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How many days in the USA? 9 days: New York, Washington, the Grand Canyon and San Francisco
By Tony Panopoulos · travel-agency planner in Greece · Updated
The United States is a continent, and the classic first-trip mistake is trying to cross it by car in a week. Give a first visit nine days and one domestic flight: New York for three days, the train to Washington DC, then fly west to Las Vegas for the Grand Canyon and finish in San Francisco. Book the Statue of Liberty, Alcatraz and the canyon lodges weeks ahead; everything else can wait.
Short answer
Seven days covers New York, Washington and either the Grand Canyon or San Francisco. Nine days lets you see both coasts and one of the great national parks without losing a whole day in transit.
The 9-day plan, day by day
Day 1: New York: Lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty
Morning. Take the first ferry from Battery Park (about US$25-26 with Statue City Cruises, the only official operator; pedestal and crown access sell out weeks ahead) to Liberty Island and Ellis Island, where 12 million immigrants were processed. Allow 4-5 hours.
Afternoon. Walk 15 minutes to the 9/11 Memorial pools (free) and its museum (about US$36), then past Wall Street to the Brooklyn Bridge, about 30 minutes across on foot.
Evening. In DUMBO on the Brooklyn side, watch the skyline light up from Brooklyn Bridge Park and share a coal-fired pizza on Old Fulton Street for about US$25-35.
Tap a contactless card at any subway gate (OMNY); a ride costs about US$3, and after 12 paid rides in a week the rest are free.
Day 2: New York: Central Park, the Met and Midtown
Morning. Walk into Central Park at 59th Street, past Bethesda Fountain and the lake, about 45 minutes, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art (about US$30). Pick two or three wings, such as the Temple of Dendur and the European paintings.
Afternoon. Head down Fifth Avenue to Rockefeller Center and Grand Central Terminal, then go up Top of the Rock or Summit One Vanderbilt (about US$40-50) for sunset.
Evening. See a Broadway show; same-day discount tickets are sold at the TKTS booth in Times Square for about US$50-120. Eat early in Hell's Kitchen on Ninth Avenue.
The Staten Island Ferry is free and passes close to the Statue of Liberty: the cheapest skyline view in the city.
Day 3: New York: the High Line and Greenwich Village
Morning. Walk the High Line, a 2.3 km park on an old elevated railway, from Hudson Yards to the Chelsea Market food hall, then into the brownstone streets of the West Village and Washington Square Park.
Afternoon. See Van Gogh's Starry Night at the Museum of Modern Art (about US$30), or take the subway 25 minutes to Williamsburg in Brooklyn for vintage shops and the East River waterfront.
Evening. Share a pastrami sandwich at Katz's Delicatessen on the Lower East Side (about US$30), then hear jazz at the Village Vanguard.
Menu prices exclude sales tax of about 8.9%, and a tip of 18-22% is expected, so a US$20 main really costs about US$26.
Day 4: Amtrak to Washington DC and the National Mall
Morning. Take Amtrak from Moynihan Train Hall to Union Station in Washington: about 3h20 on the Northeast Regional (from about US$30-80 booked early) or 2h50 on the Acela.
Afternoon. Walk 10 minutes to the Capitol for a free guided tour booked online, then west along the National Mall to the Washington Monument (free timed tickets, US$1 online fee).
Evening. Continue to the Lincoln Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial after dark, when they are floodlit and quiet; dinner in Penn Quarter.
The Mall is 3 km from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial; Capital Bikeshare bikes help tired feet.
Day 5: Smithsonian museums, then fly to Las Vegas
Morning. The Smithsonian museums are free. Choose the National Air and Space Museum, with the Wright Flyer and Apollo 11 capsule, or the National Museum of African American History and Culture (free timed passes online). See the Declaration of Independence at the National Archives.
Afternoon. Walk past the White House from Lafayette Square, then fly from Reagan National (20 minutes by metro) to Las Vegas, about 5 hours, gaining 3 hours.
Evening. Walk the Strip from the Bellagio fountains (free, every 15-30 minutes) to the Venetian, about 30 minutes.
Las Vegas hotels add a nightly resort fee of about US$35-55; compare total prices, not headline rates.
Day 6: Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon South Rim
Morning. Pick up a hire car and drive about 4.5 hours (450 km) to the Grand Canyon South Rim, stopping at Hoover Dam (45 minutes out) and for lunch on Route 66 in Kingman or Williams.
Afternoon. Park entry is US$35 per car for 7 days. Walk from the visitor centre to Mather Point and along the paved Rim Trail towards Yavapai Point.
Evening. Take the free shuttle on Hermit Road to Hopi Point for sunset, then sleep in Grand Canyon Village or Tusayan, 10 minutes outside the park.
Lodges inside the park, such as El Tovar and Bright Angel, sell out up to a year ahead.
Day 7: Canyon sunrise and fly to San Francisco
Morning. Watch sunrise from Yaki Point, then walk down the South Kaibab Trail to Ooh Aah Point (about 1 hour return, steep). Never try to reach the river and back in one day.
Afternoon. Drive back to Las Vegas (about 4.5 hours) and fly to San Francisco (about 1h40). BART from SFO reaches the city in about 30 minutes for roughly US$10-11.
Evening. Eat in North Beach, the old Italian quarter, where a plate of pasta costs about US$22-30.
