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United States 🇺🇸

backpacking North America United States 🇺🇸Canyons, geysers and big cities, best reached by road trip.

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Backpacking the USA in 2027

A complete guide including when and where to go, costs, transport, itineraries, and practical travel advice.
Traveling in the USA: what to expect

Backpacking the USA
By Johan Kruseman 🇳🇱 | Updated October 25, 2026

In the United States (USA), the price on the sticker is only the starting point. Sales tax is added at the register (zero in Oregon, close to 10 percent in parts of Louisiana and Tennessee), and a sit-down meal expects an 18 to 20 percent tip on top, so a US$15 burger quietly becomes a US$20 burger somewhere between the menu and the card machine. Budget from the receipt, never the menu.

What you get for that money is space on a scale few countries can match. The national park system alone covers deserts, glaciers and rainforest, and the cities carry their own weight: brass bands on Frenchmen Street in New Orleans, a 2 a.m. slice in New York, the steaming geysers of Yellowstone, the drop into the Grand Canyon. I still remember a diner booth outside Moab, the waitress topping up my bitter coffee for the fourth time without asking while the cliffs outside went from orange to rust. The challenges are just as big. Distances are huge and public transport thins out fast beyond the Northeast, so the cheapest bus often costs you days and sleep, while a rental car split between three people costs roughly the same per head and actually reaches the trailheads. That makes the car the better deal for most backpackers. Beds are expensive, healthcare without insurance is ruinous, and parts of some cities call for ordinary big-city awareness after dark.

Compared with Canada, you trade some calm and politeness for more variety and a denser web of parks within a day’s drive. Mexico gives you far more food and comfort per dollar, but nothing there matches the American public-land road trip. The country suits hikers, road-trippers, music fans and anyone happy to sleep in a tent to afford a good dinner. It suits travelers on US$30 a day, or anyone who refuses to drive, much less well.

👉 Get the 📖 Travel Guide of the USA
Backpacking the United States means accepting that the map lies about distance. Crossing Texas alone takes 12 to 13 hours by car, so you should pick two regions and do them well, not five badly.

Northeast Corridor (New York City, Boston, Washington DC)

This is the one stretch of the United States where skipping the rental car is the smart move. Amtrak’s Northeast Regional links Washington DC to New York in about 3.5 hours, and buses take 4 to 5 hours for far less money, with Wi-Fi that works roughly half the trip. Take the bus and save the train fare for a decent dinner. New York and Boston walk fast, talk faster and charge hostel rates that sting, while DC’s free Smithsonian museums soften the blow. It suits first-timers and anyone allergic to driving.

The Southwest (Las Vegas, Zion, Grand Canyon)

Flying into Las Vegas is the cheap way in, with Zion about 2.5 hours away by car and the Grand Canyon’s South Rim around 4.5 hours. You need your own wheels, because public transport out here is mostly theoretical. Camping costs a fraction of motel rates, though desert nights get cold enough to make you regret that thin sleeping bag. Non-US residents pay a US$100 per-person surcharge at the busiest parks, so the US$250 America the Beautiful pass pays for itself after two or three gates. It suits hikers who tolerate long drives and 5 a.m. alarms.

California Coast (San Francisco, Big Sur, Los Angeles)

You get two choices between San Francisco and Los Angeles: Interstate 5 in about 6 hours of cattle feedlots and gas stations, or Highway 1 through Big Sur in 9 to 10 hours of cliffs, fog and pullouts where everyone takes the same photo. Take Highway 1 and sleep along the way; the extra day costs less than the regret of skipping it. San Francisco is compact and transit-friendly, while Los Angeles sprawls so much that a 15-kilometer trip can eat an hour. It suits road-trippers, surfers and anyone at peace with California pricing.

The Deep South (New Orleans, Nashville, Memphis)

Music sets the schedule here: brass bands in the Frenchmen Street clubs of New Orleans, honky-tonks on Nashville’s Lower Broadway, blues on Beale Street in Memphis. Nashville to Memphis is about 3 hours by car and Memphis to New Orleans roughly 6, while Greyhound adds hours plus stations you won’t want to linger in. Splitting a rental with two or three travelers beats the bus on both comfort and cost. Strangers chat you up in line, at the bar, even at the gas pump. Summer humidity is a full-contact sport. It suits social travelers with resilient livers.

Pacific Northwest (Seattle, Portland, Olympic National Park)

Amtrak Cascades runs Seattle to Portland in about 3.5 hours, with Puget Sound out the window and more legroom than any plane, which makes it the obvious pick over driving through Tacoma traffic. Both cities run on coffee, rain shells and a polite, slightly reserved friendliness. Olympic National Park, 2.5 to 3 hours from Seattle including a ferry crossing, pairs moss-dripping temperate rainforest with driftwood beaches, and you’ll want a car for it. Summers are short and dry. It suits campers and anyone who considers drizzle part of their personality.
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Seeing the layout at a glance
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Why go?What makes this country worth the trip

Scenery

The United States has a habit of making you pull over every twenty minutes, which is why a five-hour … read more 👉
The United States has a habit of making you pull over every twenty minutes, which is why a five-hour drive here regularly takes nine. The range is the selling point: red sandstone towers in Monument Valley, the eroded striped walls of the South Dakota Badlands, Pacific cliffs dropping into fog along Big Sur, and Vermont hillsides turning orange and red in early October. Much of it is public land, so the best viewpoints usually come with a parking lot, a trail and a ranger instead of a ticket booth and a gift shop, although the gift shop is usually nearby too.

