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 from 500 W Florence Ave, Inglewood. Walk around with operator, photograph all existing damage before leaving. Confirm insurance (Protection Plus $41.50 flat — recommended). Fill tank in Inglewood.
Head north on PCH. Stop at El Matador State Beach in Malibu — dramatic sea stacks, worth 30 minutes. Continue up through Santa Barbara (walk State Street) and west along the 101 to Refugio.
Tonight — Refugio State Beach: Campsite 14, right on the ocean, 20 miles west of Santa Barbara. Check-in from 2:00pm, check-out by noon tomorrow. Present confirmation #29667818 + photo ID. Toilets and showers on site. Paid in full $53.25 ✓
Leave Refugio after 8am — check-out by noon but no need to rush. Fernwood check-in opens at noon so you have the whole morning for the drive and stops.
Key stops north: Pismo Beach (breakfast burrito stop). San Luis Obispo (coffee, 20min inland detour). Ragged Point — clifftop gateway to Big Sur. Bixby Creek Bridge — park in the south pullout for the classic photo. McWay Falls (Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP — waterfall directly onto a beach, short walk, free, absolutely unmissable). Pfeiffer Beach — turn at the unmarked Sycamore Canyon Rd just before Big Sur village, $12, purple sand and a sea arch. Don't miss it.
Tonight — Fernwood Resort Big Sur: Campsite 10, RV/van site with electric hookup, across from the bathhouse. Check-in noon–10pm, check-out by 11am tomorrow. Address: 47200 Highway 1. Confirmation #85199848. Paid in full $153.50 ✓
Note: Quiet time from 10pm. Fernwood has live music some weekend nights until 1am — this is a Tuesday so should be quiet.
Cook breakfast in the van at Fernwood — last morning in Big Sur. Check out by 11am. Head north through Carmel-by-the-Sea (30min wander, beautiful village) to Monterey. Cannery Row, Old Fisherman's Wharf for cheap clam chowder in a bread bowl, the waterfront.
Tonight — Veterans Memorial Park: Walk-up / first-come-first-served campground on a hill above Monterey. ~$35/night cash on arrival. No reservation possible — aim to arrive by 4pm to secure a spot. Mid-week June availability is usually fine but not guaranteed.
Fallback if full: HI Monterey hostel or budget motels in town from ~$80. Worth having Hostelworld loaded on your phone as backup.
This is the last night in the van. Good position for the Hayward drop-off tomorrow morning — only ~2h north.
Leave Monterey by 9:30am — it's ~2h to Hayward, drop-off by noon. Drop-off address: 1997 W Winton Ave, Hayward CA 94545 (not central SF — it's 30min south of the city).
Walk around van with operator, confirm clean return, get written confirmation. Pay $103 to Travellers Autobarn (credit card only). $200 deposit refunded — allow up to 4 weeks.
After drop-off: Hayward BART station is nearby — train into SF takes ~30min, ~$5. Head into the city for the afternoon and evening. Golden Gate Bridge walk, Mission District burritos, explore the neighbourhoods.
Sleep in SF tonight — HI San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf or Adelaide Hostel (Union Square), ~$45–55/night. Book this now.
Pick up rental car from SFO in the morning. If you haven't bought gear yet, Walmart in South Lake Tahoe is the stop — hit it on arrival before it gets late. Stock the cooler: sandwich ingredients, fruit, drinks, snacks for driving days.
Emerald Bay State Park overlook (the postcard Tahoe view), Sand Harbor for a swim — June water is cold but doable. Tahoe Rim Trail for views if you have energy. South Lake Tahoe strip for food and a beer.
Sleep: Mellow Mountain Hostel, South Lake Tahoe (~$35–47/night dorm) — well reviewed, social, central. Or Nevada Beach Campground (~$40) on the lake if you have gear sorted. Good first test of the camping setup before the bigger parks.
The biggest trees on earth — General Sherman is the largest living thing by volume. You need two full days to do it properly. $100pp non-resident surcharge at the gate. No timed-entry permits needed.
Day 1 (Sun): General Sherman Tree (short walk from car park, genuinely awe-inspiring), Congress Trail (~3.2km loop past dozens of giant sequoias — the best walk in the park), General Grant Grove. Arrive early to beat afternoon crowds.
