Southern Sun - NY to LA

Our Most Popular Trek | Great Mix of Everything American

Experience the fast paced East, the slow moving South and the laidback West with exciting activities such as whitewater rafting, horseback riding and hiking on offer - don't forget about the nightlife of New Orleans and Las Vegas!

Included Highlights:

> Evening illumination visit to Washington DC monuments
> Limousines in Las Vegas
> New Orleans' Bourbon Street
> Grand Canyon sunrise or sunset
> San Antonio's Riverwalk
> Alien spotting in Roswell
> Scenic walks and hikes
> National parks and monuments - Carlsbad Caverns, Monument Valley, Grand Canyon and Zion

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Itinerary / Highlights

Our routes have been carefully chosen to include the best night stops and highlights. However, as local conditions and passenger requests vary, no two trips will ever be the same. With the guidance of your Trek Leader you may modify certain nightstops and highlights to give a truly unique experience!

This tour also departs from Los Angeles

Day: 1-2 New York Area & Washington DC
We head out of the New York area and on to Washington DC, the perfect introduction to the social, cultural and political history of the United States. Explore the best of America's Capitol - from the Smithsonian Museum to the Lincoln Memorial on a guided tour. During the day the city is awash with greenery, so once you're done with sightseeing, go people watching in the parks. Why not take advantage of the great nightlife in Georgetown!
Accommodation: Camping included

Day: 3-4 Virginia & Tennessee
You'll need no second invitation to appreciate the grand views of the rolling green slopes of the Appalachian Mountains in Virginia. In Tennessee, choose to don a lifejacket, grip a paddle and bounce along a churning stretch of white water on an optional rafting trip. Pure adrenalin!
Accommodation: Camping included

Day: 5 Alabama/Mississippi
Next, travel into the 'Deep South' to Alabama and Mississippi for a taste of true southern hospitality. License plates proclaim you're in the 'Heart of Dixie' and the radio pumps out a hatful of country tunes to back this up.
Accommodation: Camping included

Day: 6-7 New Orleans
Beyond Mississippi we hit Louisiana, home of the Big Easy & Bourbon Street. Now we're talking all that jazz! We head into the enchanting French Quarter of New Orleans and hear the real deal at Preservation Hall, echoing with chirpy trumpets and smooth sax. New Orleans has more than just food, drink and music to offer, so after sampling a Hurricane at Pat O'Brien's do the Huckleberry Finn thing and chug along the Mississippi River.
Accommodation: 2 nights en-route hotel paid locally

Day: 8 Louisiana/Texas
Look for gators on our optional Louisiana swamp tour through the mysterious bayous of Cajun country (a must do!). The Lone Star bids you a big-hearted welcome for four nights in mighty Texas.
Accommodation: Camping included

Day: 9-10 San Antonio
Don your Davy Crockett hat and check out the Alamo, symbol of Texan pride and independence from Mexico. Or stroll the Paseo del Rio. If your Spanish is shaky, that's the cobbled 'river walk', bursting with greenery, cafés and boutiques.
Accommodation: Camping included

Day: 11-12 Texas & Carlsbad Caverns National Park
The biggest state of the continental USA is also home to plenty of Mexican-American cuisine, "Tex-Mex", so spicy fajitas and tacos are on the menu tonight. Do you know your stalactite from your stalagmite? Carlsbad Caverns boasts over 100 limestone caves sporting glinting minerals and telling names like the Hall of the White Giant and Green Lake Room.
Accommodation: Camping included

Day: 13 Arizona / Roswell, New Mexico
After a visit to the famous Roswell's UFO Museum, pitch your tents together and chew the fat long into the night. What are those lights in the sky?
Accommodation: Camping included

Day: 14 Monument Valley
Venturing into the desert southwest, we hit iconic Monument Valley, used in countless Hollywood scenes from Westerns to 2001: A Space Odyssey. Get jeep-bound and flit between towering buttes and massive mesas. This is sacred Navajo land; take home their secrets, legends and the odd handcrafted keepsake. Tonight, experience a stunning sunset overlooking the valley.
Accommodation: Camping included

Day: 15-16 Grand Canyon National Park
No trip west is complete without a stop at the Grand Canyon and we have a full day tomorrow to experience the grandeur of one of the Earth's natural wonders. Pack your boots and don't forget your camera for a sunrise/sunset hike along the rim. For the more ambitious take the long hike down Bright Angel Trail to Plateau Point or choose the "bird's eye" view on a scenic flight. As you watch the sinking sun paint it amber, maroon and red, its breathtaking immensity will still blow you away.
Accommodation: Camping included

Day: 17-18 Lake Powell & Zion National Park
Swim the deep blue waters of Lake Powell, formerly the great Glenn Canyon, or just sit back on the shore and soak up the powerful rays of this beautiful and surreal man-made desert oasis. Then onwards to Zion National Park. Explore the hidden canyons or maybe hike to Angels Landing. Okay, so getting up there can be devilish at times, but the famous trail puts on a full 360-degree display of this magnificent national park
Accommodation: Camping included

Day: 19-20 Las Vegas
With a sudden burst of neon, Vegas is right in your face - the greatest show on earth. Watch out though - some dub this place 'Lost Wages'! Cruise "The Strip" in our included super-stretch limo, indulge in an all-you-can eat buffet, take in a show or just watch the amazing crowds and neon signs as the glitzy hotels try to out do each other with spectacular attractions. And if that's not enough, take a helicopter flight back down The Strip or just gamble the night away in one of the world class casinos. Oh, and there's a saying here: what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
Accommodation: 2 en-route hotel nights paid locally

Day: 21 Los Angeles
Top it all off with a journey across the desert and some California sun as you roll into the larger than life LA scene. Hangin' out at the beach is a fine way to finish off the ultimate road trip!

Tour ends at approx 17:00 hrs in Los Angeles on day 21.


Why not arrange your own TrekAmerica departure? For groups of 8 or more, we can offer private departures on any of our published itineraries enabling friends, families or organizations to enjoy our classic "Trek" style of travel at special rates. Although tours will run as per our standard itinerary shown here, slight modifications may be considered and dates can be chosen to suit your needs. (Subject to seasonal/operational restrictions). So contact us today and start planning your own adventure.

Other Details

Accommodation Details

Camping & Hotels

Departure Dates, Options & Prices

Optional Activities (paid locally)

> Whitewater rafting (in season) US$30-$175
> Great National Park hikes US$FREE
> Waverunners US$50
> New Orleans Jazz Clubs US$10-$20
> Mississippi Riverboat Cruise US$40-$125
> Southern Mansion Tour US$10
> Smithsonian National Museums US$FREE
> Grand Canyon scenic flights US$160-$400
> Navajo guided backroads tour US$50-$95
> Western horseback riding US$45-$95
> IMAX theatre US$8-$12
> Las Vegas casinos shows US$50-US$200
> Swamp tour US$20-$40

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