Could any USA experts please review my proposed itinerary and let me know if it looks good? Thank you in advance!!

3 Aussies (2 young adults and parent) for first time in USA. We want to see the main sights of the East Coast + part of California, and experience local food and attractions, and a mix of cities and smaller towns. Happy to walk all day, see things and move on, and cram lots into each day (we won't be doing any day hikes, don't need to sit on beaches all day etc..). Have included 1 national park (Yosemite) and 1 longer coastal drive (LA to San Francisco).

FLY BNE-AUK-JKF

Day 1 NYC (Use Public Transport)

Day 2 NYC

Day 3 NYC

Day 4 NYC

Day 5 DC (Use Public Transport)

Day 6 DC (Pick up Hire Car from DC and drive South along East Coast)

Day 7 NORTH CAROLINA (Raleigh)

Day 8 NORTH CAROLINA (Chapel Hill)

Day 9 SOUTH CAROLINA (Charleston) (4 hrs from Raleigh) - Plantation Tour - Walk City

Day 10 GEORGIA (Savannah) Walk City (2hrs from Charleston)

Day 11 FLORIDA (St Augustine) (3 hrs from Savannah)

Day 12 FLORIDA (Kennedy Space Centre - 2hrs from St Augustine) (2.5hrs to PB)

DAY 13 FLORIDA (Palm Beach)

Day 14 FLORIDA (Miami/South Beach) (1.75hrs from PB)

Day 15 FLORIDA (Florida Keys) (Return Hire Car)

Day 16 FLORIDA (Maybe fly to Tallahassee or Tampa, before flying onto CA)

Day 17 CALI (LA) FLY from Florida to CA (Pick up Hire Car)

Day 18 CALI (LA) Warner Bros, Beverley Hills, Hollywood

Day 19 CALI (LA) Disneyland, Santa Monica, Malibu, Venice Beach

Day 20 CALI (Monterey)- Drive North 101/1 to Monterey (LA to Monterey/Big Sur/17 Mile = 6 hrs)

Day 21 CALI (Yosemite) Yosemite National Park (Monterey to Yosemite 3.5 hours)

Day 22 CALI (Yosemite or San Francisco) (4 hours to SF)

Day 23 CALI San Francisco (Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz) (Return Hire Car)

FLY SFO-BNE (Direct Flight)

Welcome to Fodors. Unfortunately no -- just no. (Cali is a city in Colombia BTW )

I won't address all of the issues but I'm sure others will chime ine. Just two for starters:

Day 19 pretty much impossible. Disneyland is two large theme parks and really requires a minimum of 1.5 days. In one day you are trying to hit Disneyland PLUS other areas 1.5+ hours away. (DL is not in 'LA' but in Orange County so unless you are staying nearby like in Anaheim -- just getting to DL could take an hour + )

Day 15 I don't quite understand - do you mean driving from Miami down through the Keys and back to Miami to return the car? Also do you mean all the way to Key West or somewhere else?? Miami to Key West and back is a 7+ hour drive without stops. Even if you are only going as far as sy Islamorada -- it would still be a 4 hours butts in seats.

Oh - and Day 20: Currently and for the foreseeable future one cannot drive all the way up 101 and then hwy 1 through Big Sur because the road is closed (and has been for quite some time) due to landslides. So to get to big Sur you have to drive up the coast than go inland and around to Monterey and then south on Hwy 1 into Big Sur. This is a seven-ish hour drive not counting 17-mile drive or any other stops.

When is the this trip scheduled to take place? From a quick look, you have really limited your time in Washington, DC which offers so much to see and do. Of course if your trip is planned for the summer months here, I hope you are aware of the incredible heat and humidity in places like Washington and Savannah. I was once in Savannah the first weekend in June where the temperature was 98 degrees, as was the humidity. Needless to say, not pleasant to be out and about. The same with Charleston as it would be extremely uncomfortable to be out and about in that kind of weather.

What is your plan to drive to the Keys and what are your plans there? It is a long drive and only part of the route is scenic. It will also of course be hot and humid and not sure why anyone would want to travel from the Keys to either or both Tallahassee or Tampa.

You indicate drviing from Washington to Raleigh which is doable but why not visit historic sights in VA such as Richmond for the Thomas Jefferson designed state legislature or go to Charlottesville and tour Monticello and the lovely college town of Charlottesville?

What about museums? Of course in NYC, we have the Met, MOMA, the Sept 11th Memorial and Museum, the Museum of Natural History and more. In Washington, so many branches of the Smithsonian to occupy yourself as well as the monuments. The African American History Museum is a full day in itself.

Just a few thoughts as it is an ambitious agenda. For example, what are your plans in Yosemite?A trip to Yosemite requires planning and needs more time there. It is also very crowded. In Monterey, it is a half day to visit the Monterey Aquarium alone.

You might want to make many adjustments but for one thing, Day 15 is not good. Drive From Miami, see the Keys, and fly out of MIA the next day????? You'll see nothing except the road.