Day 2 (Mon): Moro Rock — steep 0.8km hike to a granite dome with 360° Sierra Nevada panoramas. Tunnel Log (drive your car through a fallen sequoia). Crescent Meadow loop for a quieter walk through flower-filled meadows. Crystal Cave if tours available (book ahead).
Sleep: Lodgepole Campground — the main in-park site, ~$36/night, toilets, showers, bear lockers (mandatory food storage). Book at recreation.gov today — fills fast for weekends. Alternatively Dorst Creek Campground (~$22/night, more basic but quieter). Budget motels in Three Rivers at the park entrance if camping not sorted (~$90).
Bear country: All food, toiletries, and anything scented must go in the bear lockers at the campsite overnight. Do not leave anything in the car — bears break windows.
No timed-entry permits in 2026 — just drive in. Arrive before 8am on hike days, parking fills fast. $100pp non-resident surcharge at the gate.
⚠ Tioga Pass (Hwy 120): Check nps.gov/yose before leaving Sequoia. If open, it's a spectacular direct 3h crossing of the High Sierra — one of the great drives in California. If still closed, route via Hwy 99 west through Fresno then north through Merced (~4.5h, less scenic but fine).
Day 1 (Tue 16): Mist Trail to Vernal Falls and Nevada Falls — the signature Yosemite hike, ~11km return, drenching in June snowmelt, spectacular waterfall views. Tunnel View at golden hour for the El Capitan + Half Dome panorama.
Day 2 (Wed 17) ⚽ England vs Croatia: AT&T Stadium, Arlington Texas · 1pm Pacific / 4pm ET kick-off. Inside the park reception and wifi is very limited — plan for this. Best options: Yosemite Valley Lodge bar or Curry Village bar if they have it on. Better bet: drive out to Groveland (~45min west of the park entrance) which has proper sports bars with guaranteed screens. Could time your morning hike around an early departure toward Groveland for the match, then return to the park after. Valley floor walk, Mirror Lake, and Lower Yosemite Falls are all easy afternoon activities.
Sleep: Camp 4 walk-in campsite ($10/night — legendary, first-come so arrive early), Upper or Lower Pines campground (~$36/night, recreation.gov), or Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort in Midpines (~$28–36/night dorm, 45min outside the park, great community vibe, hot tub, good food — and better wifi for match day).
Early departure from Yosemite — the Tetons are a full day's drive away and you don't want to do it in one shot from Yosemite. Exit via Tioga Pass if open (then south on US-395) or west through Merced then east on US-6. Either way you end up on the dramatic Eastern Sierra corridor.
Bishop is a good overnight — a small mountain town with cheap motels (~$70–80), excellent Mexican food, and surrounded by spectacular granite. Lone Pine (1h further south) has the Alabama Hills — otherworldly rounded granite boulders used in countless westerns and sci-fi films, with the Sierra Nevada as the backdrop. Worth a sunset wander even if you stay in Bishop.
Sleep: Budget motels in Bishop — Hostel California (~$35/night) or Motel 6 (~$70). Early night — tomorrow is the big drive day.
The big one. Bishop → Jackson Hole is ~8h and needs an early start. Route: US-395 north to US-6 east through Nevada, join I-15 north briefly then Hwy 30/89 north into Idaho and down into Jackson. The drive crosses the Great Basin — stark, flat, enormous skies, surprisingly beautiful.
Break at Twin Falls, Idaho (~5.5h from Bishop) — Shoshone Falls is 15min off the highway, taller than Niagara, spectacular in June snowmelt. Good lunch stop, stretch the legs.
Arrive Jackson Hole late afternoon. Buy bear spray before the park — any outdoor shop in Jackson (~$45). Recommended at trail heads in the Tetons. Get food and supplies for campground mornings.
Sleep: The Hostel in Teton Village (~$50–70/night dorm, ski-resort hostel, excellent) or Gros Ventre Campground inside the park (~$35–45, recreation.gov — book ahead, fills on summer weekends). Cheaper motels in Victor or Driggs, Idaho over Teton Pass (~$80–100).
