The Ultimate American Grand Tour: Coast to Coast in 14 Days
From New York's skyline to the California coast, through jazz towns, canyon country, and the Las Vegas Strip
Trip Overview
Two weeks. Five regions. This is the American road trip refined—domestic flights doing what no car could manage. You'll catch the electric pulse of New York City, walk the marble halls of Washington DC, devour excellent united states food in New Orleans, stand slack-jawed at the Grand Canyon's rim, roll through the surreal neon of Las Vegas, and finish with Pacific sunsets in Los Angeles. The pace is moderate—never rushed, never lazy. Long mornings. Leisurely lunches. Evenings that stretch past midnight when the city demands it. Expect an easy mix of well-known landmarks, neighborhood dives, and spontaneous discoveries—the kind that only happen when you let a great city pull you in. Domestic flights stitch together what geography makes impossible to drive. The united states weather varies wildly by region, so layered packing is essential. Every traveler type—from first-timers to returning adventurers—will find something unmissable on this route.
Pace
Moderate
Daily Budget
$220-380 per day (excluding flights)
Best Seasons
March–May and September–November give you the widest regional comfort. New Orleans in spring—perfect. Grand Canyon in fall—ideal. NYC? Anytime.
Ideal For
First-time visitors to the USA, Adventure seekers, Foodies, History buffs, Couples, Solo travelers
Day-by-Day Itinerary
1
Arrival & Manhattan Immersion
New York City, New York
Touch down in New York. Head straight for Midtown, the High Line, and Chelsea—the city's real pulse. Save your first proper New York dinner for the Meatpacking District.
Morning
Arrive JFK or Newark; check in and walk the High Line
Skip the $70 JFK cab. Take the AirTrain and subway from JFK (around $9.50 total) or a rideshare from Newark ($40-55). Check into your Midtown or Chelsea hotel, dump the bags, and hit the High Line straight off. Start the 1.45-mile elevated park at Gansevoort Street and walk north to Hudson Yards. You'll get unobstructed Hudson River views, rotating public art, and a living snapshot of the city's creative reinvention. Mid-morning light is best—photographers already know.
Lunch
Shake Shack at Madison Square Park (original location, 23rd St & Madison Ave)
Afternoon
Central Park and the Upper West Side
Skip the tour buses. Take the subway north to 59th Street and slip into Central Park at Merchants' Gate—no ticket required. Sheep Meadow spreads wide in front of you. Bethesda Fountain splashes ahead. Belvedere Castle crowns the ridge with 360-degree views that'll make you stop walking. The park covers 843 acres and rewards anyone who slows down. Exit on the Upper West Side around 72nd Street. Riverside Drive curves along the river. Amsterdam Avenue lines up independent bookshops and specialty food stores you'll want to browse.
Evening
Dinner and rooftop cocktails in the Meatpacking District
The Spotted Pig (314 W 11th St) nails gastropub classics—go there first. Then climb to Le Bain atop The Standard Hotel for one of the best free-access views of the Hudson. Cover charge varies; arrive before 10pm to avoid lines.
Where to Stay Tonight
Chelsea or Midtown West, Manhattan (Pick the boutique hotel or the well-rated mid-range chain—Kimpton Ink48, Pod 51, or citizenM New York Times Square.)
You're parked in the center—High Line, Midtown, subway access all within a ten-minute walk for the next two days.
$34. One swipe. Done. Grab a 7-day unlimited MetroCard at any subway station—after four rides it has already paid for itself and every transportation headache in the city disappears.
Day 1 Budget: $220-280 (hotel, food, transport, no attractions)
2
Brooklyn, Brooklyn Bridge & the Art of New York
New York City, New York
Cross the Brooklyn Bridge on foot—early morning, before the crowds. Eat your way through DUMBO and Williamsburg—pizza, bagels, coffee worth the wait. Spend the afternoon at MoMA. Then catch a Broadway show.
Morning
Walk the Brooklyn Bridge and explore DUMBO
Beat the crowds—enter the Brooklyn Bridge pedestrian walkway from Park Row on the Manhattan side before 9am. The mile-long walk takes 30 minutes. You'll get the most photographed view in New York: bridge cables framing lower Manhattan. Pure payoff.
Step off in DUMBO (Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass). Cobblestone streets. Empire State Building well framed at Washington and Water Streets—Instagram gold every time. Grab coffee at Brooklyn Roasting Company. Fuel up.
Lunch
Grimaldi's Pizzeria (1 Front St, Brooklyn) — coal-fired Neapolitan pizza institution since 1990
Afternoon
MoMA — Museum of Modern Art
Ride the F train back to Manhattan—three hours at MoMA (11 W 53rd St, Midtown) is enough. You'll see Monet's Water Lilies, van Gogh's Starry Night, Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon, and Warhol's Campbell's Soup Cans in the permanent collection. The building itself is architecturally impressive. Admission is $30 for adults. The fifth-floor galleries house the strongest concentration of masterworks—start there and work downward.
Buy tickets online at moma.org. You'll skip the box office line—important on weekends.
Evening
Broadway or off-Broadway show
TKTS discount tickets hit 50% off same-day, and the digital board at the booth—47th St and Broadway in Times Square—updates all day with what's available. Arrive by 3pm. You'll get the best evening selection then.
Post-show, head to the Theater District's restaurant row. That's 46th St between 8th and 9th Ave. Pre- and post-theater dining fills the strip. Try Becco for Italian prix fixe at $32.95.
Where to Stay Tonight
Chelsea or Midtown West, Manhattan (Same hotel as Day 1)
No movement needed—central base for the full NYC segment
The Staten Island Ferry (Whitehall Terminal, South Ferry) runs 24 hours and is completely free—it passes directly by the Statue of Liberty for a spectacular close-up view without the admission cost.
