USA Roadtrip and Discovering the American West
📋 Key points to remember: The classic American West road trip covers 3,500 km in a loop starting from Las Vegas. Star itinerary: Las Vegas → Grand Canyon → Monument Valley → Antelope Canyon → Bryce Canyon → Zion → Death Valley → back to Vegas. Allow 12-15 days minimum. Average budget: €1,800-2,500 per person (flight + car + hotels + parks). Ideal season: April-May and September-October.
When people talk to me about road trips in the United States, I have several in mind.
Many of these trips are classics such as:
- Road trip on the East Coast: Washington – Philadelphia, New York and a stop at Niagara Falls with possibilities to visit Canada (Toronto) and for the more adventurous, add Montreal.
- Road trip on the West Coast: San Francisco, Death Valley, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon (with a tour to Bryce Canyon and Antelope Valley for landscape fans), Los Angeles and San Diego and for the wildest, take a trip to Tijuana at the Mexican border. This is one of the road trips I have partially done.
- The Roadtrip of the famous Route 66 from East to West or vice versa.
- You can also do the tour of the Hawaiian Islands archipelago. There is a mix of volcanoes, mountainous landscapes, and beaches, you can even go diving. I personally visited “Big Island”, Maui and Oahu. You can do mini road trips of 1 to 3 days or day excursions by car on each of these islands if you wish.
There are other places where it is possible to travel, for example, the tour of the Great American Lakes (road trip from Wisconsin to Ohio) or a road trip in Florida (Miami, Everglades, Tampa, Orlando and visiting the beaches along Florida).
You understand, you have a lot of choices if you want to do road trips in the USA. The most frequent remain those of the West and East Coasts.
How to get around in the USA for your road trip?
- By car:
There are many companies where you can rent your car but what you need to know is that if you are under 25 years old, you will likely have additional rental fees.
Driving is different in the United States but it remains easy. There are fees if you leave the car in a different city from where you took it.
Cars are automatic and the speedometer is in miles, that is 1 mile = 1.6 kilometers.- By bus:
If you don’t have a license, it is not a problem. There are bus companies (Greyhound or Coachusa, etc.) that take you to every major city.
🌍 Did you know?
The Grand Canyon is 446 km long, 16 to 29 km wide and more than 1,800 m deep. It was formed over 6 million years by erosion from the Colorado River. A visit to the south rim (the most visited, 90% of tourists) is enough. The north rim is only open from May to October (road closed due to snow the rest of the year).
On the other hand, if you go to a national park, public transportation usually does not go there, so you will just need to take day excursions.
I took a day excursion from Las Vegas to go to the Grand Canyon, for example; the day is long but it was not too expensive, although the travel times are long.
- By plane:
There are many airlines in the USA with fairly low prices, but you need to book at least a week in advance to get a good price (under 100 euros).
I took the low-cost airline “Spirit Airlines” to fly from Portland (Oregon) to Las Vegas for less than 100 euros or from San Diego to Cancun for 100 euros.
To travel from island to island in Hawaii, I even took small 10-person planes.
Where to stay for your road trip?
🗣️ My experience: My most memorable moment: Antelope Canyon Upper, at noon in June, under the beam of light that passes through the canyon’s slit. You descend 30 meters underground, into this red-orange ‘sculpture’ shaped by flash floods. The mandatory guided tour lasts 60 minutes ($45 per person). Book 2-3 months in advance during high season. It is the most photographed of the American slot canyons.
- Hotel or Motel:
If you are 3 or a couple, this option may seem more economical and it allows you to stay within your group and have your own privacy. Budget between 30 and 50 euros per night.
- Youth hostel:
When you travel alone, the best is to go to a youth hostel, you can always meet other travelers. I met several travelers in youth hostels who had cars, which allowed me to visit the Hawaiian islands more easily. Budget: between 20 and 30 euros per night.
| Step | Previous distance | Recommended duration |
|---|---|---|
| Las Vegas | Departure | 1 day (Strip + desert) |
| Grand Canyon (south rim) | 400 km / 4 h | 1-2 days |
| Monument Valley | 320 km / 4 h | 1 day |
| Antelope Canyon + Horseshoe Bend | 200 km / 2 h | 1 day |
| Bryce Canyon | 250 km / 3 h | 1 day |
| Zion National Park | 140 km / 1h30 | 1-2 days |
| Death Valley | 500 km / 5 h | 1 day |
| Return to Las Vegas | 200 km / 2 h | – |
- Airbnb, homestay option:
If you want to have your own place, this is the ideal solution for you. However, prices can be quite high but you can find good deals.
My opinion on my Roadtrips:
I took three different trips in the USA which I will explain to you.- 15 days: route through 3 major cities (Chicago, San Francisco, Portland)
I took the plane to go to each of these cities and stayed with friends each time. Chicago has wonderful architecture. San Francisco is a city you absolutely must visit.
🍀 West USA Road Trip
- 5 iconic national parks
- Total freedom with the vehicle
- Unique landscapes in the world
- Round-trip flight Paris-LAX/LAS from 600 €
🔻 Limits
- Long distances between stops
- High cost (USA is expensive)
- Extreme crowds in July-August
- Interior lodge bookings 6-12 months in advance
- 18 days: Big Island, Maui and Oahu on the Hawaiian archipelago
The budget for Hawaii is higher than other road trips because you need to rent a car to get around or find people who have a car. Life and prices are higher than on the mainland, but in terms of change of scenery, it is guaranteed; there are beautiful volcanoes and lovely beaches, somewhat like Reunion Island.
Each island has its own charm and type of tourists, and that is what makes it charming.
- 2 weeks: Vancouver (Canada) bus to Seattle -> flight to Las Vegas, Grand Canyon Roadtrip, Los Angeles and San Diego
I used the bus as the main means of transport; buses are very economical and for some destinations, it is not a disadvantage. Less than 20 euros for Vancouver to Seattle or Los Angeles to San Diego.
Accommodation in Los Angeles is a bit expensive compared to other cities.
⚠️ Classic trap
Attempting a road trip in the middle of July-August. Death Valley = 50°C, Grand Canyon = 35°C on the surface but 45°C at the bottom, and all lodges are full at prices x3. Prefer April-May (parks accessible, wildflowers) or September-October (autumn colors, perfect temperatures).
I took a day trip to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas for 110 euros. I slept most of the trip (5 hours each way) because we had partied the night before.
If you want to travel to the USA for less than 1500 euros, here are my tips.
Other information:
To travel to the USA, you need to fill out an ESTA form. If you arrive by road through Canada or Mexico, you do not need an ESTA.
Be careful because the tourist visa only lasts 90 days. If you enter through the USA and spend a month in Canada, you need to check if you have a new 90-day visa; this is not always the case unless you can prove a return ticket, in which case immigration will be less strict.
To extend the USA trip, what to do in Yellowstone covers another major national park. USA travel tips provides practical information (ESTA, car rental). And USA under 1,500 € offers a budget version.
If you are traveling for more than 90 days and/or wish to benefit from insurance or do not have a Premier Visa card, please take a look at this article on travel insurance.
Hospitalization costs in the USA can rise very quickly and the credit card does not cover everything.