The contrast is what makes a trip here memorable. You can wake up among snowfields in the Rockies and fall asleep in a desert where the temperature still reads 30°C at midnight. Light does a lot of the work, so plan sunrise and sunset around the places that matter, and leave the midday glare for driving.

I’d drive Highway 1 through Big Sur from north to south, which puts you in the lane on the ocean side, with every pull-out a simple right turn.

Mountains

Mountain hiking in the United States comes with one recurring surprise: the trailhead is often already … read more 👉
Mountain hiking in the United States comes with one recurring surprise: the trailhead is often already higher than the summit you climbed on your last holiday. Colorado alone has more than 50 peaks above 14,000 feet (about 4,270 meters), known locally as “fourteeners,” and plenty of them are non-technical walk-ups if your lungs cooperate. The Sierra Nevada in California offers granite lakes and Mount Whitney at 4,421 meters, the Cascades in Washington and Oregon stack glaciers onto volcanoes, and in the east the Appalachian Trail runs about 3,500 kilometers from Georgia to Maine through old, rounded forest mountains.

Trails are well marked, maps are excellent, and backcountry campsites are plentiful, so even a first multi-day trek feels manageable. Popular routes like Whitney and Half Dome in Yosemite require permits through a lottery, so apply months ahead.

In the Rockies, start hiking by sunrise and aim to be off exposed ridges by noon, since summer afternoon thunderstorms roll in almost daily and lightning has no interest in your summit photo. Give yourself a day or two at altitude before attempting anything above 3,500 meters.

Wildlife

Wildlife in the United States has a way of showing up in the most inconvenient places, usually the middle … read more 👉
Wildlife in the United States has a way of showing up in the most inconvenient places, usually the middle of the road. In Yellowstone’s Lamar Valley, wolf packs are spotted at dawn by a dedicated crowd of watchers with spotting scopes who are generally happy to let you take a look. In Alaska’s Katmai National Park, brown bears line up at Brooks Falls in July to catch jumping salmon. Florida offers alligators sunning along canals in the Everglades and, in winter, manatees gathering in the warm springs around Crystal River. On the Pacific coast, gray whales migrate past headlands in winter and spring, visible from shore with patience and a thermos.

The variety is the draw. Within a single road trip you can see bison, pronghorn, elk and bald eagles without paying for a single guided tour.

Keep your distance, because the animals take it seriously. Yellowstone requires you to stay at least 25 yards (23 meters) from bison and elk, and 100 yards (91 meters) from bears and wolves. Bison injure more visitors than bears do, mostly people who wanted a closer selfie. Bring binoculars and go out at dawn or dusk, when animals are most active.

Beach life

Beach life in the United States covers a ridiculous range, from Hawaiian reefs to Miami nightclubs to … read more 👉
Beach life in the United States covers a ridiculous range, from Hawaiian reefs to Miami nightclubs to cold Pacific surf breaks where everyone wears a wetsuit in August. Hawaii is the snorkeling star, with green sea turtles grazing near shore and clear water around Oahu and Maui, although Hanauma Bay requires an advance reservation. The Florida Keys sit beside the only living coral barrier reef in the continental country, which makes it the best mainland base for diving and snorkeling. Miami’s South Beach handles the night shift, with Art Deco hotels, loud music and dinners starting late.

For pure sand, the Gulf Coast around Pensacola and Siesta Key has fine, bright white quartz beaches that stay cool underfoot even at midday, and the water is calm and warm for much of the year.

Don’t judge California by the movies. North of Santa Barbara the Pacific stays around 10 to 15°C even in summer, so swimming there is mostly a short, loud experience. Southern California, from Los Angeles down to San Diego, is warmer and better for surf lessons, and early mornings are the calmest time to learn.

