whatever kind of outdoor adventure you’re looking for, southwest Colorado has you covered.

A Southwest Colorado road trip highlights diverse outdoor fun in Great Sand Dunes National Park, Pagosa Springs, Durango, Mesa Verde National Park, Telluride, Ridgway, Ouray, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Crested Butte, and Buena Vista.

Choose from tent camping, cabins, or hotels, or a mixture thereof, for lodging along the way.

Allow at least nine to ten days for this epic southwest Colorado Road Trip , starting from Colorado Springs.

If you prefer slower travel and lots of outdoor adventure, consider making it a fourteen-day loop by staying longer in Ouray, Crested Butte, and Buena Vista — and really delve into these sweet mountain towns . 

Utah’s Mighty Five

From Ali of Travel Made Simple

Utah is home to five amazing national parks, all close enough to each other to visit on one iconic national parks road trip .

These national parks are Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion. Since they’re all in the southern half of the state, you can drive in a loop to get to them all.

This also works well as part of a bigger  southwestern US road trip .

If you’re short on time or not in great shape, you can see a lot by driving or taking park shuttles, where available.

Hop out at designated parking lots, lookout points, or shuttle stops, take pictures, and go for a short walk.

For more activity, each park has hiking trails for beginners to expert-level hikers.

You can see the highlights of each park in about a day, but allow more time at any park where you want to experience more hiking.

Start and end in Las Vegas and drive counterclockwise.

Since driving from Las Vegas to Moab , where Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park are located, is quite long, consider stopping in Page, AZ (home of the famous Horseshoe Bend ), or Monument Valley on the AZ/UT border. Or both!

From Moab, drive to Capitol Reef National Park, then Bryce Canyon National Park , and lastly Zion National Park before heading back to Vegas.

If you prefer, you can also do this route in reverse!

Give yourself at least a week to do this road trip, or longer if you’re stopping in Page and/or Monument Valley.

South Dakota

If you’re craving wide open spaces, plenty of buffalo and prairie dog sightings, gorgeous caves, and a quirky roadside stop or two, then South Dakota is the American road trip for you!

Driving from east to west (though you can easily reverse it), pay a quick visit to Sioux Falls and then The World’s Only Corn Palace (their words, not mine) before diving into Badlands National Park.

Drive the Badlands National Park scenic loop, do some hiking (the Notch Trail is not to be missed), and when you’re ready for a break, detour to Wall Drug for a heavy dose of kitsch.

Head north to visit the Wild West town of Deadwood, and if you’re up for it, detour into Wyoming for a quick visit to Devil’s Tower, the first US national monument!

Back in South Dakota, base yourself in or around Keystone to explore Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, Wind Cave National Park, and–if you have time–Spearfish Canyon.

Going inside Wind Cave National Park requires a guided tour, so be sure to book in advance!

Determined road-trippers can do justice to this South Dakota road trip route in about 5 days, though 7 allows for a bit more hiking and a chance to add on places like Rapid City.

South Dakota is also perfectly located for combining with road trips in Wyoming and beyond, so you can easily use this route as a building block for a bigger US road trip itinerary!

Scenic I-90 from Portland to Yellowstone

From Catherine of Passports and Adventures

Visiting Yellowstone National Park from Portland, Oregon is easy and there is no better route to take than the scenic I-90.

This 812-mile trip starts from Portland and takes the I-84 along the very beautiful Columbia River Gorge.

As you get started, stop at Multnomah Falls to photograph the famous waterfall!

Continue to Richland where you could rest overnight before jumping onto the I-90, the longest interstate in the United States.

This interstate highway passes Spokane before trailing alongside the lake of Coeur d’Alene, a beautiful part of the country, and then snakes through the Nez Pearce-Clearwater National Forests.

Imagine a highway surrounded by forests on either side, and you have an idea of what this part of I-90 is like.

A great town to stop along the I-90 is Missoula, which sits along the Clark Fork River and has plenty on offer including a great park, Caras Park where families and visitors can unwind.

After Missoula, continue along the I-90 and join Highway 287 which will take you to West Yellowstone to start your visit to the first national park.

This route from Portland to Yellowstone is 812 miles via these interstates and highways and could be done in two days but is best enjoyed over a few days before your  Yellowstone vacation .

As you get close to the national park, you can also find some great camping near Yellowstone along this route.

Northern New Mexico

From Stella Jane of Around the World in 24 Hours

Northern New Mexico is one of the most beautiful places in the United States to have a road trip.

The weather is gorgeous and sunny at almost any time of year, and many of the state’s most interesting places are just an hour’s drive away from each other!

Start the road trip in the state’s largest city, Albuquerque. Almost all people arriving in New Mexico start here because this is where the major airport is located.

Tourism in Albuquerque has really taken off since the show  Breaking Bad  was filmed here, but those who are not  Breaking Bad  fans will still love seeing Albuquerque’s charming Old Town.

If you’re lucky enough to be able to plan your trip around the famous Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta , you won’t be sorry you did!

After a couple of days in Albuquerque, drive an hour up to Santa Fe and spend a couple of days here. This is New Mexico’s capital and its most beautiful city.

You can stop for a bath in the hot springs at Ten Thousand Waves and see the historic Spanish Colonial Palace of the Governors. 

Finally, check out some smaller towns like Los Alamos, where the atomic bomb was developed, Chimayo, which is a popular pilgrimage site, and Taos, where you can visit a Native American pueblo that’s also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

You’ll be amazed at how much Northern New Mexico has to offer!

I recommend spending about a week on this USA road trip route.

Denver to Yellowstone Loop

Starting from Denver, you can easily craft a fantastic road trip plan.

USA national parks are in abundance in the west, but from Denver, you can hit three of the most legendary in short order: Rocky Mountain National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and the ever-popular Yellowstone National Park.

For your first stop, base yourself in the beautiful mountain town of Estes Park , where you can access some of the best hikes in RMNP while also enjoying this idyllic mountain town.

From there, head up to Yellowstone to enjoy a few days of geysers, geothermal pools, wildlife spotting, and utterly unique views.

On your way back to Denver, head to Grand Teton National Park to visit highlights like Jenny Lake, enjoy some hiking, and soak in iconic views like those along Mormon Row.

Don’t miss the chance to spend a bit of time in Jackson Hole, one of the USA’s most iconic mountain towns, while you’re there!

We recommend setting aside at least a week for this all-American road trip–if you’d like to spend some time in Denver, a full two weeks is best.

San Francisco to Yosemite Loop

From Julie of More Than Main Street

Typically, you think of the Pacific Coast Highway when you think of the best California road trips, right? Well…consider something a little different!

This 10 day California road trip , forming a loop from San Francisco to Yosemite National Park and back, is one of the best road trips in the USA.

You’ll get the best of big-city excitement, some time by the ocean, beautiful scenic vistas, and outdoor fun galore!

After spending a few days in San Francisco , hit up Monterey, Carmel, and part of the Pacific Coast Highway.

Can’t-miss destinations include the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street, Alcatraz, Big Sur, and the world-class Monterey Aquarium.

Next head east over to Yosemite National Park for some incredible hiking, followed by a little wine tasting in Sonoma or Napa Valley, a stop in Muir Woods to see the giant redwoods, then finally back to San Francisco.

This road trip is perfect for families, couples, or even solo travelers and is guaranteed to be one you won’t forget!

You’ll need at least 10 days to do justice to this epic California road trip.

The American Southwest from Las Vegas

Thanks to inexpensive flights, a convenient location in southern Nevada, and its widespread appeal, Las Vegas is a fantastic place to kick off a road trip through the southwest!

With Las Vegas as a starting point, head off to Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada before making your way to the ultimate USA road trip destination: the Grand Canyon.

From there, loop up to Moab to explore Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park, head west to visit Bryce Canyon National Park , and then move onto Zion before circling back to Vegas.

With extra time, you can add on more exciting stops in Arizona and Utah like Monument Valley, Page (home of Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend ), Capitol Reef National Park, Goblin Valley State Park, and more.

Ten days is a good starting place for this American road trip, but you can do an abridged version in one week, and the sky is the limit as far as how long you can take to explore every nook, cranny, and slot canyon in the region!

New York State Road Trip

From Melissa of Navigation Junkie

The route from Buffalo, NY to New York City is full of great attractions and small towns to explore, and the variety of stops along the way will be sure to entertain every member of the family!

To begin the journey, start at Niagara Falls in Buffalo, NY.

See the roaring power of the American and Canadian falls, and if you are up for it, take a ride on the Maid of the Mist to get up close and personal with the falls.

After visiting the falls continue on to Letchworth State Park, the Grand Canyon of the East, for a day of hiking and enjoying nature.

Continue on to   Rochester, NY , where you will find a variety of fun attractions, history, and nature experiences.

The next stop along the route is the Finger Lakes region, where you can enjoy the lakes, waterfalls, and some wine tasting.

From there, head to Saratoga Springs, known for horse racing and mineral baths.

After visiting Saratoga Springs, continue on to the Catskills Region, where you will find plenty of scenic views and hiking trails for hikers of all abilities.

Finish up your road trip in New York City, where you can visit the Statue of Liberty, The World Trade Center Memorial, Central Park, and Times Square, among many other iconic attractions!

We recommend taking a minimum of one week to fully experience all stops along this USA road trip route.

Miami to Key West Road Trip

From Hannah & Adam Lukaszewicz of Getting Stamped

If you’re looking for a tropical road trip, consider making the drive from Miami to Key West .

On this US road trip, you’ll travel through the islands that make up the Florida Keys on the “Overseas Highway.”

It’s said to be one of the best road trips in the country!

While the drive to Key West isn’t too far (165 miles), the stops and the scenic beauty along the way are what make it worthwhile. The road trip is full of fun and quirky things to do and see!

The John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and the Spiegel Grove Shipwreck are two great spots for exploring under the surface, where you’ll find coral reefs, sea life, and a sunken Navy ship.

For above the water, consider taking a cruise on The Africa Queen through the canals of Key Largo. 

There are great restaurants and bars along the way too.

Some popular stops include Plantation Key’s Mile Marker 88 Beach & Bar for all the tiki vibes, Islamorada Beer Company, and Robbie’s Restaurant, where you can feed tarpons from the dock. 

This road trip is best for a weekend (2-3 days).

New England

Made up of some of the USA’s smallest states, the northeast region of New England is one of the best places for a road trip in the USA.

Featuring historic cities (hello Boston !), adorable small towns, a rugged coastline, gorgeous harbors, and plenty of lighthouses, New England spots a charm and culture all its own.

Consider starting and ending your New England road trip in Boston, the region’s largest city and airport hub, where you can walk the Freedom Trail, stroll cobblestone lanes, and visit some of the most impressive universities and museums in the country.

From there, make your way to beautiful Acadia National Park in Maine, stopping at charming coastal villages like Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and Kennebunkport, Maine along the way–plus of course, a stop in the charming city of Portland.

On your way back south, drop by the White Mountain National Forest, and beautiful towns like Stowe, Vermont (legendary for its fall foliage) and Woodstock.

If you have time, head south of Massachusetts before heading back to Boston, visiting the Gilded Age mansions in Newport, Rhode Island, and the idyllic small town of Mystic, Connecticut.

To take a USA road trip through all six New England states, two weeks or more is best. 

However, with less time you can easily pick and choose a couple of states to visit and still have an amazing road trip experience!

Texas Hill Country

Tucked into the central part of the Lone Star State, west of both Austin and San Antonio, lies an oasis of beauty.

Visit the Texas Hill Country for sparkling rivers, charming small towns, incredible hiking, beautiful waterfalls, excellent Texas barbecue , magnificent wildflowers, and more wineries and distilleries than you can count.

Some of the best things to do in the Texas Hill Country include visiting the town of Fredericksburg, which is known for its German heritage, enjoying a wine tasting, exploring beautiful Wimberley, climbing Enchanted Rock, exploring dramatic limestone caves, sampling barbecue, and visiting some of the best swimming holes near Austin , including the legendary Hamilton Pool and Jacob’s Well.

Be sure to save time for a couple of state parks, as well!

In addition to Enchanted Rock, popular state parks in the Hill Country include Garner State Park, Guadalupe River State Park, and Colorado Bend State Park (home to 70-foot Gorman Falls).

The lakes are also unforgettable: don’t miss a chance to admire the beauty of Canyon Lake or Lake Travis during this incredible US road trip!

Even if you only have one day, it’s worth taking a quick Texas Hill Country road trip–but ideally, we recommend setting aside a week to explore.

While you can visit year-round, bluebonnet season (roughly late March-April) is undoubtedly the most scenic time to visit!

Northwest Arkansas

Packed with beautiful forests, idyllic hot springs, historic towns, and a lesser-known but beautiful national park, Northwest Arkansas is the perfect option for travelers looking for an interesting but off-the-beaten path US road trip destination.

Start your road trip at Hot Springs National Park, one of the only US national parks to be set in an urban (really, more like small-town) setting.

Nine historic bathhouses in the national park line Bathhouse Row, where visitors flocked to enjoy the local hot springs in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

You can still soak in two of them today!

From there, head north all the way to Eureka Springs, which is known for its historic architecture, beautiful setting in the Ozark Mountains, and even more hot springs.

Along the way, consider detouring slightly to visit Hawksbill Crag (pictured below), one of the best viewpoints in Arkansas.

Whether you want to hike, soak, shop, or simply relax and enjoy the views, Northwest Arkansas is a delightful getaway.

This trip can be completed over a long weekend, but 5 days would be ideal.

From Carole of Travels With Carole

For one of the best road trips in Texas , begin in El Paso and head southeast. 

West Texas is filled with art, much of it BIG Texas art.

Before reaching the iconic West Texas art hub of Marfa , you’ll encounter some roadside art stops that include the “Giant” movie set installation featuring huge cutouts of stars Elizabeth Taylor, James Dean, and Rock Hudson.

This is followed by stops at the Prada Marfa store that never opens, and at the railroad-side World’s Smallest Target Store that is complete with a shopping cart. 

The tiny town of Marfa itself is home to the Chinati Foundation’s series of huge indoor and outdoor installations located on a former military base, as well as a plethora of art galleries–one of which displays Andy Warhol’s “The Last Supper.” 

In addition to art, Marfa has a viewing center where locals and visitors alike congregate at night hoping to see the area’s legendary and unexplained bouncing light orbs.

And if that’s not enough, you can also dine at the Stripes convenience store where Anthony Bourdain ate a fried burrito while filming what turned out to be his last episode of “Parts Unknown.” 

This is just the tip of the iceberg of a fascinating visit to this area. 

Allow 3 nights to visit this area and another night or two for an excursion to Big Bend National Park.

Northern Michigan

When considering the best road trips in America, the Great Lakes are often overlooked in favor of the Atlantic and Pacific coasts–but for a magnificent summer road trip through one of the USA’s hidden gems, head to northern Michigan.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore on Lake Michigan and Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore on Lake Superior are located a mere five hours or so apart if you drive directly.

And, if you’ve never set eyes on the Great Lakes, this road trip will defy your expectations of what lakeshores look like!

Between them, be sure to take a step back in time at Mackinac Island, one of the best places to visit in Michigan.

Here’s the twist, though: no cars are allowed on the island, so you’ll need to leave yours on the mainland during your island escape!

Plan for about a week to make the most of this USA itinerary.

From Zach & Julie of Ruhls of the Road

Kauai is one of the most unique and beautiful destinations on earth.

However, when most people visit, they experience the inside of their resort and maybe a few beautiful places on day trips.

In truth, the best way to experience this incredible island is on a road trip to all of the best places on the island!

To start your Kauai road trip, go to the number one destination on the island: the Na Pali Coast.

The Na Pali Coast defies description, it is a place you have to see to believe.

The best way to see the area is on the Awa’awapuhi Trail, but make sure you hike the trail on a clear day for the best views!

From here, check out the Alakai Swamp, a boardwalk that also boasts incredible views.

As you leave the Na Pali Coast area, head down towards Waimea and see the Waimea Black Sand Beach.

Moving along the coast, stop at the Poipu area and see one of Kauai’s famous Hula shows.

Continue this coastal route and head into Wailua State Park. In this beautiful area, you’ll want to see Wailua Falls, Opaeka’a Falls, and hike the Kuilau Ridge.

The Kuilau Ridge Hike offers a 360-degree view of the Kauai landscape that will leave your jaw on the floor.

Finish your road trip by heading up to the Princeville area and checking out Queen’s Bath.

This is a beautiful tide pool that will make for the perfect ending to your Kauai road trip.

