USA Road Trip: Highlights of America

Now's the time to explore the United States on your terms with this tour that's affordable for young travellers. Got a month, a camera, and a sense of adventure? Then sign yourself up for this 29-day road trip through the United States that leaves no stone unturned. You'll hit the big cities, like New York and Los Angeles, and spend time in stunning natural settings like the Grand Canyon and Yosemite. In between, visit a community arts project in Detroit and join a line-dancing party at a cowboy bar in Jackson. We believe the saying is, "giddy up."

Day 1 New York City
Arrive at any time.

Towering skyscrapers, flashing lights, and a pulsing energy you can’t quite escape from. First impressions matter so get to know New York City the right way; after dark with your CEO and group. Roam through the crowds, take in the sounds, the smells, and gear up for a good time in the Big Apple. Journey through the Hamilton Heights neighbourhood in Brooklyn in search of the perfect enclave to sip a cocktail, maybe two, and have some laughs with your newest adventure pals.

Day 2 New York City/Niagara Falls
Rise and shine nice and early to beat the traffic out of the city. Gaze out the window as you drive across the state and watch as the city gives way to the rolling hills of Upstate New York. Next, get up close and personal with Niagara Falls! Board the Maid of the Mist and feel the strength behind 3,160 tons of water cascading over the falls every second. Return after dark, try your hand at a local casino and witness the magical atmosphere and fun light show of Niagara Falls at night.

Day 3 Niagara Falls/Detroit
Cruise along Lake Erie, passing through Cleveland before arriving in Detroit. Experience the new markets, distilleries, art galleries, and restaurants of this quickly transforming city. Visit The Heidelberg Project to witness some of this community development in action. Then enjoy a free evening to explore this up-and-coming destination with your new pals!

Day 4 Detroit/Chicago
Next stop...Chicago! Enjoy a walking tour and take in some of the best highlights the city has to offer like, Millennium Park, Buckingham Fountain, the beginning of Route 66, and the Cloud Gate. The tour ends at one of the best pizza joints in town where you can stuff your face with some famous deep dish pizza together before hitting the town on a night out with your travel tribe.

Day 5 Chicago
Take a free day to explore Chicago, because this is America after all, ‘the land of the free’. Besides, there's tons to do in the Windy City – walk along the river to Millennium Park, enjoy dazzling music, and stroll the boardwalk of the Navy Pier. To get a birds eye view take a ride to the top of the Willis Tower, then maybe grab a selfie under the famous ‘Bean’, or hit the town for another night out with the group.

Day 6 Chicago/Louisville
It’s time to head south Y’all! Follow the Kentucky Bourbon Trail to Louisville. Home of the Kentucky Derby, this city is a foodie haven filled with lively bars and farm-to-table restaurants. Enjoy a free afternoon to explore and don't forget to indulge in some BBQ and bourbon.

Day 7 Louisville/Nashville
Travel to the country music capital of the world. Stroll the streets of Nashville and check out what the city's known for: live music, line dancing, and cowboy nightlife. Visit The Parthenon in Centennial Park to understand why Nashville has been called the ‘Athens of the South’, listen to live music in the honky tonks along Broadway, and indulge in some finger-licking good barbecue in the West End.

Day 8 Nashville
Immerse yourself even further into Nashville with this free day! Take a stroll to visit the Gran Ole Opry, the Country Music Hall of Fame, Johnny Cash Museum, or simply take in live music along the "Honky Tonk Highway".

Day 9 Nashville/Memphis
It’s time to head south through Tennessee to explore the vibrant musical and cultural melting pot of Memphis. Good ole’ Elvis may have left the building, but get ready for a ‘hunk of burning love’ and take an optional tour of Graceland.

Feeling more historical than musical? Delve into the past at the National Civil Rights Museum and learn how Memphis played a role in this historical movement, or jam out on a tour of the Rock ’n’ Soul Museum. As the sun begins to set head to Beale Street for an evening out. Experience mouth-watering cuisine, live music, and a buzzing energy that will have you out spinning on the dance floor in no time.

Day 10 Memphis
Ready...set...go! Today is your free day in Memphis—a chance to experience the “Home of Blues, Soul & Rock ‘N’ Roll” the way you have always wanted. Pay your respects to Martin Luther King Jr, feel the wind in your hair as you ride a bike along the Mississippi River, or catch a world-class show at one of the theatres in Memphis.

