10 Day USA West Coast Road Trip: Your Ultimate Guide! 🇺🇸🚘

A couple of months ago, I embarked on a 10 day road trip across the West Coast of the United States. People still ask me about the trip - how I planned it, where I went, what I ate (everything really!) because, let’s be honest, a trip like this can seem overwhelming. So, I’ve put together this step-by-step guide to save you the trouble of figuring it all out yourself. Ready for some road trip magic? Let's go!

Day 1: San Francisco - The Golden City

First stop: The City by the Bay! I From the moment we landed, I was ready to devour everything this city had to offer. Between the iconic views, quirky architecture, and, of course, the food, it was a total love affair. We hit the ground running, packing in as much as possible in our first day.

✈️ Flew from London to San Francisco, grabbed our rental car (Avis via Booking.com), and made our way into the city.

🛏️ We stayed in a small airbnb in Nob Hill District, super conveniently located!

🍦 Ice cream on the brain from the start, we went straight to Fillmore Street to grab an artisanal ice cream from Salt & Straw. They have the most incredible and unique flavours, I got Sea Salt with Caramel Ribbons and the Chocolate Gooey Brownie!

🌳 We walked around the corner to Lafayette Park to enjoy our ice creams and people-watch (or, more accurately, dog-watch).

🌉 Of course, we had to snap the perfect picture of Golden Gate Bridge, and drive across the bridge at sunset! Here are some other great spots to see the bridge from:

• Battery Spencer

• Golden Gate Overlook

• Marshall’s Beach

🌮 Unmatched tacos at La Taqueria to end the day (seriously, get there if you can) in the Mission District.

Day 2: More SF Adventures (and Coffee, obviously)

We woke up ready to dive even deeper into San Francisco’s charm, and let me tell you, we got through a lot on this day. From cute coffee shops to colourful neighbourhoods and of course all the iconic spots. Get ready for a mix of vintage vibes, Insta-worthy views, and, yes, more delicious food.

🥵 Woke up early for a Reformer class at Bodyrok (you know, because I’m crazy). This one is optional

☕️ Stopped by Andytown Coffee for The Original Bird, their speciality - sparkling water, espresso, brown sugar syrup, and whipped cream. I’ll admit, I was skeptical, but it’s oddly delicious.

🌊 Took our coffees and pastries to Ocean Beach for a walk by the sea. A great start to the day!

🛍️ After a shower and change, we hit up the Fog City Flea at the Ferry Building. It’s a curated marketplace with everything from indie brands to vintage gems - perfect for souvenir hunting (from the queen of souvenir’s - me).

🥠 Explored Chinatown. We didn’t make our own fortune cookie at the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory because the line was insane, but next time I’m definitely doing that!

🍕 Lunch was a takeaway pizza from Tony’s Pizza Napoletana (award-winning pizza, people) in North Beach (Little Italy) which we ate at Alamo Square Park while admiring the Painted Ladies (ya know, those famous Victorian houses).

🧦 Later, we wandered around Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco’s vintage shopping heaven. So many great shops! I hit up Wasteland, Relic Vintage, and Buffalo Exchange to name a few.

🚘 Drove by Lombard Street (you know, the famous crooked road). Didn’t walk or drive it but had to stop for a quick pic!

🦀 Finished the day at Fisherman’s Wharf with a delicious Crab & Shrimp Fettuccine at the Crab House. Don’t miss out on the sea lions - they’re so cute to watch.

Day 3: Road Trip Drama (San Fran to LA)

Day 3 was all about the drive - 8 hours from San Francisco to Los Angeles. And trust me, it wasn’t as smooth as we’d hoped. A car crash (not our fault, thankfully) kicked things off, but it didn’t stop us from making the most of our journey. We took a detour through some of California’s most stunning coastal towns and squeezed in plenty of pit stops along the way.

💥 Breakfast mishap: Tried to grab coffee and pastries at Arsicault Bakery, but right outside, someone crashed into our rental car. 🙄 Guess it’s back to Avis to get another car - and we ended up with a Jeep Wrangler. Pretty sweet upgrade if I do say so myself.

🗺️ Drove down the coast with stops at:

• Half Moon Bay

• Santa Cruz

• Monterey (had to stop at In-N-Out for the first time, obviously. Elite car lunch!).

• Carmel-by-the-Sea (SO cute! Will definitely stay here next time, I wish I could have explored more).

The original idea was to stop at Big Sur, but unfortunately the road was closed due to a storm, but if you’re taking this trip and you’re able to, you should definitely drive past!

The drive was long (around 8 hours) but the coast views were worth it. Note: Leave yourself plenty of time for photo ops and pit stops along the way!

Finally arrived in LA!

Day 4: LA - The Land of Dreams

Day 4 and we’re in the city of angels! We started with the best breakfast burritos in town, then roamed the luxurious streets of Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive, pretending we could afford anything. We checked off some classic LA landmarks like the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Griffith Park, all while soaking in those iconic city views.

🌯 Breakfast burritos at Diego in West Hollywood (SO good, even with the long line).

🛍️ Naturally, we had to go window-shopping on Rodeo Drive.