Make sure to check tides and go at low tide, as this area isn’t safe at high tide.

We recommend completing this Kauai road trip in 3 days.

Road to Hana, Maui

From Jess of I’m Jess Traveling

When you think of Hawaii you may not think of a road trip but prepare to have your mind altered.

When traveling on the island of Maui driving the Road to Hana is a must!

The scenic drive takes you from Kahului to the east side of the island to the town of Hana. 

The Road to Hana is 52 miles of one-lane bridges, hairpin turns, and curves.

This drive will take up an entire day so make sure you pack lots of snacks and fill up for gas beforehand.

The winding road takes you past jaw-dropping seascape views, roaring waterfalls, and exotic flora.

Some highlights of this drive include Ho’okipa, Twin Falls, the Painted Forest, Honomanu Bay, Wailua Falls, and the awe-inspiring Wai’anapanapa State Park.

Don’t forget to wear your bathing suit and pack a towel because pulling off the side of the road to take a dip in the ocean or swim under a waterfall is the name of the game.

Buckle up, enjoy the ride, and prepare for a trip of a lifetime.

You can drive the Road to Hana in a day, but if you’d like to savor the experience, consider camping or staying in Hana town for a few days to make sure you see all the best sights along this road trip in the USA.

Alaska Road Trip (Anchorage to Valdez)

From Wendy of Adventurous Retirement

Alaska is filled with excellent American road trip opportunities, especially in the summer.  

Start in Anchorage, when the museums are open.

Visit the Alaska Native Heritage Center to learn about the indigenous people of the ‘last frontier’, and the Alaska Public Lands Information Center to learn about the history and culture of Alaska for free.

Take the Trolley tour for a fun overview of Anchorage, its history, and the earthquake of ‘64.

Ride the free shuttle to the Ulu factory, and check out the salmon runs at Ship Creek.

On day 2, head to Palmer and visit the Iditarod Museum before driving to Hatcher Pass.

Go to the high point for incredible views, hike the trails, and admire blue mountain lakes. 

Continue on this road to loop back to town.

From there, head to Matanuska Glacier, located one hour from Palmer. Spend day 4 hiking to and on the glacier. 

After that, drive toward Valdez Alaska on the Scenic Richardson Highway. It’s about 3 hours to Valdez.

Stop at Worthington Glacier Recreation Area to see the glacier or hike it. Stop at the various pullouts to view the waterfalls along Thompson Pass and the Highway.

If the salmon are spawning, visit Crooked Creek and see if you can spot a bear fishing for dinner.

While in and around Valdez, also consider taking an all-day wildlife glacier cruise, visiting the Valdez Museum and Annex, and visiting the Maxine & Jesse Whitney Museum.

This is a 5-day, 6-night road trip that keeps visitors busy every day. 

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About Kate Storm

In May 2016, I left my suburban life in the USA and became a full-time traveler. Since then, I have visited 50+ countries on 5 continents and lived in Portugal, developing a special love of traveling in Europe (especially Italy) along the way. Today, along with my husband Jeremy and dog Ranger, I’m working toward my eventual goal of splitting my life between Europe and the USA.

6 thoughts on “25 Best Road Trips in the USA (Itinerary Ideas + Tips!)”

Love all these ideas and inspiration for my next trip!

Thanks Jess! So hard to choose.

So many fantastic ideas – I can vouch for the awesomeness of WA, my home state! I am itching to get driving!

We are too! Hopefully we’ll all be able to soon. 🙂 We’d love to get back out west this year!

Everybody skips over Arkansas and Missouri when they suggest road trips, big mistake. Some of the best driving roads and scenery are located in the Ozarks and Quachita National Forests. Start in Springfield, Mo to the north. Stops could include Branson, Mo, Buffalo National River, Little Rock, Ar, Hot Springs, Ar, Talimena Scenic Drive from Mena, Ar then back north through the river valley of Fort Smith, Ar,, up Hwy 23 (Pig Trail) to Historic Victorian Eureka Springs, Ar. Then back to Springfield, Mo. You could easily spend 10-14 days on this road trip and see very diverse entertainment, scenery, hiking and waterfalls, mineral and hot springs, mountain and valley vistas. Best time to travel would be spring and/or fall. Scenery rivals anywhere in the country.

It is a beautiful part of the country! We actually visited Eureka Springs the weekend we got engaged, stayed at the Crescent. 🙂 We had someone signed up to contribute the Ozarks to this post but we haven’t heard back from them yet–maybe we’ll add it ourselves during a post update!

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The ultimate 1-month West Coast USA itinerary

If you ever want to plan an epic road trip: the US is your probably  your best choice! It’s clear that it offers much more than just an interesting food culture: within a few hours you’ll travel from snowy mountain tops to the middle of the desert, and after the cosmopolitan city experiences you can get to the beach in no time to relax for a day. Not to mention the feeling of freedom a road trip gives you! To help you plan a road trip I’ll be sharing our one month itinerary along the west coast of the US!

Day 1: Amsterdam – Las Vegas

Exciting! After a 4 hour delay we got onto our plane to Las Vegas. Or, I should say Houston, where we changed flights to Las Vegas. Regarding booking your tickets: six months in advance apparently gets you the cheapest ticket to the US. I tried to stick with this rule and bought a return ticket for €620.

Day 2 & 3: Las Vegas

What a magical feeling… waking up in a gigantic hotel bed after a long day of traveling (24 hours!) with the sun shining through the window. Our holiday has started! We discovered Vegas by doing a bit of everything: a little bit of sightseeing in the casino’s, a little bit of delicious food (having burgers for breakfast, just because we could), having a bit of a gamble, melting away a bit in the burning sun. Vegas is a party, but a crazy party though, and after two days I had seen enough to know I wanted to move on.

Day 3 & 4: Zion National Park

Then it was time for the first real part of our trip: the part with lots of nature parks. We started out in Zion National Park for two days. If you just want to get an impression of the park and check out the highlights, one day should be enough, but we decided to go for a hike on the second day: The Narrows. Just ridiculously beautiful. After an intensive hike of six hours with worn out ankles we still had to drive to Grand Canyon for six hours… not really a smart choice. We were in the dark, in the absolute middle of nowhere, with no cell reception. So take it from me: don’t plan a hike and a long car drive on the same day!

Day 5 & 6: Grand Canyon

Bucket list material, that Grand Canyon: if you’re just after an impression, you can visit the bad boy in one day. But since it was quite the drive to get there (6 hours), we decided to stay a bit longer. The first day we mainly checked out the east side, the second day the west side. If you’re there, try to watch a sunset as well: the sun gives the canyon a truly magical color.

Day 7: Death Valley

After again a few hours of driving (the US is HUGE!) we arrived at Death Valley. Americans repeatedly laughed at us when they heard we were going there. Because who in their right mind would want to visit a desert? Well, um, people who have the nearest desert on a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT CONTINENT – that’s who! I had to drag Mr. out of his bed because he’d rather spend the day at the pool, but in the end he was just as excited as I was about the raw nature. The sun was setting while we were driving and the desert turned yellow, orange and red. It was gorgeous.

Day 8: Death Valley – Yosemite

It’s starting to become a bit of a cliche, but this too was a long drive. One where after half an hour we had to turn around because Mr. was having doubts if we would make it out of the desert with half a tank of fuel. Turns out: no, we probably wouldn’t have. Us Dutchies can’t believe it, but it’s true: you can drive through the US and not see a petrol station for hours. Isn’t that a bit dangerous? Yes, but I don’t think the US government cares. In Yosemite we were staying in a camp. This was my ‘gift’ for Mister, because he wanted to camp in Yosemite. It turned out to be extremely cold and very noisy. Did I mention I don’t like camping?

Day 9 & 10: Yosemite

Yosemite was amazing. What a huge park… it took us two to three hours to drive from one side to another side. By reference: it takes you the same amount of time to drive from one part of the country to the other part in the Netherlands (where we are from). We visited the waterfalls, Mirror Lake and we even went horse riding. At night we ate pizza with other travellers who were spending their holiday there. There was no wifi. This is normally enough to make me freak out, but it was so refreshing!

Day 11 & 12: Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe was supposed to be our moment of relaxing after visiting nature parks and travelling for 1,5 weeks. A place where we wouldn’t do anything else than swimming in the lake, eating and walking around. Once we got there the hotels turned out to be super expensive, and the lake turned out to be too cold to have a swim. But geez, it’s so pretty there. In the end we still relaxed and we even went kayaking for a day.

Day 13, 14 & 15: San Fransisco

From Lake Tahoe it’s only a short drive to San Francisco, where we spent almost three full days with wandering through the city, cycling on the Golden Gate bridge and getting some fresh air at the beach.

Day 16: Big Sur

The day after we had another long drive ahead, but this time the drive itself was our goal: Big Sur. Big Sur is seen as one of the most beautiful drives in the world. I can confirm it’s definitely a jaw dropping drive with rough coast lines, impressive valleys and at the end even manatees!

Day 17 & 18: Santa Barbara

After Big Sur it was time to really relax: Santa Barbara. My family in the US won’t stop talking about what a nice city Santa Barbara is, so I decided it would be the perfect place for us to unwind. We didn’t do anything else than wandering around at the pier and the beach, driving around for a bit and lying by the pool. Bliss.

Day 19, 20 & 21: Los Angeles

From all the cities we’ve visited, Los Angeles was definitely my favorite. I had been there before and knew exactly what to expect. It is not a city with lots of sightseeing, but it’s full of completely different neighborhoods which all have something to offer. We laughed at the sadness of the Walk of Fame, drove through the hills and the neighborhoods full of villas, hung around at the skate park at Venice Beach and spent a day at Universal Studios. I absolutely loved Los Angeles.

Day 22 – 28: Vista/San Diego

Our last week in the US we spent with family in southern California. Our first night we were just outside of Anaheim and the other nights we were in Vista. Our week consisted mostly of having breakfast in the sunny backyard, family visits, dinners, shopping, driving along the coast, the 4th of July, surfing, whale watching and relaxing. What a great feeling to feel so welcome with your family. We felt completely at home.

Day 29: Vista – Las Vegas

The day before we flew back home we got in the car and drove to Vegas. In a sad casino somewhere on the border of California and Vegas we watched how Argentina beat The Netherlands at the World Cup 2014. The screen stopped working halfway trough and we were surrounded by Mexicans (who could drink our blood). Best day. In Vegas we booked a hotel that was a bit more expensive to celebrate our last night there.

Day 30 & 31: Las Vegas – Amsterdam

The next day was a really sad day: our flight back home. I felt a deep sense of sadness because our incredible trip had finally come to an end, and that’s something I still can’t handle very well (the end of trips). Because of the time difference we arrived the next day.

We were traveling quite quickly on our itinerary, but apart from the fact that I’d love to have had an extra day to drive from Zion to Grand Canyon we had a great holiday. Not only did we see a lot, but we still managed to relax too. We had a lot of quality time and created some beautiful memories. This was our route along the west coast of the US, I hope it’s been useful!

What would you like to see during a US road trip?

How I saved €800 on hotels in Europe

8 best day trips from london.

How did you manage to get out of the desert with half tank in the end?

We drove back to the nearest town to get some gas…

Where did you stay in Yosemite? Was it any good?

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Highlights & Itinerary: One Month in the USA & Canada

For our second trip to North America, we spent one month USA & Canada. It somehow managed to be full of a bit of everything: big cities and small towns, mountains, beaches, waterfalls, good food and amazing entertainment. We started in New York and zig zagged across the continent, ending in Los Angeles. I’ve always wanted to go on a road trip in the USA, so it was exciting to make that happen with a road trip down the  Pacific Coast Highway in California, from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Below, I’ve shared our itinerary for one month in the USA & Canada. We spent 11 days in New York (David had to spend the first week there for work), 4 days in Miami, 4 days in Vancouver, 4 days in San Francisco, we drove the Pacific Coast Highway from San Francisco to Los Angeles, and ended our trip with 3 days in LA.

One of the things I love about traveling in North America is the regional diversity – in both landscapes and in culture. You can find a bit of almost everything, and especially in the United States, you can get a real sense of the history of different cities just by walking around and seeing the architecture, hearing the accents and the best part, eating the food!

Itinerary: One Month in the USA & Canada

Natural beauty, shows & tours, favourite bars & restaurants, new york city, san francisco, napa valley & sonoma, pacific coast highway, los angeles.

• New York City – 11 nights
• Miami – 4 nights
• Vancouver – 4 nights
• Whistler – day trip
• San Francisco – 4 nights
• Napa Valley & Sonoma – day trip
• Pacific Coast Highway (San Luis Obispo)  – 1 night
• Los Angeles – 3 nights

Trip Highlights

This trip was really built around spending as much time outside as possible, and luckily there is so much beautiful nature in North America. David and I both work full time, in jobs that keep us desk-bound most of the time, so we couldn’t wait to spend time in nature. Beaches, waterfalls, bays, canyons, coastlines and staggering mountains – there was a bit of everything! If we’d had an extra day in Miami we would have hired a car to go to the Everglades, but we didn’t have time. Also, all of the tours on offer seemed to spend a lot of time at an alligator farm which to me seems like a sad way to spend an afternoon.

I feel like I spent a lot of time in Canada battling my fear of heights and trying not to look down, but the views were worth the white knuckles.

• South Beach, Miami
• Whistler Village & the Peak to Peak Gondola, BC
• Sea to Sky Gondola & Stawamus Chief Provincial Park, BC
• Brandywine Falls, BC
• Riding bikes around Stanley Park , Vancouver
• Big Sur, California
• 17 Mile Drive in Monterey, California
• Jogging around the Reservoir in Central Park, NYC
• Hiking Runyon Canyon, LA
• Griffith Observatory, LA

I’ve mentioned before that walking tours are one of the  things I want to do more of when I travel , because nearly every time I take a locally guided tour, I get so much more out of a place than if I’d just wandered around by myself. I took two food walking tours in New York City with Intrepid Urban Adventures, and loved them so much that I booked tours with them in Miami and San Francisco. In New York, we went to live theatre, comedy and jazz, and on the west coast we took day trips to the Napa Valley and Whistler Blackcomb. I booked the Warner Brothers Studio Tour on a whim the day before we left LA, and I’m so glad I did – I loved every minute!

• Comedy Cellar, NYC
• Sleep No More, NYC
• Village Vanguard, NYC
• Food Walking Tour of the Lower East Side, NYC
• Food Walking Tour of South Brooklyn, NYC
• Food Walking Tour of Little Havana, Miami
• Food Walking Tour of the Mission, San Francisco
• Napa Valley Day Trip, California
• Whistler Day Trip, BC
• Warner Brothers Studio Tour, LA

It’s easy to orient entire trips around dishes to try and bars and restaurants to check out, but I really tried not to do that quite so much this time. On my first trip to the states a few years ago, I spent nine weeks eating every unfamiliar food that came my way – and felt pretty gross by the end of the trip. I showed a little more restraint this time but didn’t feel like I missed out at all. One meal I was really looking forward to was Minetta Tavern in New York, which is from the same restauranteur as one of my other favourite New York City restaurants, Balthazar.

I really wanted to come back from this trip feeling healthier than when I left home, especially as we were away for a month – it’s easy to get unhealthy when you’re travelling for more than a couple of weeks! When I found a spot near our hotel with fresh, healthy food, I normally went back a few times – like Refresh in Miami, which is a hole in the wall juice bar, and By Chloe in New York, which does healthy vegan fast food.

• Minetta Tavern, NYC
• Murray’s Cheese, NYC
• City Winery, NYC
• PH-D Rooftop, NYC
• Jack’s Wife Freda, NYC
• The Diamond, Vancouver
• Employees Only, Miami
• 11th Street Diner, Miami
• The Betsy, Miami
• Christine’s, Blackcomb
• Ball & Chain, Miami
• By Chloe, NYC
• Refresh, Miami
• Salt + Straw, LA
• The Brig, LA

It was my second trip to New York City , and on my first trip I spent two months in the city, so I’d already done a majority of the sightseeing I wanted to do. There is always more to see and do in New York, and I had a long list of ideas, but I didn’t feel pressured to cram lots into every day. This was lucky, because I had really bad jet lag for the first week  and was really crook the entire time I was in New York. I still did a few things each day, but had a lot more down time than I was planning.

One of my favourite parts of the trip was  Sleep No More, an immersive theatre experience set in the “McKittrick Hotel”. A retelling of Macbeth is performed by actors throughout the hotel, and as there are different scenes taking part all over the hotel at any one time, each guest’s experience will be different.

