Land LAX ~1:20pm. Clear immigration — have ESTA, hostel address, and contact number ready. Get to hostel, check in, decompress. Light grocery run for breakfasts, then dinner out and a few beers with your travel companion. Koreatown for cheap, vibrant food and drinks.
Day 2: Early run (Griffith Park trails or Venice boardwalk path), then the gun range. The Target Range (Culver City) or LAX Firing Range (Inglewood) — walk-in, ~$25–35 range fee + ammo. Bring passport as ID. Afternoon free — Getty Museum (free entry, great views) or Venice Beach.
Day 3: Griffith Observatory (free), Grand Central Market for cheap eats, pick up any supplies for the van leg. Stock up on road food before 1pm pickup on Day 4.
Collect the Hi-5 at 13:00. Walk around the vehicle with the operator — photograph all existing damage before leaving the lot. Understand the kitchen setup. Fill the tank in LA (cheapest fuel on the whole leg).
Head up PCH. First stop: El Matador State Beach in Malibu — dramatic sea stacks, far fewer crowds than main beaches. Continue through Oxnard to Santa Barbara — Spanish colonial city, walk State Street, grab dinner.
Sleep: Carpinteria State Beach Campground (just south of SB) or El Capitan State Beach campground north of SB. Book ahead — ~$35–45/night. Both have toilets and showers (important — no onboard shower in the Hi-5).
Leave early — on the road by 8am. The Big Sur stretch of Highway 1 is ~90 miles but takes 3–4 hours minimum because you will stop constantly. That's the point.
Key stops: Pismo Beach (leg stretch + breakfast burrito). San Luis Obispo (coffee). Ragged Point (gateway to Big Sur, clifftop views). Bixby Creek Bridge — the iconic arch — park in the south pullout for the photo. McWay Falls (Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP — waterfall directly onto a beach into the Pacific, short walk, free, unmissable). Pfeiffer Beach — turn off at unmarked Sycamore Canyon Rd just before Big Sur village, $12 entry, purple sand, sea arch.
Sleep: Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park campground in the redwoods (~$35/night, book ahead) or Kirk Creek campground on the cliffs above the ocean.
Cook breakfast in the van in the redwoods — eggs and coffee, worth savouring. Head north through Carmel-by-the-Sea (30 min wander), Monterey (Cannery Row, Old Fisherman's Wharf for cheap chowder). 17-Mile Drive ($12) is scenic but skippable on a budget.
Into San Francisco via Highway 1 / 101 north. Cross the Golden Gate Bridge — toll ~$8.40 paid electronically. Don't drive the van into central SF — park near the drop-off location or at a campground and use public transport or Uber for the evening.
Evening in SF: walk the Golden Gate at sunset, eat in the Mission District (the burritos here are the best in the world, genuinely), explore the neighbourhood.
Sleep: Rob Hill Campground in the Presidio (~$30/night, book ahead) or find van-friendly parking near the drop-off.
Drop the van by 12:00 noon. Walk around with operator, confirm no new damage, get written confirmation of clean return if possible. Pay remaining $103 to supplier.
Pick up rental car — book from SFO Airport (accessible by BART from the city, ~30min, ~$10). Economy, free cancellation policy. Head east via Highway 120 (Big Oak Flat entrance to Yosemite). Arrive valley by late afternoon. Easy first evening — walk to Lower Yosemite Falls, find your campsite.
No timed-entry permits in 2026 — just drive in. Arrive before 8am on hike days to beat parking chaos. $100 pp non-resident surcharge + base entry at the gate.
Must-do: Tunnel View (the El Capitan + Half Dome vista, right off the road). Mist Trail to Vernal + Nevada Falls — the signature hike, ~11km, drenching and spectacular. Mirror Lake for something gentler. Lower Yosemite Falls for a quick evening walk.
Stay: Camp 4 walk-in ($10/night, legendary spot) or Stanislaus National Forest dispersed camping free just outside the park. Pines campgrounds if booked at recreation.gov.
Crystalline alpine lake at 1,900m — one relaxed day. Emerald Bay State Park overlook + Vikingsholm trail, Sand Harbor for swimming (cold but doable in June), a stretch of the Tahoe Rim Trail for views. South Lake Tahoe for food and budget motels.
Stay: Budget motels from ~$70/night or Nevada Beach Campground ~$40.
Break the Tahoe → Tetons haul overnight. Twin Falls, Idaho (~7h from Tahoe) — see Shoshone Falls, the "Niagara of the West," stunning in June snowmelt. Cheap motels, short second leg to Jackson next morning (~3.5h). Alternatively break in Salt Lake City (~8h) for more food and lodging options.