The most dramatic mountain skyline in the US — the Tetons erupt 2,000m straight off the valley floor with no foothills. Moose, bison, pronghorn, and bears everywhere. $100pp non-resident surcharge at the gate. No timed-entry permits needed.
Day 1 (Sat): Jenny Lake — take the shuttle boat across ($20 return, saves 3.2km each way) and hike up to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. One of the best day hikes in the US — the views back across the lake to the valley are extraordinary. Push into Cascade Canyon if legs allow. Oxbow Bend at sunset for wildlife and the reflection of Mount Moran.
Day 2 (Sun): Mormon Row — the iconic historic barns against the Teton backdrop, one of the most photographed spots in the US, free. Signal Mountain drive-up for the panoramic valley view. Schwabacher Landing at dawn for mirror reflections of the peaks. Wildlife drive through the Antelope Flats for bison sightings.
Yellowstone: only 1h north from the park entrance. If you want it, day-trip up for Old Faithful and the Grand Prismatic Spring. Another $100pp surcharge as a completely separate park — factor that into the decision.
Bear country: carry bear spray on all hikes. Store all food and scented items in bear lockers or your car boot (not passenger compartment) overnight.
Drive south on Hwy 89 / US-26 to I-25 south through Wyoming into Colorado. The drive through the high plains of Wyoming is fast and wide open — easy driving. Break in Laramie (~4.5h from Jackson) for food. The final run into Denver on I-25 gives you Front Range mountain views on the right.
Arrive Denver evening. Get food, sort accommodation, decompress — you've covered a lot of ground.
Sleep: Ember Hostel or Hostel Fish, Denver — both central, ~$35–45/night dorm. Book ahead.
Morning: Red Rocks Amphitheatre (~30min west of Denver) — free to visit by day. Hike the trading post trail through the red sandstone fins, watch locals run the stadium steps. If there's a concert on tonight, a weeknight show can be reasonable.
Afternoon: Rocky Mountain National Park if time allows (~1.5h north). Timed-entry permit required — book at recreation.gov. $100pp surcharge.
⚽ England vs Ghana — Gillette Stadium, Foxborough MA · 2pm Mountain / 4pm ET kick-off. Denver is an excellent city for this — loads of sports bars in LoDo (Lower Downtown) and the RiNo district, all with big screens. This is the ideal match day setting of the three fixtures: proper city, daytime kick-off, cold beer. Find a spot early as World Cup crowds will be out. Drop rental car at Denver International (DEN) after the match and fly to Austin.
Austin: 6th Street and Rainey Street for free live music 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 of the trip for this. Top Gun Range or Red's Indoor Range in Austin — walk-in, ~$20–25 range fee + ammo. Wide selection of firearms to rent.
San Antonio day trip: 1.5h south — the Riverwalk (free to walk), The Alamo (free). Greyhound ~$15 each way or drive.
Stay: Drifter Jack's Hostel or HI Austin, ~$35–45/night dorm.
Five nights gives NYC room to breathe. Walk Brooklyn Bridge into DUMBO at golden hour. The High Line (free). Central Park. Free Staten Island Ferry past the Statue of Liberty. MoMA free Friday evenings 5–9pm.
⚽ England vs Panama — Sat 27 Jun · MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford NJ · 5pm ET local / 10pm BST. This is England's final group game and you arrive in NYC on this day. MetLife Stadium is just across the river in New Jersey — ~30min by NJ Transit train from Penn Station (~$5 each way). This is very much a gettable ticket — Panama vs England is not a premium group game, face-value tickets should be available on Ticketmaster or FIFA's official site, or secondary market (StubHub) without eye-watering prices. An England World Cup match in New York on your first night in the city would be quite the arrival. Check availability now and decide — it would cost ~$80–150pp on the secondary market at a guess, but could be less.
With the extra night: Catch a Yankees game at Yankee Stadium or Mets at Citi Field — both likely have home games in late June, cheap bleacher seats ~$15–25. Day trip to Coney Island (beach + boardwalk, $2.90 subway).
Eat cheap: $1.50 pizza slices. Flushing, Queens for the best Chinese/Korean outside Asia. Jackson Heights for South Asian and Latin. Halal carts. Bagels everywhere.