Another one of my must-do experiences in New York  was to see a show at Comedy Cellar in West Village . Stand up comedy can be so hit and miss, but I really enjoyed all of the acts – you can pretty much guarantee that anyone performing at such an iconic venue is the real deal. Comedy Cellar is known for hosting big name comedians before they’re famous, but also for having big name comedians drop in unexpectedly to practice new material. This didn’t happen when we were there, but I wasn’t holding out for a celebrity, and all of the comedians were great.

I took some great walking tours, with Intrepid Urban Adventures. These are locally guided walking tours that run for around 3 hours, and are small groups. I think local food is one of the best ways to understand a place and it’s stories, so I chose two food walking tours, one of South Brooklyn and the other of the Lower East Side . Both of these tours were so much fun, and nothing like some of the stuffier walking tours I’ve done. I enjoyed them so much that I booked more of their tours in Miami and San Francisco! I’ll be writing posts about each of these tours soon.

Click here to read more about my trip to New York.

Queue for brunch outside Jack’s Wife Freda, West Village

Melbourne winters are brutal (ish), so I was really excited to spend some time at the beach during this trip. We stayed at Washington Park Hotel  in South Beach, which was easily the best hotel of the trip and one of my favourite hotels ever. I want to go back for a month! The hotel is housed in a cluster of gorgeous art deco buildings, the decor was super cute, the pool area had a killer playlist and I loved both on-site bars, The Swizzle Bar and a Miami outpost of Employees Only, originally from New York. I couldn’t believe it when I realised Washington Park Hotel had been the cheapest of our trip!

I’ve heard mixed reviews about Miami, but I loved it. Having grown up in Queensland, I am an unashamed beach snob, and I was worried I’d find that South Beach was just a lot of hype. I was delighted to find one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever been to! Long, wide, clean, white sand beach and calm, warm, clear,  I’m-never-getting-out turquoise water. HEAVEN.

We started most days in Miami with a run along the beach, and went to the beach or pool every day. July is actually not peak season in Miami, because it is super hot and humid. Luckily for us, as we grew up in a similar climate, we love hot, humid weather (just like home!) and it meant there were fewer crowds.

My favourite parts were the gorgeous art deco buildings along Ocean Drive, a walking tour of Little Havana and an afternoon spent in the colourful Wynwood neighbourhood. And lots and lots of time by the pool and at the beach. Did I mention I want to go back for a month? Read more about my trip to Miami here.

2017 was the first time in seven years that I didn’t visit a new country, and in hindsight I’m a little annoyed at myself that I didn’t make something work. I don’t like country counting just for the sake of it, but I am trying to push myself to keep seeing new places and experience new cultures every year, even though juggling full time work with farflung holidays is a struggle. I was really excited to visit Canada for the first time on this trip, especially as it’s renowned for it’s natural beauty. We spent a few days in Vancouver, since it is famed for having natural beauty in spades. We had  thought about squeezing a few days in Montreal, but I cut it in favour of an extra day in each place. I’d rather spend a bit more time in fewer places, and then go back again to check out more of eastern Canada another time. I really didn’t know what to expect of Vancouver, other than a gorgeous natural setting and very friendly people (check, check). I was surprised to find that it’s a small city of only 650,000!

My favourite parts of our time in Vancouver was riding a bike around Stanley Park and learning more about the First Nations at the anthropological museum. I haven’t ridden a bike since I was about ten years old, and it was sooo much fun. I want to hire bikes everywhere now!

I wanted to spend lots of time in the gorgeous great outdoors on this trip, so it’s not surprising that the day trip to Whistler was one of my favourite days. I’ll write a full blog post about it, but it started with stops in Squamish at the Sea to Sky Gondola and Brandywine Falls, before heading up to Whistler. Between Whistler and neighbouring peak Blackcomb, there’s the Peak to Peak Gondola, which is the highest and longest gondola in the world.

I am terrified of heights, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t tear up when I spotted the Peak to Peak Gondola – we’d already bought tickets and were aboard the first gondola, on our way to the top of Whistler to get the Peak to Peak. It was too late to back out!  I had my eyes closed nearly the entire way to Blackcomb, but was feeling braver on the return journey and actually enjoyed it. The glass of wine at Blackcomb helped.

I absolutely loved San Francisco , and not for the many iconic sights that it is famous for. The city really took me by surprise – first of all, because it was so freaking cold. I’d heard about the infamous fog (it’s name is Karl, and it has it’s own twitter page!), but assumed that would be a winter problem. As it turns out, the fog is the worst in summer in San Francisco, and October – November is actually the warmest time of year. I had to buy a touristy San Francisco jumper from one of the stores along Fisherman’s Wharf, and then pretend I wasn’t wearing one while an Uber driver made fun of all the tourists who get caught out by the fog and have to buy a jumper.

I love San Francisco’s rich cultural heritage and thriving food scene, which is world renowned. My favourite areas were The Castro and Pacific Heights. The sun even came out for a couple of hours one day, and the whole city was so colourful and beautiful in the sunshine I couldn’t believe my eyes.

From San Francisco, we did a day trip to the Napa Valley & Sonoma. It was exciting to visit such a famous wine region, however it also made me realise how very lucky we are in Australia to have so many beautiful wine regions on our doorstop – especially the gorgeous Yarra Valley !

Most of the Yarra Valley wineries ship internationally, so I was disappointed that none of the US wineries we visited shipped overseas. It was fun to try the wines, but I would have loved to be been able to ship home a few of my favourites.

I’ve always wanted to do a road trip in the United States, and the journey from San Francisco to Los Angeles was the perfect opportunity. We drove between the two cities, on a road trip down the legendary Pacific Coast Highway , which is recognised as one of the most scenic drives in the world.

We lucked out when we picked up our hire car, because they offered us an upgrade from a standard sedan which we’d booked, to a convertible mustang, for just $35 a day! It was SO much fun driving down the coast in a convertible, thank you AVIS!

We stopped in Monterey, Carmel, along Big Sur and then stayed in San Luis Obispo overnight. On our second day, we stopped at a winery in the Santa Maria Valley, Solvang, Santa Barbara & Malibu before arriving in Los Angeles. We saw SO many beautiful places, that by the end of each day my head was spinning with everything I’d seen.

I love California, I was surprised how much it reminded me of home – of both Queensland, and Victoria, which was surprising as these are such different states in Australia.

Related: The Most Beautiful Places in California to Visit

We had two full days in Los Angeles, and saw a few less “sights” than usual because a) we wanted to end our holiday at a more relaxed pace and b) LA traffic is a nightmare . We also had a shorter list of things we wanted to do here, so it worked out well!

The weather in LA was gorgeous, and I wish I’d had a bit more time to spend by the pool at our hotel, The Standard in West Hollywood.

My highlights from LA were hiking Runyon Canyon, the Warner Brothers Studio Tour and visiting the Griffith Observatory at sunset.

I love outdoor workouts if I’ve got an incredible view, so the Runyon Canyon hike was my idea of the perfect start to the day. At the Warner Bros tour, I was so inspired by how much hard work and creativity is poured into making movie magic that enchants millions of people around the world. I didn’t really appreciate how much of a creative hub LA is, given that the stereotypes focus more on the money-making, fame-hungry side of Hollywood.

Likewise, before visiting the Griffith Observatory I had no idea that LA is a leader in astronomy and aerospace, and found the exhibits really interesting, when all I’d planned to do was gawk at the view of sunset over the city and the gorgeous art deco architecture of the observatory.

We also visited Santa Monica, Venice Beach and wandered around Rodeo Drive. I probably wouldn’t do any of the latter again, but it was fun to see them for the first time. The actual beaches are beautiful, but Santa Monica is painfully crowded, Venice Beach feels pretty sketchy and I’m not fussed on malls or designer labels.

Once again, the United States blew me away with it’s regional diversity, fascinating history and bucketloads natural beauty, and I had SO much fun.

Have you travelled in the USA & Canada? Where are your favourite spots? Is there anywhere you’re dying to go?

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Are you ready for a Road Trip? Explore these eleven incredible cross-country road trip routes across the U.S.!

Pacific Coast

Border to Border

The Road to Nowhere

The Great River Road

Appalachian Trail

Atlantic Coast

The Great Northern

The Oregon Trail

The Loneliest Road

Southern Pacific

Classic American Road Trips

Pacific Coast Highway

Starting at the northwest tip of the United States at Washington’s Olympic National Park and remaining within sight of the ocean all the way south to sunny San Diego, this 1,650-mile, mostly two-lane road trip takes in everything from temperate rainforest to near-desert.

Highlights along the Pacific Coast Route: Olympic National Park (WA), Three Capes Loop (OR), Redwood National Park (CA)

Historic Route 66

The romance of traveling along historic Route 66 from where it starts in Chicago and ends in Los Angeles continues to captivate people around the world. If you’re looking for great displays of neon signs, rusty middle-of-nowhere truck stops, or kitschy Americana, do as the song says and “get your kicks on Route 66.”

Highlights along Route 66: Chicago (IL), Meramec Caverns (MO), Tucumcari (NM), Painted Desert (AZ), Santa Monica (CA)

• Barnes & Noble
• Books-A-Million
• Indigo (Canada)
• Powell's Books
• Apple Books

Running coast-to-coast from San Francisco to Ocean City, Maryland, “The Loneliest Road in America” is a 3,200-mile odyssey from sea to shining sea. US-50 passes through a dozen different states, four state capitals, and the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C.

Highlights along the Loneliest Road: South Lake Tahoe (CA), Moab (UT), The Million Dollar Highway (CO), Washington D.C.

Following in the footsteps of pilgrims and pioneers, US‑20 takes in a little of everything during its two-lane trek from Oregon’s rugged coast to the glorious sea and sand of Cape Cod.

Highlights along the Oregon Trail: Cannon Beach (OR), Fort Boise (ID), Yellowstone National Park (WY), Mt Rushmore & Carhenge (NE)

Dubbed the Great Northern in memory of the pioneer railroad that parallels the western half of the route, US‑2 is truly the most stunning and unforgettable, not to mention longest, of all the great transcontinental road trips.

Highlights along the Great Northern: Tumwater Canyon (WA), Glacier National Park (MT), Lake Michigan (MI), Acadia National Park (ME)

The Appalachian Trail

This driving route of the Appalachian Trail parallels the epic hike. From the top of New England to the heart of Dixie, it takes you through continuous natural beauty—without the sweat, bugs, or blisters.

Highlights along the Appalachian Trail: Mt. Washington (NH), The Poconos (PA), Shenandoah National Park (VA), Great Smoky Mountains National Park (NC)

Old Man River, Father of Waters, “body of a nation,” Big Muddy: By any name, the mighty Mississippi River cuts a mythic figure across the American landscape. Tag along from its headwaters in Minnesota to where it meets the sea in Louisiana via the GRR.

Highlights along the Great River Road: Main Street USA (WI), St. Louis (MO), Natchez Trace Parkway (MS), New Orleans (LA)

Starting at the Statue of Liberty and ending with a drive across the Overseas Highway to free-wheeling Key West, these almost 2,000 miles of roadway run within earshot—if not sight—of the Atlantic Ocean.

Highlights along the Atlantic Coast: The Statue of Liberty (NJ), Assateague Island National Seashore (MD), Savannah (GA), Cocoa Beach (FL)

Starting at Canada’s Jasper National Park, and winding down in the Sonora Desert, this route traverses some of the wildest and most rugged lands imaginable: mighty mountains, glaciated valleys, raging rivers, and two very different deserts.

Highlights along the Border to Border Route: Columbia Icefield (AB), Bitterroot Mountains (MT), The Extraterrestrial Highway (NV), Joshua Forest Parkway (AZ)

Once the only entirely paved route from Canada to “Old Mexico,” US‑83 cuts across America’s heartland and remains a must-do long-distance byway—transnavigating this broad, odd nation without once grazing a conventional tourist destination.

Highlights along the Road to Nowhere: Sitting Bull Memorial (SD), Nebraska Sand Hills (NE), Monument Rocks (KS), Paint Rock Pictographs (TX)

Following old US-80 and its contemporary equivalents takes you through more varied cultural and physical landscapes than you’ll find along any other cross-country route. From deserts to bayou swamps and Tex-Mex to barbecue, this route offers a full-flavored taste of America.

Highlights along Southern Pacific: The Desert View Tower (CA), Tombstone (AZ), Roswell (NM), Civil Rights Movement National Historic Trail (AL)

How to Road Trip Across the United States on a Budget

The Great American Road Trip is a rite of passage in the United States . We Americans have a unique fascination with the open road. It’s built into our cultural DNA. In Jazz Age America, the car was a symbol of freedom — a chance to escape your small town and the watchful eyes of parents.

As the highway system was developed in the 1950s, a wave of kids set out on the road to explore the country, giving new life to America’s car and road trip culture. Today, many still dream of getting in a car and driving into wide open spaces for months on end.

I’ve had the privilege of taking several multi-week and multi-month road trips around the country over the years. From traveling the Deep South to criss-crossing the country coast to coast , I’ve visited almost every state, exploring the myriad nooks and crannies of Uncle Sam’s backyard.

One thing is for certain, in diversity and scale, the United States is virtually unrivaled.

But this isn’t a post about fawning over America and its landscapes ( this post is ). This article is about how you can travel around the US on a budget.

Because, as it turns out, this country is surprisingly easy to travel on the cheap.

While rising gas prices and rental car price gouging post-COVID put a damper on things, it’s still easier than you think to have a budget-friendly road trip adventure around the USA.

In this post, I’ll explain how much I spent on one of my trips, how much you should expect to spend, and how you can save money on your next road trip.

Table of Contents

How Much Did My Cross-Country Road Trip Cost?

How to save money on your road trip, how to save on accommodation, how to save on food, how to save on sightseeing, how to save on transportation.

After 116 days traveling around the United States on this trip, I spent $6,262.67 USD, or $53.98 USD per day. While that is slightly higher than $50 USD a day, there were many parts of my budget I splurged on (see breakdown below) which skewed the number up. I definitely could have visited the country even cheaper if I didn’t have an addiction to Starbucks and sushi.

Here is how the numbers from my road trip break down:

• Accommodations: $1,036.36
• Food: $3,258.23
• Drinks: $438.94
• Gas: $696.98
• Parking: $253.00
• Starbucks: $75.26
• Miscellaneous (movies, toiletries, etc.): $170.00
• Attractions: $269.40
• Taxis: $41.00
• Bus: $17.50
• Subway: $6.00

Let’s break this down. First, my Starbucks addiction was unnecessary and added to my costs. Second, as a lover of sushi, trying various restaurants throughout my road trip drastically raised my food costs. Sushi, after all, is not cheap.

Moreover, I ate as if I wasn’t on a budget and rarely cooked, which is why my food expenses were so high relative to everything else. I would have definitely gone below $50 USD per day if I followed my own advice and cooked more often.

But, while I splurged in some places, three other things really helped me to keep expenses down: First, gas prices were low, averaging around $2.35 USD a gallon over the duration of my trip. (We’re going to discuss how to still do a road trip on a budget with high gas prices in the next section.)

Second, once you leave the big cities, prices for everything drop by nearly half so I spent a lot of time out of cities.

Third, I used Couchsurfing and cashed in hotel points to keep accommodation costs down. That helped a lot.

Overall, I didn’t do too bad and am happy with how much I spent. But is this how much you’ll spend, especially in the face of inflation and high gas prices? Let’s discuss that below.  

It’s no secret travel costs a lot lately and inflation and high gas prices have really made super cheap road trips hard if you’re not staying places for free but that doesn’t mean the road trip has to be super expensive.

With that in mind, here’s how to cut your accommodation, sightseeing, food, and transportation costs — all without cutting into your experience!  

1. Couchsurf — Couchsurfing is a service that allows you to stay with locals for free. Using this website (or similar ones) is the best way to lower accommodation costs, as you can’t get cheaper than free!

More than that, it’s a wonderful way to meet locals, get insider tips, and find off-the-beaten-track stuff to do in the area you’re visiting. While you’re generally expected to reciprocate your host’s kindness (cooking them a meal, taking them out for drinks or coffee, etc.), it’s still far cheaper than paying for a hotel or motel.

While the app has seen its community shrink in recent years, there are still plenty of hosts across the United States so you’ll rarely find problems finding someone to put you up.

Additionally, if you don’t feel comfortable staying with a stranger, you can use the app to meet people for drinks, coffee, activities, or anything else you want to do. That way, you can still meet a local and get their insider tips without having to stay with them. The app has all kinds of meet-ups and events too so be sure to check it out.