Day 2 Budget: $250-340 (hotel, food, MoMA, Broadway show)
3
Lady Liberty, the Lower East Side & One World Trade
New York City, New York
Beat the crowds—do the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island before lunch. Then chew your way through New York's legendary delis and food markets. Finish with the elevator ride to the top of One World Trade Center.
Morning
Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island
The 8:30am ferry from Battery Park beats the school-bus stampede. You'll hit Ellis Island and Liberty Island in one clean loop. At the statue, the grounds ticket ($24) buys the base and museum; spring for the pedestal ticket ($30) and you'll stare down Manhattan from 154 feet. Ellis Island's immigration museum punches hard—the Great Hall processed 12 million souls between 1892 and 1954, and the echo still travels.
Same-day tickets to the Statue of Liberty? Gone by 7am. Book two weeks out at statuecruises.com—don't risk it.
Lunch
Katz's Delicatessen (205 E Houston St, Lower East Side) — the most famous Jewish deli in America, open since 1888. The pastrami on rye is a genuine New York pilgrimage.
Afternoon
One World Trade Center Observatory (One WTC)
47 seconds. That is all it takes for the elevator to rocket to the 102nd-floor observatory at One World Trade Center while its walls screen 500 years of New York history. From 1,776 feet you can see five states on a clear day: Manhattan, the Hudson, Long Island, New Jersey, and Connecticut. The ride doubles as a quiet memorial to what happened here. Pair it with a free walk around the 9/11 Memorial pools where 2,977 names are cut into bronze.
Skip the line—book at oneworldobservatory.com and you'll shave up to 30 minutes off the wait.
Evening
Farewell NYC dinner and departure prep
110 years of smoked fish, bagels, borscht—dinner at Russ & Daughters Cafe, 127 Orchard St, Lower East Side. Arrive at 6pm sharp. Pack after, then catch tomorrow’s Amtrak to Washington DC. The Acela leaves Penn Station; book seats tonight.
Where to Stay Tonight
Midtown West, Manhattan (Same hotel as Days 1-2)
Final night in NYC before Amtrak south to Washington DC in the morning
2h45m. That's all the Amtrak Acela needs from Penn Station to Union Station DC—city-center to city-center, no airport shuffle. Forget the cattle-call boarding, the belt-to-shoe strip-down, the 45-minute cab ride from Dulles. This train rolls straight into the heart of both cities, and you'll still have legroom when you get there.
Book early at amtrak.com. The quiet car? quiet.
Day 3 Budget: $280-360 (hotel, food, Liberty tickets, One WTC)
4
Power, Marble & Monuments — Washington DC
Washington DC
Roll straight into Washington, DC on Amtrak, then pound the entire National Mall from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial—no shortcuts. The two greatest free museums on earth sit right there, waiting.
Morning
National Mall monuments walk
10am arrival on the Acela at Union Station—perfect timing. Dump bags at the station's bag check ($6/bag), then walk 15 minutes to the Capitol. The National Mall runs two miles west from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial—one straight civic spine flanked by reflecting pools, obelisks, and memorials. Head west past the Washington Monument (free timed entry passes available same-day at the monument), the WWII Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (profoundly moving), and the Korean War Veterans Memorial. The Lincoln Memorial is an essential pilgrimage.
Washington Monument timed passes drop at 9am sharp at the monument's lodge—show up by 8:45am or you'll miss the midday ascent.
Lunch
Old Ebbitt Grill (675 15th St NW, near the White House) — DC's oldest saloon, opened in 1856. The raw bar is exceptional; the club sandwich is a benchmark.
Afternoon
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and National Gallery of Art
Both museums sit on the National Mall and are free. The Natural History Museum houses the 45.52-carat Hope Diamond—third floor—a life-size blue whale, and one of the world's best dinosaur halls. Next door, the National Gallery's East Building holds Matisse's monumental The Knife Thrower and a defining collection of 20th-century American art. The West Building's Dutch Masters and French Impressionists are excellent. Budget 90 minutes per museum—more if art absorbs you.
Evening
Georgetown dinner and evening walk
Skip the cab—check into your hotel in Dupont Circle or Georgetown, then walk straight to Founding Farmers (1924 Pennsylvania Ave NW) for farm-to-table American cooking in a lively, unpretentious setting. The place buzzes. Post-dinner, Georgetown's C Street delivers the goods—cocktail bars line the block, and The Tombs (below 1789 Restaurant) remains a beloved Georgetown institution.
Where to Stay Tonight
Dupont Circle or Georgetown (The Dupont Circle Hotel or Georgetown Inn — both well-positioned boutique properties)
Dupont Circle puts you on foot to Embassy Row, Adams Morgan, and the Metro. Georgetown gives you cobblestone charm and direct waterfront access.
The DC Circulator bus ($1 flat fare) beats the Metro for National Mall navigation—it's faster, cheaper than rideshares, and runs the Georgetown to Union Station route without the subway hassle.
Day 4 Budget: $230-300 (hotel, food, train from NYC ~$80-150 separate)
5
Democracy, Diplomacy & the National Portrait Gallery
Washington DC
Capitol Hill's restaurant scene has revived—sharply. Tour the Capitol and Library of Congress in the morning, spend the afternoon at the National Portrait Gallery, and enjoy Capitol Hill's revitalized restaurant scene.
Morning
United States Capitol Building tour
The Capitol Visitor Center (beneath the Capitol's East Lawn) runs free guided tours—no charge, zero. You'll hit the Crypt, the Rotunda, and National Statuary Hall, the old House chamber where every state has parked two bronze statues of its favorite sons and daughters. The Rotunda's 180-foot dome and Constantino Brumidi's fresco The Apotheosis of Washington justify setting your alarm. Done? Walk east to the Library of Congress (Jefferson Building), the planet's biggest library—the Great Hall's marble and mosaics are flat-out extraordinary.