⭐ HighlightsThe places that define a trip here

  • Grand Canyon South Rim: The canyon in the United States that every postcard promised turns out to be bigger than the postcard, about 1.6 kilometers deep, with ravens riding the updraft right at eye level. Dawn on the Rim Trail is cold even in May, since you’re standing at roughly 2,100 meters, and the pine-sharp air bites your nose while the far walls shift from gray to orange. Walk a short way down the Bright Angel Trail and you’ll grasp the rule rangers repeat endlessly: going down is optional, coming back up is mandatory, and it takes about twice as long.
  • New York City: Steam rises from street grates, a subway train screeches into the station loud enough to stop conversation, and somebody is always eating a folded slice of pizza while walking at full speed. Cross the Brooklyn Bridge on foot in the early evening, when the wooden planks flex slightly under the crowd and Manhattan’s towers light up one by one. Then ride the free Staten Island Ferry past the Statue of Liberty, which beats
… read more 👉
  • Grand Canyon South Rim: The canyon in the United States that every postcard promised turns out to be bigger than the postcard, about 1.6 kilometers deep, with ravens riding the updraft right at eye level. Dawn on the Rim Trail is cold even in May, since you’re standing at roughly 2,100 meters, and the pine-sharp air bites your nose while the far walls shift from gray to orange. Walk a short way down the Bright Angel Trail and you’ll grasp the rule rangers repeat endlessly: going down is optional, coming back up is mandatory, and it takes about twice as long.
  • New York City: Steam rises from street grates, a subway train screeches into the station loud enough to stop conversation, and somebody is always eating a folded slice of pizza while walking at full speed. Cross the Brooklyn Bridge on foot in the early evening, when the wooden planks flex slightly under the crowd and Manhattan’s towers light up one by one. Then ride the free Staten Island Ferry past the Statue of Liberty, which beats paying for a harbor cruise and comes with commuters who have stopped noticing the view entirely.
  • Yellowstone National Park: The ground here hisses. Boardwalks thread past boiling pools, the air smells of rotten eggs from the sulfur, and Grand Prismatic Spring throws off steam tinted orange and blue by the bacteria living at its edges. Old Faithful erupts roughly every 60 to 110 minutes, and the benches fill accordingly. The traffic jams are the most local experience in the park: a single bison strolling down the center line, entirely uninterested in your schedule, holding up forty cars.
  • New Orleans: Humidity wraps around you the moment you step outside, and by evening the brass bands on Frenchmen Street are playing to crowds spilling out of doorways with drinks in plastic cups, which is perfectly legal here. Mornings call for beignets at Café du Monde, square doughnuts buried under so much powdered sugar that your black shirt becomes a gray one. If you hear a tuba and see a crowd dancing behind it down the street, that’s a second line parade, and joining in from the back is welcome.
  • Yosemite Valley: Granite walls rise straight out of the meadows, with El Capitan standing around 900 meters tall and tiny climbers visible on it if you bring binoculars. In late spring, when the snowmelt peaks, Yosemite Falls roars loud enough to feel in your chest, and the Mist Trail up to Vernal Fall soaks you through a rain jacket within minutes. The stone steps are slick and the spray is icy, and most people reach the top grinning anyway.
For quieter corners, look at Great Basin National Park in Nevada, Big Bend on the Texas-Mexico border or the North Cascades in Washington, and I’d head to Great Basin first for its ancient bristlecone pines and some of the darkest night skies in the lower 48 states.
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🧭 RoutesSuggested travel routes through the USA

The 14-Day California Coast and Yosemite Route


Two weeks on the Pacific side, trading foggy hills and granite cliffs for kelp forests and long beaches. It runs entirely by train and bus, so you can watch the coastline instead of the road.
  • Cycling across the Golden Gate Bridge
  • Waterfalls and granite walls in Yosemite Valley
  • Carmel’s cypress-lined shore and the Monterey Bay Aquarium
  • Beach days from Santa Monica to San Diego

👉 explore this 14-day route

The 21-Day East Coast and Deep South Route


Three weeks of revolutionary history, free museums and Southern cooking, all linked by rail. The tempo slows as you move south, ending with live jazz and late nights.
  • Boston’s Freedom Trail and the North End
  • Five nights of New York neighborhoods and the Statue of Liberty
  • The free Smithsonian museums in Washington D.C.
  • Charleston, Savannah and New Orleans

👉 explore this 21-day route

The 30-Day Coast-to-Coast Grand Tour


A month that crosses the country by plane, overnight train and rental car, from Manhattan to … read more 👉

The 14-Day California Coast and Yosemite Route


Two weeks on the Pacific side, trading foggy hills and granite cliffs for kelp forests and long beaches. It runs entirely by train and bus, so you can watch the coastline instead of the road.
  • Cycling across the Golden Gate Bridge
  • Waterfalls and granite walls in Yosemite Valley
  • Carmel’s cypress-lined shore and the Monterey Bay Aquarium
  • Beach days from Santa Monica to San Diego

👉 explore this 14-day route

The 21-Day East Coast and Deep South Route


Three weeks of revolutionary history, free museums and Southern cooking, all linked by rail. The tempo slows as you move south, ending with live jazz and late nights.
  • Boston’s Freedom Trail and the North End
  • Five nights of New York neighborhoods and the Statue of Liberty
  • The free Smithsonian museums in Washington D.C.
  • Charleston, Savannah and New Orleans

👉 explore this 21-day route

The 30-Day Coast-to-Coast Grand Tour


A month that crosses the country by plane, overnight train and rental car, from Manhattan to the red rocks of the Southwest. It pairs big-name cities with the canyon country and ends slowly in the Pacific Northwest and San Francisco.
  • New York’s great museums and Chicago’s skyline
  • The California Zephyr through the Colorado Rockies
  • Arches, the Grand Canyon and Zion on one road loop
  • Seattle, Portland and a slow finish in San Francisco

👉 explore this 30-day route

🌤️ When to go?When to go for the best experience

The best months for backpacking the United States are May and September, when most of the lower 48 states sit between roughly 15 and 27°C, school is in session, and hostel and motel rates run well below their July and August peak. Region changes everything here: the desert Southwest, Florida and Hawaii are at their best from November to April, while the Rockies, the Pacific Northwest and Alaska only fully open up from late June to September.

