Overview
Fourteen days across America is a bucket-list trip. This route takes you from the Atlantic in New York to the Pacific in San Francisco, with stops at Washington DC museums, Chicago architecture, Las Vegas neon, the Grand Canyon and Los Angeles beaches. You will fly three times (NYC→Chicago, Chicago→Las Vegas, LA→San Francisco) and drive one unforgettable section (Vegas→Grand Canyon→LA).
✈️ Flight strategy: Book a multi-city flight (JFK in, SFO out) instead of round-trip. Saves time and money. Domestic flights within America are cheap if booked 4+ weeks ahead on Southwest, JetBlue or Frontier.
Days 1-3 New York
Fly into JFK or Newark. Stay in Midtown for first-timer convenience. Day 1: Central Park, Times Square, Top of the Rock at sunset. Day 2: Statue of Liberty, 9/11 Memorial, Chelsea Market, High Line, Broadway show. Day 3: Brooklyn Bridge at dawn, DUMBO, The Met, dinner in Williamsburg.
🧮
USA Trip Cost Calculator
Curious what a full 14-day coast-to-coast route actually costs for your travel style? Run the numbers in our free USA trip cost calculator.
Day 4 Philadelphia & DC
Amtrak from NY Penn Station to Philadelphia (1h15), see Independence Hall, Liberty Bell and Reading Terminal Market. Afternoon: continue by Amtrak to Washington DC (1h45). Check into a hotel near the Mall.
Days 5-6 Washington DC
Day 5: Walk the entire National Mall — Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, WWII, Vietnam, Korea and MLK memorials. Day 6: Smithsonian museums (all free) — Air & Space, Natural History, American History. Evening: dinner in Georgetown.
🏛️ DC secret: Arrive at the Lincoln Memorial at 6am. It is empty, lit, and the reflecting pool view to the Washington Monument in morning light is the best free experience in America.
Days 7-8 Chicago
Fly DC → Chicago (2h, $120-220). Day 7: the Chicago Architecture River Cruise — the best 90 minutes of any American trip. Afternoon: Millennium Park (the Bean), Art Institute (Sunday Afternoon, Nighthawks, American Gothic). Day 8: Willis Tower Skydeck, deep-dish pizza lunch at Lou Malnati's, walk the Lakefront Trail, dinner in Wicker Park.
Days 9-10 Las Vegas
Fly Chicago → Las Vegas (4h, $80-180). Stay mid-Strip at Bellagio, Caesars, Paris or The Venetian. Day 9: walk the Strip from Bellagio fountains to The Venetian in the evening. See a Cirque du Soleil show. Day 10: pool morning, visit downtown Fremont Street after sunset for the light show and old-school Vegas.
🎰 Budget warning: Las Vegas rooms are cheap but casino 'resort fees' ($35-55/night) are mandatory and not shown at booking. Factor these in.
Day 11 Grand Canyon
Pick up a rental car in Las Vegas. Drive to the Grand Canyon South Rim — 4.5 hours through the desert. This is one of the great American drives. Sleep at Yavapai Lodge inside the park or in Tusayan just outside. Sunrise at Mather Point is unforgettable.
Days 12-13 Los Angeles
Day 12: Drive Grand Canyon → Los Angeles (7.5h) via Flagstaff and historic Route 66. Check into Santa Monica or West Hollywood. Day 13: Griffith Observatory for the Hollywood Sign view, Walk of Fame, Venice Beach, Santa Monica Pier. Evening: sunset dinner in Malibu.
Alternative if you hate driving: Fly Las Vegas → LAX (1h, $60-120) and skip the Grand Canyon.
Day 14 San Francisco
Fly LAX → SFO (1h20, $80-150). Half a day is tight in SF but possible. Hit the Golden Gate Bridge (cycle across!), Fisherman's Wharf, Lombard Street and dinner in the Mission. Fly home from SFO.
🌉 Better option: Add 2 more days in SF and fly home on day 16 instead. SF deserves more than 24 hours.
Budget
| Category | Budget | Mid-range | Comfortable |
|---|
| Hotels (13 nights) | $1,100 | $2,500 | $5,200 |
| Domestic flights | $350 | $550 | $900 |
| Car rental (3 days) | $180 | $240 | $400 |
| Food (14 days) | $550 | $1,100 | $2,200 |
| Attractions | $200 | $400 | $800 |
| Total (1 person) | $2,380 | $4,790 | $9,500 |
For a more focused trip, see our 1 week in the USA guide. For an even longer trip with more national parks, see our 1 month in the USA.