You'll need to book Capitol tours at least two weeks ahead—do it through your congressional rep at visitthecapitol.gov. No shortcuts. Walk-in access to the Visitor Center still works, but you'll skip the rotunda tour.
Lunch
Ambar Capitol Hill (523 8th St SE) — Balkan small plates and a notable all-you-can-eat lunch deal on weekdays. An underrated good spot in DC's best-kept neighborhood.
Afternoon
National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum
The Smithsonian's double museum at 8th and F Streets NW holds the only complete collection of presidential portraits outside the White House. Barack Obama's Kehinde Wiley portrait and Michelle Obama's Amy Sherald portrait are contemporary masterpieces—genuine, not hype. Next door, the American Art Museum contains the Lunder Conservation Center, a glass-walled lab where you can watch restorers work on art in real time. Norman Foster's Kogod Courtyard atrium is an architectural show-stopper and the perfect place to collapse for ten quiet minutes.
Evening
Fly to New Orleans — evening arrival
Hop the Metro Silver or Blue line straight to Reagan National Airport (DCA). Two hours later you’re landing at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International. Evening hops on American, Delta, and Southwest cost $90-200 if you book ahead. Touch down in NOLA by 9-10pm, drop bags in the French Quarter, and hit Bourbon Street—five minutes of neon confusion equals instant orientation.
Where to Stay Tonight
French Quarter or Marigny, New Orleans (Hotel Monteleone (historic, well-known) or Soniat House (intimate boutique) — both in the French Quarter)
You won't need a car. The French Quarter is the cultural and culinary epicenter; walking access to everything eliminates the need for transport in a city best explored on foot.
Skip the checked bag—New Orleans humidity will punish you. Pack light for the flight to New Orleans — the city's humidity is serious, and you'll want fresh clothes. Linen and moisture-wicking fabrics are the local dress code from April through October.
Day 5 Budget: $250-330 (hotel, food, flight ~$100-200 separate)
6
Jazz, Gumbo & the Soul of New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
Skip the tours—French Quarter history lives in the iron balconies above you, the gas lamps flickering since 1794. Eat the best united states food you've tasted: gumbo that'll ruin you for all others, beignets at 2 a.m. because you can't stop. Then walk to Frenchmen Street where the horns never quit—live music carries you past midnight, brass so loud your chest vibrates.
Morning
French Quarter walking tour and Café Du Monde
Beignets and café au lait at Café Du Monde (800 Decatur St) — they've served this combo since 1862. The open-air café sits right on the river. Total chaos at 8 a.m. Worth it.
Walk the Mississippi levee to Moon Walk promenade. Then cut into the French Quarter's interior. Jackson Square and St. Louis Cathedral anchor everything — oldest continuously operating cathedral in the US. The Historic Voodoo Museum (724 Dumaine St, $7) feels atmospheric. Dark. Smells like old herbs.
Royal Street next. Antique galleries line both sides. Best street musicians in the Quarter — sax, washboard, trumpet. They play for tips.
Lunch
Red beans and rice and fried chicken—definitive versions. Dooky Chase's Restaurant (2301 Orleans Ave, Tremé) has fed every US president since LBJ. Leah Chase's legendary Creole restaurant.
Afternoon
Garden District walking tour and Lafayette Cemetery
Hop on the St. Charles Avenue streetcar ($1.25) at Canal Street and ride uptown to the Garden District — one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in the United States. Greek Revival and Italianate mansions line the streets, shaded by centuries-old live oak trees draped in Spanish moss. Walk past Commander's Palace Restaurant's exterior on Washington Avenue (you'll dine here tomorrow), then enter Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 (free). New Orleans' above-ground tomb culture — necessitated by the water table — creates a city of the dead more haunting than any Gothic novel.
Evening
Frenchmen Street live jazz crawl
Skip Bourbon Street. The real New Orleans evening starts in the Marigny. You'll walk—yes, walk—between three clubs on Frenchmen Street, no rideshare needed. The Spotted Cat Music Club, the Blue Nook, and Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro sit within stumbling distance. Cover charges? $0-15 total. That's it.
Eat first. Bacchanal Wine (600 Poland Ave) masquerades as a wine shop but hides a backyard music venue behind it. Their small plates—exceptional ones—keep coming until midnight. Locals know this. You should too.
Frenchmen Street peaks between 10pm and 2am. That's when the horns hit their stride, when the crowds thicken, when the city shows why it invented American music.
Where to Stay Tonight
French Quarter or Marigny (Hotel Monteleone or Soniat House (same as arrival))
Frenchmen Street is close enough to walk. Skip the late-night Uber. Keep the night loose.
Hurricane cocktails at Pat O'Brien's (718 St Peter St) are tourist tradition—but locals won't touch them. The real drink is the Sazerac: rye whiskey, Peychaud's bitters, absinthe rinse, sugar cube. The Sazerac Bar at The Roosevelt Hotel (123 Baronne St) serves the best one on earth.
Day 6 Budget: $200-280 (hotel, food, entertainment)
7
Creole Brunch, Bayou & Bourbon Street's Other Side
New Orleans, Louisiana
Swamp first. Brunch later. Commander's Palace rolls out its legendary spread—then you'll hit the bayou by skiff, all afternoon, before slipping into the French Quarter's quieter cultural corners after dark.