🌟 Took a stroll down the Hollywood Walk of Fame, snapping pics with all the ‘stars’ (and doing more window shopping, of course).

🌳 Griffith Park for some killer panoramic views of LA. Spent a little time walking through the park, too - such a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle.

🥤 We were totally Tiktok influenced and had to grab a Hailey Bieber smoothie at Erewhon (I had to take out a second mortgage for it too). Totally worth it for the ‘gram though. 😂

🎢 Headed to Santa Monica Pier (before we realised how bad the traffic would be). Rode the Ferris wheel, ate cotton candy, and basically lived my best tourist life.

🥗 Dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. I mean, those portions are ENORMOUS. But hey, you get your money’s worth, right? We just had to experience it first hand.

Day 5: Sweating, Sightseeing, and Smoothies

By day five, we were fully embracing the LA lifestyle - early workouts, overpriced smoothies, and casual hikes to world-famous landmarks. We kicked off the day with a SoulCycle class (because when in LA, right?), grabbed a ridiculously expensive Erewhon smoothie (spoiler: never again), and set off on a hike to the Hollywood Sign. But don’t worry, it wasn’t all kale and cardio, we balanced it out with some serious relaxation in Malibu, a bit of culture at the Getty Villa, and, of course, a Trader Joe’s snack haul.

🚲 SoulCycle class in the morning - because LA, right?

🍳 Quick breakfast at Community Goods and a breakfast sandwich (so good).

🌟 Hiked up to the Hollywood Sign. Definitely worth it, but don’t forget your water!

🌴 Visited the Getty Villa in Malibu. Roman vibes in the middle of LA. Beautiful art, gorgeous gardens, and ocean views. Perfect way to relax.

👙 Spent the afternoon at Paradise Cove in Malibu. My sister swam with a lifeguard we made friends with (seriously!).

⛱️ Took a stroll along Venice Beach boardwalk - cute souvenir shops, street performers, and people-watching galore.

🥗 Ended the day with a Trader Joe’s run: snacks for dinner and a cozy night in.

Day 6: Grand Canyon Glamping (It’s a Thing)

After a few days of city chaos, it was time to swap the city for canyons and cocktails for campfires. With an 8-hour drive ahead (because why take it easy on ourselves?), we hit the road at the crack of dawn, fueled by a classic Denny’s breakfast, of course. The destination? Under Canvas, a dreamy glamping spot near the Grand Canyon that looks like it was ripped straight from Pinterest. There were cozy tents, s’mores by the fire, and even a surprise visit from a snake (keeping it real in the wilderness). It was the perfect mix of adventure and comfort.

⛰️ Up at 5am to start the long drive to the Grand Canyon (8 hours - yikes!).

🥞 Breakfast at Denny’s (because road trips, duh).

⛺️ Arrived at Under Canvas for some glamping.

🔥 Spent the evening by the bonfire, playing games and roasting s’mores - just the perfect end to a long day.

Day 7 & 8: From Grand Canyon Zen to Vegas Mayhem

Woke up in the peaceful desert, did some yoga, had a wholesome breakfast… and then immediately traded all that serenity for the neon chaos of Las Vegas. But before the madness, we made a stop at the Grand Canyon, which is so massive it actually breaks your brain a little. After staring into the abyss (and taking a million photos), we hit the road for Vegas, where subtlety does not exist. By day 2, we were at a rooftop pool party, trying our luck at the slots, and screaming our hearts out at a Shania Twain concert - because why not book some last minute tickets? Two days here felt like a week, in the best, most ridiculous way possible.

🧘‍♀️ Started the day with some yoga (can this by my everyday?).

⛰ Grand Canyon—this place is beyond words. The scale is just unreal. You have to see it to believe it.

🚘 Hit the road for Vegas - about 4 hours away, and boy, does Vegas bring the energy.

🎰 We hit the rooftop pool clubs, tried our luck at the casinos, and capped it off with a Shania Twain show (she still totally has it).

Day 9: San Diego and Back to Reality

After the absolute whirlwind that was Vegas, we needed a serious cool down, and San Diego was the perfect antidote. Laid-back, sunny, and full of good vibes, it felt like the post-party detox we needed. We had just one night here, so we made it count. Tacos in Old Town, a sunset stroll, and just soaking up that beachy, effortless energy before reality (aka our flight home) hit. If I ever do this trip again, I’m definitely spending more time in San Diego.

🌮 Grabbed tacos at Fiesta de Reyes in Old Town - seriously, these were life-changing.

🏖 San Diego’s beach scene is effortlessly cool. We walked the Mission Beach Boardwalk, grabbed a coffee, and people-watched as surfers did their thing. Pacific Beach was a bit livelier, with fun bars and cute little shops.

🍹 For our last dinner of the trip, we headed to Little Italy for some of the best pasta outside of Italy. We ate at Barbusa, and wow, this meal almost made us miss our flight. The truffle pasta? Life-changing.

✈️ Home Time! – And just like that, our US road trip came to an end. We were tired, broke, but absolutely buzzing from everything we’d packed in.

If you’re even THINKING about doing a road trip like this - just do it. Best decision I ever made. Don’t overthink it. Pack your bags, and hit the road! I’ve done all the thinking for you.