Why Raleigh and Durham? They are both nice enough but unless you have a personal reason, I'd skip those. More interesting to drive through eastern North Carolina and stop at the barbecue shacks and get some real local flavor in the towns around there.....take Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel to a region of the country that sees few foreign tourists....then head down to Charleston....Days 9 and 10 are really rushing Charleston and Savanah, leaving no time for exploring all the sights outside those cities. Leave out the NC cities and spend two days in each of the SC ones. Or more.



But you are leaving what---one day for Miami?

Palm Beach?? Do do what...ride along A!A and look at the mansions? Hotels on the island are excreechingly (my word) expensive so you will end up in a motel-like placer far out west.....

I did not even mention 3 days in NYC, when you will likely be suffering from jet lag (??). Two days in DC including time to get there which takes a half day door to door.????

If this were my trip I would choose either the USA east coast or the west coast. You've got far too much on your list to cram into so little time.
Sorry to be blunt here but you are not even allowing for mishaps.....car breaks down, someone is too tired one day....


I'm probably a lot older than you are but I always carry the idea that I will return someday if I like a place... So, for example, when I go to Italy, I pick a specific region of the country to wander around.......go a little off the beaten path, have time to linger at a museum I love, or to take a walk........ You will have no time for any of that..... Sorry to intrude my own views here but I do think you need a reality check..

Thank you for all the replies!! Travelling in the month of April. Would love more suggestions to fix this. Thank you 🙏

I agree with the above posters. Way too much travelling around, and not enough time to enjoy.

IMHO, you should choose either the east or west coast on this trip, not both. Virginia, and DC offer so much, history, museums, etc. You could spend a week there easily. Google Alexandria, Manassas, Mt. Vernon (George Washington's estate), Monticello (Jefferson's estate) You could visit PA, perhaps Philadelphia for more history, and Longwood Gardens, (fabulous) if that's your thing. Shenandoah National Park is not as dramatic as Yosemite, but still beautiful. Then make your way further south. Charleston and Savannah are definitely worth a visit. But, Raleigh and Chapel Hill? Not so sure.
Finish up with a week or so in Florida.
As mentioned above, these areas are hot and humid in the summer. Spring or fall would be more comfortable.

Next trip, spend it on the west coast.

Welcome to America!

NYC >DC>LA>Yosemite/Big sur>SF. The southern part of your trip is a whole other trip and probably you should do either east coast or west coast. Time of year is important. Temps in Calif will be all right in the summer but hot and humid on east coast. I personally would be in SF a lot longer than one day. It’s a beautiful town and very accessible. LA is huge and going from one end to the other takes many hours. Disneyland will be an exhausting but fun day and stay next to the park. Maybe another day that’s movie oriented like a tour or universal studios. Again those two days will leave you exhausted but hopefully you’re young. Don’t worry about seeing all those different beaches-go to Malibu pier for lunch-the other beaches are very similar.

I’m a native Californian and calling it cali is fine. It’s the 4th largest economy in the world and we’re all friendly and happy to be here. Sunny and almost 70 degrees in Santa Barbara today…

Welcome to the Fodors forums AlwaysTYOCar. Your second post was caught up in the Moderation filter and just released. Meaning that those posting later (#'s 6 and 7) had not seen your comment.

With the new information, the main change I'd make is decide which coast you want to visit. Either the East Coast or West Coast would make for a great three week trip -- understanding that even limiting to one coast means being very selective how much you try to fit in.

Being a northern Californian and Yosemite being my second very favorite place on earth (the Highlands of Scotland being #1) and visiting the Monterey Peninsula as often as I can . . . I'd still maybe recommend doing the East coast. Mainly because weather-wise you won't get much better in the eastern USA than at that time of year.

In April Yosemite Valley would be glorious but might still have snow. But even if there is no snow on the Valley floor, Glacier Point and the back country will be closed and possibly Mariposa grove as well.

Another vote to pick one coast or the other. If the West Coast, you could look at exploring California in the way you would a country. There's that much to see, some of the best parts of the state are not along the coast, and the distances between sights are far. If you're using Google Maps to calculate drive times, you need to add more time to the estimates for every drive. Assume you will stop for lunch, for unexpected sights/views, for comfort breaks, whatever. In that respect, in addition to the days people have commented on, your Day 20 isn't realistic.

And, just FYI, Highway 1 is not entirely open between Los Angeles and Monterey because of past storm-related road damage. You would have to make a detour away from the coast at about the town of Lucia, circle around the mountains, and approach Big Sur from the north. The state's department of transportation has been working on repairs but probably won't announce an opening date until we get through the coming winter and after any additional storm damage is assessed.

Thank you for your reply - the trip is planned for April 2025. It looks like we will cut Miami and the Keys based on everyone's recommendations. How much time would we need for Yosemite - would 1 night or 2 nights be sufficient ? (we are not hikers, but would love to see the natural beauty).

Thank you for your reply - it looks like we may need to cut out southern Florida (Miami and the Keys) altogether. Is the California section realistic (removing Disneyland)?