Morning
Jazz brunch at Commander's Palace
$55-75 buys you the jazz brunch (11am) at Commander's Palace (1403 Washington Ave) — the same teal Victorian in the Garden District that trained Emeril Lagasse and Paul Prudhomme and still sets the bar for every New Orleans restaurant. Live jazz, turtle soup, bread pudding soufflé, Creole service that never misses. Arrival feels like the main event.
Brunch at Commander's Palace is brutal. You'll need to hit commanderspalace.com three weeks out—minimum—for a weekend slot. Hardest table in New Orleans.
Lunch
Skip dinner. Commander's brunch is built to last until dusk. Grab a Muffuletta at Central Grocery, 923 Decatur St, and eat it on the river steps—perfect.
Afternoon
Swamp and bayou boat tour
Ninety minutes. That's all it takes to leave New Orleans behind and enter another planet.
Join a guided airboat or flat-bottom boat tour departing from the outskirts of New Orleans into the Atchafalaya Basin or Lake Martin. Tours leave Jean Lafitte National Park (Barataria Preserve) about 25 miles south. You'll glide through bald cypress forests draped in Spanish moss, spot alligators basking on logs, turtles stacked on branches, and great blue herons hunting the shallows. This 90-minute experience is one of the most otherworldly ecosystems accessible from any American city. Cajun Pride Swamp Tours ($25/person) departs from Krauss, Louisiana.
Afternoon light is softer—better for photos. Cajun Pride Swamp Tours and Airboat Adventures both run morning and afternoon departures; the later slots give you that glow.
Evening
Cocktail culture and farewell dinner in the Quarter
Circle back to the French Quarter for your last New Orleans night. Cure (4905 Freret St) pours the cocktails—voted one of America's 50 best bars, a serious craft cocktail bar in an Uptown neighborhood locals adore. Cochon (930 Tchoupitoulas St) handles dinner—Donald Link's pork-focused temple to Cajun cuisine. The house-made charcuterie and boudin define southern Louisiana cooking. Call 504-588-2123 and book ahead.
Where to Stay Tonight
French Quarter (Same hotel)
Final night before early flight to Phoenix tomorrow
New Orleans owns the best united states restaurants per capita of any American city. Period. Order one more thing—just one—and make it a bowl of gumbo z'herbes from Dooky Chase's or a cup of dark roast chicory coffee at Café Du Monde at midnight. The city never quite sleeps.
Day 7 Budget: $220-300 (hotel, brunch, swamp tour, dinner)
8
Into the Southwest — Phoenix & Scottsdale
Phoenix / Scottsdale, Arizona
Fly from New Orleans to the Sonoran Desert. Hit Scottsdale's architecture and art hard. Then drop into the cowboy-cool rhythm of the Southwest.
Morning
Morning flight to Phoenix Sky Harbor
Book early and American Airlines or Southwest will fly you New Orleans to Phoenix in 2h45m for $80-180. Land by noon. Grab your rental at Phoenix Sky Harbor — you can't do Arizona without wheels. Ten miles northeast, Scottsdale arrives fast. Saguaros, rocky buttes, the Santa Catalina Mountains — the Sonoran Desert doesn't wait. Check in, then give yourself 20 minutes. Dry air, deep breath. You're set.
Lock in your rental car 3-4 weeks ahead at Phoenix Sky Harbor. Weekend and holiday prices explode when you book the same week.
Lunch
The Mission (3815 N Brown Ave, Old Town Scottsdale) — modern Latin-American with exceptional tacos and a tequila list that exemplifies Southwest dining culture.
Afternoon
Old Town Scottsdale and Taliesin West
Old Town Scottsdale's art district (5th Avenue and Main Street) packs the Southwest's best Native American galleries and jewelry shops—Heard Museum's satellite store sells authenticated work. Drive north to Taliesin West (12621 N Frank Lloyd Wright Blvd), Frank Lloyd Wright's winter home and architectural school, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The 90-minute guided tour ($22-35) shows how Wright pulled every line and material from the Sonoran Desert's geometry. It remains an astonishing, living building.
Book Taliesin West tours at franklloydwright.org — the Insights Tour delivers the best 90-minute introduction.
Evening
Desert sunset and Scottsdale steakhouse
Skip the guidebook. South Mountain Park (10919 S Central Ave) delivers Phoenix's best sunset—drive up, watch the sky bleed violet and orange across the valley while the day's heat finally breaks. After dark, you've got two moves. Mastro's City Hall Steakhouse (6991 E Camelback Rd) serves the definitive Arizona beef experience—dry-aged, charred, worth every dollar. Or pivot to Kazimierz World Wine Bar (7137 E Stetson Dr) for a relaxed night with excellent small plates and a wine list that doesn't mess around.
Where to Stay Tonight
Old Town Scottsdale (Hotel Valley Ho (5401 N Scottsdale Rd) — a 1956 mid-century modern hotel, beautifully restored, with one of Arizona's best pools.)
Old Town's restaurants and galleries sit one block away. You won't need a car. Wake up, hit the excellent pool, then start the Grand Canyon drive—fresh legs, clear head.
The Southwest's united states weather flips fast—pack sunscreen rated 50+, a hat, and one liter of water minimum per hour of outdoor activity. The Sonoran Desert air is so dry you won't notice you're dehydrating until a headache hits.
Day 8 Budget: $250-350 (hotel, car rental, Taliesin, food)
9
The Grand Canyon — Earth's Greatest Show
Grand Canyon South Rim, Arizona
Head north to the Grand Canyon, hike the South Rim Trail, drop into the Bright Angel Trail, and catch the planet's most impressive sunset.
Morning
Drive from Scottsdale to Grand Canyon South Rim
Leave Scottsdale by 7am. The drive north on I-17 and US-89 spans 230 miles and 3.5 hours—long, but the approach through Williams and Tusayan on AZ-64 pays off. Pine forest builds anticipation. Then the canyon erupts into view.