Overview
Fourteen days across America is a bucket-list trip. This route takes you from the Atlantic in New York to the Pacific in San Francisco, with stops at Washington DC museums, Chicago architecture, Las Vegas neon, the Grand Canyon and Los Angeles beaches. You will fly three times (NYC→Chicago, Chicago→Las Vegas, LA→San Francisco) and drive one unforgettable section (Vegas→Grand Canyon→LA).
✈️ Flight strategy: Book a multi-city flight (JFK in, SFO out) instead of round-trip. Saves time and money. Domestic flights within America are cheap if booked 4+ weeks ahead on Southwest, JetBlue or Frontier.
Days 1-3 New York
Fly into JFK or Newark. Stay in Midtown for first-timer convenience. Day 1: Central Park, Times Square, Top of the Rock at sunset. Day 2: Statue of Liberty, 9/11 Memorial, Chelsea Market, High Line, Broadway show. Day 3: Brooklyn Bridge at dawn, DUMBO, The Met, dinner in Williamsburg.
🧮
USA Trip Cost Calculator
Curious what a full 14-day coast-to-coast route actually costs for your travel style? Run the numbers in our free USA trip cost calculator.
Day 4 Philadelphia & DC
Amtrak from NY Penn Station to Philadelphia (1h15), see Independence Hall, Liberty Bell and Reading Terminal Market. Afternoon: continue by Amtrak to Washington DC (1h45). Check into a hotel near the Mall.
Days 5-6 Washington DC
Day 5: Walk the entire National Mall — Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, WWII, Vietnam, Korea and MLK memorials. Day 6: Smithsonian museums (all free) — Air & Space, Natural History, American History. Evening: dinner in Georgetown.
🏛️ DC secret: Arrive at the Lincoln Memorial at 6am. It is empty, lit, and the reflecting pool view to the Washington Monument in morning light is the best free experience in America.
Days 7-8 Chicago
Fly DC → Chicago (2h, $120-220). Day 7: the Chicago Architecture River Cruise — the best 90 minutes of any American trip. Afternoon: Millennium Park (the Bean), Art Institute (Sunday Afternoon, Nighthawks, American Gothic). Day 8: Willis Tower Skydeck, deep-dish pizza lunch at Lou Malnati's, walk the Lakefront Trail, dinner in Wicker Park.
Days 9-10 Las Vegas
Fly Chicago → Las Vegas (4h, $80-180). Stay mid-Strip at Bellagio, Caesars, Paris or The Venetian. Day 9: walk the Strip from Bellagio fountains to The Venetian in the evening. See a Cirque du Soleil show. Day 10: pool morning, visit downtown Fremont Street after sunset for the light show and old-school Vegas.
🎰 Budget warning: Las Vegas rooms are cheap but casino 'resort fees' ($35-55/night) are mandatory and not shown at booking. Factor these in.
Day 11 Grand Canyon
Pick up a rental car in Las Vegas. Drive to the Grand Canyon South Rim — 4.5 hours through the desert. This is one of the great American drives. Sleep at Yavapai Lodge inside the park or in Tusayan just outside. Sunrise at Mather Point is unforgettable.
Days 12-13 Los Angeles
Day 12: Drive Grand Canyon → Los Angeles (7.5h) via Flagstaff and historic Route 66. Check into Santa Monica or West Hollywood. Day 13: Griffith Observatory for the Hollywood Sign view, Walk of Fame, Venice Beach, Santa Monica Pier. Evening: sunset dinner in Malibu.
Alternative if you hate driving: Fly Las Vegas → LAX (1h, $60-120) and skip the Grand Canyon.
Day 14 San Francisco
Fly LAX → SFO (1h20, $80-150). Half a day is tight in SF but possible. Hit the Golden Gate Bridge (cycle across!), Fisherman's Wharf, Lombard Street and dinner in the Mission. Fly home from SFO.
🌉 Better option: Add 2 more days in SF and fly home on day 16 instead. SF deserves more than 24 hours.
Budget
| Category | Budget | Mid-range | Comfortable |
|---|
| Hotels (13 nights) | $1,100 | $2,500 | $5,200 |
| Domestic flights | $350 | $550 | $900 |
| Car rental (3 days) | $180 | $240 | $400 |
| Food (14 days) | $550 | $1,100 | $2,200 |
| Attractions | $200 | $400 | $800 |
| Total (1 person) | $2,380 | $4,790 | $9,500 |
For a more focused trip, see our 1 week in the USA guide. For an even longer trip with more national parks, see our 1 month in the USA.