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USA · 21-26 days

USA Cross-Country: New York to Los Angeles

40.7°N · 74.0°W
At a glanceAmerica coast to coast: skyscrapers, music cities, Cajun food, the desert and the Pacific. The planning total includes a rounded allowance for the 2026 Grand Canyon non-resident surcharge.
~7.5h flight estimate21 to 26 days£70 to £375+ per dayEasy going
Before bookingEntry rules, health advice and local conditions change. Always check current official advice.Check current FCDO advice

The itinerary

  1. New York City4 nights
  2. Chicago2 nights
  3. Nashville2 nights
  4. New Orleans2 nights
  5. Austin2 nights
  6. Grand Canyon2 nights
  7. Las Vegas2 nights
  8. Los Angeles4 nights

Why this trip works

This itinerary combines city breaks, road trips, food and drink, and natural landscapes across New York City, Chicago, Nashville, New Orleans, Austin, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles. Bringing the stops together gives the holiday a clearer progression and makes better use of the outward journey than booking each place separately.

How flexible is it? This itinerary can credibly be planned with a relaxed to active daytime pace, balanced to buzzing evenings and mixed to hotspot crowd settings within its fixed route. The typical version has balanced days, lively evenings and a popular setting. The quiz selects the closest credible version rather than treating it as one fixed product.

Best time to go

The strongest travel period is April to May and September to October. March, June, and November are good quieter alternatives. Getting around is mainly by internal flights and road transfers or a hire car.

Jan12°COther
Feb13°COther
Mar18°CShoulder
Apr22°CBest
May26°CBest
Jun31°CShoulder
Jul32°COther
Aug32°COther
Sep29°CBest
Oct23°CBest
Nov17°CShoulder
Dec12°COther

Cost

On the ground, including accommodation and everyday spending, allow roughly £70 a day at the budget end, around £130 a day mid-range, and £375+ for high-end travel. Including estimated return travel from London, a typical version of this itinerary is best treated as a planning range of £3190 to £4420 per person. The range includes about £80 for 2026 Grand Canyon non-resident national-park surcharge. These are planning estimates rather than live quotes. Available accommodation spans simple, comfortable, premium and luxury. The quiz prices the highest available tier that fits your selected minimum and total budget.

Places on this trip

Frequently asked questions

How long do you need for USA Cross-Country: New York to Los Angeles?

This itinerary works best over 21 to 26 days across 8 stops: New York City, Chicago, Nashville, New Orleans, Austin, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles.

When is the best time for this trip?

The strongest travel period is April to May and September to October. March, June, and November are useful quieter alternatives.

How much does it cost?

On the ground, including accommodation and everyday spending, allow roughly £70 a day at the budget end, around £130 a day mid-range, and £375+ for high-end travel. Including estimated return travel from London, a typical version of this itinerary is best treated as a planning range of £3190 to £4420 per person. The range includes about £80 for 2026 Grand Canyon non-resident national-park surcharge. These are planning estimates rather than live quotes.

Other multi-stop trips

USA Southwest: Vegas, Grand Canyon & California USA · 9-14 days ~11h flight estimate£75+/day4 stops San Francisco & Napa Valley USA · 6-8 days ~11h flight estimate£80+/day2 stops California Coast: San Francisco-Big Sur-LA-San Diego USA · 8-14 days ~11h flight estimate£80+/day4 stops Pacific Northwest: Seattle-Vancouver-Whistler USA, Canada · 6-10 days ~11h flight estimate£70+/day3 stops Deep South Music Trail: New Orleans-Memphis-Nashville USA · 7-11 days ~9h flight estimate£60+/day3 stops Boston & New York USA · 6-9 days ~7.5h flight estimate£75+/day2 stops
Torn between ten tabs?Two minutes of questions, up to seven strong matches, realistic cost ranges and every trade-off spelled out.
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