2. Airbnb — I only recommend using Airbnb in rural, out of the way places where hotels are limited. Avoid them as much as possible in other circumstances. Here is why we don’t really recommend them.

3. Budget hotels — There are a plethora of cheap roadside hotels such as Motel 6 and Super 8 that will help you stay cheap. Rooms start around $50 USD per night and are super basic and always look well worn. You’ll get a bed, bathroom, TV, tiny closet, and maybe a desk. They are nothing to write home about, but for a quiet place to sleep for a night, they do the trick.

And if you’re traveling with someone you should always say the room is for one person as these hotels charge you more for two people.

Also, make sure you sign up for Booking.com and Hotels.com loyalty programs. Hotels.com gives you a free room after 10 bookings, and Booking.com offers members 10% off bookings, as well as free upgrades and perks if you book multiple times after signing up. They definitely helped a lot.

Pro tip : Book through websites like Mr.Rebates or Rakuten . By using their links before going to Hotels.com or Booking, you’ll get 2-4% cash back in addition to the loyalty program deals.

4. Hotel points — Be sure to sign up for hotel credit cards before you go and use those points when you travel. You can get upwards of 70,000 points as a sign-up bonus, which can translate into a week’s worth of accommodations.

The points came in handy in places where I couldn’t find an Airbnb, hostel, or Couchsurfing host. This saved my butt in big cities around the country. I was glad I had accrued so many hotel points before my trip.

To learn more about, check out these posts:

• The Best Hotel Credit Cards
• The Ultimate Guide to Picking the Best Travel Credit Card
• Points and Miles 101: A Beginner’s Guide
• The Best Travel Credit Cards

5. Hostels — There aren’t many hostels in the United States, and most of them are overpriced. A dorm room typically costs around $30 a night, which means you can obtain a similar private room on Airbnb at the same price. If you are traveling with others, it’s often more economical to get a budget hotel than a bunch of dorm beds.

However, if you are traveling solo and want to meet others, the social benefits may outweigh the lack of value. There were just some times I didn’t want to be alone – I wanted to be around other travelers.

Some of the hostels I loved are:

• Samesun Venice Beach (LA)
• South Beach Hostel (Miami)
• India House (New Orleans)
• Jazz Hostels (NYC)
• ITH Adventure Hostel (San Diego)
• The Green Tortoise (San Francisco and Seattle).

For more hostel suggestions, here’s a list of my favorite hostels in the USA.

6. Camping — Dotted around the country — including around all the national parks — are inexpensive campsites. If you have a tent and camping gear, this is by far the cheapest way to travel. Campsites cost between $10-30 USD per night, which makes seeing the country incredibly affordable. Most campsites have basic amenities like running water, bathrooms, and the ability to upgrade to get electricity.

In addition to your standard campgrounds, check out the sharing economy website Campspace . It lets you pitch a tent on private properties all around the country for a small fee. Much like Airbnb, some plots are super basic and barebones while others are more luxurious, so be sure to poke around for a cheap place to stay as there are plots available all around the country.

It’s also legal to wild camp in national forests and on BLM land unless otherwise marked.

7. Sleep in your car — I know this isn’t glamorous but sleeping in your vehicle brings your accommodation costs down to zero. I know lots of travelers who did this to make their trip more affordable, some sleeping in their car just occasionally and others doing it every night. Chances are you won’t sleep well but you will save money, and that’s a fair trade to some people!

For those traveling in an RV, there are tons of free places to park and camp all around the country. Use iOverlander to find the best spots.  

To help you keep your food costs in check, here are a few quick tips:

1. Cook your own meals as often as possible – If you can bring a cooler in your vehicle, you can pack groceries instead of eating out all the time. And if you bring some containers, you can store leftovers in the car too, allowing you to cook larger meals at dinner that you can eat the next day for lunch.

2. Stay in accommodation with a kitchen – If you want to cook, you’ll need a kitchen. Prioritize accommodation like Couchsurfing, Airbnb, and hostels as those will typically provide kitchen access so you can cook your meals.

3. Shop cheap – Avoid the pricier grocery stores like Whole Foods when it comes to getting groceries and stick to budget places like Walmart. It’s not glamorous, but it will be cheap!

4. Find cheap restaurants – When you want to eat out but don’t want to break the bank, use Yelp, ask people on websites like Couchsurfing, or inquire at the desks at hostels for suggestions. Locals have the best tips and insights when it comes to where to eat so they can point you in the right direction. Simply cook, limit your eating out, and be happy!

1. Get a National Parks pass — For $80, you can purchase an annual National Parks and Federal Lands ‘America the Beautiful’ pass that provides access to all 63 national parks (as well as any other recreation areas administered by the National Park Service). In total, you can visit more than 2,000 federal recreation sites with the same pass. At $20-35 USD per visit, seeing five during your trip makes the pass a money saver. When you visit your first park, simply buy the pass and you’re good to go. There’s no need to order it in advance.

The U.S. national park system is amazing and really highlights the diversity of landscapes in the country. You can’t travel across the country without stopping at many of the national parks, especially as you get out west.

2. City tourism cards — City tourism cards allow you to see a large number of attractions (and often include free public transportation) for one price, usually $75-100 USD. They provide free access to museums, reduced access to attractions, and restaurant discounts. Be sure to look into them if you plan on doing a lot of sightseeing, as they generally will save you money. They can be purchased at tourism information centers or online before you go.

3. Free museums and events — Inquire at tourism centers, use Google, or ask hotel or hostel staff for information about free events and museums. Many museums offer occasional free or discounted admission throughout the week. There are always tons of free activities in any city in the United States.

4. Free walking tours and city greeter programs — Many cities in the US have free walking tours or city greeter programs that pair you with a local guide who can give you a brief tour. Whenever I visit a new city, I start my trip off with one of these tours. They show you the lay of the land, introduce you to the main sights, and give you access to an expert local guide that can answer all your questions.

Check in with the local tourism office when you arrive to see what programs and tours are available.

For greeter programs, you’ll need to sign-up in advance before your visit. It’s good to give about 2 weeks’ notice as they have to find someone to take you around. Google “(city name) greeter program” to find them as some are run independently of the city tourism board so might not be listed on their website.

Here are your options when it comes to traveling across the country:

1. Hitchhike — This isn’t something I did on my trip, as I had a car, but it’s very doable (and relatively safe). Here’s a post by my friend Matt who hitchhiked across the United States explaining how to do so and come out alive (don’t worry, it’s safer than you think)..

For more hitchhiking tips, use Hitchwiki .

2. Rideshare — Taking on riders can be a way to lower your costs. On my first trip across the U.S., I offered rides to people I met in hostels. On this trip, I had friends and readers join me along the way. You can post ads on Craigslist and Gumtree and at hostels to find riders. This not only makes the trip more enjoyable but lowers your gas costs. Or if you are a rider, you can use the same services to find rides to get you places.

3. Buy a car — If you don’t have a car or don’t want to rent one, you can buy cheap used cars from car dealers or owners on Craigslist. There are lots of listings, and you can resell the car at the end of your trip to recoup some of your initial purchase cost. While this is easy in other countries, it’s hard to do in the United States, so remember a couple of key points:

• You’ll need a US address for registration documents to get sent to. I would use a hostel or hotel address and then set up a forwarding address with the Post Office.
• You’ll have to buy car insurance, which can greatly add to the costs of your trip.

Another option is to use a car relocation service. This is when you take someone’s car and drive it across the country. You are usually paid, and gas is covered. The downside is you don’t often have a lot of leeway on timing, so you might not have much time to stop and sightsee along the way. Car relocation options are also usually limited. Two companies worth checking out are Transfercar and Hit the Road .

If you just want to rent a car, use Discover Cars .

4. Use gas apps & membership programs – Install GasBuddy , an app that finds the cheapest gas prices near you. It is a must. If you’re going on a longer road trip, sign up for the monthly program; it costs $9.99 but will save you up to 40 cents a gallon.

Also, sign up for every gas loyalty program you can, so as to maximize points and discounts. Moreover, if you get a brand’s credit card, your first 50 gallons usually come with 30 cents off per gallon.

You should also consider getting a Costco membership for cheap gas. They have around 574 stores around the US so you’ll be able to earn the cost of a membership back by saving money on both gas and food.

5. Download parking apps – Parking costs add up — especially in cities. Use apps like BestParking and Parker to find spots and compare prices.

6. Take the bus – If driving is entirely out of the question, you can find bus tickets for as little as $1 USD from Megabus. Greyhound and Flixbus also have cheap rides all around the US. Rides under five hours are usually around $20 USD if you book early, and overnight rides usually cost $50-100. You can save big if you book in advance (often upwards of 75%!).

Don’t let the United States fool you! A road trip across the United States is a fun way to see a lot of diverse landscapes, experience different cultures, and meet interesting people. Traveling America isn’t very expensive once you are outside the big cities and you can easily travel the country on a budget by using the advice in this article.

Book Your Trip to the USA: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Use Skyscanner to find a cheap flight. They are my favorite search engine because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned!

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld as they have the biggest inventory and best deals. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• Safety Wing (for everyone below 70)
• Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
• Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)

Looking for the Best Companies to Save Money With? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use to save money when I’m on the road. They will save you money when you travel too.

Want More Information on the United States? Be sure to visit our robust destination guide on the US for even more planning tips!

Hi, I’m Nomadic Matt, the New York Times best-selling author of How to Travel the World on $50 a Day and Ten Years a Nomad, as well as the founder of this website! And I’m here to help you save money on your next trip.

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Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I recommend only products and companies I use and the income goes to keeping the site community supported and ad free.

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Planning a USA Road Trip

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Are you heading to the USA for a road-trip vacation? Good choice, this country is perfectly set up for that kind of touring. Cheap fuel, great roads, affordable and plentiful motels and a million diverse things to see and do make the USA a brilliant driving holiday destination. Everything we know on travel USA after our incredible vacations discovering America

Planning a USA Road Trip. Travel USA!

First a bit about us and our experience in driving around the USA, we’re not from the States, we’re a British/Australian family with a passion for travel of all sorts. When I met my husband, the Chef  back in 2000 our first holiday together was a USA West Coast road trip, we had a wonderful time but we haven’t made it back to the States for that sort of holiday since.

Finally we got the opportunity to come back, with kids. We took an Atlantic Crossing cruise and disembarked our  wonderful cruise ship  into polar vortex New York City .

We had booked 4 nights in a hotel off Times Square  (NYC is expensive, this was a great deal), and reserved 1 month on a US hire car before we left the UK. That was the extent of our pre-planning on the day we arrived in NYC.

We planned to road-trip our way around as much of the USA as we could, focusing on the East Coast. We had no fixed plans, no schedule, we mostly made it up as we went along and enjoyed that freedom. We hope our experiences can help you in planning your USA road trip

Planning to Rent a Vehicle for your USA Road Trip?

That’s what we needed to do, hire a vehicle.

We considered hiring an RV, it looked to like a wonderful way to see the USA but after a lot of consideration we decided against it. The big RVs are fuel guzzlers, fuel is cheap in the USA ( about 85c/L), but not that cheap!

We wanted to make our trip an A to B route crossing several states, not a round trip, that was going to up our hire car costs. We discovered that the best way to cut costs was to drop off and pick up at airports, so that’s what we did. We picked up in New York, dropped off at Florida’s Fort Lauderdale.

We booked an economy car, but, as usually happens, we were upgraded to a Toyata Rav 4. That’s a very nice car to get about in and a smaller version of our old 4 wheel drive back in Australia.

Car hire cost us $30 per day. If you have your own insurance that would cover you, it could be a lot less.

We didn’t bring our own car seats for the kids, we had previously for a Florida trip when they were younger. In all honesty car seat regulations didn’t cross our minds, we didn’t check and they weren’t supplied. You need to check each state’s requirements.

Do You Need a GPS for a USA driving holiday or tour?

The United States is pretty easy to navigate. My husband, the driver and navigator, suggests that you do not need to rent a GPS system from the hire (rental) car company. It’s not cheap, around $8/day. His solution was to buy a US SIM card ( from $2/day plus SIM cost)  and use his smart phone with Google maps app. It worked a treat.

Accommodation Costs For Our USA Road Trip and Finding the Best Deals

We wanted to keep our accommodation costs as low as possible so that we had more to spend on the big-ticket attractions, there was no way we were skipping Disney!

We found that overall, accommodation costs were the most expensive part of our USA tour.

The cheapest possible way to find budget hotel rooms, was to book online. We scoured all the usual booking sites, Priceline was often cheapest and we found those deals through Hotels Combined. We also checked   Booking.com  and Agoda  regularly. Hotels Combined is a good choice in a situation like this because they pull the best deals from multiple booking sites at once so that you know you have the best deal. Turning up at the hotel in person was always more expensive than booking online, the same deals just aren’t available. ( This is not the situation in most other countries we visit).

We signed up for hotel chain rewards programmes. Wyndham rewards was the most useful for us, they own loads of hotel and motel chains.

You build points by staying with them until you qualify for a free night. If you book through Priceline you do not always receive your points, so we always checked the Wyndham rewards hotel booking site too.

Sometimes they matched Priceline’s offer, sometimes they had special offers with significant numbers of extra points.

Rooms were mostly very good. Outside of Washington DC, New Orleans and NYC, we found rooms for under $40, always below $50 ( before tax) for our family of four. Don’t forget to factor in the added tax and watch out for places that charge a nightly resort fee.

Finding a room for 4 is very easy in the USA, no problem at all, most motels and hotels have rooms with two double beds.

Hotels with free breakfast save you a lot of money. The breakfasts are often terrible, carbs only, it got as bad as frozen toaster waffles in one motel, but having something to eat and a coffee first thing in the morning is a big help.

Costs and Budgets

I always say that there is no point in scrimping. Sure, we’re not rich, but you have to spend enough to be comfortable and enjoy your trip. There is no point in doing it if you’re not happy.

We all have different priorities, our priority is seeing, doing and tasting as much as possible, we really don’t care much at all about accommodation or occasional bad meals so long as we’re all safe, relatively well nourished and seeing what we came to see.

We don’t have a fixed daily budget , we just do it as cheap as we possibly can, while paying for the things that are important to us.

There are hidden costs in a trip like this, don’t forget to include road tolls, costs of buying warm clothes and admission tickets.

Basic costs, petrol, car hire, accommodation and food, can easily come in at under $150 per day. The USA part of our first year of travel was undoubtedly one of the more expensive parts, our average daily cost for the year came in at $100 . In Asia we could easily spend $50 per day.

Today, in year 5 of travel, we reckon on a comfortable $100 per day average even in Asia, the kids are older, they eat more, everything costs more and we treat ourselves more often.

Should You Plan an Itinerary for a USA Road Trip or Wing It?

To plan or not to plan? We like going with the flow, ending up where we end up. Our only fixed points were our arrival in NYC and our car drop off date in Fort Lauderdale, other than that we were free.

We had certain places we wanted to include. Must-sees for us were Amish Pennsylvania , Orlando , Washington DC and New Orleans. We ended up making it to Niagara falls and Canada ( see our Canada posts here, the border crossing is simple) and staying in some really interesting and unexpected places on the East Coast.

High hotel prices cut our stay in Washington DC short and the amount of fun we were having kept us in Orlando for over a week. We eventually made it right down through the Florida Keys to the southernmost tip of America. We never expected to get that far.

I would highly recommend not over-planning. Weather conditions, how you feel on the day, unexpected interesting events and festivals are all likely to change your plans at the last-minute.

We found it very easy to find accommodation, sometimes we booked online just minutes before walking through the doors of a motel, often from the motel’s own car park.

It’s a good idea to check for any big festivals that are approaching if you are planning a USA road trip in advance. We unexpectedly arrived in New Orleans for Mardi Gras, a bonus, but it pushed accommodation costs up.

Drive Times on Your Road Trip

The United States is a big country but the East coast or West Coast are very easy to explore in isolation. The distance from NYC to Florida is only about the same as Port Douglas (our old home in Australia) to Brisbane, that was our usual 24 hour airport commute.

Some days we drove for 9 hours, some for 2. You really can play it by ear. Sometimes we stopped in “middle of nowhere” towns just for a rest stop. We found some unexpected delights that way, such as the Darian Sea Monster.

I’ll publish our exact schedule in another post.

Visa Requirements for the USA

International travellers resident in countries which qualify for the USA Visa Waiver Programme will need to apply online for an ESTA. (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation). Europe, New Zealand and Australia all qualify, check eligibility here.. This information was up to date at time of publication but always check for yourself, things may have changed.

