Nothing quite beats the majesty of the national parks you’ll see on this trip, which is also a real pleaser for city slickers with Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco on the itinerary. Click for Luxury, Mid-range or Budget.
Here’s your USA (California & Nevada) itinerary:
| Luxury |  |
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| 1 | ✈To Los Angeles (Book >) | Dep: Afternoon | Arr: Afternoon | 🏨Kimpton La Peer (Book >) | All hotels > |
| There’s more than enough energy in this city to help you beat jetlag. Meet the Pacific Ocean at Santa Monica Pier, sit on the beach then head to the hotel via Venice Beach. | Arrange a transfer from the airport. | ||||
| 2 | At Universal Studios Hollywood enjoy a 60-min studio tour. Go back to the other side of Hollywood Hills and star spot along Hollywood Boulevard. Drop down to Sunset Boulevard then on to Sunset Strip. A little more walking and you’re on glitzy Rodeo Drive. | If you’re eligible you can apply for your ESTA visa waiver here. | |||
| 3 | 🚗Los Angeles to Las Vegas drive (Hire car >) | Dep: 10:00 | Arr: 14:30 | 🏨Four Seasons (Book >) | All hotels > |
| As soon as you arrive in Vegas hit the Strip, making sure to not miss the spectacular Venetian and Caesars Palace. Treasure Island’s TI: Sirens show is free to watch with performances from 17:30. | We recommend leaving Los Angeles after 10:00 to miss rush hour. | ||||
| 4 | Take a day trip to the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam. If you haven’t already done so then see the fountains outside the Bellagio. | Because the Strip is four miles long you may want to take a taxi to/from Downtown Las Vegas. | |||
| 5 | 🚗Las Vegas to Death Valley drive | Dep: 09:30 | Arr: 12:00 | 🏨The Inn (Book >) | All hotels > |
| You may want to hide from the sun for a few more hours. When you’re ready to get going then drive on to Rainbow Canyon, Badwater Basin and Artists Drive. Hike Golden Canyon when the day starts to cool down. | Death Valley was named by a group of pioneers who got lost here in 1849-50. All but one of them made it out. | ||||
| 6 | 🚗Death Valley to Sequoia National Park drive | Dep: 08:00 | Arr: 13:00 | 🏨Wuksachi Village & Lodge (Book >) | All hotels > |
| Drive around the Sierra Nevada Mountains and in to Sequoia National Park. Walk through the Giant Forest and be entirely dwarfed by the immense General Sherman tree. | Fill up on fuel before entering the national park. | ||||
| 7 | 🚗Sequoia National Park to Yosemite drive | Dep: 08:00 | Arr: 19:00 | 🏨The Majestic Yosemite Hotel (Book >) |
All hotels > |
| En route to Yosemite stop off at King’s Canyon to see the sequoia trees in Redwood Canyon. | Watch out for undertaking in the USA, which is perfectly legal here. | ||||
| 8 | A full day to explore Yosemite Valley, including the Mist Trail, Bridalveil Falls, El Capitan, Vernal Falls, Yosemite Falls and Glacier Point. | Book your accommodation a long way ahead. | |||
| 9 | 🚗Yosemite to Lake Tahoe drive | Dep: 08:00 | Arr: 16:00 | 🏨The Landing Resort & Spa (Book >) |
All hotels > |
| The drive today is stupendous. You’ll start off in Yosemite, see magnificent forests and massive mountains, ending up on the shores of beautiful Lake Tahoe. | Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to stop along the way (actual journey is min 4.5hrs). | ||||
| 10 | 🚗Lake Tahoe to Napa Valley drive | Dep: 09:00 | Arr: 12:30 | 🏨Rancho Caymus Inn (Book >) |
All hotels > |
| Arrive in plenty of time to sample the wine in Napa’s numerous vineyards. | |||||
| 11 | 🚗Napa Valley to San Francisco drive | Dep: 09:00 | Arr: 10:30 | 🏨Fairmont Heritage Place (Book >) | All hotels > |
| Once you’ve dropped the car off head down to Fisherman’s Wharf and explore PIER 39 and the Maritime National Park, looking out for sea lions as you go. | San Francisco can get cold even during the summer. | ||||
| 12 | Shop in Union Square, enjoy lunch in Chinatown then embark on a tour to Alcatraz, combined with a boat trip beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. | Tours for Alcatraz can book up weeks ahead and so try to reserve in advance. | |||
