What budget should I plan for 3 weeks on the US West Coast? (page 2 of 3)

Hi there, I just posted a practical info thread that might answer your question.

Hi there! I just got back from a fantastic 23-day trip starting in Nice and ending in Phoenix—5,800 km in a big SUV, staying in hotels and motels with breakfasts, picnics at lunch, and restaurants or cafeterias in the evening. 😊 It cost us 6,400 € for two, but I booked everything a year in advance to get good deals! Hope this helps! 😊 Just FYI, there were lots of tourists this year, and the Americans were super welcoming!!

Hi there! I just got back from a fantastic 23-day trip from Nice to Phoenix—5,800 km in a big SUV, staying in hotels and motels with breakfast, picnics at lunch, and restaurants or cafeterias in the evening. It cost us 6,400 € for two, but I booked everything a year in advance to get good prices! Hope this helps... And just so you know, there were lots of tourists this year, and the Americans were super welcoming!

I’ll keep this in mind since I’m planning a trip in 2016. It’s true that spring rates are lower. I’ll look into it. 😎

I’ll share some details in September when we’re back 😛

That said, it’s tricky to give price ranges because the big budget items (flights, rental car, hotels) really depend on the time of year.

Can’t wait to hear back from you 😉

As promised, here’s our feedback! 😛

The Itinerary:

23 days, 22 nights on site. From June 25 to July 17, so about ten days outside school holidays. Everything was booked in December. San Francisco, the coast, Los Angeles, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Mesa Verde, Page and the Antelope Canyons, Bryce, Death Valley, and finally 3 days in Las Vegas.

Flights: Multi-destination flights. Arrival in SF, departure from LV with Air France-KLM including domestic connection: 1090 € per person

Transportation:

Rental of a large SUV (like a Peugeot 5008) from Avis. 970 € for 19 days, picked up when leaving SF. I didn’t take the GPS option—I have my own. 48 € per person Gas: $438 for 5,500 km. Average consumption: 8.5 L/100 km. Average price per gallon: $3.6 (min $2.8 - max $4.9) Parking: $195 (including $35 at Universal Studios!!! That’s on top of the entrance ticket, and it’s almost impossible to get there by public transport.) Tolls: None. Otherwise, remember to factor in the fees for the electronic toll system (either via a transponder or license plate reading), which can be very high depending on the rental company.

Hotels: When possible, we preferred motels on the outskirts (cheaper) with a fridge and microwave in the room. Usually included breakfast, a pool, and laundry. The equivalent of 2- to 3-star hotels in France. Average price: $163 per night (min $120 in Cambria - max $244 in Kayenta for Monument Valley)

Food: Overall, breakfast was included in the room price except for 4 nights. The fridge and microwave in the room let us eat dinner there (or in the breakfast room, often available) with salads, frozen meals, deli dishes, etc., and keep picnic supplies cool for lunch. We shopped at supermarkets like Walmart. Sometimes a pizza or fast food. No restaurants. Average cost: $45 per day for two.

Tips: Mandatory whenever you visit or do an activity: $54 for the trip. But I don’t leave tips at fast-food places, Starbucks, or elsewhere. Not at the hotel either.

Phone: 2 "USA" extensions for our French plans with data (even though we used hotel Wi-Fi a lot): Around 75 €

Activities: America the Beautiful Pass: $80. Also remember the state parks not included in the pass: $10 to $15 per entry. For the rest, there’s no limit, and it adds up fast!!!!

Here’s my experience with the unavoidable expenses. Happy planning! 😎

Hi there,

Thanks for the feedback. Where did you buy the transit Pass for SF? I’ll get one too—last time I had a car...

Hi,

I got mine in paper format from a booth at the exit of the BART "Powell Street" station. The agency is between the BART exit and an AT&T store.

I saw other tourists using the MuniMobile app. You can download it here: https://www.sfmta.com/getting-around/muni/fares/munimobile I didn’t dare try it because I wasn’t sure if the pass started on the day of purchase or the day of first use. Plus, since they offered me the paper pass right away at the agency, I just went with that! More info here: https://www.sfmta.com/fares/3-day-visitor-passport

Transportation:

3-day public transit pass in SF and airport-to-downtown train: 48€ $48 per person

Oops, small mistake! It’s $48, not 48 euros. That includes $33 for the 3-day pass + $15 for the BART between the airport and Powell, and then to Mission the next day.

Hello,

I got it in paper format from a booth at the exit of the BART station "Powell Street." The agency is between the BART exit and an AT&T store.