We’ve had a wonderful time travelling around the USA, it’s been better than we expected, to be honest. We didn’t think we’d find so much diversity, history, wildlife, and great food, ( have a look at some of the amazing food in New Orleans).

If you are planning a USA road trip please don’t hesitate to comment below if you think we can help at all. What places would you recommend to people visiting the USA? While you’re here take a look at our favourite destination in the US, with this “ family things to do ” post.

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If you'd like to hire a car during your stay, use this car rental comparison tool to find the best deal! We also suggest you take a look at this company to get a quote for all kinds of the more tricky adventure or extended travel insurance. Try Stayz / VRBO for an alternative way to find rentals on homes/apartments/condos in any country!

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Alyson Long

Where to eat out in new orleans with kids, how i became a road trip with kids ninja, 47 thoughts on “planning a usa road trip”.

We are looking at doing Canada & Alaska on a tour as we are on a cruise in Alaska it doesn’t count to our 90 days in USA. Then driving from Vancouver to Toronto over 3 weeks, then coming to USA and driving around for 86-88 days finishing in New York for New Years Eve 2025. Where would you suggest we start from and what routes to take to see the most. Thanks

I can’t be much help with that sorry, never been to Alaska by cruise.

Hello love your blog This is something we would love to do and doing my homework know Just wondering who you went through to get a car for $30 a day sounds great as I can’t find anything under $100 Thank you Kayt

Car hire prices around the world are insane since Covid Kayt. They’re 4x higher here. I can’t remember if I didn’t put it in the post. Chef would know, but he’s not here, sorry.

Fantastic blog and some really great tips you offered after comments. Thank you for being so engaged. My question is you booked an economy car but “as usually happens” upgraded to a rav4. We are Australian family of four looking to travel in June Seattle to Vancouver and back down to lax. I was looking at hiring a Rav or other suv but would love to pay economy car $30perday.. How do you get an upgrade or how likely is “usually” ? Is this a USA thing. Or do you talk them into it? Love to get a better rate on our car hire.

We have rented cars all over the world and it just always seems to happen. They never have enough economy cars. But it’s a gamble if you have your heart set on a bigger car.

Hello I don’t believe I’ve stumbled across your blog. My husband and I are in the planning process of travelling from Australia doing a 4 week USA road trip in June 2020. I’m thinking I’m over planning after reading your info. Where would I find a more detailed itinerary of your route and accommodation? Basically I want to fly into Washington DC and travel up to nyc then through an amish community onto Nashville and fly out of Dallas. Thanks for sharing your very informative blog.

We never published it, but yes, we did a lot of that. We literally booked accommodation the day before or hours before, giving us freedom to drive as little as much as we wanted and stop wherever we wanted. It worked fine. For 2 people it would be even easier. DC and NYC were expensive hotels, NYC was about $150 I think, DC $70 ish. We were looking for the cheapest we could find. Still better than Australian prices. The rest were very reasonable, $50 and under. There was always plenty of availability but we did this in winter, January or February. June could be busier.

Hi! I live in the US. I’m from Texas but live in New Mexico currently. For those of you that have a family size larger than 4 (we have 5), there are suite type rooms that have the standard double bed but that also have a pull-out sofa. That helps when trying to sleep more in a standard room. Hope that helps! Also Mexican food in Texas (Tex-Mex) is different from Mexican food in New Mexico, so be prepared! It was an adjustment for me!!

Hi, I just found your great post?. We are planning a 6 week tour of the east and west coast. This will be late November and December, 2020. We will be away for Christmas and will hope to find a nice house to hire for a week or two over this period as we would like to create a Christmas atmosphere, Xmas tree etc. with our 2 children. Can you suggest the best way to find/book this type of accommodation? Is Airbnb the go? Or is there a better way to do this? Thanks. ?

We’ve spent 6 Christmases on the road and absolutely get a place with a kitchen – the one we spent in a hotel – it was Singapore – just didn’t feel right. Certainly have a look at AirBnb, see what they have, but also look at apartment-style hotels on the usual booking engines. We’ve often found accommodation with kitchens on them – I’m not sure how common this style is in the US though, in some countries it’s very easy. Absolutely be sure to check what cooking equipment is provided though, sometimes it’s in no way adequate.

Hi. My husband and I and our 5 children are planning on doing a trip to USA in 2021 for about 3 months. The kids ages will range between 15 and 5. We are thinking of flying into LA and doing the must see sites there and then heading to San Fransisco then to Las Vegas across the middle seeing maybe Dallas, Houston to Florida then up to New York. My question is what do you think would be the most cost effective way to do this with a family our size? We are unsure if we should Air bnb, RV, rental car it and stay in motels or maybe try and house swap in a few places. Any help and ideas would be greatly appreciated. Kind regards Jo PS.

We found Motels were the cheapest and in the US it;s standard to have 2 doube beds in each room. So you’d need 2 rooms, so , roughly, at least $100, probably quite a bit more per night. We got the best deals booking last minute, literally last minute, on arrival, through Priceline. Have a look at AirBnb and see if you can find anything more cost effective. We found that cities added significantly to cost. Washington DC and New York cost us loads. It’s a long, long time since we did the west coast, but people say it’s more costly than the east coast. I’d say really, really shop around, see what you can find. You’ll probably need a combination of different accommodation styles to keep expenses down. An RV would be lovely, but the burn through fuel and you’d need a big one. Bit of a dream trip, enjoy!

Thanks so much for your reply Alyson. Yes it is definitely a dream trip but the logistics are turning out to be our challenge. We have looked at the car and hotel -v- RV -v- Air BNB and like you said I think that we will have to do a combination. The main reason we thought RV for the trip across from one side to the other was that we don’t know what sort of vehicle would hold 7 suit cases!! If you think of any thing else that may help us or any must do’s on the trip I would really appreciate it. Cheers Jo

Nice article Alyson, I enjoyed reading your perspective. I read it because I am starting to plan our family’s trip around the US next summer. my trip is different because I am from the US, we currently live in western South Carolina. We will be traveling with 3 kids ages 6, 8 and 10 and potentially our 2 big dogs. We travel domestically quite a bit now, and for us the cost of lodging and food is clearly the most expensive. So for our big trip next summer we are definitely traveling by motorhome. Benefits are being able to cook and prepare most meals in the RV kitchen and of course having a place to sleep included. also we will be able to drive while kids are sleeping/late at night, early in the morning. Checking in and out of hotels is tough since our kids are quite rambunctious and we are really cramped in a hotel room and a car. we are big campers and the US has remarkable state, county and US parks for reasonable fees to hop from. If big cities is your interest the parks are not so common and hotels may be the better option. depends what kind of trip you’re looking for. When I was going into 3rd grade my parents took the 6 of us by RV around the US. The memories are vivid and and helped shape my love for travel as I grew older!

Yep, 3 kids just doesn’t work with the typical US hotel room. It’s something I’d love to try, travelling with a caravan or RV, but the lack of internet would be tough.

Was so good to read your story. We are hoping to do some big cities (and we thought that it would be best to do these by car and motel as I don’t think we would be game to drive an RV into a city or we just hire a car for a day and drive into city and then back out to the RV) but are really looking forward to travelling into the the smaller towns as we drive across from San Fran to Florida. I have read a lot of conflicting reviews about hiring an RV. I would love to hear your thoughts on the price of RV added with Park fees and Gas money compared to Motel and Car? I totally agree with your comments on being able to cook, sleep and have all your stuff in the one place. That is a big issue with us to as we will have 7 suitcases and I was unsure what sort of car would cater for this and I also thought that the RV would be more affordable as we would need two rooms and a large van to transport us. I look forward to our reply. Cheers Jo

I really appreciate the work you have done, you explained everything in such an amazing and simple way.Good post. I was searched for this topic. Finally, I got the information on this blog. Thanks for the effective information.

Hey guys! Me, my partner and 2 kiddies are wanting to sell our narrow boat in uk to fund an epic road trip in our camper van in the americas. We are hoping to spend a few years driving from Canada to Patagonia and back as many times as we like. I am however concerned that Canada and or the USA may reject us as we will not have any property/jobs/ties to the uk and the fact we won’t have flights back to the uk booked etc. Did you encounter any problems with entry at all? We have previously had trouble entering USA when we visited in the middle of a year trip from Asia to Peru but they did let us in after calling my Nhs employer and finding I was on a career break. Thanks for your help! You’re an inspiration!

Great post Alyson, very informative and lots to take in.

I could say I’m an experienced traveler but this will be the first time we as a family of 4 going on a road trip to the states. I would like to travel the months of March and April for 60 days. 30 days on the west side and 30 on the east driving and a little Rail on the east coast.

And I’m just trying to get my head around the average daily cost. Is $100 AUD or US a day on average including hotel, car rental, fuel and food. Since this trip is planned for 2020 I like to do a bit of research so Ive planned the days spent at each location give or take a day or so cos we all have a huge wish list to cover. Would a Budget of $30,000 AUD cover it. We wont be staying in flash hotels and eat out once a day, Supermarket Food mostly, Fun Parks for sure.

When I wrote these old posts the US $ and Au $ were 1:1. All prices on this site are in US $ unless I say it’s Au $. I think $100 per day would be too low, our yearly average was $100 and half of that year we were in Asia spending around $50 per day, so I think you’ll probably need more. Also we get theme park admissions free, that will be a significant extra cost for you.

Hi there Me and a friend are planning a 6 month road trip of the USA and are struggling to budget how much we’d need to save up before we can go, what would you suggest based on your experience

Off the top of my head $100 a day sounds safe. In that whole year, that was our average, but we had free press passes for the big theme parks and there were 4 of us, although in the US hotels have 4 beds as standard, and mostly came in at $50/night or less. It depends how much time you spend in big cities too. Washington DC was expensive, NYC was crazy expensive, so we only stayed 3 nights ( at $150/night). Are you are prepared to eat junk and snacks from supermarkets, or like to use restaurants? Do you like a beer or will you stick to water? It’s really hard to guess for somebody else with different needs. I’d say we spend more than absolute budget ecause we really like our food and drink. I’ve heard the East coast is more expensive than the West, bt we haven’t been over there since 1998, so can’t confirm.

There’s some inspirational info here which is great. Thanks. Id love to up sticks and travel but for now I can only manage short stints! I’m planning a 3 week trip with my 2 kids (12 and 10) next summer (August 17) from Vancouver down to LA. Flights booked and now want to decide where to spend the time (as it’s pretty limited). I’d really appreciate any tips of best places to see with kids this age in Vancouver, Washington, Oregon and California. Also any advice on traveling alone with kids as I’ve not done it before. We have to be near Portland Oregon on day 14 of the trip but that is our only restriction. Thanks in advance Nic

Hi Nic, I’d love to help but right now I’m in Romania and thinking about Thailand, rewinding my head to the US would be very challenging! You have a great trip!

I totally understand! I’m just pleased I’ve found your site. Will keep following ur antics! Cheers Nic

Alyson, enjoying reading through your posts. My partner and I are looking at starting a family soon and are in the process of setting our selves up for exactly the sort of lifestyle you outline. We’ve recently returned from two years in the US and Canada and thought I would share some tips for camping through the western united states.

Seriously consider buying a cheap rv for any trip longer than a couple of months. Not the big behemoths but a more reasonably sized truck and camper combo. These can be picked up for less than $4000 and sold on for at least half that when you leave. We spent $6500 on a small motorhome and got back $4300 of that when we left. It made the trip VERY comfortable and we never minded rainy days as we could laze around and read/ watch movies. We found that it was very easy as Australians to buy a vehicle in British Columbia, Canada. Road worthy checks are not required and rego and insurance is covered in one payment to ICBC. You can travel in the US with this vehicle insurance and rego so long as you’re not stopping to work or live in an area.

Having a fridge and stove in your rv saves you so much money. In a six month period the money saved having a stocked fridge and stove vs the price of eating out will more than likely pay for the rv.

America the Beautiful Pass: $80 annual pass that gives you access to all federal operated parks, national monuments and national historic sites. This little card paid for itself so many times over. It waives the entrance fee for the vehicle you are travelling in and all of the occupants.

National Forests usually surround national parks and offer cheaper camping without having to book months in advance. you can drive into the national park for day trips.

Dispersed camping, the magic words! Always ask at national forest offices (not national parks) about dispersed camping. You can stay for free in unestablished campgrounds for up to 14 days, then you must move at least 5 miles. These were some of our favorite camping experiences. We were also saved in instances where all other camping had been booked months in advance.

We found that Arizona, Utah, New Mexico, Colorado, Montana, Wyoming and Idaho were the cheapest to travel in. Very easy to find beautiful low cost and free camping in close proximity to attractions.

http://www.uscampgrounds.info/ This website is oldschool but has loads of info on campsites and they allow you to download the gps data for free.

OSMand+ great offline gps app for android. I managed to upload the gps data from the camping website previously mentioned so we always knew where we could find a place to stay.

We would typically drive for four hours max, then stop for two to four days. This would give us lots of time to explore on foot and cut down on fuel costs.

The wilderness is so beautiful and accessible in the US, try new outdoor activities! I took up fishing for the first time in my life and we had a lot of fun going on short overnight hiking trips. There are plenty of wilderness hiking trips that are suitable for children. The number of families we saw camping out in the wilderness was inspiring.

On average we spent $2 on accomodation per night over the length of our trip (was $0.70 until we got to the oregon coast) $70 a week on fuel and $120 on food for two adults traveling together. The initial outlay for the motorhome was definitely worth it and we got most of that money back at the end of the trip. The first part of our trip was a five month stint in Nepal and Sri Lanka and we found that we were spending a comparable amount in the US once we were set up.

Thanks Allyson for all your fantastic articles, hope these tips will help a few people out.

Regards, Sam

Some great idea for people who enjoy camping on their road trip Sam!

Thanks so much for this information. We’re travelling from NZ to USA in Sept/Oct this year for 4 weeks. I’ve pencil booked accommodation but it’s costing us a lot more than what you managed. At the moment we’re in quite a few Best Westerns. I’d love to know what some of the motels/hotels were that you used to see if I can get our budget down. Thanks, Michelle

WE used last minute booking sites Michelle, often minutes before arrival. We used jst about every cheap motel chain. Days Inn I remember.

Michelle, would love to here how your plans are shaping up, we are also in New Zealand and saving hard to take the kids to the USA for 7 weeks in June/July 2017. We have 3 kids aged 3,8 and 10.

Hi Louise! Plans are going well despite a couple of hiccups (& the Kiwi dollar!). 7 weeks sounds amazing! You don’t happen to live in Millwater do you? If so, I’ll try Facebook messaging you!

Yes I do live in millwater! I am trying to work out how you would know that!!!

Wow, what a fantastic write-up. And just what I was looking for. Pardon my ignorance but how can I email you? We want to do a road trip in the US next year for around 25-30 days – probably the summers. We have two young ones – 8 and 5, boys and so would love to get your thoughts on all that we can do.

Go to the “contact” page Robinder, menu at the top of the page.

Planning on a 6 week road trip during late Dec/Jan on East Coast USA. I am wondering how likely is it that the weather will prevent us from driving on the East Coast. At this stage we will fly Syd to Dallas and then may be drive (or fly) to Orlando (do Disney) and then drive north to NY. all thoughts welcome

I put this question to the readers of our Facebook page Kylie. Here are some of the answers to your roadtrip weather question :

From Florida to New York SHOULD be okay in December. January is iffy, but as long as your schedule isn’t too precise you’ll be fine. Better to have to pull of the road and stay in a hotel than have a flight cancelled and have to sleep in an airport somewhere. If a snowstorm is expected, you’ll have plenty of advance warning to prepare. Drive the gulf coast along from TX to Orlando. Dec/Jan risks some weather issues as you get to North Carolina and above. That said, it’s to late in the year to be shooting for leaves turning in the Blue Ridge… so it is possible to stay along the coast and you shouldn’t have road closures in that direction… .but stay away from the lake effect snow off the finger lakes. Stop in Atlanta and Savannah on your way up. Its a great time of year to visit the mouse. Good luck! I live just north of Washington DC. There could be snow from late October on however October/November/December are not big snow months (not enough snow to stop you from comfortably using major roads) and as someone else said you would have plenty of advanced warning for storms. January-March is when we get our larger amounts of snow.

Our findings were that the roads were clear. We were up north in February, there was a lot of snow, but every road was cleared and gritted. Further south they had more problems because they didn’t expect, nor were prepared for, the snow that arrived.