The most dramatic mountain skyline in the US — the Tetons erupt straight off the valley floor with no foothills. $100 pp non-resident surcharge at the gate. No timed-entry required.
Do: Jenny Lake shuttle boat + hike to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point (one of the best day hikes in the US). Oxbow Bend and Schwabacher Landing for dawn reflections. Mormon Row for barns-against-mountains photography. Signal Mountain drive-up panorama. Wildlife everywhere — moose, bison, bears. Carry bear spray.
Optional Yellowstone day trip: ~1h north, Old Faithful + Grand Prismatic Spring. Note: another $100 pp surcharge as a separate park.
Stay: Gros Ventre or Colter Bay campground inside the park (~$35–45, recreation.gov). The Hostel in Teton Village (~$50–70). Cheaper motels in Victor/Driggs, Idaho over the pass.
Red Rocks Amphitheatre: free to visit by day — hike the surrounding trails, watch locals run the stadium steps between the 300ft red sandstone fins. Check the concert calendar immediately — catching a show here is a bucket-list experience.
Rocky Mountain NP (~1.5h north): Trail Ridge Road climbs above 3,700m — highest continuous paved road in the US. Bear Lake and Emerald Lake for accessible alpine hiking. $100 pp surcharge + timed-entry permit required — book at recreation.gov for your chosen day.
Denver: craft-beer capital, RiNo arts district for murals, Colorado Rockies baseball game at Coors Field (cheap bleacher seats, great atmosphere).
Stay: Ember Hostel or Hostel Fish, ~$40–55/night dorm. Drop rental car at DEN airport.
Austin: 6th Street and Rainey Street for live music (free, every night), Barton Springs Pool ($5 spring-fed outdoor swimming), South Congress Ave. Franklin BBQ — arrive 8am, queue by 9am. La Barbecue is shorter wait, equally excellent. Texas Capitol free to tour.
Gun range — best leg for it: Top Gun Range or Red's Indoor Range, ~$20–25 range fee + rental/ammo. Wide selection. Walk-in, no booking needed.
San Antonio day trip: 1.5h south — the Riverwalk (free), The Alamo (free). Greyhound ~$15 each way or drive.
Stay: Drifter Jack's Hostel or HI Austin, ~$35–45/night dorm.
South Beach (free), Art Deco architecture on Ocean Drive, Wynwood Walls street art district (free to walk, ~$12 gallery). Little Havana on Calle Ocho for $3 Cuban coffee, cigars, and food. Swim in the warm Atlantic.
Avoid eating directly on Ocean Drive — same food, double the price one block back. Eat in Little Havana or Wynwood for value.
Stay: Freehand Miami hostel (~$45–60/night, best in the city) or HI Miami Beach.
Walk Brooklyn Bridge into DUMBO at golden hour. The High Line (free elevated park). Central Park. Free Staten Island Ferry past the Statue of Liberty. MoMA free Friday evenings 5–9pm.
Eat cheap and brilliantly: $1.50 pizza slices, Flushing Queens for Chinese/Korean, Jackson Heights for South Asian and Latin, halal carts, bagels everywhere.
Get around: 7-day OMNY/MetroCard (~$34) — essential, covers all subway and buses.
Stay: HI NYC (Upper West Side, ~$50–65), The Local in Queens (~$45–60), or a Bushwick/Harlem hostel. Avoid Midtown.
Walk the Strip after dark — free spectacle. Bellagio fountains, the Sphere exterior, Fremont Street Experience downtown. Set a hard gambling cap ($20–40, treat as entertainment). Cheap eats: In-N-Out on the Strip, $5 shrimp cocktail at Golden Gate Casino.
Stay: Off-Strip motels (Circus Circus, Palace Station, The STRAT) from ~$35–60. Watch for resort fees on Strip hotels — factor them into any comparison. Pick up rental car for the SD→LA drive.
Southern California's most relaxed big city. Balboa Park (free to enter), Pacific Beach and Mission Beach, La Jolla Cove sea lions. Old Town for the best and cheapest tacos. Gaslamp Quarter nightlife.
Optional Tijuana day trip: park US side (~$10), walk across (NZ passport, no visa for a day visit), $1–2 tacos, walk back. Bring passport. Check border wait times before going.
Stay: ITH Beach Bungalow Surf Hostel (Pacific Beach) or USA Hostels San Diego, ~$35–48/night.