  • Spring (March to May): Weather swings hard. Snow lingers in the mountains and the Northeast into April, while Texas, the Southeast and the Southwest warm up fast. Tornado season on the Great Plains runs from about April to June. March spring break fills Florida beaches and Arizona campgrounds, but cities stay at shoulder prices. This is prime time for Zion, Arches and Joshua Tree. High mountain roads such as Tioga Pass through Yosemite often stay closed until late May or June.
  • Summer (June to August): Peak season. Expect 30 to 35°C with heavy humidity in the East and South, and 40°C and up in Phoenix and Las Vegas, while San Francisco sits under cool fog. Prices are the highest of the year, and several big parks, Arches and Rocky Mountain among them, have used timed entry reservations in summer. It is the season for Alaska, Glacier and the high Sierra and Cascades. Atlantic hurricane season starts on June 1.
  • Fall (September to November): Crowds fall off after Labor Day, the first Monday in September. Days stay warm, nights turn crisp, and foliage moves south from New England in late September to the Appalachians by late October. Hurricane risk on the Gulf and Atlantic coasts peaks from August to October, and snow begins closing high roads from mid-October.
  • Winter (December to February): The northern half freezes, with Chicago and Minneapolis below 0°C for weeks at a time, while ski towns in Colorado, Utah and the Sierra hit their high season. Southern California, southern Arizona, Florida and Hawaii are warm, busy and priced accordingly. Yellowstone’s interior roads close to private cars, with access by snowcoach or snowmobile from mid-December to mid-March.
One window is tight: Glacier National Park’s Going-to-the-Sun Road is usually open end to end only from late June or early July to mid-October, so a Montana trip lives or dies on those dates.
For summer national park trips, I would book campsites on Recreation.gov the day they release, typically six months ahead, and keep a few first-come sites or national forest campgrounds as backup.

source: climatestotravel.comJANJanuary: fair for travelingFEBFebruary: fair for travelingMARMarch: good for travelingAPRApril: good for travelingMAYMay: excellent for travelingJUNJune: highly recommended for travelingJULJuly: good for travelingAUGAugust: good for travelingSEPSeptember: excellent for travelingOCTOctober: highly recommended for travelingNOVNovember: good for travelingDECDecember: fair for traveling
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💰 Costs (as of 2026)Travel costs in the USA

Backpacking the United States on a budget costs about US$80 to 130 a day, about twice what you’d spend in Mexico and roughly the same as Canada, and the cost of a bed decides most of it.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Dorm accommodationUS$30 to 70 per nightA dorm bed in Manhattan runs US$50 to 90 and goes higher on summer weekends. New Orleans and Austin hostels usually charge US$25 to 45. National park towns often have no hostels at all, so a campsite at US$20 to 40 a night is the cheap option. Prices drop by a third or more midweek and in the off-season, so book Sunday to Thursday nights where you can.
MealsUS$20 to 35 per daySelf-catering is cheapest: a supermarket deli sandwich costs US$7 to 10 and a rotisserie chicken US$6 to 9. Taco trucks in Los Angeles sell tacos for US$2 to 4 each, and a halal cart platter in New York costs US$10 to 13. A sit-down meal starts around US$20 once you add the 18 to 20% tip and sales tax, neither of which is in the menu price. Mexico’s street food costs about a third of that.
Local transportUS$5 to 25 per dayLong-distance buses are the cheapest way between cities. New York to Philadelphia costs US$10 to 25 on FlixBus or Megabus if you book early,
… read more 👉
Backpacking the United States on a budget costs about US$80 to 130 a day, about twice what you’d spend in Mexico and roughly the same as Canada, and the cost of a bed decides most of it.
CategoryBudget RangeLocal Reality
Dorm accommodationUS$30 to 70 per nightA dorm bed in Manhattan runs US$50 to 90 and goes higher on summer weekends. New Orleans and Austin hostels usually charge US$25 to 45. National park towns often have no hostels at all, so a campsite at US$20 to 40 a night is the cheap option. Prices drop by a third or more midweek and in the off-season, so book Sunday to Thursday nights where you can.
MealsUS$20 to 35 per daySelf-catering is cheapest: a supermarket deli sandwich costs US$7 to 10 and a rotisserie chicken US$6 to 9. Taco trucks in Los Angeles sell tacos for US$2 to 4 each, and a halal cart platter in New York costs US$10 to 13. A sit-down meal starts around US$20 once you add the 18 to 20% tip and sales tax, neither of which is in the menu price. Mexico’s street food costs about a third of that.
Local transportUS$5 to 25 per dayLong-distance buses are the cheapest way between cities. New York to Philadelphia costs US$10 to 25 on FlixBus or Megabus if you book early, and New York to Boston runs US$15 to 40. A New York subway ride costs about US$3, with a weekly fare cap near US$35. In the West, renting a car with others is often cheaper per person than any bus.
ActivitiesUS$0 to 40 per dayNational parks and big-city museums are the main costs. Grand Canyon entry is US$35 per vehicle for seven days, plus US$100 per person for non-US residents, and MoMA charges US$30. The Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C. are free. I’d buy the America the Beautiful annual parks pass (US$80 for US residents, US$250 for international visitors) if you plan to see two or more of the busiest parks, since it also covers the non-resident surcharge, and I’d skip paid observation decks.
MiscellaneousUS$5 to 15 per dayA prepaid SIM or eSIM costs US$15 to 30 a month, and a load of laundry costs US$3 to 6 to wash and dry. Tipping adds up: US$1 to 2 per drink at a bar and 15 to 20% in taxis. Sales tax of 0 to 10% gets added at the register. Canada has the same tipping and tax habits, but Mexico expects much less tipping.
Total Daily BudgetUS$80 to 130Expect around US$80 a day in the South or Midwest if you cook and take buses. Plan on US$110 to 130 in New York, San Francisco or Hawaii, where a dorm bed alone can cost more than a whole day’s budget in Mexico City.
⚠️ Prices can change and everyone travels differently, so take this as a rough guide. Hope it helps you plan your adventure!