Day 11 Memphis/New Orleans
Drive through the bayous, crank up the jazz and head into the Big Easy. Home of Mardi Gras, Voo Doo, and Gumbo. Get ready to head out and explore the French Quarter, where you'll join fellow revellers on Bourbon Street until the early hours.

Day 12 New Orleans
Get ready to take on NOLA all on your own today! Grab a buddy or head out solo— just make sure to soak up as much as you can. Trust us there’s plenty to do: from taking part in a creole cooking demonstration, to taking a bike tour around the city you’re sure to find your own way to make your New Orleans experience unique and special. But, if all else fails and you can’t decide what to do; simply grab some beignets at Café du Monde and wander the streets downtown soaking up the music and culture as you go.

Day 13 New Orleans/Panama City Beach
Hop across the state line and arrive at Panama City Beach—the quintessential Florida getaway. What’s here you ask? Well for starters there’s 27 miles of pearly white beaches and a subtropical climate that practically guarantees warm sunny days. On top of that it’s a great place to enjoy an afternoon on the water before hitting the town in the evening. Bonus fact: because Panama City Beach has the highest concentration of bottlenose dolphins your chances of watching some play in the waves are pretty high.

Day 14 Panama City Beach/Orlando
Let your inner child run wild as you head to the home of ‘The Most Magical Place on Earth’, Orlando. With endless shopping, nightlife, and famous amusement parks like Disney World and Universal Studios there’s plenty to explore. So take that selfie you’ve always wanted with Cinderella’s Castle or sip on a butterbeer from Harry Potter World and make the most of your day together!

Day 15 Orlando/Los Angeles
Hop aboard a place and head to the City of Angels, Los Angeles. Enjoy a free evening to explore some of the most iconic celebrity enclaves in the U.S. Visit the Santa Monica Pier, walk the boardwalk at Venice Beach, or make the trek out to Hollywood.

Day 16 Los Angeles/San Diego
Be on celebrity-watch while passing by a few popular sites on the way out of LA, California's most glamorous city. Cruise through Orange County and along the incredible Pacific coastline to the truly remarkable, San Diego. Sun, sand, food and fun awaits us in this beautiful beach city.

Once we have arrived you are free to adventure as you please. Soak up the sun on Mission Beach, hike along the sandstone cliffs of Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, spend the day at the city’s cultural hub – Balboa Park, or immerse yourself in the military and maritime history of one of the happiest cities in the U.S. In the evening, head to the Gaslamp Quarter District for dinner and live music. As the sun sets, watch the area come alive with numerous pubs and nightclubs and get ready for a night of fun!

Day 17 San Diego/Lake Havasu City
Travel to the desert landscape of Joshua Tree National Park – a place that attracts everyone from stargazers to rock climbers. Stop, stare, and enjoy the scenery of the Mojave and Colorado deserts, and of course the famous Joshua trees, with their gnarled branches. The group will take a short hike amongst the boulders of this park before zooming off to cool off in the crystal-clear waters of the Colorado River at Lake Havasu.

Day 18 Lake Havasu City/Grand Canyon
Hit the road to get some kicks on Route 66. Dive into historic Americana and enjoy lunch at a famous joint and see if you can spot all the movie memorabilia. Afterwards, it’s off to the Grand Canyon to explore the massive gorges, ridges and rock formations that make even the most skeptical of travellers become awestruck. Dive into a delicious pizza dinner as you sit with your newest adventures buddies and watch the sun dip below the canyon’s south rim.

Day 19 Grand Canyon
Another day another adventure! Not feeling a hike this morning? That's cool, you have the option to splurge on an unforgettable helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon. Get ready to feel incredibly small as the world opens up at your feet. For a quieter experience rent a bike to check out the south rim or go see the IMAX Grand Canyon movie. No matter what you decide the epic views will be there.

Day 20 Grand Canyon/Monument Valley
Wave goodbye to this grand park as we take one last drive along the southern rim of the canyon. Then it’s time to eat some grub at a local Navajo food truck supported by Planeterra.

