We have put together a potential itinerary for a fantastic fly drive holiday to the West Coast of America, including flights, car hire and accommodation for only £1,054.02 per person.
This does not include petrol, food or entrance to any of the National Parks but still offers great value for money for the trip of a lifetime. The trip covers 21 nights, flying from London Heathrow to Los Angeles’ LAX airport where you can pick up your hire car before exploring some amazing sites in California, Arizona and Nevada.
Direct Return Flights With United Airlines
£575.04 for two travellers.
Limited availability but plenty of options available at a similar price. Use a tool such as Google Flights or Kayak to find the best deal (price correct at 17/1/2019).
Includes one carry on case per person so you'll need to pack light at this price.
Additional cost for one item of check-in luggage is approximately £120.
Car Hire
£387 for full duration of trip
The price is for a car in the 'Ford Fiesta' class but other cars are available. We got a quote through Rentalcars.com but there are plenty of other options available. Check the insurance options - it may be cheaper to purchase collision damage insurance separately.
2 Nights in Los ANgeles
Geneva Motel - £137
Budget Hotel in a good location, 10 minutes drive from LAX, with reasonable 3.5 star TripAdvisor reviews.
From here, you could visit Hollywood Boulevard, 12 miles away or Disneyland in Anaheim, 33 miles away.
3 Nights At Joshua Tree National Park
High Desert Motel - £141
Drive time 2 hours 17 mins from LA (131 miles). The High Desert Motel has very good 4 star TripAdvisor reviews.
You could easily spend two or three days exploring the Joshua Tree National Park although, if you prefer to see the park from your car, you can cover most of the main roads in about four hours.
2 Nights In Williams, Arizona (For The Grand Canyon)
American Regency Inn - £76
Drive time 4 hours 30 mins (307 miles) from the Joshua Tree National Park. From here, you can visit the Grand Canyon which is 85 miles from Williams (1 hour 59 mins) by car or take the Grand Canyon Railway, leaving Williams at 9:30 or 10:30am for a two-hour-15-minute one-way trip and returning at 3:30 or 4:30pm.
3 Nights In Las Vegas
Royal Resort Hotel - £158
2nd of March to 4th of March. Drive time 3 hours 20 mins (220 miles). Free Parking and Internet and no resort fees to pay. Rated 3.5 on TripAdvisor.
Take in a show, visit the casinos, The Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art or experience the Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay.
1 Night In Ridgecrest Following Death Valley Drive
Mayfair Passport Inn - £51
From Vegas, drive through Death Valley and spend the night at Ridgecrest. Drive time 4 hours 23 mins (255 miles) from Las Vegas.
Death Valley covers an area of 3,000 square miles and includes the lowest point of elevation in the USA, Badwater Basin, which is 86m below sea level.
3 Nights Near Yosemite National Park
Quality Inn Yosemite Valley Gateway - £192
The hotel is 4 hours 35 mins (284 miles) from Ridgecrest. The three night stay allows two days to explore Yosemite National Park. Breakfast included. Rated as 3.5 on TripAdvisor.
2 Nights In San Francisco
Casa Loma Hotel - £106
Includes a shared bathroom. Check out Hotel Focus at £164 for 2 nights if you'd like a private bathroom and breakfast included. Rated as 3.5 on TripAdvisor. Free internet but no parking.
Travel time from Yosemite is 3 hours 30 mins (168 miles). San Francisco is full of landmarks from the Golden Gate Bridge to the sea lions at Fisherman's Wharf and Alcatraz where some of America's most notorious criminals were imprisoned.
2 Nights in Monterey
Stargazer Inn & Suites - £121
Drive time from San Francisco is about 2 hours 50 mins (120 miles). Rated as 3.5 on TripAdvisor. Visit Monterey Bay Aquarium or the shops and restaurants at Cannery Row which used to be home to sardine canning factories.
2 Nights Near San Luis Obispo
Morro Shores Inn And Suites - £103
Drive time 2 hours 30 mins (141 miles) from Monterey. This hotel is 14 miles from San Luis Obispo which is the home of Bubblegum Alley, a colourful 15 ft high alleyway covered in chewed gum.
If you stay for two nights in a local hotel, the town is currently giving away $100 spending money to the first 500 travellers who seize the opportunity between now and March 31st!
Feedback? Thoughts? Improvements?
Let us know what you think about our itinerary on our Facebook Page
If you don't already have travel insurance in place please consider getting in touch to obtain a quote. You can use the discount code TRIP12 for a 12% discount.