Visit New York, The Finger Lakes, Niagara Falls, Detroit, Chicago, St Louis, Kansas City, Denver, Utah’s Mighty Five National Parks, Las Vegas & LA.
Why choose between New York, Chicago, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles when you can take a road trip to visit them all in just 21 days? Like the pioneers of yesteryear, you’ll explore America from east to west, visiting must-see U.S. destinations as you go. The main difference, of course, will be the speed; at just 3 weeks, this is our quickest coast-to-coast road trip, action-packed from start to finish.
Key road trip highlights:
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We’ll suggest properties to match your preferred budget, be it low-cost, mid-range or high-end luxury that you’re looking for. We can also mix it up so you’ll experience a range of standards and experiences along your road trip.
All of our road trips can be tailored to meet your requirements. Do you have more or less than 21 days for your road trip? No problem, we can bolt on extra nights to allow more time to explore or shorten the number of destinations as required.
After arriving in The Big Apple and checking into your chosen New York hotel, we highly recommend visiting one of the city’s numerous skyscraper viewing platforms, which include The Summit, Top of the Rock and the most famous… The Empire State Building. Afterwards, grab a bite to eat and then hit the sack; you have three gloriously fast-paced weeks ahead of you.
Downtown stretches to Battery Park at Manhattan’s southern tip, where ferries leave to the legendary Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The Financial District is anchored by Wall St, home to the New York Stock Exchange and the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. Surrounding neighbourhoods offer a great contrast to this commercial hub – Soho, Greenwich, Tribeca and the Meatpacking District are crammed with cool bars, shops and restaurants.
Midtown Manhattan is home to iconic New York attractions like the Empire State Building, Times Square and the famous shopping street 5th Avenue. Central Park, the most visited urban park in the US, lies just north of Midtown. You can easily spend an afternoon here with 843 acres of walking trails, ice rinks, cycle paths, a zoo, and even a castle. Bordering the eastern length of Central Park are some of the world’s most celebrated museums, such as The Met and The Guggenheim.
Say goodbye to New York City, collect your rental car from Newark Airport and venture into the beautiful nature of New York State. The Finger Lakes Region, which inspired the classic Christmas film ‘It’s a Wonderful Life, ‘ is where you’ll enjoy walking to waterfalls and around charming small towns at your pleasure.
Niagara Falls is made up of three massive, separate waterfalls. The largest is on the Canadian side of the border and is named Horseshoe Falls, whilst Bridal Veil and American Falls are on the US side. One must-do is to take to the water and experience the power of the falls close up. Horn Blower Niagara Cruises operates boats from the Canadian side of the border. Your detailed Road Trip Pack will detail all the numerous additional visitor attractions.
From Niagara, you’ll continue west, following the northern shoreline of Lake Erie. Using Highway 3, you’ll shortcut through Ontario on your way to the home of Motown – Detroit. This city is in an exciting renaissance of late, and it’s home to two of America’s very best museums. No self-respecting music fan should miss the magnificent Motown Museum, whilst The Henry Ford Museum is also very impressive. It includes uniquely historic exhibits like the car in which JFK was assassinated.
Onto Chicago in Illinois today. As you approach the Windy City, you’ll see Chicago in the distance, as it boasts some of the tallest skyscrapers in the world, including Willis Tower, which stands some 1450 feet high. Chicago has an incredible range of architecture, tasty deep-dish pizza and an array of world-class museums. You’ll then have two nights to enjoy all the city’s attractions; however, if you want longer here, just let us know.
Most visitors head to ‘Magnificent Mile’, a vibrant, bustling area home to upscale shops, trendy restaurants and luxury hotels. Landmarks include the historic Chicago Water Tower, the neo-Gothic Tribune Tower, and the 100-story John Hancock Center with a rooftop observation deck. Exceptionally cold in winter, the city and its beaches come alive in the spring, summer and fall. Chicago’s other must-see places include Cloud Gate, Navy Pier, and the lovely Lake Michigan shoreline. Before leaving town, be sure to spend at least one-night partying at Buddy Guy’s Legends Blues Club.
Driving Route 66 through Illinois is super easy, as it’s well-signposted and surprisingly rural once you’ve left the city of Chicago. Along the way to Springfield, you’ll enjoy highlights such as Route 66-obsessed Pontiac and the historic Standard Oil Gas Station in Odell. Once you arrive in Springfield, history enthusiasts will want to visit Abraham Lincoln’s Tomb, the Lincoln Presidential Museum and the Lincoln Home. After lunch in Springfield, you’ll continue onto St. Louis, which sits on the banks of the Mississippi River. Highlights include the Missouri Botanical Gardens, Citygarden and the famous Gateway Arch National Park.
Leave Route 66 behind and drive due west on the speedy Interstate 70 to Kansas City on the other side of Missouri. Along the 248-mile drive, you’ll find various activities ranging from zip-lining to wine tasting and from taking a tour of a historic prison to strolling around a State Park. When you reach Kansas City, check out one of the city’s excellent museums or charming neighbourhoods before heading to the “Westport” or “Plaza” districts to indulge in some of the nation’s best barbecue.
Spend the morning exploring more of Kansas City, and after a tasty KC lunch, you’ll hit the road with classic tunes blasting out and a few snacks in the glovebox to enjoy as you eat up the miles crossing the Great Plains of Kansas. We’ll have you overnight in the small town of Hays, which has plenty of accommodation options and lies halfway between Kansas City and your next stop, Denver.
