What budget should I plan for 3 weeks on the US West Coast?

Hi everyone,

I’m a total USA addict. I’ve already done several road trips, including the East Coast and West Coast. I’m here today because I’m planning to go back for another road trip on the West Coast. Possibly with one of my sisters and a couple of friends. It’s still just a plan for now, but I’m working on an itinerary in the meantime. Ideally, I’d leave in 2026, but I don’t have the exact dates yet—maybe April-May or September-October. My last trip to the West Coast was in September 2014. We went for 2 weeks, but this time it’d be 3 weeks. What made me want to go back was simply a colleague who just left today. As I’m writing this, he’s on the plane. I’m so happy for him, but now all I can think about is going back.

Since I recently went to NY, I noticed that prices have really gone up. I assume the same is true for the West Coast? For 2 people over 3 weeks, what budget should I expect? We’re the type to watch our spending and find great tips. I think we’ll arrive in San Francisco like the first time and leave from either Los Angeles or Las Vegas.

Thanks to everyone for your advice and help.

I’ll share some details in September once 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.

For 2026, it's impossible to say, but for this year, flight and car rental prices are really at the low end due to the drop in tourist numbers...

In my opinion, the prices are the same as last year. I go every year and don’t see a big difference in terms of lower attendance. However, yes, compared to 2014, it’s more expensive. In 2017, I had a flight ticket for under 500 euros including baggage.

For example, this September, I rented a large SUV (like a Ford Explorer) for 25 days: 1,250 euros with Alamo. A classic SUV is around 800 euros.

For the flight, I usually go with British Airways. This year, it’ll be with Iberia for 700 € including baggage.

For hotels in September, budget between 80 and 110 euros per night for decent and clean hotels. I hardly ever stay in hotels anymore, but I always check prices everywhere I go.

For gas, you can calculate based on your itinerary. A classic SUV uses about 8 liters per 100 km, while a large SUV uses about 12 liters per 100 km. Roughly, if you do a 6,000 km loop, you’ll spend around 400 € on gas for a classic SUV and 600 € for a large one.

For activities, count on an $80 pass for the parks. It all depends on your fun budget (theme parks, shopping). I don’t go to parks anymore and spend about $300 on clothes.

For food, it depends on what you eat. But food has gotten a lot more expensive since 2014.

For me, it’s simple—I only book the car and the flight. I don’t stay in hotels and usually spend around $2,700 on the ground, which includes food, shopping, and gas. Note that I drove 10,000 km on my last trip, so about $1,000 was just for gas. I spent around $300 on clothes and about $150 to set up my car like a hotel room (bed, cooler, etc.). I also spent around $200 in cash on campgrounds. That leaves about $1,000 for 25 days of food, almost no restaurants (just 2 breakfasts at Denny’s, if I remember right). Hope this helps.

Wait, is this a joke??? What drop in tourist numbers???

I’ve been going to Florida almost every year since 2013, and prices hadn’t changed (with baggage included, departing from Geneva) until this year, when I noticed an increase of nearly 100 € per ticket. For Phoenix (still from GVA), we paid 690 € in 2023, and it’s 735 € for the same dates in 2025. And departing from Paris, with the new taxes being added, I doubt prices are going down!

As for car rentals, they’ve gone up quite a bit since Covid—nowhere near the lower end of the range!

As for the supposedly lower tourist numbers, what can I say!! ... it’s way too early to tell 😉 and despite the media hype, there’s no difference in Florida between March 2024 and March 2025, and an increase in April 2025 .... we’ll have to wait until next year to really see if the anti-US propaganda worked 😉 From what I saw last month: the flight from GVA was full, and at online check-in, they even offered to move our departure for a few hundred €! I refused, and as a result, we got upgraded! On the ground, lots of Germans (way more than usual), and on the return flight, the plane was full too.

Yes, prices on the ground have increased a lot since 2014—inflation has had its say... and if you need to exchange your euros for dollars, it’s also less favorable now.