Stop at Desert View Watchtower first. Mary Colter's 1932 stone tower sits at the eastern rim—$35 per vehicle covers your park entrance all week. The views here will wreck your expectations. The canyon measures 18 miles wide, 277 miles long, one mile deep. No photograph prepares you. No screen comes close.
Book El Tovar Hotel—the 1905 lodge on the Grand Canyon South Rim—13+ months early; rim-facing rooms vanish fast at xanterra.com. Bright Angel Lodge fills just as quick. The South Rim stays open year-round, so lock dates now.
Lunch
Arizona Room at Bright Angel Lodge (South Rim) — dependable Southwestern cooking directly on the canyon's edge. The view is the main event.
Afternoon
Bright Angel Trail descent and Rim Trail walk
The Bright Angel Trail descends from the South Rim trailhead at Bright Angel Lodge. Hike down 1.5 miles to the first rest house (water available May-September) and back — this 3-mile round trip drops 1,131 feet and is one of the most extraordinary short hikes on earth. The canyon walls reveal 1.8 billion years of geological strata, each layer a different color and epoch. Return to the rim and walk east on the Rim Trail toward Yavapai Point for afternoon light hitting the canyon's interior temples and mesas.
The NPS recommends drinking one liter per hour in summer. Carry at least 2 liters of water per person for the Bright Angel descent—anything less is asking for trouble. Never hike to the Colorado River and back in one day without overnight training. You'll regret it.
Evening
Grand Canyon sunset at Hopi Point
The free Hermit Road Shuttle drops you at Hopi Point—Grand Canyon's most celebrated sunset perch. You'll watch 35 minutes of pure theatre: orange flares, then red, purple, violet. The canyon becomes a light show most cities can't match. Phone 928-638-2631 and book a rim-view table at El Tovar Dining Room. Dinner arrives as the last light slips from the upper walls.
Where to Stay Tonight
Grand Canyon Village, South Rim (Bright Angel Lodge has rustic cabins. El Tovar Hotel is historic. Both sit right on the rim—pick your poison.)
Stay on the rim. You'll catch sunset and sunrise over the canyon without leaving your bed—no day-tripper gets that double show.
Altitude fatigue hits hard at the Grand Canyon's South Rim—6,860 feet is no joke. Many visitors feel it. Drink twice your normal water intake on arrival day. Take the hiking slowly. Don't underestimate the canyon's scale. Even experienced hikers get humbled here.
Day 9 Budget: $200-280 (park fee, hotel, food, no additional costs)
10
Sedona's Red Rocks & Cathedral Rock at Sunset
Sedona, Arizona
Head south from the Grand Canyon, drop into Oak Creek Canyon, and you'll hit Sedona's red rock moonscape in 90 minutes flat. Hike Cathedral Rock before dusk—then watch one of the Southwest's most dramatic sunsets bleed across the spires.
Morning
Dawn at Grand Canyon, then drive to Sedona via Oak Creek Canyon
Mather Point at sunrise—five minutes from any South Rim hotel—delivers the canyon's secret palette. Morning light climbs from the bottom up, exposing colors you'll never see at noon. Point made.
Drive south on AZ-89A through Oak Creek Canyon. Sixteen miles of red rock highway drop through ponderosa pine and cottonwood to Sedona. This stretch ranks among Arizona's finest drives—period. Pull over at Slide Rock State Park ($30/vehicle). Oak Creek has sliced a natural water slide through red sandstone. Bring a towel.
Lunch
The Hudson (Tlaquepaque Arts Village, 336 AZ-179, Sedona) — New American cooking that punches above its weight. The setting? A Mexican colonial shopping village with a courtyard fountain. Beautiful.
Afternoon
Cathedral Rock Trail and Red Rock State Park
Cathedral Rock (Yavapai County trailhead off Back O' Beyond Road) dominates Instagram feeds as the most photographed butte formation in the American Southwest. The 1.5-mile trail climbs 742 feet—expect hands-and-feet scrambling near the summit. From the top you'll see Courthouse Butte, Bell Rock, and the entire Verde Valley spread below. Don't forget the Red Rock Pass ($5/vehicle/day) required at all trailheads. Too steep? Bell Rock Trail offers moderate terrain—1.5 miles round trip—delivering spectacular formations with minimal elevation gain.
The Cathedral Rock trailhead parking fills by 8am on weekends—every single one. Park at the Back O' Beyond Road pullout instead. Walk the brief trail approach.
Evening
Sunset at Airport Mesa and Southwest dinner
Airport Mesa Vortex overlook (Airport Road) gives you 360-degree panoramic sunset over the entire red rock formation ring — Sedona's easiest and most dramatic viewpoint. The climb is short. The payoff is massive.
Elote Cafe (771 AZ-179, Hotel Poco Diablo) serves Rick Bayless-inspired Mexican cuisine that has earned cult status in Sedona. The elote appetizer — roasted corn with chili mayo and cotija cheese — is transformative. You'll order seconds.
Where to Stay Tonight
Uptown Sedona or Village of Oak Creek (L'Auberge de Sedona—luxury creek-side—or Amara Resort and Spa, mid-range with a strong pool.)
Sedona's tiny. Location barely matters—pick any central hotel and you're 10 minutes from every major trailhead.
Locals swear Sedona's 'vortex' sites—Bell Rock, Cathedral Rock, Boynton Canyon, Airport Mesa—pump out metaphysical juice. Believe it or don't. The rock formations remain extraordinary. The environment feels unlike anywhere else in the United States.