✈️ The backpacker research shortcutthe USA Travel Guide

An offline-friendly backpacking guide with optimized travel routes, ranked highlights, transport advice, and the best areas to stay.
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The digital guide (451 pages) contains:
✅ 157 highlights, ranked by travel appeal
✅ Optimized 14, 21 & 30-day travel routes
✅ Cities, national parks, landmarks, beaches
✅ How to get around
✅ Offline-friendly for travel without Wi-Fi
👉 Click to see all 30+ guide features

📅 Plan smarter in minutes, not weeks
✅ Month by month travel advice
✅ Festivals & national holidays
✅ Budget expectations

🗺️ Go to the right places, skip the overrated ones
✅ Honest pros & cons of destinations
✅ Top hikes, parks & viewpoints
✅ Lesser-known places most travelers miss
✅ Clear “worth it vs skip it” guidance

🛏️ Travel smoothly without rookie mistakes
✅ Best areas to stay
✅ Transport systems explained simply
✅ Common scams & safety advice
✅ SIM cards, money & practical tips

🌍 Understand the country, not just visit it
✅ Culture & traditions
✅ Local customs
✅ Festivals worth planning around
✅ Traveler-friendly historical context
✅ Insights that make places more meaningful

📱 Built for real travel conditions
✅ Fully downloadable PDF
✅ Works completely offline
✅ Optimized for phone use
✅ Useful in remote areas & buses
✅ Everything in one place
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🛏️ Where to stay?Best areas to base yourself

The United States has hostels in nearly every major city and many national park gateway towns, with dorm beds usually running US$35 to 70 a night and basic motel rooms from about US$70 to 120 away from the main tourist strips. In New York, the Lower East Side and Williamsburg put you steps from late-night bars but cost the most, while Harlem is cheaper and calmer with a longer subway ride; in San Francisco, Union Square is central but rough after dark where it borders the Tenderloin, and Fisherman’s Wharf feels safer yet very touristy. Elsewhere, most hostels cluster in Hollywood and Venice Beach … read more 👉
The United States has hostels in nearly every major city and many national park gateway towns, with dorm beds usually running US$35 to 70 a night and basic motel rooms from about US$70 to 120 away from the main tourist strips. In New York, the Lower East Side and Williamsburg put you steps from late-night bars but cost the most, while Harlem is cheaper and calmer with a longer subway ride; in San Francisco, Union Square is central but rough after dark where it borders the Tenderloin, and Fisherman’s Wharf feels safer yet very touristy. Elsewhere, most hostels cluster in Hollywood and Venice Beach in Los Angeles (both lively, both sketchy on side streets late at night), Wicker Park in Chicago (great bars, 20 minutes from the Loop by train) and the French Quarter and Marigny in New Orleans, where easy nightlife comes with street noise until the small hours.

If you enjoy meeting fellow travelers, consider choosing hostels with high ratings for atmosphere. On the other hand, if you prefer having your own space, a hotel might be a better option.

Best hostels in the USA


Best quality hotels in the USA

🚌 Getting aroundGetting around the USA

Crossing the United States comes down to a blunt choice: fly coast to coast in about 5 to 6 hours for US$120 to 300, or ride the ground for two to three days and pay roughly the same once you add food and the motel you swore you wouldn’t need. For distances over about 1,000 kilometers, a budget flight gives a backpacker the most, and buses and trains win on shorter hops where airport security would eat half the trip.
  • Greyhound and FlixBus are the cheapest way between cities, with New York to Washington
… read more 👉
Crossing the United States comes down to a blunt choice: fly coast to coast in about 5 to 6 hours for US$120 to 300, or ride the ground for two to three days and pay roughly the same once you add food and the motel you swore you wouldn’t need. For distances over about 1,000 kilometers, a budget flight gives a backpacker the most, and buses and trains win on shorter hops where airport security would eat half the trip.
  • Greyhound and FlixBus are the cheapest way between cities, with New York to Washington D.C. running US$20 to 45 and about 4.5 hours, and Los Angeles to San Francisco US$25 to 60 for 7 to 9 hours. Seats are cramped, the Wi-Fi works when it feels like it, and stations in some downtowns are grim after dark, so pick daytime arrivals when you can. Book in the apps a week or two ahead, because fares climb steeply in the final days, and bring a sweater, since the air conditioning is set to somewhere near arctic.
  • Amtrak trains offer legroom, big windows and no seatbelt lecture. The Northeast Regional covers New York to Washington in about 3.5 hours for US$30 to 150, while long-distance routes like the California Zephyr take roughly 51 hours from Chicago to the Bay Area, with coach fares around US$150 to 300. Book online or in the app, and look at the USA Rail Pass (around US$499 for 10 segments in 30 days) if you plan several long legs. Freight trains have priority on most tracks outside the Northeast, so delays of a few hours are normal.
  • Budget flights on Southwest, Frontier and JetBlue often cost less than the bus over long distances, with New York to Miami around US$60 to 150 for 3 hours. The low base fares assume you travel with a toothbrush and nothing else, so with Spirit and Frontier a carry-on adds US$40 to 80. Southwest still lets you check two bags without a fee on some fares, so compare the total price.
  • Rental cars are the only practical way into most national parks and small towns, at US$40 to 80 a day plus gas at roughly US$3 to 5 a gallon. Drivers under 25 pay an extra US$20 to 35 daily, and one-way drop-off fees can reach several hundred dollars. Split the cost with three hostel friends and it beats every other option for the Southwest or the Rockies.
I’d fly the long gaps, such as East Coast to the Rockies, and save trains and rental cars for the regions you want to see slowly, because two days in a bus seat across Kansas is a story you only need to tell once.
Most big airports in the United States link to downtown by train or bus for US$2.25 to 11, while a taxi or ride-hail usually costs US$25 to 100 depending on the city.

Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL): about 16 km (10 miles) south of downtown.
  • MARTA Red and Gold Lines (20 min to Five Points, US$2.50): the station sits at the end of the Domestic Terminal baggage claim, you pay with a Breeze card or a contactless card at the gates, and trains run from about 4:45 a.m. to 1 a.m.
  • Taxi (25 to 35 min, about US$35 to 45): taxis use a flat zone fare to downtown and Midtown, so confirm the rate at the rank outside baggage claim before you get in.
  • Uber and Lyft (25 to 35 min, about US$25 to 45): pickups are at the marked rideshare zones outside the Domestic and International terminals.
Los Angeles International (LAX): about 27 km (17 miles) southwest of Downtown LA.
  • FlyAway bus to Union Station (35 to 60 min, US$9.75): buses stop on the lower arrivals level under the green FlyAway signs, and you pay by card only.
  • Metro C and K Lines (60 to 75 min to downtown, US$1.75): take the free shuttle from the terminals to LAX/Metro Transit Center, ride the K Line to Expo/Crenshaw and change to the E Line, paying with a TAP card or the TAP app.
  • Taxi (35 to 60 min, about US$50 to 55 flat to downtown): taxis leave from the LAX-it lot, reached by a free shuttle from the terminals.
  • Uber and Lyft (35 to 60 min, about US$35 to 70): pickups are also at LAX-it, and fares spike sharply at rush hour.
John F. Kennedy International, New York (JFK): about 24 km (15 miles) southeast of Midtown Manhattan.
  • AirTrain plus Subway (E, J and Z or A) (60 to 75 min, US$8.50 plus US$2.90): ride the AirTrain from your terminal to Jamaica or Howard Beach, pay the AirTrain fare as you exit, then tap a contactless card at the subway gates, with both running 24 hours.
  • AirTrain plus LIRR (35 to 50 min, US$8.50 plus about US$5 to 11): from Jamaica, Long Island Rail Road trains reach Penn Station or Grand Central in about 20 minutes, and tickets are cheaper off-peak in the MTA TrainTime app.
  • Yellow taxi (45 to 75 min, about US$90 to 100 with surcharges, tolls and tip): the US$70 flat fare to Manhattan starts at the official taxi ranks outside each terminal.
  • Uber and Lyft (45 to 75 min, about US$70 to 110): pickups are at signed rideshare areas at each terminal.
Chicago O’Hare International (ORD): about 27 km (17 miles) northwest of the Loop.
  • CTA Blue Line (40 to 45 min, US$5): follow the train signs to the station under the Terminal 2 parking garage, tap a Ventra card or contactless card, and trains run 24 hours.
  • Taxi (30 to 60 min, about US$45 to 60): the metered taxi lines are outside the lower level of each terminal.
  • Uber and Lyft (30 to 60 min, about US$35 to 60): pickups for Terminals 1 to 3 are on the upper level of the parking garage.
San Francisco International (SFO): about 21 km (13 miles) south of downtown.
  • BART (30 min to Powell Street, about US$10 to 11): the station is in the International Terminal, reached by the free AirTrain, you pay with a Clipper card or Clipper in your phone wallet, and service starts later on weekends and ends around midnight.
  • Taxi (25 to 40 min, about US$55 to 75): taxis wait on the arrivals level of each terminal.
  • Uber and Lyft (25 to 40 min, about US$35 to 60): pickups are on the departures level of the domestic terminals and the garage for international arrivals.
Miami International (MIA): about 13 km (8 miles) west of downtown Miami.
  • Metrorail Orange Line (20 to 25 min to Government Center, US$2.25): take the free MIA Mover to Miami Central Station, tap an EASY Card or contactless card, and trains run from about 5 a.m. to midnight.
  • Airport Express bus 150 (45 to 60 min to Miami Beach, US$2.25): it leaves from Miami Central Station and is the cheapest way to South Beach.
  • Taxi (20 to 35 min, about US$25 to 40): metered to downtown, with flat zone fares to Miami Beach posted at the rank on the arrivals level.
  • Uber and Lyft (20 to 35 min, about US$20 to 40): pickups are on the departures level.
Seattle-Tacoma International (SEA): about 23 km (14 miles) south of downtown Seattle.
  • Link light rail 1 Line (38 to 40 min to Westlake, US$3): walk to the station from the fourth floor of the parking garage, pay with an ORCA card or the Transit GO Ticket app, and trains run from about 5 a.m. to 1 a.m.
  • Taxi (25 to 40 min, about US$45 to 60): taxis queue on the third floor of the parking garage.
  • Uber and Lyft (25 to 40 min, about US$35 to 55): pickups are also on the third floor of the garage.
Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA): about 6 km (4 miles) south of downtown Washington, D.C.
  • Metro Blue and Yellow Lines (15 to 20 min, about US$2.25 to 3): the station connects by walkway to Terminal 2, you pay with a SmarTrip card or SmarTrip in your phone wallet, and trains run until about midnight on weeknights and later on weekends.
  • Taxi (15 to 25 min, about US$20 to 30): the taxi ranks are outside baggage claim.
  • Uber and Lyft (15 to 25 min, about US$15 to 30): pickups are at the signed rideshare zones by the terminal garages.
Washington Dulles International (IAD): about 42 km (26 miles) west of downtown Washington, D.C.
  • Metro Silver Line (50 to 55 min to Metro Center, about US$6): the station connects to the main terminal by a pedestrian tunnel, and you pay with SmarTrip.
  • Taxi (40 to 60 min, about US$70 to 90): taxis leave from the lower level of the main terminal.
  • Uber and Lyft (40 to 60 min, about US$50 to 80): pickups are on the lower level, outside baggage claim.
⚠️ Prices and routes can change, so take this as a rough guide and ask for local advice when you arrive.
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🔒 Safety (risk Level: low)What first-time visitors should know

