Culture guide
New York · USA
USA Travel Guide
The USA guide: the coasts, the canyons, the park pass and the two-region rule.
9 min read · 7 days · Updated September 12, 2026
- usa
- travel guide
- Destination
- New York, USA
- Duration
- 7 days
- Best time
- Sep-Oct
- Style
- Culture · Food · History
- Daily budget
- 200 USD
The United States is a continent pretending to be a country — the planning error is continental ambition on a two-week budget. The honest unit is the region: the East Coast triangle (New York, Boston, Washington) by rail, or the Southwest's canyon loop (Las Vegas base) by car.
Planning figures: cities $180–200/day, the parks $150. The America the Beautiful pass ($80) covers every national park for a year — the single best purchase in US travel.
What this guide covers
The Southwest Loop
Las Vegas and the canyon country, 7 days.
Day 1
Las Vegas — arrive
The Strip or the early rest.
Day 2
Zion — the narrows
The Virgin river wade.
Day 3
Zion — Angels Landing
The chained ridge (permit).
Day 4
Bryce Canyon
Sunrise among the hoodoos.
Day 5
Page
Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon.
Day 6
Grand Canyon
The rim trail and the sunset.
Day 7
Return
Route 66 and Hoover Dam.
The Two-Region Rule
Two weeks fits two regions: the Northeast (New York 4 → Boston 2 → DC 3), the Southwest loop (Las Vegas → Zion → Bryce → Page → the Grand Canyon), California (San Francisco → Yosemite → the coast → LA), or the Pacific Northwest (Seattle → Portland → the parks).
- East: NYC 4 → Boston 2 → DC 3 by Amtrak.
- Southwest: Vegas → Zion → Bryce → Page → Grand Canyon, 7 days by car.
- California: SF 3 → Yosemite 2 → the coast 2 → LA 3.
The National-Park Math
The $80 annual pass covers entry everywhere; the parks that need reservations (Arches, Glacier) book timed slots ahead. Lodging inside the parks books 6 months out — the gateway towns are the fallback.
What to know before you go
Money
- Cities $180–200/day; the parks $150 with lodging.
- The $80 park pass and the tipping economy are the two constants.
When
- The Southwest: April–May and September–October.
- New England: September–October for the foliage.
Turn this guide into a trip
The trip planner opens pre-filled with New York — adjust the dates and interests to fit your trip.
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Ready-made trips
Frequently asked questions
How much of the USA fits in two weeks?
Two regions, honestly. The planner's per-leg itineraries make the arithmetic visible before you book.
Do I need a car?
On the East Coast, no — Amtrak covers the triangle. In the Southwest and the West, yes.
How much does a USA trip cost?
About $1,200–1,800 per person per two weeks excluding flights, region-dependent.