Hoping to do a US road trip ourselves sometime in the near future! Impressed that you were able to rent a car for only $30 a day — would have expected the daily rate to be much higher!

Yes, James hunted around and got a really good deal. If you had your own insurance that would cover you for USA car hire it would be even cheaper. Getting the car from airport to airport saved us a lot. I believe he’s found us a cheaper deal for the few days we’ll be in Florida next month. It’s worth knowing that they won’t let you take a car for more than a month, they want to check it over after that time.

Hello! Picking up on this as my husband and I are also looking for a cheap car rental deal, but we can’t find anything significantly cheaper than $100 a day on the usual market comparison websites…. Could you or James point us in the right direction? Ta! Aurelie

Dollar, which is owned by Hertz. Also, we picked up at the cheapest place. New York City was the cheapest car pick up point for us. Car hire costs vary by state, Florida is really expensive for instance.

I really enjoyed reading the post. We did a road trip on the West Coast: a customised fly n’ trip as we only had 3 weeks to play with. We did pretty well but the distances took longer than we expected and we went in the winter!

We had a great time though and took detours all over the place. If we go again in the nearest future, I know who to contact LOL!

Hi Victoria I just came across your post about driving the west coast of USA.

would you mind sharing your itinerary please as I am planning to travel there in March this year. Last minute decision so I dont have a lot of time to work out a driving plan. Flying into LA and want to drive to San Fran , Death Vally, Yosemite and Las Vegas.

Any information will be much appreicated.

I can’t wait to do more long road trips in the US. We have some ideas but need to make them a reality!

We definitely need more guesthouses and backpacker type lodgings throughout the US. You can find these types of cheaper accommodations in some big cities, but they’re hard to find in small towns and the motel chains have the cheap accommodation market cornered. I find motel chains like Motel 6 and Super 8 to be so drab and boring. Purely functional, which works but you can’t expect much. There are a few great youth hostels scattered along the coast in California. I’d love to tour these some day.

I literally JUST blogged about this today! I’ve got tips on finding a good one-way rental, whether you need a GPS and more.

I’m a big fan of having a general outline but being flexible as you go. You never know what places will catch your fancy, what the weather will do, your own fatigue etc 🙂

We stayed in a lot of $40ish motels (and a RV park in New Orleans!) and with friends along the way.

Great post.

I’ve done 2 road trips in the US – one down the West Coast, where winging it was fine – though the cost of accommodation in Big Sur is four times as much as anywhere else, so if you need the cheapest it’s worth sorting in advance.

I’ve also driven from Denver to San Francisco, in a big curve to take in the Grand Canyon, Mesa Verde, Las Vegas, Death Valley and Yosemite – and this needed planning, because some of the distances are huge and not every motel comes with somewhere to eat within walking distance. And carry food – it can be 200 miles between cafes and that’s a long way to do if you’re longing for lunch.

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The following itineraries span the entire length of this incredibly diverse country, from the historic cities of the east, to the deserts of the Southwest and the jaw-dropping Rocky Mountains. Given the vast distances involved, you may not be able to cover everything, but even picking a few highlights will give you a deeper insight into America’s natural and historic wonders.

Recommended USA itineraries

If you are planning your travel to the USA yourself, use these itineraries created by our travel writers as a starting point for inspiration.

USA Itinerary 1 - The National Parks Loop

Only when you traverse the American West will you begin to grasp just how big – and rich in natural beauty – this nation is. Come in summer to enjoy the sunshine and take three to four weeks to complete this trip, making a loop from San Francisco by car.

• Yosemite National Park, CA - Just a 3hr 30min drive from San Francisco, you won’t forget your first tantalizing glimpse of the rocky domes, peaks and waterfalls of Yosemite Valley.
• Death Valley, CA - Leave the snowy Sierras for the lowest, hottest and driest area in North America, with vast dunes and flaming red rocks.
• Zion National Park, UT - Cross over into Utah to explore this spectacular park, with a fifteen-mile canyon hemmed in by reddish walls of sandstone.
• Grand Canyon, AZ - Dip south into Arizona to take in the less crowded northern rim of the Grand Canyon, America’s most awe-inspiring natural wonder.
• Monument Valley, AZ/UT - The iconic Western landscape, with giant fingers of rock soaring up from the dusty desert floor like ancient cathedrals on the Arizona–Utah state line.
• Arches/Canyonlands national parks, UT - Back in Utah, make time for the delicate sandstone arches and myriads canyons, mesas and buttes of these two neighbouring parks.
• Grand Teton National Park, WY - It’s a winding 500 miles north to Jackson and Grand Teton in Wyoming from Arches; from the desert to high alpine Rockies, with the jaw-dropping, jagged Teton ridge at the forefront.
• Yellowstone National Park, WY - Grand Teton merges into Yellowstone, the granddaddy of the national parks, crammed with wildlife, bubbling geysers, lakes and wild, untrammelled scenery.
• Craters of the Moon, ID - Break the long journey back to the West Coast with a stop at Idaho’s Craters of the Moon, a stark landscape of lava fields and sagebrush steppe grasslands.

USA Itinerary 2 - The Deep South and Florida

Hot, sultry, rich in history, culture and some of the greatest music made in America, the Deep South is perhaps the most beguiling part of the USA. Take two or three weeks to see the highlights, travelling by car or by bus, and end up on the beaches of south Florida.

• New Orleans, LA - It’s impossible not to fall in love with this gorgeous city, with its romantic French Quarter, indulgent food, jazz heritage and famously ebullient citizens.
• Mississippi Delta - Soak up the blues heritage in Clarksdale, Mississippi, a five-hour drive north of New Orleans, before leaving the state via Tupelo, the home of Elvis.
• Montgomery, AL - Continue east to the fascinating capital of Alabama, laced with monuments to Martin Luther King, Civil Rights and Hank Williams.
• Atlanta, GA - Make the short journey northeast to the buzzing capital of the South, birthplace of Martin Luther King and home to US icons CNN and Coca-Cola.
• Charleston, SC - Over in South Carolina, this is perhaps the finest old town in all America, enriched by the culture of the nearby Sea Islands.
• Savannah, GA - Cut back into Georgia to absorb the charms of Charleston’s raffish but equally ravishing cousin, a city of moss-tangled squares and historic homes.
• St Augustine, FL - Drop south into Florida to see the oldest town in America, founded by the Spanish in 1565.
• Miami, FL - The Florida coast is studded with great beaches and attractions such as the Kennedy Space Center, but it’s hard to top Miami and fabulous, Art Deco South Beach.
• Key West, FL - End up travelling spectacular US-1 across the Keys to America’s party-hard Caribbean outpost.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

USA Itinerary 3 - Classic coast-to-coast

This three-week tour gives a taster of the USA’s iconic landscapes and cities from the East to West coasts, travelling from New York to Los Angeles along sections of historic Rte-66.

• New York, NY - America’s biggest city is home to Times Square, the Statue of Liberty, the Met, Madison Square Garden, the Empire State, Harlem, Brooklyn Bridge and Jay-Z.
• Chicago, IL - America’s third city boasts some serious skyscrapers, top museums, live blues, the Cubs and the Bears, and those deep-dish pizzas.
• Springfield, IL - Immerse yourself in all things Abraham Lincoln at the Illinois state capital, now a virtual shrine to the great American president.
• St Louis, MO - Head south to this old city on the Mississippi, and take the train to the top of the Gateway Arch, a momentous feat of engineering.
• Route 66 - Travelling southwest from St Louis to Oklahoma City be sure to take the Americana-rich remaining stretches of the most iconic US highway.
• Santa Fe, NM - As you continue west on I-40 across New Mexico, detour to the state capital, a glorious ensemble of Spanish adobe and baroque.
• Grand Canyon - I-40 cuts across Arizona via Flagstaff, gateway to one of the grandest, most mind-blowing natural wonders in the world.
• Las Vegas, NV - Around four hours’ drive west of the Grand Canyon lies America’s playground, a confection of mega-casinos and pool parties in the middle of the desert.
• Los Angeles, CA - You’ve made it: watch the sun set over the Pacific Ocean at Santa Monica Pier or wacky Venice Beach before soaking up the sights in Hollywood.

USA Itinerary 4 - The Northeast

The northeast and especially New England is rich in history, stunning scenery and invariably empty roads the further north you get. This two- to three-week tour is best experienced by car, but buses are a possible alternative.

• Washington DC - The nation’s capital is crammed with world-class museums and monuments, from the Capitol to the White House.
• Philadelphia, PA - The city of Benjamin Franklin is home to the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, the cheesesteak and Rocky.
• New York, NY - The largest city in the USA drips with global icons, from the Empire State and Brooklyn Bridge to the Statue of Liberty and Broadway theatres.
• Hartford, CT - Visit the Connecticut capital to pay homage to Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher Stowe and the astonishing art at Wadsworth Atheneum.
• Nantucket, MA - Take the ferry to the “Little Gray Lady”, a once great whaling community still redolent of the era of Moby-Dick.
• Provincetown and Cape Cod, MA - Take a day or two to explore the historic towns, tranquil beaches and fish shacks of this hook-shaped peninsula.
• Boston, MA - New England’s lively capital drips with colonial history, but also boasts enticing restaurants, top art museums and some of the USA’s best sports teams.
• White Mountains, NH - Across into New Hampshire the mountains become bigger and wilder, perfect for hiking and biking, and culminating in mighty Mount Washington.
• Acadia National Park, ME - Maine’s coastline of wooded bays and small villages snakes northeast to this pristine section of rolling, mist-shrouded hills, fir forests and lobster pounds.

Sunrise on Half Dome in the Forest, Yosemite National Park, California - Stephen Moehle

USA Itinerary 5 - The West Coast

The north–south journey along the Pacific starts in the rainy, forested northwest and ends at the southern deserts of California (with extensions to Tijuana and Vancouver at either end). You could travel by trains and buses as well as by car.

• Seattle, WA - The home of grunge, Microsoft and Starbucks is now a booming city, with Pike Place Market, the stunning Chihuly Garden, huge salmon and gourmet coffee.
• The Cascades, WA & OR - Travel inland through the Cascade Mountains, where the giant, snow-capped volcanic cones of Mount Rainier, Mount St Helens and Mount Hood loom over the horizon.
• Portland, OR - Rent a bike and cycle Oregon’s hippest city, soaking up the art, organic food, microbrews and kooky shows.
• Crater Lake, OR - Achingly beautiful national park, a vast, waterlogged crater surrounded by a spectacular snowy rim.
• Redwood National Park, CA - Travel south along the Californian coastline, taking in these giant natural beauties.
• San Francisco, CA - One of America’s most appealing cities: historic, progressive, beautifully sited and home to the Golden Gate and Alcatraz.
• Big Sur and Hwy-1, CA - The coastal road between San Francisco and Los Angeles is a scenic, surprisingly wild route of misty cliffs and untouched beaches.
• Los Angeles, CA - Take your pick of iconic ’hoods: Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Malibu, Santa Monica and Venice Beach – or just hit Disneyland and Magic Mountain.
• San Diego, CA - Visit the zoo, SeaWorld or simply hang out at the beach at California’s laidback southern capital, the gateway to Baja.

USA Itinerary 6 - The Great Northern Crossing

Cross the country on the lesser travelled – but blissfully untouched – northern route, taking at least two weeks to drive between Chicago and Seattle.

• Madison, WI - The capital of Wisconsin also happens to be the most attractive college town in the USA, just 2hr 30min drive northwest of Chicago.
• Badlands National Park, SD - It’s a long day of driving across the Great Plains to the Badlands, a truly desolate, magical place, especially at sunrise.
• Black Hills, SD - Forested mountain plateau rising above the plains, home to Mount Rushmore and the equally monumental Crazy Horse Mountain.
• Theodore Roosevelt National Park, ND - Drive into North Dakota to explore the wild, untouched and multicoloured badlands created by the Little Missouri.
• Little Bighorn, MT - Cross into Montana to visit one of America’s most poignant battlefields, where Custer’s 7th Cavalry were trounced by Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse.
• Butte, MT - This shabby old mining town in central Montana is a treasure trove of once grand architecture, old diners and even Cornish pasties.
• Glacier National Park, MT - Northern Montana is dominated by this sensational preserve of glaciers, snowy peaks, alpine lakes and historic lodges.
• Idaho Panhandle - I-90 cuts across this narrow section of Idaho, laced with inviting hiking and biking trails and home to the genuine Western town of Wallace.
• Cascade Loop, WA - End up in Washington, touring the peaks and valleys of the mighty Cascade Mountains before arriving at Seattle and the Pacific Ocean.

With 52 states to explore, you can easily visit the USA for a two-week holiday or spend a few months travelling the country at length. Whatever your timescale or budget, here are some sample itineraries to whet your appetite for travel. Find one you like? Speak to a local USA expert to book your trip today.

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written by Andy Turner

updated 28.04.2021

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Ultimate USA Itinerary Planner & Travel Guide

Planning a trip to the United States of America and looking for USA itinerary Ideas? Whether you are planning a 2-week long US trip or a 3-week long trip, we have got you covered. Use our USA Itinerary planner to see the country from coast to coast. See epic attractions along the East Coast including Niagara Falls and New York City then head to the West Coast to enjoy beach life in California. Read now for great itinerary ideas to explore America. You might also like our post on Best Places to Visit in the USA .

Welcome to our ultimate USA trip planner! 

We created this USA Itinerary Planner to help you plan the ultimate American trip. It contains all essential information including which places to visit, how to travel around the USA, sample itineraries, where to stay, what to eat, budgets and costs, etc.

Here you will find recommendations for a variety of USA trips whether you plan to fly, take a bus, or road trip around the country. Whether you are a first-time visitor or planning a 2nd, 3rd, or 4th trip to the country we have ideas for most well-known destinations to the hidden gems in the country.

Dotted Globe contains affiliate links. If you click one of them, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read my full  Disclosure  here. Thank you!

“This is America … a brilliant diversity spread like stars, like a thousand points of light in a broad and peaceful sky.” — George H.W. Bush

Here is our guide to planning the perfect USA Itinerary around your favorite attractions. 

Where to Visit in the USA

The USA is vast and diverse. You really need to know where you want to go to plan the perfect trip. Otherwise, a lot of your time will be spent traveling from one destination to another with very little time to actually explore the cities and natural areas. To read the most popular destinations to visit in the USA, read our post on USA Travel Bucket List .

Most people usually start planning a USA trip with their favorite cities on the East Coast or the West Coast. The USA is home to many vibrant cities including New York, Chicago, San Francisco, and Seattle. You can read more about the best cities in the country in our post 22 Best City Breaks in the USA . 

The USA also has stunning natural beauty. We recommend visiting at least one of the country’s most popular national parks to experience wildlife, hiking, and outdoor activities in the country. Some of the USA National Parks that are frequently visited by international visitors include Grand Canyon National Park, Yosemite National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Zion National Park, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park . 

How to Travel around the USA

If you are planning a trip around the major cities in the country, then you can either fly or take a bus during your USA trip. Amtrak Trains are also a good option while visiting certain areas. However, if you are planning to visit national parks and outdoor areas, then consider a road trip across the USA. 

If flying domestically in the US, then consider budget airlines like Spirit or Frontier. The tickets are usually cheapest if you book in advance and fly on weekdays, especially Tuesdays or Wednesdays. 

The US also has great bus service in certain regions like the Northeast, Midwest, and California. Bus operators like Greyhound and Megabus operate buses between popular cities. The journeys are often overnight which means you can save on hotels if traveling via an overnight bus. 

Amtrak operates the trains in the USA. Traveling within the USA by train is neither cheap nor fast. However, it is definitely a scenic option especially along routes like the California Zephyr from San Francisco to Chicago. Amtrak has Rail Passes which you can use to get down and explore attractions for multiple days before reboarding the train.

However, one of our favorite ways to get around the country is via road trips. The USA is made for road tripping. Americans love taking road trips and you can rent cars, SUVs, and even RVs for your road trip. Read our post on Best Road Trips in the USA to learn about iconic road trips in the country.

1 Week in USA Itinerary Ideas

While a week is a very short time to explore the country, there are many small trips that you can take in a week. We have divided these trips mostly by region – you can definitely cover the highlights of a US region in 7 days. Here are a couple of different 1 week USA Itinerary Ideas – click the names of the destinations to read in-depth articles on the best things to do in the cities and national parks:

Itinerary 1: Las Vegas Los Angeles San Francisco

This itinerary may be just a week-long but it covers 4 major highlights of the country: Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. You can complete this as a road trip or as a flying itinerary.

