How many cities to visit: Four to six cities is the right number for a trip of two to four weeks. Going beyond that means spending more hours on planes, buses and in airport lines than in the places you flew to see. Fewer than four, and you miss the sharp regional contrasts that make the country interesting. Each extra city costs you roughly a day of transit time and US$50 to 200 in tickets, so the sixth stop is rarely worth what it takes out of the schedule. For a backpacker with a limited budget, the sweet spot is fewer cities and longer stays, because depth is cheaper than distance.
Choosing between kinds of cities: Dense, older cities in the Northeast and Midwest give the most for the least effort. You can drop the car, ride transit, walk between museums, and eat well for US$12 to 20 …
read more 👉 How many cities to visit: Four to six cities is the right number for a trip of two to four weeks. Going beyond that means spending more hours on planes, buses and in airport lines than in the places you flew to see. Fewer than four, and you miss the sharp regional contrasts that make the country interesting. Each extra city costs you roughly a day of transit time and US$50 to 200 in tickets, so the sixth stop is rarely worth what it takes out of the schedule. For a backpacker with a limited budget, the sweet spot is fewer cities and longer stays, because depth is cheaper than distance.
Choosing between kinds of cities: Dense, older cities in the Northeast and Midwest give the most for the least effort. You can drop the car, ride transit, walk between museums, and eat well for US$12 to 20 a meal. Time cost is low, money cost is moderate in the Northeast and surprisingly low in the Midwest, and comfort is high. For first-timers, this is the easiest category.
Sprawling Western and Sun Belt cities give more outdoor access, better weather and more space, but they demand either a car or patience with buses. A rental car costs about US$40 to 80 a day plus gas and parking, so the real price of these cities is often double what the hostel bed suggests. They suit travelers who want hiking, beaches or road-trip flexibility, and they punish anyone hoping to wander on foot.
Southern cities offer music, food and history at lower prices than the coasts, with dorm beds often in the US$30 to 50 range. The heat costs you comfort in summer, so schedule them for spring or fall. For travelers focused on food and live music, these deliver the most per dollar.
Mountain and desert cities cost more in lodging during peak seasons and need a vehicle for most surroundings. They suit travelers who prioritize landscape over culture, and who accept that the next stop may be a six-hour drive away.
What it costs per day: A realistic daily budget for a backpacker is US$90 to 150 in most cities. The cheaper end means a hostel dorm at US$35 to 60, cheap eats and food trucks at US$20 to 35, and transit passes at US$3 to 15 a day. Expect US$150 to 250 a day in the priciest coastal cities, where dorms alone can hit US$70 or more, and where a basic private room rarely falls below US$120. Midwestern and some Southern cities often fall at the low end or a little below it.
Per visit, major museums charge roughly US$20 to 30 for adults, though many have free or pay-what-you-wish hours, and some city museums are free outright. Guided walking tours run from free (tip-based, with US$10 to 20 expected) to US$30 to 60 for paid specialty tours. Airport trains and buses cost US$2.50 to 15 depending on the city, while taxis and rideshares from the airport can cost US$40 to 80. City passes that bundle attractions pay off only if you plan to see four or more paid sights in a few days, so do the sums before buying.
Don't forget the extras. Sales tax gets added at the register, typically 4 to 10 percent, and tipping adds another 18 to 20 percent in restaurants and bars. A US$15 meal easily becomes US$20. Factor that in from day one rather than be surprised at every checkout.
Safety and local etiquette: Most visitors have trouble-free city trips, and the usual urban sense applies. Petty theft, such as phones snatched on transit or bags taken from parked cars, is the most common problem, so never leave belongings visible in a rental. Crime is concentrated in particular neighborhoods rather than spread evenly, and a quick check with your hostel or local staff on which areas to skip after dark is more useful than any national statistic. Late-night walks in unfamiliar districts are better replaced with a rideshare costing US$8 to 15.
Cultural rules are mostly about money and space. Tipping is not optional: 18 to 20 percent at sit-down restaurants, US$1 to 2 a drink at bars, and 15 to 20 percent for taxis and rideshares. Small talk is friendly but usually shallow, so a stranger saying come visit sometime is politeness, not an invitation. Smoking and drinking laws are stricter than many visitors expect. Open alcohol containers in public are illegal in most places, and the drinking age is 21 everywhere. Carry photo ID.
Healthcare deserves one more mention. An emergency room visit can run into the thousands of dollars, so travel insurance with solid medical coverage is a must, not a nice extra. For the money, it is the single most valuable purchase on the trip.
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Hi, 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.