Safety for solo travelers, including women and LGBTQ+ individuals
The United States is generally safe for solo travelers, including women and LGBTQ+ visitors, as long as you use standard big-city awareness: tourist areas, national parks and hostels see few problems, while risk concentrates in specific neighborhoods at night, which locals and hostel staff will point out. Women traveling alone can move freely, but should take the usual precautions in bars, use licensed rideshares late at night and stay alert at isolated bus stations. Same-sex marriage is legal nationwide, and cities like San Francisco, New York, Seattle and Chicago are very welcoming, though attitudes can be more conservative in parts of the rural South and Midwest. Gun violence is a real issue in the US, but it rarely involves tourists; dial 911 for any emergency.


Full official government travel advisory (live updates)
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✈️ VisaDo you need a visa to visit?

Citizens of around 40 Visa Waiver Program countries, including most of the EU, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and South Korea, can visit the United States for tourism for up to 90 days without a visa, but must apply online for an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) at least 72 hours before departure for a fee of about US$40. Canadian citizens generally need neither a visa nor an ESTA for tourist visits. Everyone else needs a B-2 tourist visa, applied for by completing the DS-160 form online, paying the application fee (around US$185) and attending an interview at a US embassy or consulate, where wait times can run from weeks to many months.
⚠️ Visa requirements can change over time, so always check the latest visa requirements with the official embassy or government website before you travel.

🎒 What to pack?Packing essentials for the trip

Packing for the United States means preparing for several climates at once, since a single trip can swing from humid Florida heat to freezing nights at Grand Canyon rim campsites or foggy San Francisco summers. Bring layers rather than bulk, and pack sturdy trail shoes if national parks are on your route, where trails are rocky and distances long. American dress codes are relaxed, so casual clothes work almost everywhere, though air conditioning is cranked so high in buses, trains and shops that a light sweater earns its space even in July. You can buy nearly anything cheaply at big-box stores like Target or Walmart, so don’t overpack toiletries; do bring a US plug adapter (Type A/B, 120V) and any prescription medication with a copy of the prescription, since refills are costly and complicated.

Apart from this country specific advice, I have also crafted a general packing list that should help on any trip. authorOver the years, I've learned the importance of packing minimally. It's so much easier to jump on the back of a truck or squeeze yourself into the last spot of a minibus without that supersized backpack. If you're headed to a warm destination, leave your winter jacket at home; for colder regions, opt for thin thermal underlayers. Instead of packing your entire wardrobe, bring just three sets of clothes, as laundry facilities are available everywhere.

View the full list 👉

🙋 FAQTravel questions about the USA

Trip Planning

Planning a backpacking route through the USA can be tricky — you need to balance must-see places, travel times, budget, and how long to stay in each destination. Our free personalized the USA itinerary planner creates a route based on your travel style, trip duration, and interests, so you can spend less time researching and more time exploring.



Personal tip: I normally search on good rating for atmosphere (for meeting people) and location (for easy exploring). Cleanliness as a bonus.


Travel Essentials

No vaccinations are required to enter the United States as a tourist, and there is no COVID-19 vaccine requirement for foreign visitors. Health authorities recommend being up to date on routine vaccines, especially measles (MMR), since outbreaks have occurred in several states, plus tetanus, flu and COVID-19 boosters. Hepatitis A and B are worth considering for longer trips. Because medical care in the US is extremely expensive, solid travel insurance matters more than any extra shot.


vaccination requirements
When I first started traveling, I often spent part of my first day in a new country hunting for a local SIM card. While this can still be slightly cheaper, it also takes time and planning.

These days, it's much simpler to install an eSIM before leaving home. Once you arrive in the USA, you can activate it immediately and have mobile data from the moment you land — which is especially useful for ordering transport or navigating away from busy airports.

There are many providers nowadays, and price differences are usually small. I personally go with Holafly, as it offers excellent network coverage throughout the country and strong global coverage, so you can manage multiple countries from a single app.