Las Vegas – 2 Days

Las Vegas or Sin City is famous for its casinos and gambling. Besides gambling, Las Vegas also has many free attractions including the Bellagio Fountains, the Mirage Volcano, Eiffel Tower, etc. With two days in the city, you have enough time to explore Vegas nightlife and see a show or two. You can also explore outdoor Las Vegas: there are many natural areas close to Las Vegas including Valley of Fire State Park, Hoover Dam and Lake Mead Recreation Area, and Seven Magic Mountains. 

Grand Canyon – 1 Day

The Grand Canyon is one of the natural wonders of the world. This beautiful landscape is the result of years of erosion carried out by the Colorado River. You can easily see the Grand Canyon as a day trip from Las Vegas. While you won’t have time to visit the Grand Canyon National Park, you can see the Grand Canyon Skywalk at the West Rim. Book day tours to the Grand Canyon here. 

Los Angeles – 2 Days

Next head to Los Angeles in California. Los Angeles is home to Hollywood, America’s film industry and there are a lot of things to do in the city for movie buffs. See the stars on the sidewalk on Hollywood Blvd, take a photo with the Hollywood sign, take a behind the scenes tour at Warner Bros Inc, and take thrilling movie-inspired rides at Universal Studios. Los Angeles also has many museums and is a great place for foodies. 

San Francisco – 2 Days

After seeing Los Angeles, visit the northern California city of San Francisco . See America’s icon – the Golden Gate Bridge . Spend time at Fisherman’s Wharf, see the twisting Lombard Street, and visit the notorious island of Alcatraz. Take a day trip to Napa Valley to tour wineries and go wine tasting or visit Muir Woods National Monument to see the coastal redwoods. 

Itinerary 2: Chicago NYC Philadelphia

In this Midwest & East Coast itinerary, you will be visiting some of our favorite cities in the USA. You will be seeing beautiful architecture, visit impressive museums, spend time in grand urban parks, and eat delicious food. You will also be squeezing in a day trip to Niagara Falls, one of the best attractions in the USA. 

Chicago – 2 Days

Chicago is the jewel of the Midwest. Set on the shores of Lake Michigan, Chicago is home to famous architects and impressive architecture. To see the most beautiful buildings in the city, take the Chicago River Architectural Cruise. Spend some time at Millenium Park and enjoy its attractions including the Cloud Gate sculpture and the Crown Fountain. Go shopping at Magnificent Mile and eat Chicago’s famous deep-dish pizza.  

Niagara Falls – 1 Day

From Chicago, fly to Niagara Falls, located on the border of the US and Canada. Niagara Falls are actually a group of 3 falls – Horseshoe Falls, American Falls, and Bridal Veil Falls. The stunning falls are a year-round travel destination and they look beautiful even when frozen in winter. In summer, take the Maid of the Mist boat tour to see the falls from up close. The falls also look beautiful when they are illuminated at night. 

New York City – 2 Days

After seeing Niagara Falls, visit New York City – one of the best cities in the world. New York is the capital of fashion, finance, culture, art, and food. Spend a couple of days exploring the city. Visit the touristy Times Square and eat at the cafes in Greenwich Village. See the city from above at the Empire State Building and take a stroll in Central Park. See the city’s famous museums including the Met, American Museum of History, and MoMa. On your second day, see the Statue of Liberty at Ellis Island.

Philadelphia – 2 Days

Last, visit the historic city of Philadelphia. Begin your visit at the Independence National Historic Park. This is where the country came into being and where the most important monuments to liberty and democracy are located. See the iconic Liberty Bell and tour Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence was signed. Independence Hall is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the must-visit attractions in the US. Other things to do in Philadelphia include the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the ‘Rocky’ movie steps, the Love sculpture, City Hall, and the Reading Terminal Market which is famous for its many eateries.

Itinerary 3: Southwest road trip

This road trip will take you through the best attractions of the American Southwest. Expect to see stunning natural landscapes of gorges, canyons, and deserts on this amazing trip. Camp to lower your budget and to stay closer to nature. At every turn, you will be treated to photogenic vistas and unique indigenous cultures. Read our post on Vegas Zion Bryce Grand Canyon road trip to plan a trip along these attractions.

Las Vegas is the ultimate starting point for an American Southwest road trip. Fly into Sin City and explore the attractions of the Las Vegas strip. Enjoy the unique attractions of Vegas like the roller coaster at New York New York, musical fountains of Bellagio, the volcano at Mirage, nightlife, gambling, and more at night. By day, explore the desert of Nevada. Hike at Red Rock Canyon State Park and drive the scenic route around Lake Mead. Tour the Hoover Dam and check out the museums in Las Vegas. 

Zion National Park – 1 Day

Then drive to Zion National Park in southwest Utah. Zion is located just 2 hours away from Las Vegas and can be easily seen during one day. The best way to see Zion is to take the park shuttle, which goes along the Zion Scenic Drive. You will be able to see breathtaking views of Zion’s deep red canyon walls and the Virgin River that flows through the canyon. Zion has many hiking trails but to hike the most popular trails of Angel’s Landing and the Narrows you will need more than a day. 

Bryce Canyon National Park – 1 Day

Bryce Canyon National Park is one of the most underrated national parks in the country. Bryce is famous for its deep red – crimson hoodoo rock formations. These spire-shaped narrow rock formations are formed due to weathering action by wind, snow, and water. You can easily see the hoodoos in the area known as the Bryce Amphitheatre. Take a walk along the Rim Trail to see the hoodoos from above or descend down into the depression along the Navajo Loop Trail to see the most famous hoodoos.

Antelope Canyon & Horseshoe Bend – 1 Day

After seeing Bryce Canyon National Park, head over to Page, Arizona to see the famous Antelope Canyons . The two slot canyons of Upper and Lower Antelope Canyons are famous the world over for their striking beauty and vivid colors. You can see them both on guided tours. The tour through Lower Antelope Canyon is more strenuous than the one through Upper and requires some climbing. Pick the Upper Canyon if you have small kids or are not physically fit. After seeing Antelope Canyon, see another Page attraction – Horseshoe Bend. From the observation area, you can see a panoramic view of the Horseshoe shaped bend in the Colorado River. 

Monument Valley – 1 Day

From Page, drive further east towards Monument Valley. This landscape of red sand desert and weathered rock formations located along the Arizona Utah border is one of the highlights of this road trip. Drive along the 17 mile Valley Drive to see the towering sandstone buttes and take iconic photographs. 

Grand Canyon National Park – 1 Day

Finally, make your way to the Grand Canyon National Park. Drive to the South Rim and Grand Canyon Village to see the best views of the Grand Canyon. If it is too crowded, take the park shuttle. Visit the Visitor Center for exhibits, souvenirs, and movies about the Grand Canyon. Take the scenic Desert View Drive to the Desert View Watchtower for iconic views. Hike into the Grand Canyon to enjoy its beauty from different vantage points. 

Itinerary 4 – Pacific Coast Highway, California

This stunning road trip will take you along the highlights of California. See the vibrant cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco and drive through the stunning natural area of Big Sur. This drive is said to be the best road trip in the world. Finish your trip with a visit to the famous Yosemite National Park. Check our post on Pacific Coast Road Trip Itinerary to plan this trip.

Los Angeles – 2 Day

Start your visit by flying into Los Angeles . Movie buffs can take a stroll along Hollywood Walk of Fame or take a movie studio tour or tour celebrity homes in Beverly Hills. Culture enthusiasts can visit LA’s top museums including the Broad, La Brea Tar Pits, LACMA, Petersen Automotive Museum, and the Getty Center. If you have kids, spend a day in Anaheim at the Disney parks. 

Big Sur – 2 Day

Take the Pacific Coast Highway up north to Big Sur . Along the way, you will pass California’s iconic coastal cities of Malibu and Santa Barbara and drive alongside small beachside communities of Pismo Beach and Morro Bay. In Big Sur, visit the highlights of McWay Falls, Bixby Creek Bridge, San Simeon Elephant Seal Rookery, Pfeiffer Beach, and Big Sur Village. Then drive north along Monterey and Half Moon Bay to San Francisco. 

San Francisco – 2 Day

Enjoy Northern California’s mild climates and foggy coastline in San Francisco , the city by the bay. See the iconic Golden Gate Bridge from Vista Point and ride a cable car to Chinatown. Eat some dim sums and egg tarts in Chinatown. Walk down twisting Lombard Street and buy chocolates in Ghirardelli Square. Admire the view from Twin Peaks and take a cruise to the former federal prison on Alcatraz Island. 

Yosemite – 1 Day

Yosemite National Park is one of the most popular national parks in the country. Located in the Sierra Nevada mountain ranges, Yosemite has stunning mountain beauty. Visiting Yosemite is a must while visiting California. While one day is not enough to explore all of Yosemite’s attractions, you can see the highlights and tour the Yosemite Valley in that time frame. A ranger-led 2 hours tour of the Valley is your best option to see Yosemite in a day. On the tour, you can see Yosemite Falls and the granite rock formations of El Capitan and Half Dome. If you have time, hike in the Yosemite Valley and take photos of the national park. 

Itinerary 5: Best of Florida

If you want to spend your 1 week in the USA exploring Florida, then use this itinerary. Start your trip in Orlando and visit a theme park. Then visit Miami and relax at South Beach. See the architecture on Ocean Drive and visit Little Havana. Then make the trip down to Key West via Overseas Highway. Finally, visit Everglades National Park and take an airboat tour. See our post on Miami to Key West Drive: 25 Awesome Stops along the way to plan this trip.

Orlando – 2 Days

Orlando is one of the best places to start your USA trip. The city has over a dozen theme parks. Our favorite is ’The Wizarding World of Harry Potter’ at Universal Studios. There are also 5 Disney Parks in Orlando including the popular Walt Disney World. There are also many other things to do in Orlando besides the theme parks. You can take a stroll through the beautiful Bok Tower Gardens and admire the wildlife at Central Florida Zoo. Explore the many different neighborhoods and sample a variety of cuisines. 

Miami – 2 Days

After exploring Orlando, head down to spend 2 days in Miami . Start your visit at the iconic attraction of Miami Beach. Get some Florida sun and swim in the water. Wander around the Arts Deco district and see the murals at Wynwood Mall. Shop and eat by the waterfront at Bayside Marketplace. For a unique attraction, stroll through the beautiful Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. End your visit in Little Havana where you can try Cuban cuisine and understand the Cuban culture. 

Key West – 2 Days

Then take Florida’s Overseas Highway to Key West. The drive is about 4 hours but there are many attractions along the way. Stop in communities like Islamorada and Key Largo. Eat fresh seafood and go snorkeling and scuba diving on the coral reefs. Then make way for Key West. Key West is the southernmost point in the Continental US. The city has a chilled Caribbean vibe. Tour Old Town Key West, visit Hemingway House Museum and take a picture at the southernmost point Buoy. Attend the sunset celebrations in Mallory Square and party on Duval Street. If you have more time, visit Dry Tortugas National Park . 

Everglades National Park – 1 Day

On your way back to Miami or Orlando, visit Everglades National Park. Homestead, which is located just an hour south of Miami, is the gateway to Everglades National Park. In Everglades, you will find a wetland of swamps, marshes, mangroves, and sawgrass prairies. The best way to experience Everglades National Park is on an airboat tour. During the tour, you can see manatees, alligators, deer, fox, bobcats, and birds like ospreys and cranes. 

Itinerary 6 – Chicago Mt. Rushmore Road Trip

While most of the trips above could be done without driving, a road trip is the only way to experience these Midwestern attractions. This trip is definitely one of the hidden gems in the US and not many visitors come here on a first visit. However, to experience the heart of the country – the Midwest bread bowl – go on this road trip in the Black Hills of South Dakota . We assure you, you will have the time of your life! 

Start on this road trip in Chicago . Experience iconic attractions of the Windy City including the Bean at Millennium Park, the Museum Campus, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Navy Pier. See Chicago from top of the Willis Tower and experience Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture in Oak Park. Eat Chicago style hotdog and deep-dish pizza before hitting the open roads to South Dakota. 

Sioux Falls – 1 Day

First, stop at Sioux Falls. Visit the Falls Park where you can see the Big Sioux River cascade over limestone bluffs. The park also has a historic mill and an observation tower. See the murals in downtown Sioux Falls before visiting the Corn Palace in Mitchell . This stunning palace is made of corn murals and is created anew every year. Inside the corn palace, you can see photos of previous corn palaces and tributes to corn farmers. This unique roadside attraction is definitely worth a visit while in South Dakota. 

Badlands National Park – 2 Days

Next, visit the bizarre and dramatic landscape of Badlands National Park . Formed as a result of erosion, the national park is filled with unique rock formations consisting of buttes, spires, and canyons. To explore Badlands, drive along the scenic Badlands Loop Road and go hiking in the park. Badlands also has a lot of wildlife. On a visit to the park, you can view bison, coyotes, mountain goats, prairie dogs, deer, and more. You can also see fossils of animals that lived in the area long ago including mammoths, saber-toothed tigers, and more. 

Custer State Park – 1 Day

Custer State Park is the largest state park in the country and one of our favorites. You can do hiking, camping, and wildlife viewing in the park . Custer has 4 mountain lakes which are perfect for lakeside strolls and activities on the water. Custer State Park is also famous for its scenic drives. The Peter Norbeck Scenic Byway is located in the park and includes 3 smaller drives. On the Custer Wildlife Loop Road, you will find lots of bison, burros, and deer. Needles Highway has the stunning needle formations on both sides while Iron Mountain Road has three tunnels and an iconic view of Mt. Rushmore. 

Mt. Rushmore National Memorial – 1 Day

For the last part of your trip, visit Mt. Rushmore National Memorial . Here you can see the faces of 4 US presidents – Washington, Jefferson, Roosevelt, and Lincoln – carved in stone. The monument is lit at night and looks impressive. Hike the Presidential Trail to go closer to the sculptures and spot wildlife including mountain goat and deer. Visit the on-site museum to learn more about the sculptures and their sculptor Gutzon Borglum.  Do not forget to see nearby Crazy Horse Memorial to know more about the Lakota warrior Crazy Horse while visiting the Black Hills. Read our post on Ultimate South Dakota road trip to plan this route.

We hope you liked our epic USA Itinerary Planner. Let us know if you have any questions.

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7 Once-in-a-Lifetime USA Road Trips to Fulfil Your Wanderlust

This post was brought to you by American Express . 

Have you wondered what’s it like to travel all of Route 66, or seeing for yourself what the old Midwest is like? A country best explored on a four-wheel drive down dirt paths cleared out by previous road-trippers, we compiled seven of the most epic road trip routes in the USA.

These routes cover a range of locations both from the east coast and the west coast; and if you’re an adventurous one, there’s even a suggested one-month coast-to-coast route that spans across 12 US states.

Can’t wait? Book your flights to USA with United Airlines using your registered American Express® Card and earn S$100 credits for S$800 spent*! Learn more here or see more details below.

1) Chicago to Santa Monica (Route 66)

Before 1985, this route was affectionally known as “Mother Road”, or Route 66  as most would know it as today. Back then, this road spanned across eight states and three timezones, becoming the iconic road trip after the Americans’ obsession with cars came about after World War 2. 

It too served as the road to opportunities when many Americans migrated westwards during the Great Depression.

While it used to run from Chicago to Santa Monica in California, Route 66 is officially decommissioned and no longer a highway since 1985. But by then, the defunct highway has already been immortalised by pop culture, with its road signs being one of the most stolen road signs in the USA. Now, curious drivers can still drive on what’s remaining — a 2,269km road cutting through the states of Illinois, Oklahoma, New Mexico and Arizona. If you want to have a try at driving down the Historic Route 66, there are specially indicated maps online for motorists to navigate the route safely. 

Highlights: Grant Park in Illinois, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum in Oklahoma, Cadillac Ranch in Texas, Painted Desert in Arizona,  and Santa Monica Pier in California. Distance:  Used to be 3,862 km, now only 2,269 km is left Suggested Time Frame:  ~2–3 weeks Nearest International Airport:  O’Hare International Airport (ORD)

2) Pacific Coast Highway One (along Big Sur)

Going through Big Sur National Park , many call this the best road trip drive in all of the USA.  The whole drive from start to end will take about 10 hours to complete, but if you’re on this route, it’s recommended you stretch it out to about a week to enjoy the sights along the way.