| 13 | ✈San Francisco to home (Book >) | Dep: Afternoon | Arr: Afternoon (next day) | Connect this USA (California and Nevada) itinerary with the Eastern USA itinerary | |
| You’ll have most of today to get to any places you didn’t manage to see on days 11 and 12. | |||||
| Mid-range |  |
||||
| 1 | ✈To Los Angeles (Book >) | Dep: Afternoon | Arr: Afternoon | 🏨The Orlando Hotel (Book >) | All hotels > |
| There’s more than enough energy in this city to help you beat jetlag. Meet the Pacific Ocean at Santa Monica Pier, sit on the beach then head to the hotel via Venice Beach. | Arrange a transfer from the airport. | ||||
| 2 | At Universal Studios Hollywood enjoy a 60-min studio tour. Go back to the other side of Hollywood Hills and star spot along Hollywood Boulevard. Drop down to Sunset Boulevard then on to Sunset Strip. A little more walking and you’re on glitzy Rodeo Drive. | If you’re eligible you can apply for your ESTA visa waiver here. | |||
| 3 | 🚗Los Angeles to Las Vegas drive (Hire car >) | Dep: 10:00 | Arr: 14:30 | 🏨Signature at MGM Grand (Book >) | All hotels > |
| As soon as you arrive in Vegas hit the Strip, making sure to not miss the spectacular Venetian and Caesars Palace. Treasure Island’s TI: Sirens show is free to watch with performances from 17:30. | We recommend leaving Los Angeles after 10:00 to miss rush hour. | ||||
| 4 | Take a day trip to the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam. If you haven’t already done so then see the fountains outside the Bellagio. | Because the Strip is four miles long you may want to take a taxi to/from Downtown Las Vegas. | |||
| 5 | 🚗Las Vegas to Death Valley drive | Dep: 09:30 | Arr: 12:00 | 🏨Stovepipe Wells Village (Book >) | All hotels > |
| You may want to hide from the sun for a few more hours. When you’re ready to get going then drive on to Rainbow Canyon, Badwater Basin and Artists Drive. Hike Golden Canyon when the day starts to cool down. | Death Valley was named by a group of pioneers who got lost here in 1849-50. All but one of them made it out. | ||||
| 6 | 🚗Death Valley to Sequoia National Park drive | Dep: 08:00 | Arr: 13:00 | 🏨Comfort Inn Three Rivers (Book >) | All hotels > |
| Drive around the Sierra Nevada Mountains and in to Sequoia National Park. Walk through the Giant Forest and be entirely dwarfed by the immense General Sherman tree. | Fill up on fuel before entering the national park. | ||||
| 7 | 🚗Sequoia National Park to Yosemite drive | Dep: 08:00 | Arr: 19:00 | 🏨Big Tree Lodge (Book >) |
All hotels > |
| En route to Yosemite stop off at King’s Canyon to see the sequoia trees in Redwood Canyon. | Watch out for undertaking in the USA, which is perfectly legal here. | ||||
| 8 | A full day to explore Yosemite Valley, including the Mist Trail, Bridalveil Falls, El Capitan, Vernal Falls, Yosemite Falls and Glacier Point. | Book your accommodation a long way ahead. | |||
| 9 | 🚗Yosemite to Lake Tahoe drive | Dep: 08:00 | Arr: 16:00 | 🏨Grand Residences by Marriott (Book >) |
All hotels > |
| The drive today is stupendous. You’ll start off in Yosemite, see magnificent forests and massive mountains, ending up on the shores of beautiful Lake Tahoe. | Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to stop along the way (actual journey is min 4.5hrs). | ||||
| 10 | 🚗Lake Tahoe to Napa Valley drive | Dep: 09:00 | Arr: 12:30 | 🏨Mount View Hotel & Spa (Book >) | All hotels > |
| Arrive in plenty of time to sample the wine in Napa’s numerous vineyards. | |||||
| 11 | 🚗Napa Valley to San Francisco drive | Dep: 09:00 | Arr: 10:30 | 🏨The Orchard Hotel (Book >) | All hotels > |
| Once you’ve dropped the car off head down to Fisherman’s Wharf and explore PIER 39 and the Maritime National Park, looking out for sea lions as you go. | San Francisco can get cold even during the summer. | ||||
| 12 | Shop in Union Square, enjoy lunch in Chinatown then embark on a tour to Alcatraz, combined with a boat trip beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. | Tours for Alcatraz can book up weeks ahead and so try to reserve in advance. | |||
| 13 | ✈San Francisco to home (Book >) | Dep: Afternoon | Arr: Afternoon (next day) | Connect this USA (California and Nevada) itinerary with the Eastern USA itinerary | |