HolaFly eSim

Culture & Customs

Americans value personal space, so keep about an arm’s length when talking and avoid touching strangers. Do line up patiently and wait your turn, whether at a coffee counter or a bus stop, since cutting a queue is a serious faux pas. Do expect friendly small talk from strangers and servers; it’s normal politeness, not flirting or a sales trick. Don’t drink alcohol in public streets or parks in most states, and carry ID, because bars routinely check it even if you look well over the drinking age of 21. Avoid bringing up politics, religion or guns with people you’ve just met, as these topics can turn heated quickly. Smoking is banned indoors in most public places and many states also restrict it outdoors near entrances. Public displays of affection between same-sex couples are common and accepted in big cities, while more discretion is wise in small conservative towns; women can dress as they like in cities, though modest clothing suits churches and some rural areas.
Trying traditional food is always a great way to experience the culture. Here are some must-try dishes for the USA.
  1. Hamburger: A ground-beef patty in a soft bun with cheese, pickles and onions. It’s the country’s default comfort food, from US$5 drive-through versions to thick diner burgers, and every region argues about the best one.
  2. Barbecue: Meat smoked low and slow for hours over wood. Texas does beef brisket, the Carolinas pulled pork with vinegar sauce, Kansas City sweet tomato-sauced ribs, and Memphis dry-rubbed ribs; regional loyalty runs deep.
  3. Southern fried chicken: Buttermilk-soaked chicken fried until the crust shatters, usually served with biscuits, collard greens or mac and cheese. It’s a cornerstone of African American and Southern home cooking.
  4. New York-style pizza: Wide, thin slices you fold in half and eat on the street, typically US$3 to 5 each. Born from Italian immigrant bakeries, it’s the city’s cheapest reliable meal.
  5. New England clam chowder: A thick, creamy soup of clams, potatoes and salt pork, best in Boston and coastal Maine, often served in a sourdough bread bowl in San Francisco.
  6. Tex-Mex and burritos: Cheese-heavy enchiladas, fajitas and chili con carne in Texas, and huge foil-wrapped Mission-style burritos in San Francisco. These dishes show how deeply Mexican cooking shapes American food.
  7. Apple pie: A flaky crust filled with cinnamon-spiced apples, often topped with vanilla ice cream (“à la mode”). It’s so tied to national identity that “as American as apple pie” is a common phrase.
Tap water in the United States is safe to drink almost everywhere, and most locals drink it straight from the tap or from water fountains, with restaurants serving free ice water by default. It’s fine for tourists too, though it can taste of chlorine in some cities, which is why many Americans use filter pitchers. Bottled water is only advised during occasional local “boil water” notices, at some private rural wells, or for untreated stream water in national parks, which should always be filtered.
English is the main language everywhere in the United States, so you’ll manage without effort in Washington D.C., New York, tourist hubs, hostels and the most remote rural diner alike. Regional accents and slang vary a lot (fast talkers in New York, slow drawls in the Deep South), but people will happily repeat themselves. Spanish is the most useful second language, spoken widely in Miami, Southern California, Texas and the Southwest, where a few phrases earn smiles in markets and taquerias. If English isn’t your first language, Google Translate’s conversation mode covers the gaps, and asking “Could you say that again?” is perfectly normal.

Money & Payments

The local currency of the USA is USD ($).
ATMs are everywhere in the United States, in banks, gas stations, supermarkets and convenience stores, but non-bank machines charge US$3 to 5 per withdrawal on top of your home bank’s foreign fee, so stick to bank-branded ATMs and take out larger amounts less often. Cards are accepted almost universally, contactless and Apple or Google Pay work at most shops, transit systems and restaurants, and some cafés and stadiums are fully cash-free. Keep US$40 to 60 in small bills for food trucks, farmers markets, laundromats, tips and the occasional cash-only bar or rural motel. Bring US dollars or simply rely on cards, because euros and other currencies are hard to exchange outside major airports and big-city banks. If you need to exchange, use a major bank branch, which gives far better rates than airport kiosks, and choose to be charged in dollars when a card machine offers your home currency.
Tipping in the United States is expected rather than optional, because servers and bartenders earn low base wages and depend on tips: leave 18 to 20% of the pre-tax bill at sit-down restaurants, US$1 to 2 per drink at bars, and 15 to 20% for taxis, rideshares and hairdressers. Hotel housekeeping usually gets US$2 to 5 per night, and hostel staff typically don’t expect tips. Tablet screens at counter-service cafés will suggest a tip too, but at those places tipping is a nice gesture, not an obligation.

🧩 Nearby countriesOther countries to combine with the USA

📸 PhotosA visual impression of the trip

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United States: Yosemite National Park
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Photographed by: Johan Kruseman

We 💚 feedbackKey takeaways from the trip

The United States runs on friendliness and distance, and both catch first-timers off guard: strangers chat freely, and a town that looks close on the map is often a full day’s drive away. The best surprise is how good the public land is, with rangers who know their stuff and campsites far cheaper than any motel. The small warning is about cost creep, since tax, tips and resort fees stack up quietly. I’d always carry a cooler, a park pass and a paper map for the dead zones, and skip the hotel breakfast in favor of a proper diner.

Looking ahead, the country is slowly getting easier to travel without a car. Brightline already runs fast trains between Miami and Orlando, a high-speed line from Southern California to Las Vegas is under construction, and Amtrak is rolling out faster trains on the Northeast Corridor. Popular parks are also using timed-entry reservations, which means fewer crowds at the viewpoints if you plan ahead.

✈️ When did I visit the USA?
In January 2023 I visited New York. Many years before, before digital cameras existed, I discovered most of the national parks in the West. While my visit dates back, this guide is continuously refined using feedback from locals and current backpackers (last update: 25 October 2026)

✍️ Help improve this page!
The information on this page is based on my own backpacking experience in the USA, supplemented with up-to-date research and feedback from other travelers. Travel details can change, so if you notice anything outdated or incomplete, feel free to let me know.



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👋 Meet the founderWho’s Behind Take Your Backpack?

Johan, backpacker and founder of TakeYourBackpackHi, I’m Johan (Netherlands 🇳🇱), the creator of TakeYourBackpack. Over the past 3 decades, I’ve backpacked through 90+ countries across six continents, gaining extensive experience with independent travel, long-term trips, and overland routes.

This site is built on a combination of firsthand travel experience and carefully curated insights from other backpackers. Many guides are based on places I’ve personally visited, while others bring together tips, observations, and practical advice shared by trusted travelers I’ve met along the way.

The goal is to provide realistic, experience-driven guidance — not generic itineraries — so you can explore destinations with better context, clearer expectations, and more confidence.

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