I saw other tourists using the MuniMobile app. You can download it here: https://www.sfmta.com/getting-around/muni/fares/munimobile I didn’t dare try it because I wasn’t sure if the pass started on the day of purchase or the day of first use. Plus, since they offered me the paper pass right away at the agency, I just went with that! More info here: https://www.sfmta.com/fares/3-day-visitor-passport

Foreign credit cards aren’t accepted on the MUNI app according to what I found out. The pass doesn’t start automatically at purchase. You have to activate the Pass manually.

Thanks for the reply.

Renting a car from San Francisco, I find it’s really much cheaper than before. However, on the West Coast, I’m not sure where you’re seeing hotels between 80 and 110 €... I’ve got a 3-week road trip mostly in California, and I’m closer to $200, even more for Yosemite, Sequoia, San Francisco, Pacific Grove, and Fort Bragg.

Hey, when are you leaving? And most importantly, where are you going? I’ll be in San Francisco in September… and in California

Just got back!

And I agree with you about hotel prices—I noticed the same thing. Quite the inflation 🙁

I’ve never spent more than 110 euros on a hotel without any issues...

That said, you’re mentioning places that are expensive. The California coast is pricey. If you go just 1 hour inland, you can find hotels for under 100 euros. Sometimes, you just need to step back a little. I never stay right in the heart of tourist spots—always a bit off to the side. For example, two years ago when I arrived in San Francisco, I stayed south in Milpitas (Hilton Garden Inn for 97 €) or north near Corte Madera.

In Los Angeles, I usually stay around Glendale or Pasadena (Glendale Hotel for 90 € is great, and Howard Johnson Pasadena for around 110 €—not bad, from what I remember). I haven’t been to Yosemite in ages, but back then, I stayed near Oakhurst. But yeah, near the parks, it’s really expensive. I just go farther out.

Now, like I said, I mostly sleep in my car, camp, or stay in nature, and I spend very little time in California because it doesn’t interest me much anymore. Too expensive! Just the cost of gas alone makes me want to leave.

So when I occasionally look for a hotel, I book the same day on-site via Expedia, for example, to pay in euros. I’ve never had trouble finding something affordable and clean... But I also see you’re planning a bit last-minute ;)

Hello Yes, I made up my mind 2 months ago ;) But cheap car rental is tricky. I posted about my itinerary if you wanna take a look ;)

Hi there, I’m back. I’m wondering about the exact timing I should aim for. I’d love to catch the peak of the fall colors. I was thinking of going from September 19 to October 10, 2026, or maybe September 26 to October 17, 2026. What do you think? Thanks!

Hi Christelle,

My answer might fall flat since I’ve never visited these regions in the fall—I’ve always gone (4 times) in the spring or summer. But I’ll give it a shot!

It probably depends on what you mean by the "West Coast," but if it’s the classic SF–LA route with parks and maybe LV, from what I remember, there isn’t much vegetation aside from pine trees. Though the timing for their fall colors is still a bit of a mystery 😛😎 Then again, my memories (most recently from summer 2025) might be playing tricks on me...

I still haven’t been to Yosemite—maybe there?

Hi Christelle,

I was in the West last month 😉 and I’d say both periods are great for fall colors, but it also depends on the altitude—higher areas change color earlier!

Burst of yellow in the Moab highlands on October 9th, though you can see many trees are already bare.

Fruita Orchards in Capitol Reef, a mix of green and yellow, on October 11th.

Dixie National Forest at the start of Scenic Byway 12, October 11th—again, lots of trees have already lost their leaves.

Zion on October 14th, just a few splashes of yellow.

As for the budget, here’s my LV-LV loop from 10/1 to 10/17, covering Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Moab (Canyonlands, Dead Horse Point, Arches), Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, and Zion. Flights Geneva-LV: 700 € per person, baggage included Car rental via BSP Auto: 584 € for a standard SUV (Mitsubishi Outlander) with an additional driver (I traveled with a friend, not my partner!) and $1,000,000 liability coverage. Hotels: 3000 € for 16 nights (ranging from 109 € to 317 €) Restaurants + misc. purchases: around 2000 € per person Gas: for 2,600 km, about 130 €

We wanted to buy the parks pass, but with the shutdown, they were free—except Dead Horse Point, which is a state park ($20).

Hello, I’m back. I’m wondering about the exact period I should choose. I’d love to catch the peak of the fall colors. I was thinking of either September 19 to October 10, 2026, or maybe September 26 to October 17, 2026. What do you think? Thanks!

Hello, we left on September 25 this year, and it was the start of fall—those fluorescent yellow trees are magical!

But predicting the start of fall from one year to the next isn’t a sure thing…

Alright, let's go wild—let’s talk about *autumn* and not fall... 🤪

Come on, let's be crazy, let's talk about autumn and not fall...

Oops… there’s a word for that (the changing colors and falling leaves), but it’s not coming to me…

The autumnal senescence.