We’re not the type to watch our spending too closely while traveling (Airbnb or a nice hotel, eating out every day, etc.), and we have a US bank account. But Usafan already gave some great tips and broke down their expenses in detail... I’ll just add my trick for renting a vehicle, since car rental prices have gone up a lot since Covid: I book as late as possible to get a better price (secure a reservation first, then cancel it if prices drop closer to departure).

Happy planning! !

I totally agree with you. It’s media manipulation... These days, you have to budget between 750 and 800 euros for a flight ticket outside of school holidays. Before COVID, I got tickets for between 450 and 350 euros, baggage included. I’m not even talking about peak summer... It’s insane.

Rental cars are only worth it through Alamo and via Los Angeles—otherwise, it’s ridiculous... In September, Alamo was 1250 € for a large SUV via Los Angeles... Everywhere else, it was between 3500 and 4500 euros.

As for the supposedly declining attendance, what can I say!! ... it's still too early to say anything 😉 and despite the media hype from our news outlets

...I read (on a US site) that FLL Airport lost a quarter of its passengers... mostly Canadians...

MIA has more passengers from South America, so the drop isn't as sharp...

After the initial frustration, maybe our Canadian neighbors will come back (they're the largest group of tourists in the US)

I booked a round-trip direct flight to DEN for 500 €, which is pretty reasonable—it was more expensive last year...

When I say cheaper, I mean compared to 2024, not 5 years ago, but it's also true that the US has had crazy inflation...

....and you can find tickets for under $500 on AA to FLL to spend Christmas in Florida—it’s a sign they’re not filling up.....

Yeah, AA and Miami are cheap (I don’t fly with them anymore after taking a flight in a plane that had a TV on the ceiling like in a bus! 😏) I don’t know, I have an issue with that airline, same as with Delta.

Right now, Los Angeles is 750 € in September without luggage (so you can budget around 900 €). Miami is 454 €, so about 600 € with luggage. But what’s totally crazy is the price of cars. They vary from simple to triple the cost. I booked my SUV at a very reasonable price... A few days later, it went up by 500 €.

After the frustration passes, maybe the Canadian neighbors will come back (they make up the largest group of tourists in the US).

If we’re going to the US less, it’s also—and mostly—because the Canadian dollar isn’t worth much... 🤪

Oh wow, I just checked the exchange rate. Ouch!

Hi there, we just got back... Our budget, excluding transport from home to SF and back: - SUV rental for 9 days...42 € per day. They refused debit and credit cards... luckily I had my Carrefour Pass Black card on me. - Gas wasn’t the most expensive, 10 € per 100 km - Hotels for a mid-range room: 100 € - Food: outrageously expensive, and getting worse... e.g., $58 at Denny’s for an egg dish (charged an extra $0.50 per egg!). A beer, a coffee... at Five Guys, we paid a bit less... As for shopping at Walmart, it was Laughing Cow with chili on a piece of bread, the same Caesar salad, and bad fruit... I have a friend who went with 3 others and did a lot of Airbnbs with kitchens—cooking dinner and prepping lunch salads. Seems way more efficient... - Alcatraz visit: expensive for what it is - National parks: we didn’t spend much—the most expensive, Cedar Breaks, was closed due to a snowstorm...

Converse gift: $30 a pair at the north LV outlet, 50% off if you buy 2 pairs! The north outlet seemed cheaper than the south one...

- Toll: $11 for the Golden Gate Bridge + $10 "service charge"... a tip! On the Pass card.

$42 for a car rental? What a steal!

Otherwise, if even eating at Denny’s is expensive (and just imagine the price at a fancier restaurant with wine!), which is true these days, that’s why I rent Airbnbs. And I can even shop at Sprouts—the hipster grocery store—and it still ends up being cheaper overall.