Summer heat in Las Vegas passes 40°C and is worse below the canyon rim; carry 3 litres of water each.
Day 8: Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge
Morning. Take the ferry from Pier 33 to Alcatraz (about US$45-50 with Alcatraz City Cruises; book weeks ahead). The cell-house audio tour, narrated by former guards and prisoners, takes about 2.5 hours.
Afternoon. Take a bus to the Golden Gate Bridge and walk across its 2.7 km span, about 1 hour each way, then back through the Presidio to Crissy Field.
Evening. Ride a cable car (about US$8) on the Powell-Hyde line to Fisherman's Wharf and the sea lions at Pier 39.
Car break-ins are common in San Francisco; never leave anything visible in a parked car.
Day 9: The Mission, Golden Gate Park and departure
Morning. See the murals of Balmy Alley in the Mission, climb Dolores Park for the downtown view, and walk to the painted Victorians of Alamo Square.
Afternoon. Spend a few hours in Golden Gate Park at the de Young museum and the Japanese Tea Garden (about US$10-15), then BART to SFO, allowing 3 hours before an international flight.
Evening. With a late flight, watch sunset from Twin Peaks or eat a Mission burrito, about US$12-16.
Book one-way car hire early: dropping a car in another state can cost US$100-400 extra.
Only have 7 days?
With 7 days, spend 3 in New York and 1 in Washington, then fly to Las Vegas for the Grand Canyon, or skip the canyon and fly straight to San Francisco.
Got extra days?
A second week can add Yosemite (about 4 hours from San Francisco), the Pacific Coast Highway via Big Sur to Los Angeles, or Zion and Bryce Canyon, 2.5-4 hours from Las Vegas.
Where to stay in the USA
| Budget | Area | Why | Typical double/night |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Hostels in Manhattan and Brooklyn; motels near parks | Dorms and simple rooms; outside New York, chain motels are the budget option. | US$80-160 |
| Mid-range | Midtown Manhattan / Downtown DC | Walk to most sights and the subway or metro. | US$220-380 |
| Mid-range | Union Square, San Francisco / the Strip, Las Vegas | Central for cable cars and BART; Las Vegas is cheap midweek. | US$150-320 |
| Comfort | Upper East Side, Georgetown, Nob Hill, canyon-rim lodges | Quiet, historic neighbourhoods and rooms above the canyon. | US$400-800 |
Getting around
On the east coast, Amtrak links New York and Washington in about 3 hours. Between the coasts, fly: 5-6 hours, with one-way fares from about US$100-250 booked early. In cities you do not need a car: the subway in New York (about US$3), Metrorail in DC (US$2-6), and BART, Muni and cable cars in San Francisco. For the national parks you do: hire costs about US$50-90 a day plus fuel.
What to eat in the USA
Each region has its classic. In New York, a slice of pizza (about US$4-5), a bagel with lox and pastrami on rye. In Washington, a half-smoke sausage at Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street. Along Route 66, diner burgers and pie for US$15-20. In San Francisco, burritos in the Mission, sourdough and Dungeness crab (November to June). Portions are large and sharing is normal; menus exclude tax, and an 18-22% tip is expected at table service.
Best time to visit
April to June and September to October. New York and Washington are pleasant at 15-26°C, with cherry blossom in DC in late March to early April. July and August are humid in the east (30-35°C) and above 40°C in Las Vegas, while San Francisco stays foggy at 18-22°C.
Month-by-month weather for the USA →
What a day costs
| Budget | Mid-range | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed (per person, sharing a double) | US$70 | US$140 | US$300 |
| Food & drink | US$50 | US$90 | US$180 |
| Sights & tickets | US$20 | US$45 | US$90 |
| Local transport | US$15 | US$35 | US$90 |
| Total per person, per day | about US$155 | about US$310 | about US$660 |
Approximate 2026 prices in US dollars, excluding the two domestic flights (about US$150-350 per person in total); hotel taxes add roughly 15-18% in New York and similar sums elsewhere.
Before you go
Common questions
Do I need a visa or ESTA to visit the USA?
Citizens of Visa Waiver Program countries, including most of the EU, the UK, Australia and Japan, need an approved ESTA before flying; it costs about US$40 and is valid for 2 years. Apply on the official site at least 72 hours ahead. Other nationalities need a visitor visa from a US embassy, which can take months.
Is 9 days enough to see the USA?
Enough for a first taste of both coasts and one national park, if you fly once and accept missing the South, Florida, Chicago and the Rockies. A calmer option is one region only: the east coast cities or the western parks.
Should I buy a national parks pass?
For one park, the US$35 car ticket at the Grand Canyon is usually cheaper. The America the Beautiful annual pass covers a car at every national park for a year, but non-residents are now charged more for it, and an extra fee for foreign visitors applies at the busiest parks. Check the current prices on the National Park Service site before you go.
How much should I tip?
Tips are part of the wage in the US. Leave 18-22% of the pre-tax bill at table service, US$1-2 per drink at bars, 15-20% for taxis and ride apps, and US$2-5 a night for housekeeping. Some restaurants add a service charge, so read the bill.
How this guide was made
Compiled by TonyPlan from official tourism, transport and attraction sources and on-the-ground travel knowledge. Prices are approximate for 2026 and change with season; anything we could not confirm is marked as approximate.
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