With a full stomach and a happy attitude drive through the desert to discover one of the most majestic places on earth, Monument Valley. You have the option of getting deep into the valley with a 4x4 excursion with a local Navajo guide, or simply walk around yourself and admire this vast, colourful landscape and cool rock formations.

Day 21 Monument Valley/Las Vegas
Grab your buddies and break a sweat with a quick hike to iconic Horseshoe Bend. Stand overlooking this cool natural shape of the Colorado River and snap a few zen photos. Then, discover ghost towns, funky roadside attractions, and bask in the fading sun as you head into “Sin City”.

Day 22 Las Vegas
Take in the sites, sounds, and atmosphere of Las Vegas on a free day with your travel buds. Explore the strip, try your luck at a casino, view a glitzy show, or simply people watch in one of the liveliest cities in the U.S.

Day 23 Las Vegas/Sierra Nevadas
Experience a land of extremes in Death Valley National Park. Visit the driest, hottest, and the lowest places in the U.S. From Badwater Basin to Zabriskie Point and Dante's View to Furnace Creek – it is easy to fall in love with this desolate landscape. The adventure doesn't stop here! Continue past Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes as the group heads to Panamint Valley. Finish your night together around a campfire and gaze at the night sky in the Sierra Nevadas.

Day 24 Sierra Nevadas/Yosemite National Park
Get ready to feel like you are on Mars as the group arrives at Mono lake for a morning walk among the tufa tours. The strange towers are created by underground springs in the lake. Just be aware that this visit is seasonal. Then, let your mind wander as you hike past roaring waterfalls and giant sequoias. Gaze in wonder at Yosemite's magnificent peaks and granite domes before turning your attention to the tranquil nature of the valley floor. Snap photos or simply take in the splendour of one of the country's most beautiful national parks.

Day 25 Yosemite National Park
Wake up surrounded by nature and fresh air! Breathe it in, maybe do some meditation, write in your travel journal, or talk a walk alone. This free day is a wonderful way to start things slow and really immerse yourself in Yosemite’s atmosphere. Keep an eye out for rock climbers and diverse wildlife within the park and consider renting bikes with some friends to better explore Yosemite Valley.

There’s plenty of hiking trails that will take you loads of cool places from rushing waterfalls to the tops of sheer granite cliffs you’ll find yourself stopping often to simply admire the beauty. Just a tip; some of the best views in the park are at Glacier and Taft Points!

Day 26 Yosemite National Park/San Francisco
Catch a glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge on the way into one of America's most popular cities. Ride a cable car, walk down winding Lombard Street, indulge in some erotic shaped treats in the Castro District, get lost at the botanical garden, chill out at Baker's Beach and simply enjoy being in the moment.

Day 27 San Francisco
Explore San Francisco the way you always dreamed—any way you want! After finding your bearings the day before try completely different things today. Maybe hike up to Coit Tower via the secret steps, or try your luck at finding the most scenic swing in the city.

If Alcatraz is on your bucket-list we suggest pre-booking to make sure you get to go. For more of a relaxing day stroll along the waterfront and grab oysters along Fisherman’s Wharf. From beaches to crazy hills and eclectic neighbourhoods you’re bound to come across something interesting.

Day 28 Santa Cruz/Morro Bay
Hang out for a bit at the ultra-mellow beach town of Santa Cruz; stroll along the boardwalk or enjoy the trendy shops of downtown. Then, travel down the famous Pacific Coast Highway and marvel at the beautiful coastline and mountain ranges of Big Sur. Have your cameras handy as you will be making multiple stops along the way at places you won't want to miss having a photo of.

Take in the crashing waves, rolling fog, and sheer rocky cliffs that make this journey down California's coast Highway 1 an unforgettable experience. Arrive in time to enjoy sunset on Morro Bay.

Day 29 Morro Bay/Los Angeles
Journey along the stunning Pacific coast to the City of Angels. Stop in Santa Barbara for lunch in this famous coastal city on our way to LA. Maybe sneak in a volleyball game on the beach if you have time. Your CEO will point out a few famous neighbourhoods and landmarks on the drive. And even though the trip ends upon arrival to Los Angeles you can certainly book some post accommodation and continue enjoying one of the most geographically diverse states in America.