Giving budget advice without knowing your means is a bit risky. Like everyone else, I’ll share my experience, and you can analyze it. My trip to the West in 2022 lasted almost a month. I’m no longer at the age where I can sleep in the car like my friend Usafan, whom I sometimes envy, so it was hotels all the way—three or four stars. Not many restaurants since Americans don’t know how to cook; instead, I’d grab French fries and a glass of red wine at the bar in the evening. Maybe an Italian restaurant now and then. I preferred an SUV for the road trip, with an extra travel bag for the trip back to fit all the clothes I bought. I flew with AF (Air France) from Montpellier via CDG. Final tally for 2022: 8,000 kilometers, a wedding in LV, and around 18,000 € all-in.

Giving budget advice without knowing your means is a bit risky. I’ll share my experience like everyone else, and you can analyze it. My trip to the West in 2022 lasted almost a month. I’m no longer young enough to sleep in the car like my friend Usafan, whom I sometimes envy, so I always stayed in hotels—three or four stars. Not many restaurants because Americans don’t know how to cook; instead, I’d have French fries and a glass of red wine at the bar in the evening. Maybe an Italian restaurant. I preferred an SUV for the road trip, with an extra travel bag for the clothes I bought and flights with Air France from Montpellier via CDG. Result for 2022: 8,000 kilometers, a wedding in LV, and around 18,000 € all-in.

Clearly not your budget Let’s say between 3,000 and 4,000 € per person. I want mid-range hotels but ones with good reviews. My goal is to find the interesting spots, and I usually manage since I’m used to traveling in the US and road trips.

I’ll share some details when we get back in September :P

That said, it’s hard to give a range because the big expenses (flight, rental car, hotels) really depend on the time of year.

Looking forward to your feedback ;)

In my opinion, the rates are the same as last year. I go every year and don’t see a big price difference in terms of lower attendance. However, yes, compared to 2014, it’s more expensive. In 2017, I had a flight ticket for under 500 euros including baggage.

For example, this September, I rented a large SUV (like a Ford Explorer) for 25 days: 1250 euros with Alamo. A classic SUV costs around 800 euros.

For the flight, I usually fly with British Airways. This year, it’ll be with Iberia for 700 € including baggage.

For the hotel budget in September, expect between 80 and 110 euros per night for decent and clean hotels. I hardly ever stay in hotels anymore, but I still check prices everywhere I go.

For gas, you can calculate based on your itinerary. A classic SUV uses about 8 liters per 100 km, while a large SUV uses 12 liters per 100 km. Roughly, if you do a 6000 km loop, you’ll spend around 400 € on gas for a classic SUV and 600 € for a large SUV.

For outings, budget for the park pass at $80. It all depends on your fun budget (theme parks, shopping). I don’t go to the parks anymore and spend about $300 on clothes.

For food, it depends on what you eat. But food has gotten much more expensive since 2014.

For me, it’s simple: I only book the car and the flight. I don’t stay in hotels and usually spend around $2700 on-site, which includes food, shopping, and gas. Note that I drove 10,000 km on my last trip, so about $1000 just for gas. I spent around $300 on clothes and about $150 to set up my car like a hotel room (bed, cooler, etc.). I also spent around $200 in cash on campgrounds. That leaves about $1000 for 25 days of food, almost no restaurants (just 2 breakfasts at Denny’s, if I remember correctly). Hope this helps.

Thanks a lot! Yeah, I noticed during my last trip to NYC two years ago that prices had skyrocketed, especially for hotels, food, and flights. I’ll stick with a basic car or something slightly above, like a Corolla.

No loop for me. I always try to find the best value for money while staying close to the center or easily accessible. I’ll check out some hotels I’ve stayed at before ^^ I’d like to book the hotel at Monument Valley, "The View," and do Universal Studios with a skip-the-line ticket.

If I do SF > LV > LA,

After SF, I was thinking of visiting Yosemite, which I missed last time, then Death Valley.

Is it better to do Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, and Antelope Canyon after LV?