| You’ll have most of today to get to any places you didn’t manage to see on days 11 and 12. | |||||
| Budget |  |
||||
| 1 | ✈To Los Angeles (Book >) | Dep: Afternoon | Arr: Afternoon | 🏨USA Hostels Hollywood(Book >) | All hotels > |
| There’s more than enough energy in this city to help you beat jetlag. Meet the Pacific Ocean at Santa Monica Pier, sit on the beach then head to the hotel via Venice Beach. | Don’t forget to pack your camping gear! | ||||
| 2 | At Universal Studios Hollywood enjoy a 60-min studio tour. Go back to the other side of Hollywood Hills and star spot along Hollywood Boulevard. Drop down to Sunset Boulevard then on to Sunset Strip. A little more walking and you’re on glitzy Rodeo Drive. | Because it’s so cheap to drive in the USA (and because of the lack of public transport) we’ve used car hire as a means of travel, however, this tour is a good alternative. | |||
| 3 | 🚗Los Angeles to Las Vegas drive (Hire car >) | Dep: 10:00 | Arr: 14:30 | 🏨Bally’s (Book >) | All hotels > |
| As soon as you arrive in Vegas hit the Strip, making sure to not miss the spectacular Venetian and Caesars Palace. Treasure Island’s TI: Sirens show is free to watch with performances from 17:30. | We recommend leaving Los Angeles after 10:00 to miss rush hour. | ||||
| 4 | Take a day trip to the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam. If you haven’t already done so then see the fountains outside the Bellagio. | Because the Strip is four miles long you may want to take a taxi to/from Downtown Las Vegas. | |||
| 5 | 🚗Las Vegas to Death Valley drive | Dep: 09:30 | Arr: 12:00 | 🏨Cynthia’s (Book >) | All hotels > |
| You may want to hide from the sun for a few more hours. When you’re ready to get going then drive on to Rainbow Canyon, Badwater Basin and Artists Drive. Hike Golden Canyon when the day starts to cool down. | Death Valley was named by a group of pioneers who got lost here in 1849-50. All but one of them made it out. | ||||
| 6 | 🚗Death Valley to Sequoia National Park drive | Dep: 08:00 | Arr: 13:00 | 🏨Upper Peppermint campground (Details >) | All hotels > |
| Drive around the Sierra Nevada Mountains and in to Sequoia National Park. Walk through the Giant Forest and be entirely dwarfed by the immense General Sherman tree. | It isn’t possible to reserve the campground, but other options are available nearby if full. | ||||
| 7 | 🚗Sequoia National Park to Yosemite drive | Dep: 08:00 | Arr: 19:00 | 🏨North Pines campground (Book >) |
All hostels > |
| En route to Yosemite stop off at King’s Canyon to see the sequoia trees in Redwood Canyon. | Watch out for undertaking in the USA, which is perfectly legal here. | ||||
| 8 | A full day to explore Yosemite Valley, including the Mist Trail, Bridalveil Falls, El Capitan, Vernal Falls, Yosemite Falls and Glacier Point. | Book your accommodation for this USA itinerary a long way in advance. | |||
| 9 | 🚗Yosemite to Lake Tahoe drive | Dep: 08:00 | Arr: 16:00 | 🏨Mellow Mountain Hostel (Book >) |
All hostels > |
| The drive today is stupendous. You’ll start off in Yosemite, see magnificent forests and massive mountains, ending up on the shores of beautiful Lake Tahoe. | Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to stop along the way (actual journey is min 4.5hrs). | ||||
| 11 | 🚗Lake Tahoe to San Francisco drive | Dep: 08:00 | Arr: 16:30 | 🏨Pacific Tradewinds Hostel (Book >) | All hostels > |
| Stop off in Napa Valley on the way to San Francisco (the timings above allow for roughly 4 hours in the valley). | San Francisco can get cold even during the summer. | ||||
| 12-13 | Explore PIER 39 and the Maritime National Park, looking out for sea lions as you go. Shop in Union Square, enjoy lunch in Chinatown then embark on a tour to Alcatraz, combined with a boat trip beneath the Golden Gate Bridge. | Tours for Alcatraz can book up weeks ahead and so try to reserve in advance. | |||
| 13 | ✈San Francisco to home (Book >) | Dep: Afternoon | Arr: Afternoon (next day) | Connect this USA (California and Nevada) itinerary with the Western Canada or Eastern USA itinerary | |
| You’ll have most of today to get to any places you didn’t manage to see on days 11 and 12. | |||||
A Plan To Go 