Day 10 Budget: $220-300 (hotel, food, park fees)
11
Vegas Bound — The Drive That Prepares You
Las Vegas, Nevada
Head west across the Mojave Desert. You'll hit Las Vegas by afternoon—perfect timing. Walk the Strip first. Check into your casino hotel. Let the full spectacle wash over you.
Morning
Drive from Sedona to Las Vegas via I-40 West
Four hours. 290 miles. Sedona to Las Vegas—done right, this drive is a masterclass in desert drama. You'll cross the high desert of northwestern Arizona before dropping into Nevada through the Valley of Fire region.
Take I-17 north to I-40 west, then US-93 north through Kingman and Boulder City. One mandatory stop: the Hoover Dam overlook on US-93. Just 15 minutes off the highway, this New Deal engineering marvel stands 726 feet tall, completed 1935. View it from the highway bridge for free—or go deeper at the visitor center for $15.
Lunch
In-N-Out Burger (multiple locations on the Vegas Strip and surrounding area) — the California-Nevada fast food cult institution with a secret menu. Order a Double-Double Animal Style.
Afternoon
Check in to casino hotel and walk the Strip
Las Vegas Blvd South packs 4.2 miles of pure overload—the planet's thickest concentration of hotels, casinos, restaurants, and shows. Walking the Strip from Mandalay Bay to the Stratosphere clocks 90 minutes if you march, or burns an entire day once you start ducking in. The Bellagio fountains—free, every 15-30 minutes until midnight—the Venetian's indoor canal, and the Mirage's volcano eruption (9pm and 10pm nightly) are the three best free shows on the Strip.
Evening
Dinner at a celebrity chef restaurant and show
$450+ buys the ultimate Vegas splurge: dinner at Joël Robuchon at the MGM Grand, the late chef’s three-Michelin-star flagship. Rather keep the credit card? Hit Sadelle’s at Bellagio—brunch through dinner runs $45-75—or Spago at Bellagio by Wolfgang Puck, $50-90. Shows? Cirque du Soleil ‘O’ at Bellagio ($105-175) is still the gold standard—an aquatic circus that flips, dives, and pirouettes in, on, and above a 1.5-million-gallon pool.
Where to Stay Tonight
The Strip (Bellagio, Aria, or Venetian for mid-to-upscale; Cosmopolitan for design-conscious travelers; The LINQ for budget-friendly on the Strip)
Stay on the Strip and you won't pay a cent to move—everything's a walk or a monorail glide away. Midweek, casino hotels slash united states hotels rates to levels that'll make you double-check the bill.
Las Vegas casino hotels price rooms by predicted casino traffic, not supply and demand. Sunday and Monday nights run 40-60% cheaper than Friday or Saturday—every week. Book direct with the hotel.
Day 11 Budget: $280-450 (hotel, food, show, car rental return)
12
Las Vegas: Art, Excess & the Nevada Desert
Las Vegas, Nevada
Forget the tables until sunset—Vegas wakes up outside.
Head straight to the Neon Museum: old signs, new stories, zero crowds before noon.
After, you'll drive 17 miles west to Red Rock Canyon; the sandstone walls flame red at 3 p.m.
Back on the Strip by 8, swap dust for diamonds—book a high-roller table at Restaurant Guy Savoy, $225 tasting menu, wine extra.
Midnight, ditch the tourist crush.
Slip into the Downtown Fremont Street beer garden—$8 craft pints, live band, zero cover.
That is how locals do Vegas after dark.
Morning
Neon Museum and Fremont Street
The Neon Museum (770 Las Vegas Blvd N, $20-25) parks two acres of blinking, rusting casino giants in an outdoor graveyard they call the Neon Boneyard—pure Americana, half junkyard, half cathedral. The Stardust, Moulin Rouge, and Aladdin signs lie right there, 40-foot steel memories tilted against the sky. Book the North Gallery tour: one hour of guide-led stories on Vegas architecture, mob cash, and design that no carpeted casino floor will ever tell you. Afterward, walk Fremont Street in Downtown—the original Las Vegas strip from 1905-1970—for a completely different city: smaller casinos, cheaper everything, and far more locals.
Neon Museum tours sell out fast—book at neonmuseum.org a week ahead, weekends worst.
Lunch
Park on Fremont (506 E Fremont St) — a farm-to-table spot that nails it. Downtown Arts District, now buzzing, wraps around the place. Murals climb walls. Independently owned shops crowd the sidewalks.
Afternoon
Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
Seventeen miles west on W Charleston Blvd, Red Rock Canyon ($15 vehicle fee) feels like another planet. Forget the Strip's neon—this is raw geology. The 13-mile one-way Scenic Drive loops through Calico Hills, Sandstone Quarry, and Pine Creek Canyon, with easy-to-moderate hiking trails at every pullout. The Calico Hills Trail (2.2 miles, moderate) scrambles over red and cream-colored sandstone. You'll see the Las Vegas Valley spread below. Sunset light on these formations rivals anything in Sedona.
Red Rock Canyon Scenic Drive won't let you just show up March-October. You need a timed-entry slot from recreation.gov—$2 reservation fee—to keep traffic sane. Book the day before.
Evening
High-stakes dinner, cocktails, and a walk through the hotel universes
Skip the show—dinner is the Strip's real theatre. Book Carbone at ARIA Resort ($80-150/person) for Italian-American red sauce served in a room so over-the-top it feels like a movie set. Prefer dim sum that morphs into one of the planet's most famous nightclubs? Hakkasan at MGM Grand delivers. Walk the corridor linking Bellagio, Caesars Palace, and Wynn—each hotel is an architectural universe. Bellagio's conservatory and botanical garden is free and changes seasonally.