Thanks

If I do SF > LV > LA After SF, I was thinking of doing Yosemite, which I didn’t do last time, then Death Valley.

Is it better to do Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, and Antelope Canyon after LV?

It depends on your itinerary! For sure, if you're doing SF > LV > LA, the classic route after LV is Bryce / Antelope / Monument Valley / Grand Canyon / LA. With Valley of Fire, or even Zion between LV and Bryce. But if the question is "Is it worth it after LV?", the answer is Yesss!

For this summer, for decent hotels (not exceptional—like our 2- or 3-star places) with good TA ratings (4/5), but sometimes a bit out of the way (except in SF), I’m averaging around $180 all-in per night, with a peak at $245 for Monument Valley (not at The View, just a random hotel in Kayenta).

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

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

Can’t wait to hear your feedback 😉

Hey, I’m going in September, and so far, for 2 people over 15 days, I’m at **3000 €** with flights, a rental car, and Airbnb. That leaves meals, but since we’ll be eating in the rented apartment, it doesn’t cost too much… And of course, shopping at Ross—you know how it is… poof poof

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.

There you go! Thanks.

Hi there, I’m back! This time there’ll be two of us traveling. This trip, I’m switching things up: SF → LV → LA instead of SF → LA → LV. Last time, I didn’t get to visit Yosemite, Moab, Joshua Tree, or Zion.

What do you think? Any suggestions?

26/09 – San Francisco 27/09 – San Francisco 28/09 – San Francisco 29/09 – Yosemite 30/09 – Yosemite 01/10 – Las Vegas 02/10 – Las Vegas 03/10 – Zion 04/10 – Zion 05/10 – Bryce 06/10 – Page 07/10 – Monument Valley 08/10 – Moab 09/10 – Moab 10/10 – Grand Canyon 11/10 – Grand Canyon 12/10 – Joshua Tree 13/10 – Los Angeles 14/10 – Los Angeles 15/10 – Los Angeles 16/10 – Return

Thanks so much!

Hi there! 🙂,

I’m back with an update—I tweaked the itinerary a bit. I’d actually forgotten a day in my original plan since I was thinking of leaving on the 17th, not the 16th—oops, lol. I’ve started looking at flight ticket prices, and I’m seeing around 1857 € for two people. What do you think?

Thanks in advance for your help! What do you think?

Love your flyer for presenting your itinerary!

I’d cut a day in LA to add to Moab—which you’re really just skimming over—or to SF.

For flights, that seems pricey for off-season. This summer, I paid **930 €** with Air France for a multi-destination ticket (arrival in SF, departure from LV) including a domestic connection from the provinces. Though now I’m wondering if it’s *really* off-season, because the screenshot in the other thread about The View is terrifying with those prices!

For the flight, that seems expensive for off-season since this summer I paid 930 € with Air France for a multi-destination ticket (arriving in SF, departing from LV) including a connecting flight from the provinces.

What type of ticket is it? The basic one with no checked baggage?

Best regards,

hi

With checked luggage. Direct tickets departing CDG -> SF and return LA -> CDG thanks

Hi there,

I’ll check it out, but since I’ve got some pretty packed plans in LA… well, I’ll see ^^ I booked the View ;) Thanks for the compliment! :)

What type of ticket? The basic one without checked luggage?

No, 23kg baggage per person + choice of duo seats on the outbound flight. And we got a refundable ticket in case business class deals came up (but there weren’t any 😛)

What type of ticket? The basic one without checked luggage?

No, 23kg baggage per person + choice of duo seats on the outbound. And we got a refundable ticket in case business class deals came up (but there weren’t any 😛)

OK! For August 2026, I’m at 2500 € for two, departing from Montpellier - CDG - Dallas and return. Seats chosen, 23 kg and an extra 20 kg for the return trip. 😎

In 2022, Montpellier - CDG - Salt Lake City then SFO - CDG - Montpellier, I paid 2900 €. Same conditions.

Best regards.