Continue west towards the sight of the Rocky Mountains on the horizon. Head into the Mile High City for two nights of city fun and acclimatisation before you hit the open road to visit Colorado and Utah’s plentiful natural wonders.
Spend the day discovering some of Denver’s must-see places like Denver Botanical Gardens, Denver Art Museum and the Museum of Nature & Science. Handsome Union Station (pictured) is another great spot, with many excellent restaurants and shops on offer. A visit to Coors Field baseball stadium is a must for any sports fan, especially if the Colorado Rockies take the field during your stay.
Leave Denver and continue west on Interstate 70. Today’s view will be much different than the I-70 views you witnessed crossing the Great Plains. Today, you’ll see one enormous mountain after another as you cruise past some of the finest ski resorts in the world. After around 150 miles, we recommend you stop for lunch and a soak at the natural spa in Glenwood Springs before hitting the road again to check out the Colorado National Monument. To complete the day’s drive, you’ll follow a stunningly scenic route which takes you through an epic landscape that feels like you’re driving through the Grand Canyon. Our fabulous Road Trip Pack will show you the way.
Moab’s main highlight is Arches National Park’s iconic red-rock landscape. The park has over 2,000 natural stone arches and hundreds of soaring pinnacles, massive fins, and giant balanced rocks. Arches really is a wonderland of geological proportions not found anywhere else in the world. In the afternoon, visit Canyonlands, Utah’s biggest national park, which is crammed with a colourful terrain eroded into countless canyons, mesas and buttes by the Colorado and the Green Rivers. Nearby Dead Horse Point is a State Park made famous for being the filming location of the iconic final scene in the Oscar-winning film Thelma and Louise.
Utah is home to five, yes five, of America’s very best National Parks. Known around the world as the Mighty Five. After a short 2.5-hour scenic drive, you’ll visit the third of the Mighty Five – Capital Reef National Park. After lunch, you’ll move on to Bryce Canyon National Park, famous for its unique geology consisting of horseshoe-shaped amphitheatres carved from the eastern edge of the Paunsaugunt Plateau. The erosional force of frost-wedging and the dissolving power of rainwater have shaped the colourful limestone rock into bizarre shapes, including slot canyons, windows, fins, and spires called “hoodoos”.
A short drive today, over to the fifth of Utah’s Mighty 5, Zion National Park. Arguably the best of the lot, Zion National Park is stunningly beautiful. Emerald-coloured pools, lush green trees, and rust-red canyon walls are all on show in this picturesque valley. This combination of colours is a visual delight, and the Park’s trails offer the chance to explore nature at its best.
Today, you’ll leave the National Parks of Utah and head to the bright lights of Las Vegas. However, your detailed Road Trip Pack will advise you to take in one last area of outstanding beauty en route. Valley of Fire State Park offers a super scenic loop drive off the I-15 interstate, so if you can cope with yet more beautiful landscapes, then this is well worth the detour on your way to Las Vegas. Try to arrive in Vegas after the sun has set and the lights of the world-famous Strip are turned on.
It’s glitzy, tacky and wrong on so many levels… but we love it! Firstly, it’s unique, and secondly, it’s indulgence at its very finest. If your head hurts from the night before, then simply relax by one of the giant pools that adorn every hotel. If not, walk the legendary Strip, book tickets to one of the world-class shows or shop till you drop – the choice is yours. As for food, we recommend visiting one of the mega buffets available. Ensure you are hungry when you go; you won’t need to eat again for a week!
The iconic Santa Monica Pier signals the final stop of this New York to Los Angeles holiday. To celebrate the finale of your journey, we suggest you enjoy a rewarding meal at one of the Pier’s many eateries that overlook the Pacific Ocean and take a picture by “The End of Trail” sign. After lunch, we suggest you take a stroll and explore Santa Monica and neighbouring Venice Beach.
Spend the day relaxing by the pool after your 3 week adventure, or head out to explore the sites of Los Angeles. There’s plenty to keep you busy. Hollywood is synonymous with glitz and glamour, and it’s the most visited part of the city. The Griffith Observatory is just a short drive northeast of here, perched high on a hill overlooking the urban sprawl. This famous landmark is well worth visiting and offers excellent views of the legendary Hollywood Sign. We could go on, so if you want more time in LA, then just let us know.
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You’ll find answers to most of your questions right here. If you still need assistance, Feel free to get in touch, and we’ll be sure to get back to you promptly!
Not a problem. If you are lucky enough to have extra time to explore more places or add more rest days, then just let us know and we’ll adjust your trip to match your preferred timescale.
We strongly advise that you purchase travel insurance for your holiday to cover you against medical expenses, theft and other financial costs. Should you need to cancel before travelling, some insurance policies may pay out for any loss of funds that have been paid to us and which cannot be refunded under our cancellation policy.
Many of our trips have a different end destination than the starting point, so this is not a problem. Please note a fee sometimes applies for one-way rentals between other regions or states, which will be paid to the supplier directly when collecting the vehicle. We’ll endeavour to inform you of this charge within your quote.
No, far from it. We work with a range of properties from 3* to 5*, so we can adapt the trip to match most budgets. We have access to rooms in more than 800 hotels, motels, lodges and B&Bs across North America.
The minimum age to rent a car is 21 in the United States or Canada, although, in addition, any drivers under 25 years of age will generally incur a surcharge.
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