Where to Stay Tonight
The Strip (Same hotel as Day 11)
Two nights in Vegas. That's the sweet spot. You'll unlock casino loyalty discounts most one-nighters miss. Two-night stay in Vegas allows deeper exploration and often qualifies for casino loyalty rate discounts
Vegas's best free experience? Walking between hotels without entering a casino. The Bellagio to Caesars Palace pedestrian bridge—glass, steel, and fountains—delivers the Strip's drama without a single slot machine. The Wynn's self-contained garden pathway winds past waterfalls and topiary; the Venetian's Grand Canal Shoppes canal ceiling arcs overhead like a painted sky. All open to the public. All spectacular. All free.
Day 12 Budget: $300-450 (hotel, food, Neon Museum, Red Rock, entertainment)
13
Drive to Los Angeles — The Pacific at Last
Los Angeles, California
Drive west across the Mojave Desert to Los Angeles. You'll hit the Pacific Ocean at golden hour—good for a sunset swim. Then Silver Lake waits. The neighborhood's food culture is extraordinary.
Morning
Morning drive from Las Vegas to Los Angeles
Leave Las Vegas at 8am sharp—traffic won't wait. Point your wheels south on I-15 for a 270-mile, 4-hour push through the Mojave Desert to Los Angeles. The drop from 3,600 feet at the Nevada border through Barstow into the Los Angeles Basin ranks among America's most dramatic geographic transitions. You'll feel the air thicken as palm trees replace Joshua trees. Pull into Mad Greek Café in Baker (72699 Baker Blvd) beneath the world's tallest thermometer—this desert diner has been slinging gyros and Greek food in the middle of nowhere since before GPS existed. Roll into LA by noon.
Lunch
Grand Central Market (317 S Broadway, Downtown LA) — LA's oldest public market, slinging food since 1917. Today it anchors Downtown's revival as a food hall. Eggslut, Wexler's Deli, and Tacos Tumbras a Tomas pack the city's food variety into one block.
Afternoon
Venice Beach and Santa Monica Pier
20 miles west sits Venice Beach—be there by 3pm sharp. The Venice Boardwalk delivers pure chaos: bodybuilders pumping iron at Muscle Beach Outdoor Gym (the original, since 1934), street artists hustling for tips, roller skaters weaving through crowds, all framed by palm trees and the Pacific. Grab a bike from any shop on Ocean Front Walk—$15/hour—and pedal 3 miles north to Santa Monica Pier, where Route 66 meets the ocean. Pacific Park's Ferris wheel spins above the pier, the world's only solar-powered ride.
Evening
Sunset at El Matador State Beach and Silver Lake dinner
Thirty miles north on PCH, El Matador State Beach (32215 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu) delivers the most dramatically beautiful stretch of sand in Southern California—sea stacks, sea caves, tide pools, all framing a golden sunset over the Pacific. Drive back. Silver Lake waits. Botanica (1620 Silverlake Blvd) serves California produce-driven cooking in a garden setting that proves why LA food ranks among the finest in the United States.
Where to Stay Tonight
West Hollywood or Silver Lake (Sunset Marquis (West Hollywood, music-industry classic) or Silverlake Pool & Inn (boutique, neighborhood feel))
West Hollywood plants you smack between the beach and downtown—prime position, excellent restaurants everywhere. Silver Lake is LA's Brooklyn: creative, food-obsessed, and stubbornly local.
The 405 Freeway between Santa Monica and the Valley is the most congested highway in the United States. Los Angeles traffic is legendarily brutal. Move east-west in the middle of the day, not at 5-7pm. Navigation apps—Waze or Google Maps—are essential and should be trusted without question.
Day 13 Budget: $280-380 (hotel, food, gas, beach activities)
14
Hollywood, Griffith Observatory & the Final Sunset
Los Angeles, California
Finish the American grand tour on the Hollywood Hills. Griffith Observatory gives you city-wide views. Eat one last exceptional California meal. Fly out from LAX.
Morning
Griffith Observatory and Hollywood Hills hike
Noon is when Griffith Observatory (2800 E Observatory Rd) unlocks its doors, yet the grounds and the web of hiking trails open at dawn. Arrive at 9am, nose your car onto Vermont Canyon Road, and walk the one-mile track through Griffith Park's scratchy chaparral straight to the dome. From the plaza the whole basin spills out: Hollywood Sign, Downtown LA, the Pacific, and—on sharp-clear days—Catalina Island 26 miles offshore. The building and grounds cost nothing; planetarium seats run $10. For the closest legal shot of the sign, drop onto the Holocene Trail that skirts below the giant letters.
Lunch
Langer's Delicatessen (704 S Alvarado St, Westlake) has been slinging legendary Los Angeles pastrami since 1947. Order the #19—hot pastrami, Swiss cheese, coleslaw, Russian dressing on rye—and you'll bite what many call the finest pastrami sandwich in the United States.
Afternoon
Getty Center
The Getty Center (1200 Getty Center Dr, Brentwood) sits 900 feet above Los Angeles on a hilltop—you'll ride a free tram to reach it. The museum itself is free (parking $25). Inside, you'll find van Gogh's Irises, Rembrandt's The Abduction of Europa, a defining photography collection, and the Central Garden by artist Robert Irwin. But Richard Meier's architecture and the terrace views—the Pacific, the Sepulveda Pass, the Santa Monica Mountains—rival anything indoors. Give yourself two unhurried hours.
Free Getty tickets vanish fastest on Saturdays. Grab yours 48 hours early at getty.edu—timed entry, no exceptions.