Being one of the most scenic roads in the USA, the drive on Pacific Coast Highway provides unparalleled views of gorgeous nature and man-made marvel in between San Francisco and Los Angeles — Yosemite , Carmel Beach , Big Sur , Bixby Creek Bridge , Cambria , and Morro Bay .

This road trip is particularly famous as the pitstops along the way are scenic and interesting such as Bixby Creek Bridge in Big Sur, and the  elephant seals vista point  in San Simeon where you can come face to face with dozens of elephant seals on a beach. Yosemite National Park is also easily accessible via a little detour!

Highlights: Yosemite National Park, Carmel Beach, Big Sur, Cambria, Morro Bay Distance: 951km Suggested Time Frame: One week Nearest International Airport:  San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

We did a road trip from San Francisco to Los Angeles late last year — read our 11-day SF to LA itinerary for the best sights along this famed route!

3) Atlantic Coast (US Route 1)

Not to be confused with the #2’s Highway One of Pacific Coast, the Atlantic Coast is the longest north-south highway that runs along the eastern coast of USA. Although the highway officially starts in the state of Maine and ends in Florida, most people start their journey from New York City towards Miami Beach in Florida.

Most international flights fly to JFK in New York, making it a great starting point for foreign travellers to commence this adventurous road trip that’s full of historical landmarks and vibrant cities.

This would be one iconic road trip that allows you to zip through New York City and take in the sights of the Big Apple like the Empire State Building , Brooklyn Bridge , and even Statue of Liberty .

Then, head on to the capital of the USA, Washington, D.C. and visit the  Smithsonian Museums , White House , Capitol Hill , and Lincoln Memorial . Mix up the views with a dose of nature in North Carolina, like hiking the  Grandfather Mountain at Linville  or Outerbanks ,   then chilling out on a resort at Myrtle Beach in South Carolina.

Feast on BBQ steaks and enjoy riverboat cruises in Savannah, Georgia, before exploring Amelia Island  to witness wildlife in their natural habitat. Or, be a child again at Disneyworld in Orlando, and stroll down miles and miles down the  Miami beach .

Highlights:  NYC, Washington D.C., Williamsburg, North & South Carolina, Charleston, Savannah, Amelia Island, Orlando, Miami. Distance: 3,813km Suggested Time Frame: ~2–3 weeks Nearest International Airport: New York: John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK); Florida: Miami International Airport (MIA) / Orlando International Airport (MCO)

4) The Yellowstone Grand Loop

The oldest national park in the world, Yellowstone National Park is one of the must-haves on any USA bucket list. With numerous geothermal features such as hot springs, mud pots, and fumaroles, Yellowstone is not just a regular park with homogenous trees.

The best times to visit would be the months of April, May, and September through November. The loop, or a figure-8 route depending on which route you take, can be completed in three to four hours non-stop.

But what’s a trip to Yellowstone National Park if you’re just going around it? We recommend staying around Yellowstone National Park and giving yourself at least three days to properly explore this wonder Mother Nature has created.

The Yellowstone Caldera is actually a volcanic caldera classified as a “supervolcano”, resulting in the 10,000 over geothermic features present in the national park today. With a total area of 8,991km², Yellowstone National Park is a whopping 12 times bigger than the whole of mainland Singapore (721km²)!

Highlights: Old Faithful geyser, Mud Volcano, Uncle Tom’s Trail, Artist Point, Lamar Valley, Grand Prismatic Spring, Norris Geyser Basin, Mammoth’s Hot Spring  Distance: 230km Suggested Time Frame: 3–5 days Nearest International Airport: Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN)

Can’t wait? Book your flights to USA with United Airlines using your registered American Express Card and earn S$100 credits for S$800 spent*!  Learn more here or see more details below.

5) Theme Park Fanatics Route

The USA is home to where the big boys of theme parks are, from Universal Studios and Disneyland to Six Flags. If you’re a theme park or roller coaster fanatic, my bet is you’ll check yourself into Orlando, Florida and just be there the whole time.

But if you’re looking for something less mainstream and more classic American, why not try this route! Going from New York to Ohio, this route passes by seven of the most well-loved theme parks in the states.

Starting from the state of New York, Six Flags Great Escape & Splashwater Kingdom is one of my personal favourites with the Comet and Daredevil Dive rides. Next, head south to  Six Flags Great Adventure  in New Jersey where some of the most thrilling rides are, such as Nitro, Kingda Ka, and WONDER WOMAN Lasso of Truth — the tallest pendulum ride in the world.

Westwards, there’s the free-admission amusement park,  Knoebels Amusement Resort in Pennsylvania where you can even camp overnight at!

Love chocolates? Don’t miss America’s favourite chocolate town, Hershey Park with land and water rides to keep all — young and old — pumped up with sugar rush. Within Pennsylvania are two other amusement parks,  Lakemont Park  that houses the oldest roller coaster ride in the USA, and Kennywood Park   that has some great traditional wooden coasters still in operation! Lastly, there’s  Cedar Point in Ohio, the mother of all theme parks in the USA with a whopping 72 rides in operation!

*Pro-tip: Do this road trip in the summer months from June through August as theme parks operate daily during the summer break.

Distance: 1,471km Suggested Time Frame: ~2 weeks Nearest International Airport:  John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)

6) The Great River Road (along the Mississippi River)

The Great River Road is a scenic byway that traces the Mississippi River through 10 states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana. This route passes by many quaint river-towns and promises some of the most scenic, historical, and unique attractions of the USA.

Mississippi is not just a river, it also supported agriculture, trade and transportation for thousands of years. With such rich history comes great stories to tell, and there are museums along the route where you can catch up on the past of the Mississippi River.

The Great River Road itself is the destination, and while I can’t recreate adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer on the Mississippi, I’ll gladly experience this river adventure on a four-wheel drive.

*Pro-tip:  Do this road trip in September, the month declared as the “Drive the Great River Road Month” .

Highlights:  New Madrid Historical Museum, Sunset Park, Old Mississippi River Bridge Scenic Overlook, Hernando de Soto Bridge in Memphis, Delta Blues Museum, The Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum Distance: ~4,480km Suggested Time Frame: ~10 days Nearest International Airport:  Minnesota: Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport; Lousiana: Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)

7) Coast-to-Coast (Route 50)

Spanning across the whole north continent horizontally, Route 50 passes through 12 US states and hundreds of small old (and ghost) towns. This would be the one route to take to literally cover the USA from west coast to east coast.

Realistically speaking, though, this route passes through mostly rural areas, and unless you are travelling with a group of friends that create their own party, it might be a pretty dry  trip rather than a wild “party in the USA” one. The idea of travelling through the states from California to Maryland is still an intriguing one, and certainly one that is on my travel bucket list of road trips to conquer.

Highlights: The Chesapeake Bay, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, San Rafael Swell in Utah, Great Basin National Park and Lake Tahoe in Nevada Distance: 4,856km Suggested Time Frame: One month Nearest International Airports: West end: Sacramento International Airport (SMF) / San Francisco International Airport (SFO); East end: Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)

7b) The Loneliest Road (Route 50 in Nevada)

There’s a portion of Route 50 that’s slightly different from the rest. Termed “The Loneliest Road” by Life , this 462km road passes through Nevada, the driest state of USA, and is the longest barren stretch of Route 50 that’s just absolute desert.

Being dubbed “The Loneliest Road” has actually brought curious visitors to explore Nevada and go on road trips just to drive on the in famous road. Motorists can actually can an “I Survived the Loneliest Road in America” certificate if they get their “ survival guide ” stamped at 5 or more designated pitstops or along the route.

Highlights: Not much, but hey, the journey itself is the point. Distance: 462km Suggested Time Frame: 5 hours

Bonus: If you’re in Nevada, there’s another highway that takes on an interesting name you probably can’t find elsewhere — Extraterrestrial Highway . This highway was officially designated so in 1996 after many travellers reported UFO sightings and other strange alien activities along the road 👽.

Start Planning for Your USA Road Trip Now!

Many, like myself, always shove plans to visit the USA aside due to reasons from high airfares to long flight hours with cumbersome connections.

Thankfully, flying to USA is now faster and easier than ever! United Airlines operates two daily nonstop flight services from Singapore (SIN) to San Francisco (SFO), one of the most convenient air hubs in the States.The SIN-SFO route then offers these travellers easy access to various cities across U.S., as United provides connections to nearly 80 cities throughout the U.S., including major business markets such as New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Dallas via San Francisco.

I personally prefer to travel in comfort for long flights, and United Airlines’ super-efficient Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners’ Economy Plus class has seats with added legroom and increased personal space, ensuring unmatched comfort on the flight from SIN to SFO. Other improvements on the flights include larger overhead compartments, better ventilation, and is equipped with satellite-based Wi-Fi and power outlets

#RelishTheMoment . There’s no time better than now to fulfil your wanderlust and hit the road in America. Book your flights to USA with United Airlines using your registered American Express Card and earn S$100 credits for S$800 spent*!  Learn more here . Already registered? Time to book your flights !  Terms and Conditions apply . *Limited to the first 12,000 successfully registered Cards. Valid for spends made after Card registration, up to 30 September 2019.

For more travel inspiration, follow us on  Facebook ,  Instagram , and  YouTube .

        View this post on Instagram         A post shared by The Travel Intern (@thetravelintern) on Jan 16, 2019 at 2:31am PST

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I think one of the most interesting cities in America is Memphis, TN. From Rendezvous Ribs to Beale Street and BB King, to the Peabody hotel and on to Elvis’s Grace Land, there is more to do in this city than most people realize.

This is amazing trip, love your photos and vibe so much

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Visit this Missouri restaurant People magazine named one of America's 50 most beautiful

Forget the Sexiest Man Alive — which restaurants are America's most beautiful? People magazine has a list for that too, and one Missouri eatery made the cut.

Grünauer in Kansas City landed on People's tally of the 50 most beautiful restaurants in America , compiled in collaboration with OpenTable, the restaurant review and reservation service.

Here's a quick look at what the restaurant has to offer.

What makes Grünauer so beautiful?

In honoring the restaurant located at 101 W. 22nd St., People and OpenTable cited "lofted ceilings modeled after beer barrels channel biergartens in the owner’s native Vienna."

What's on the menu?

Continuing a family restaurant culture that extends back to Vienna, Austria as well as New York City, the Kansas City spot honors that heritage both with its design and menu.

Entrees include varieties of schnitzel as well as sauerbrauten, krustenbrauten, ungarisches rindsgulasch (Hungarian-style goulash), fruhlingsgrostl (spring vegetable hash) and bauernschmaus, which combines bone-in pork loin, pork belly, bauernwurst, sauerkraut, potatoes, mustard and horseradish.

Grünauer sources food from well-known Missouri farms such as Hemme Bros. and Buttonwood, along with growers in Iowa, Colorado and California.

What are some of the most beautiful restaurants in neighboring states?

Headed out on the road? These restaurants on People's list sit within neighboring states:

Arkansas: Preacher's Son in Bentonville

Illinois: Tre Dita in Chicago

Iowa: Mulberry Street Tavern in Des Moines

Kansas: The Weather Room in Topeka

Kentucky: Lost Palm in Lexington

Nebraska: Timbers at Lied Lodge in Nebraska City

Oklahoma: The Great Hall in Oklahoma City

Tennessee: Top of the Rock Restaurant and Brewery in Jasper

Learn more about Grünauer at https://grunauerkc.com/ and view the full People list at https://people.com/the-50-most-beautiful-restaurants-in-america-2024-8641001 .

Aarik Danielsen is the features and culture editor for the Tribune. Contact him at [email protected] or by calling 573-815-1731.   He's on Twitter/X @aarikdanielsen.

NCAA baseball tournament bracket, schedule, format on road to College World Series

College baseball's version of March Madness will play out in the month of June, but the drama is similar as the field of 64 sets a course for Omaha, Nebraska, and the Men's College World Series .

The nation's top 16 teams have the benefit of playing the opening round of the NCAA Division I baseball tournament on their home fields, with the top eight retaining the advantage in the next round if they're able to advance. The local flavor and passionate fanbases always generate a little extra excitement as the tourney progresses.

Eight teams will eventually make it to Omaha to determine the 2024 national champion following regionals and super regionals.

When are NCAA baseball regionals?

The NCAA Division I baseball tournament  begins with the regionals , hosted by the top 16 overall seeds, from Friday, May 31-, Monday, June 3.

Each regional features four teams, and the format for regionals is double elimination – so a team is eliminated when it loses two games. The losers of the first two games will play each other in an elimination game, while the winners will play each other, and it plays out from there. The team to emerge without two defeats wins the regional.

When are NCAA baseball super regionals?

The 16 regional winners advance to the super regionals, held June 7-9 and June 8-10.

The super regionals are formatted into a bracket similar to March Madness. The No. 1 seed regional winner will face the No. 16 seed regional winner, the No. 2 seed vs. No. 15 seed, and so on. The better seed hosts a best-of-three series, and the winner advances to the Men's College World Series.

When does College World Series start?

The eight super regional champions advance to Omaha for the Men's College World Series. Double-elimination play begins June 14, with the best-of-three College World Series final June 22, 23 and 24 (if necessary).

2024 NCAA baseball regionals matchups

Friday's schedule

All times Eastern

Athens Regional

No. 1 Georgia vs. No. 4 Army, 1 p.m., ESPN+

No. 2 UNC-Wilmington vs. No. 3 Georgia Tech, 7 p.m., ESPN+

Bryan-College Station Regional

No. 1 Texas A&M vs. No. 4 Grambling, 1 p.m., ESPN+

No. 2 Louisiana vs. No. 3 Texas, 6 p.m., ESPNU

Chapel Hill Regional

No. 2 LSU vs. No. 3 Wofford, 12 p.m., ESPNU

No. 1 North Carolina vs. No. 4 LIU Brooklyn, 6 p.m. ESPN+

Charlottesville Regional

No. 1 Virginia vs. No. 4 Pennsylvania, 12 p.m., ESPN+

No. 2 Mississippi State vs. No. 3 St. John’s, 7 p.m., ESPN+

Clemson Regional

No. 2 Vanderbilt vs. No. 3 Coastal Carolina, 12 p.m., ESPN2

No. 1 Clemson vs. No. 4 High Point, 7 p.m., ACCN

Corvallis Regional

No. 2 UC Irvine vs. No. 3 Nicholls, 4 p.m., ESPN+

No. 1 Oregon St. vs. No. 4 Tulane, 9 p.m., ESPNU

Fayetteville Regional

No. 1 Arkansas vs. No. 4 Southeast Missouri State, 3 p.m., ESPN+

No. 2 Louisiana Tech vs. No. 3 Kansas State, 8 p.m., ESPN+

Greenville Regional

No. 1 East Carolina vs. No. 4 Evansville, 1 p.m., ESPN+

No. 2 Wake Forest vs. No. 3 Virginia Commonwealth, 6 p.m., ESPN+

Knoxville Regional

No. 2 Southern Mississipppi vs. No. 3 Indiana, 1 p.m., ESPN+

No. 1 Tennessee vs. No. 4 Northern Kentucky, 7 p.m., SECN

Lexington Regional

No. 1 Kentucky vs. No. 4 Western Michigan, 12 p.m., SECN

No. 2 Indiana State vs. No. 3 Illinois, 7 p.m., ESPN+

Norman Regional

No. 2 Duke vs. No. 3 Connecticut, 1 p.m., ESPN+

No. 1 Oklahoma vs. No. 4 Oral Roberts, 7 p.m., ESPN+

Raleigh Regional

No. 2 South Carolina vs. No. 3 James Madison, 2 p.m., ESPN+

No. 1 NC State vs. No. 4 Bryant, 7 p.m, ESPN+

Santa Barbara Regional

No. 2 San Diego vs. No. 3 Oregon, 3 p.m., ESPNU

No. 1 UC Santa Barbara vs. No. 4 Fresno State, 9 p.m., ESPN+

Stillwater Regional

No. 2 Nebraska vs. No. 3 Florida, 3 p.m., ESPN+

No. 1 Oklahoma State vs. No. 4 Niagara, 7 p.m., ESPN+

Tallahassee Regional

No. 1 Florida State vs. No. 4 Stetson, 12 p.m., ACCN

No. 2 Alabama vs. No. 3 Central Florida, 6 p.m., ESPN+

Tucson Regional

No. 2 Dallas Baptist vs. No. 3 West Virginia, 3 p.m., ESPN2

No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 4 Grand Canyon, 9 p.m., ESPN+

USA TODAY's Jordan Mendoza contributed to this report.