Get around: 7-day OMNY/MetroCard (~$34) — get it on arrival, covers all subway and buses for the whole stay.
Stay: HI NYC (Upper West Side, ~$50–65/night), The Local in Queens (~$45–60), or a Bushwick/Bed-Stuy hostel in Brooklyn. Avoid Midtown hostels — same price, worse location.
Fly in Thu 2 July — full evening on the Strip. Walk it properly: Bellagio fountains, the Venetian canals, the Sphere exterior, Fremont Street Experience downtown (free light show, cheaper and grittier than the Strip). Set a gambling cap ($20–40, treat as entertainment). Cheap eats: In-N-Out on the Strip, $5 shrimp cocktail at the Golden Gate Casino.
Fri 3 Jul — daytime: Hoover Dam (~45min from the Strip) — engineering spectacle, free to drive across, tours available inside (~$30). Or Red Rock Canyon (~30min west) — dramatic red sandstone escarpment, easy hiking, completely free. Either makes for a solid final morning in the American West.
Stay: Off-Strip motels — Circus Circus, Palace Station, or The STRAT from ~$35–60/night. Watch for resort fees on Strip hotels (~$30–45/night on top of room rate) — factor into any price comparison.
Rental car: Pick up at LAS airport on arrival, drop at LAX. One-way drop fee applies. Book with free cancellation.
Leave Las Vegas by 6:00pm at the latest. I-15 south across the Mojave — 4h drive, straightforward. Drop rental car at LAX, get to terminal by 9pm. Check-in opens ~3hrs before departure.
4th of July weekend: I-15 from Vegas to LA is one of the busiest roads in the US on this weekend — leave earlier if possible. Friday afternoon traffic could add 1–2 hours. Build in the buffer.
Last meal at LAX, repack, board. Across the Pacific, 28 days done.
Flight: Alaska Airlines · LAX → AKL · Confirmation NGLGQV · Departs 23:30 Fri 3 Jul.
Non-negotiable
- 2x sleeping bags — 0°C rated (~$35 each)
- 2x foam sleeping mats (~$12 each)
- 2x headtorches (~$10 each)
- Bear spray — buy in Jackson (~$45)
- Small cooler + daily ice (~$8 + $3/day)
- Basic first aid + blister plasters (~$10)
Tent (optional)
- 2-person tent from Walmart ~$35
- Alternative: car-camp in reclined seats
- Sequoia + Yosemite have bear lockers
- Leave or donate tent at trip end
- Don't overthink it — car-camping works fine
Clothing layers
- Mid-layer fleece (Patagonia secondhand in Tahoe)
- Wind/waterproof shell jacket
- Trail runners or hiking boots for Yosemite + Tetons
- Sunscreen — UV much stronger at altitude
- Sunglasses + cap — essential on exposed ridges
Bear safety
- Bear spray — buy in Jackson before the Tetons
- Use campground bear lockers for all food + toiletries
- Nothing scented in car overnight — bears break windows
- At Yosemite + Sequoia bear lockers are mandatory
- Clip bear spray to daypack on Teton hikes
Where to buy
- REI, 840 Brannan St, SF (SoMa) — best single stop today. Staff will help match gear to the route. Pricier but quality.
- Walmart, South Lake Tahoe — budget version. Sleeping bags, mats, tent, cooler, headtorches all available. Perfectly adequate for a few nights.
- Facebook Marketplace SF — best value. Search "camping gear" and "sleeping bag" today — barely-used kit sells for half retail constantly.
- Any outdoor shop in Jackson WY — bear spray. Mandatory purchase before entering the Tetons.
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 now
Austin → New York
- Southwest / JetBlue / Spirit
- ~$80–140 pp
- ~3.5h direct
- JFK or LGA both fine
NYC → Las Vegas
- Spirit / Frontier / Southwest
- ~$90–160 pp
- ~5.5h direct
- Thu 2 Jul — book now
LAS → LAX (rental car)
- Drive I-15 south ~4h
- Pick up LAS, drop LAX
- One-way drop fee applies
- Leave Vegas by 6pm on 3 Jul
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 — 3 internal legs | Denver→Austin (~23 Jun), Austin→NYC (~27 Jun), NYC→Vegas (~2 Jul). Miami removed. | $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.