Drive back to LA (~2h). Return rental car — allow time for the return process and LA traffic, especially heading into the 4th of July weekend. If your flight is early on 3 July, stay near LAX the night of 2 July.
Final dinner, repack. Then home — across the Pacific, a day lost to the date line, 28 days of America behind you.
Rental car — western loop
- Pick up SFO Airport, 11 Jun
- Drop Denver (DEN), ~20 Jun
- Economy, free cancellation
- Kayak / Rentalcars.com / AutoSlash
- Check NZ credit card covers CDW
- One-way drop fee ~$100–200 extra
Rental car — return tail
- Pick up Las Vegas, ~30 Jun
- Drop LAX or near airport, 2 Jul
- Economy, ~3–4 days
- Book same time as western loop
- Free cancellation essential
Denver → Austin
- Southwest / United / Frontier
- ~$60–130 pp
- ~2.5h direct
- Book 2–3 weeks out
Austin → Miami
- Spirit / Frontier / United
- ~$60–100 pp
- ~2.5h direct
- Google Flights to compare
Miami → New York
- Spirit / JetBlue / American
- ~$80–120 pp
- ~3h direct
- JFK or LGA both fine
NYC → Las Vegas
- Spirit / Frontier / Southwest
- ~$90–160 pp
- ~5.5h direct
- Set price alert now
Money
- Wise card set up ✓ — no FX fees
- Notify backup card of travel
- US ATMs charge $3–5 — withdraw larger
- Tips: ~20% restaurants, $1–2/drink at bars
- Carry ~$100 cash for parking / tips
Connectivity
- eSIM — Airalo US plan, buy before flying
- ~$20–30 for 10–20GB, activates on landing
- Download offline Google Maps for all states
- Screenshot bookings and permits — parks have no signal
Documents
- ESTA — apply at esta.cbp.dhs.gov
- UK full licence valid in US ✓
- Passport for gun ranges + park surcharge checks
- Photo of passport stored separately
PCH Van tips
- No shower in Hi-5 — plan for campground facilities
- Stock kitchen before leaving LA
- Golden Gate toll ~$8.40 — confirm with iMoova how handled
- Don't drive van into central SF — park and use transit
- $200 relocation deposit taken by phone — have credit card ready
Hostels
- Hostelworld — best inventory
- HI USA chain — reliable quality
- Dorms ~$35–55/night in US cities
- Book 2–3 weeks ahead for summer
Camping
- recreation.gov for national parks
- Free dispersed camping on National Forest land
- iOverlander app for free spots
- $10–45/night inside parks
Per person, USD. Shared costs (van, car, parks) split 50/50. Excludes AKL↔LAX flights (booked ref 4KF72H).
| Item | Notes | USD p.p. |
|---|---|---|
| Hi-5 Camper van — PCH leg Confirmed ✓ RLC106829 |
$124 paid + $103 at pickup + $200 refundable deposit. Split 2. | $114 |
| Rental car — SF → Denver | ~10 days, economy, one-way. Free cancellation. Split 2. | $240 |
| Rental car — Vegas → LA | ~3–4 days, economy. Split 2. | $90 |
| Fuel — all driving | PCH leg ~$35 pp. Western rental ~1,600mi. Return ~330mi. Split 2. | $145 |
| Flights — 4 internal legs | Denver→Austin, Austin→Miami, Miami→NYC, NYC→Vegas. Budget airlines. | $420 |
| Park surcharges | $100 pp each: Yosemite, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain NP. | $300 |
| Park base fees & permits | Base entry fees, RMNP timed-entry, campsite reservations. | $70 |
| Accommodation — ~24 nights | Mix of hostels ($40–55), budget motels ($70–90 split), camp nights ($15–22 split). Van leg covered. Avg ~$42/night. | $1,000 |
| Food — 28 days | ~$30/day — self-cater breakfasts and lunches, cheap local dinners. | $840 |
| Activities | Gun range(s) ~$70, Red Rocks show ~$60, Wynwood ~$12, misc. | $160 |
| City transit | NYC 7-day MetroCard, BART SF, parking, occasional rideshare. | $90 |
| eSIM / connectivity | Airalo US plan for ~4 weeks. | $30 |
| Buffer / contingency | The inevitable unplanned costs. | $200 |
| Total per person (USD) | Excl. AKL↔LAX. $200 van deposit is refunded on return. | ~$3,099 |
| Total per person (NZD) | At ~1.75 NZD/USD | ~$5,420 |
All confirmed bookings and upcoming reservations. Receipts for confirmed items saved to Google Docs.