Trip planner for USA

Plan your USA trip — coast to coast, without the chaos.

The USA is huge — drive-from-Boston-to-LA-takes-6-days huge. The Wanderlist USA planner gives you internal flight comparison, national park reservation tracker, road trip mileage calculator, and a USD daily budget that scales from NYC ($250+/day) to small-town America ($90/day).

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Best time
Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
Daily budget
$120–$280
Visa
ESTA (most) / B1-B2
Language
English

What's inside

Everything you need to plan USA — in one place.

No more 12 browser tabs and 3 Google Docs. Open the planner, customize the days, hit print.

Day-by-day itinerary

Drop-in routes for 7, 10, 14, and 21-day trips. Edit anything, add notes, reorder days.

Live budget tracker

Costs in local currency. Flights, hotels, food, activities — see what you're spending in real time.

Booking links & reservations

Pre-curated links for flights, trains, tours and the must-book restaurants & sights.

Offline PDF export

Print or save offline. No Wi-Fi? No problem — your whole trip fits in your pocket.

What you need to know before planning USA

Internal flights beat driving for long hauls

NYC–LA by car: 40+ hours. Flight: 5h, often $150 one-way. Use Southwest, JetBlue and Spirit price comparisons in the planner.

National Park reservations sell out months ahead

Yosemite, Arches, Glacier, Rocky Mountain — most now require timed-entry reservations. Recreation.gov releases at fixed dates. Set calendar alerts.

Tipping is mandatory, not optional

Restaurants 18–22%, taxis 15%, hotel housekeeping $3–$5/night. Tip is treated as part of the bill — pre-budget +20% on every restaurant meal.

Sales tax isn't on the price tag

Listed price + state/city sales tax (5–10%) + tip + service fees. A '$15 burger' is really $20+. Build it into the budget tab.

Rental cars cost more in cities

Off-airport pickups save 20–30%. Insurance through your credit card or third-party (RentalCover) beats the desk's $30/day upsell.

Distances are deceptive on Google Maps

Texas alone is bigger than France. Always add 25% to highway times for fuel, food, traffic. The planner's road trip tab pre-calculates this.

Travelers planning USA love it.

4.8/5 from 1,200+ reviews · Real travelers, real trips.

"Saved me at least 12 hours of planning for USA. The day-by-day itinerary was spot on and the budget tracker kept us from overspending."
Sarah M. · London, UK
"Worth every penny. The booking links and pre-made restaurant picks meant we skipped tourist traps and ate like locals."
David L. · Toronto, CA
"First trip abroad with kids — the planner made it stress-free. Loved that I could print the PDF for offline use."
Anna K. · Berlin, DE

Top places to visit in USA

New York City

Manhattan, Brooklyn, Broadway, museums.

Los Angeles

Hollywood, Santa Monica, Venice Beach, day trips.

San Francisco

Golden Gate, Alcatraz, gateway to wine country.

Las Vegas

Strip, shows, day trips to Grand Canyon + Zion.

Miami

South Beach, Art Deco, Florida Keys gateway.

Chicago

Architecture, deep-dish, lakefront, jazz.

New Orleans

French Quarter, Cajun food, live music every night.

Washington DC

Free Smithsonian museums, monuments, Capitol.

Suggested USA itineraries

Three skeletons you can drop straight into the planner and customize.

10 days

East Coast classic

NYC (4) → DC (2) → fly to Miami (3) + Keys day trip.

14 days

West Coast + parks

LA (3) → Vegas (2) → Zion (1) → Grand Canyon (1) → SF via Highway 1 (4).

21 days

Coast to coast

NYC → DC → Nashville → New Orleans → Austin → Grand Canyon → Vegas → LA → SF.

USA planning FAQ

How much does a USA trip cost in 2026?

Mid-range: $150–$250/day per person outside major cities, $250–$400/day in NYC, SF and LA. Two weeks ground costs: $2,500–$5,000 + flights + rental car.

Should I rent a car for my USA trip?

Cities (NYC, SF, Boston, DC): no — public transit + Uber is cheaper and faster. Road trips and parks: yes, mandatory. The planner has a city-by-city recommendation.

Do I need an ESTA?

Visa Waiver Program countries (UK, EU, Australia, Japan, etc.): yes, ESTA online ~$21, valid 2 years. Other passports: B1-B2 visa interview required. Confirm 60+ days before travel.

What's the best month to visit the USA?

Depends on region: spring/fall for the East Coast and California, late spring/summer for national parks, winter for Florida and the Southwest. The planner has a region-by-month chart.

Ready to plan USA in one afternoon?

Itinerary, budget, bookings — all in one editable planner. Instant download. 30-day money-back guarantee.

Get the USA planner — $29

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