Evening
Final California dinner and departure
Bestia (2121 E 7th Pl, Arts District) is the definitive Los Angeles restaurant—handmade pasta, wood-fired meats, and ingredient-obsessed Italian cooking from Ori Menashe. Reserve three weeks ahead at exploretock.com/bestia. After dinner, it's 30-40 minutes to LAX depending on the hour—allow 2.5 hours before your international departure. The Tom Bradley International Terminal is the best-designed airport terminal on the West Coast.
Where to Stay Tonight
West Hollywood or near LAX for late flight (Flying in late? The AC Hotel Los Angeles South Bay sits near LAX—modern, practical, 12 minutes from the international terminal.)
Final night logistics — stay near LAX and you won't face LA traffic hell on departure morning.
LAX is a construction zone until 2028—the LA Olympics year. Tack on 30 minutes to whatever buffer you thought was safe. The Automated People Mover, the tram that hauls you from off-site parking and rideshare drop-off into the terminals, is rolling out in slow phases. Before you leave, pull up lawa.org and grab the current terminal access map.
Day 14 Budget: $220-300 (hotel, food, Getty parking)
Practical Information
Getting Around
$80-150 for Amtrak from NYC to DC kicks off this route. Domestic flights—DC to New Orleans ~$100, New Orleans to Phoenix ~$130—bridge the gaps. The Arizona-Nevada-California leg demands a rental car (7 days, $280-420 total). From Day 8, wheels are non-negotiable: the Grand Canyon, Sedona, Red Rock Canyon, and Pacific Coast Highway can't be reached without one. In New York and Washington DC, ride the subway and Metro. In New Orleans, walk. Uber and Lyft work everywhere as backup but drain the wallet fast. The total united states transportation budget for the inter-city legs runs $700-1,200.
Book Ahead
Book 3-4 weeks ahead or forget it. The Statue of Liberty ferry (statuecruises.com) sells out fast. Commander's Palace brunch (504-899-8221) won't hold a table without notice. Cirque du Soleil 'O' at Bellagio? Same story. El Tovar Hotel at the Grand Canyon makes you wait 13+ months for rim rooms. Neon Museum tours vanish quickly. Getty Center timed entry slots disappear. Bestia LA tables are gone in hours. Capitol Building tour—book 1-2 weeks ahead through your congressional representative. Amtrak Acela NYC-DC needs advance purchase. All domestic flights spike without early booking. The rental car won't wait either. Buy United States travel insurance before departure. It covers trip cancellations, medical emergencies, and the rental car excess. Policies through Allianz or World Nomads cost $80-150 for two weeks. Strongly recommended.
Packing Essentials
New Orleans humidity hits 30°C+—pack light layers. Grand Canyon high desert drops to cold nights even in summer. Las Vegas dry heat bakes. Pacific coast fog rolls in thick. Comfortable walking shoes are non-negotiable—you'll average 8-12 miles/day in NYC and DC. Sunscreen SPF50+ plus a wide-brim hat for Arizona sun. Bring a reusable water bottle—1.5L minimum—for canyon country. Plug adapters aren't needed—US standard everywhere. A light rain jacket handles New Orleans and coastal California. Casual smart clothes work for every evening venue on this route. Only Las Vegas might demand one dressed-up outfit.
Total Budget
$4,200-6,500. That's your real budget for 14 days—flights from the US not included. Break it down. Accommodation runs $1,800-2,800, working out to $130-200 a night. Domestic transport—flights, train, car rental, gas—adds $700-1,200. Food? $65-110 a day totals $900-1,500. Activities and entrance fees: $400-600. Entertainment and miscellaneous: $400-700. Want to spend less? Budget version lands at $3,200-4,000. Ready to splurge? Luxury pushes $8,000-14,000.
Customize Your Trip
Budget Version
Stay in well-reviewed hostels in NYC and you'll slash accommodation costs by half. HI New York runs $50-70/night—clean, safe, central. Trade the city for Airbnb in New Orleans and Los Angeles; you'll still sleep under $80 and wake up where the action is. Forget Commander's Palace brunch. Grab a $12 Café Du Monde beignet breakfast instead—powdered sugar everywhere, zero regrets. Skip El Tovar Hotel entirely. Camp at Mather Campground on the Grand Canyon's South Rim for $18/night. Wake to sunrise over the rim, no lobby required. In Vegas, pick Circus Circus or The LINQ on the Strip—both cheap, both walking distance to everything that matters. The entire 14-day trip lands at $2,800-3,500 per person. Strategic trade-offs? Yes. Luxury? Gone. Well-known experiences? Every single one.
Luxury Upgrade
The United States delivers some of the world's finest hospitality experiences at the top tier—budget $800-1,200/day for this. Upgrade to The Mark Hotel in NYC (Park Avenue suites), The Jefferson in DC, The Windsor Court in New Orleans, and The Phoenician in Scottsdale. Add a private helicopter Grand Canyon sunset tour ($450/person) from Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters. Stay at El Tovar on the rim. Book The Cosmopolitan's Boulevard Penthouse in Vegas and a Malibu Beach Inn room directly over the Pacific in LA.
Family-Friendly
NYC: trade the Broadway lights for a Statue of Liberty tour with kids—then let dinosaurs roar at the American Museum of Natural History. DC: the National Zoo is free, Smithsonian, and packed with squealing fans; the International Spy Museum ($26/person) is just as loved. Skip New Orleans' evening jazz crawl—book a daytime swamp tour and a Garden District ghost tour instead. Grand Canyon: the 3-mile Rim Trail is fully stroller-accessible; Mather Point and Yavapai Point hand you full rim views without a hike. Vegas casinos are 18+—so aim for Hoover Dam and the free Strip spectacle. LA: Universal Studios Hollywood ($110/person) and the Santa Monica Pier Ferris wheel anchor the family day.
Book Activities for Your Trip
Tours, tickets, and experiences in United States