Re Yosemite -- only the Valley will be open. For visiting just the Valley at that time of year two full days would be rushed but OK . . . meaning three nights. That is assuming you stay either IN Yosemite Valley or at Yosemite View Lodge in El Portal. Anyplace else that claims to be close to Yosemite (even if inside the park) will be an hour or 1.5+ hour drive from the Valley over very twisty turny roads. Yosemite NP is ENORMOUS and properties at say the south entrance at Oakhurst - are nearly 50 miles and 2 hours from the Valley. The speed limit in the park is 25 mph and very strictly enforced.

The best approach is from the west via Hwy 140 through Merced and El Portal. It is the lowest elevation route and hugs the Merced River so if there is snow it is the best route.

I would skip Raleigh and Chapel Hill and spend more time in Charleston. It is the number one destination for Southerners for a reason. Charleston exudes Old South atmosphere with a Gullah culture flare. Its historic homes dating from the early 1800s and late 1700s line brick streets and are surrounded by lush foliage. Take a walk or a drive in a horse-drawn carriage through the Historic District, with its veranda-fronted mansions and slender church towers. Check out Charles Landing State Historical site and Colonial Dorchester SHS.

I would also spend more time in Washington, DC. There are over 20 free Smithsonian museums including the Space and Science Museum and the Museum of the American Indian.

Well April is a thousand times better for both Savannah and Charleston than the summer. It will be very pleasant to walk around in both places but I think that more than a day is needed in both places especially if you are interested in historic architecture and house tours. In Savannah you can get a combination ticket for the Owens-Thomas House and Slave Quarters that also includes Telfair Academy and the Jepson Center for Contemporary Art. In Charleston there are many house tours and you should be able to take a boat ride to Fort Sumter. Both places will be in bloom and should be lovely for strolling and walking around. Charleston is well known as a foodie place and Savannah has a good number of fine restaurants. St Augustine is pleasant for a day and touring the historic fort fronting the river.

Personally as much as I enjoy Yosemite I wouldn't travel there in April although seeing snow covered mountains in the distance would be appealing. Instead when you are in San Francisco which also needs more than a day, you can do a day trip to Muir Woods. If Alcatraz tours aren't available, you can take a boat ride that goes under the Golden Gate Bridge or a ferry to Sausalito.

Easter and Passover fall during mid-April and be aware of closures for places possibly on Easter Sunday.

Madam397 makes a good point about Passover and Easter... Passover is on April 12 and Easter on April 20. Although school schedules vary across the country, many schools will be closed the week prior to Easter, and LOTS of families will be spending their school break in popular destinations. Road traffic could increase drive times. There could be a decrease in lodging availability and increase in lodging rates.

"There could be a decrease in lodging availability and increase in lodging rates." . . . and also multi-night minimum stays.

I personally would not do Muir Woods . . . especially during school holidays. It is a relatively small park near a huge metropolitan area and gets crowded. Plus one must pre-book parking. If redwoods are on your wish list either Henry Cowell State Park in the Santa Cruz mountains or a couple of parks in Big Sur would be better IMO.

I still think you should decide between the east and west coasts and not try for both. It looks like you've already booked your flights and they do exit via SFO. If that's the case and you decide on doing the east coast -- what I'd do is spend the first 18-ish days on the east coast, fly into either SFO or SMF, pick up a car and drive to Yosemite stay 2 or 3 nights, drive to San Francisco drop the car and spend the last couple of days in the city car-less then fly home.

One thing is accommodation in Yosemite Valley might already be booked up so definitely check out Yosemite View Lodge. https://www.stayyosemiteviewlodge.com

If on the other hand you decide on doing JUST California then we can help you work out an itinerary - California is a big state . . . not 'big' by OZ standards but with hundreds of major sites so even having 3 weeks would require being pretty selective what you could fit in.

How to fix it? Cut out one coast or the other. Either fly into New York and drive down to Miami and the Keys. Three weeks would be fine for that.

OR

Fly into Los Angeles and spend the three weeks exploring California (don't call it "Cali" when you are there if you want to make friends -lol). You'd have time to head south to San Diego, east out to the desert, time to see a few of the parks, back north to do the Pacific Highway coast drive up to San Francisco. Fly home from there.

Honestly your posted itinerary is near "madness" and you'd spend all your time looking at things as you drive your rental car all over the country! You can make a better trip by narrowing it down... a LOT.

This sounds like a wonderful adventure!

I can appreciate how far you are traveling and guessing it will be awhile before you can visit the States again. So I think visiting both coasts would be enjoyable and give you different "flavors" of the U.S. An east coast history and cultural experience and a west coast nature and stunning beauty experience.

Right away, D.C. needs another night and Florida should be eliminated. I am intrigued by your interest in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, are any of these musts? If so, pick one location and do day trips from there and just give it 3 nights. If not, you can give the remaining locations those days.

Now you have the 5 Florida days to dedicate to California. Yosemite should get 3 nights and check into accommodation availability right away. Research will have to be on the Pacific road closures.Your LA plan is way too ambitious. Some things need to be eliminated and probably get another night there. As someone mentioned, Disneyland will be an entire day. Better to do less and enjoy it, than to finish your vacation exhausted and your memories a blur. You are not allowing for leisurely dining, enjoying the unexpected, doing laundry and just sleeping in. You will get there!