12-Day Cross-Country USA Tour: Los Angeles to New York via Las Vegas, Yellowstone, Chicago & More

Facing the rising sun, we start today's wonderful journey. Go north along Highway 15, pass through the San Bernardino Forest, and enter the largest Mojave Desert in North America. The lonely Joshua trees dotted the endless Gobi Desert, which is very interesting. On the way, we will pass the famous ghost town. More than a hundred years ago, it was a town rich in silver mines. However, due to the collapse of the value of silver, the silver mine in Caligo was stopped in 1890. At present, the town is mainly for sightseeing, with the theme of the western desert ghost town. There are many small shops in the town selling souvenirs. In the afternoon, we will arrive at the world's gambling city-Las Vegas! Check in at the hotel after 3 pm, you can take a rest or go to the casino to try your luck.



Itinerary:
Departing from Santa Monica, Los Angeles → Caligo Ghost Town (60 mins) → Las Vegas → Las Vegas Night Tour (Optional)

Transportation：From Santa Monica, Los Angeles to Las Vegas
Travel distance：290miTravel time：4Hour30Minute

In the morning, we will head to the Great Salt Lake, the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere, and then go to Utah to visit the Capitol. The palace-like government building is one of the few state governments in the United States that can be visited without security checks. Then we went to the Mormon holy place, Temple Square, where a Mormon sister led us on a tour and told us about the teachings and history of Mormonism.


Itinerary:

Las Vegas (40 mins) → Great Salt Lake (Mandatory, 20 mins) → Salt Lake City → Utah State Capitol (30 mins) → Temple Square (40 mins)

Transportation：Driving from Las Vegas to Salt Lake City
Travel distance：420mi

In the morning, we depart from Salt Lake City and arrive at Jackson, an authentic western cowboy town. It is also a world-famous holiday resort. Don't miss the Antler Park in the city center. Then we entered Grand Teton National Park, where the majestic Grand Teton Mountains are covered with glaciers that have never melted for thousands of years and are surrounded by blue sky and forests, making it look like a fairyland. Drive to Yellowstone National Park, the world's first national park. The endless grasslands and hills along the way; the cattle and sheep all over the mountains; the towering snow-capped mountains; the endlessly flowing rivers; and the hardworking cowboys are all refreshing. Wonderful things will come one after another!



Itinerary:

Salt Lake City → Jackson → Jackson Town Square with Elk Antler Arches (60 mins) → Grand Teton National Park (Mandatory, 60 mins) → Yellowstone National Park (Mandatory, 40 mins, stop at West Thumb Geyser Basin) → West Yellowstone



Note:

1. The South Gate of Yellowstone National Park is expected to open on 05/10/2025, so West Thumb Geyser will not be available for visit from 05/02/2025 to 05/09/2025. Please understand.

Transportation：Driving from Salt Lake City to Jackson
Travel distance：280mi

Today we will have a whole day to roam in the Yellowstone wonderland, where colors are infinitely combined and magnified, and there is a faint mist. Every step you take, you will see beautiful scenery everywhere. Today we will see the charming Yellowstone Lake, the graceful Fishing Bridge, the rumbling crater, the ever-changing geysers, the mighty Yellowstone Falls, the majestic Grand Canyon, the galloping Upper Falls; the colorful and misty Norris; and all kinds of wild animals will also appear in the frame, which will be a feast for the eyes! There are always no words to describe the beauty of Yellowstone. We can only rely on our eyes and cameras to measure and remember the enchanting beauty.


Itinerary:

West Yellowstone → Yellowstone National Park (8 hours, stop at Norris Geyser Basin, Upper Terraces, Old Faithful Geyser, Fountain Trail, Morning Glory, Grand Prismatic, Palette and other attractions. The attractions will be adjusted according to the actual situation of the day) → Cody Town

Transportation：Drive from Yellowstone National Park to Cody
Travel distance：80miTravel time：1Hour50Minute

Today we will depart from the hotel, and on the way you can enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Rocky Mountains and head to the world's first national monument - Devil's Tower! The Indians called it "the abode of the bear". Devil's Tower rises more than 1,200 feet and is extremely spectacular, attracting countless tourists and rock climbing enthusiasts every year. Finally, we will drive to Kumu Town to check in at the hotel.


Itinerary:

Cody → Devil's Tower (Mandatory, 90 mins) → Deadwood

Transportation：Take a bus from Devil's Tower to Deadwood Town Hotel
Travel distance：75miTravel time：1Hour20Minute

Today we set off to visit Mount Rushmore, the most famous symbol of the United States! The ingenious carving technique carved the American founding father Washington, the drafter of the Declaration of Independence Jefferson, the peace messenger Roosevelt, and the father of black people Lincoln on the majestic mountain, leaving behind an immortal masterpiece. Afterwards, we will head to Badlands National Park, whose rugged beauty makes it one of the must-see attractions in the United States. These towering peaks and stratified rocks are not only eye-catching, but also precious fossil assets.


Itinerary:

Deadwood → Mount Rushmore National Memorial (Mandatory, 90 mins) → Badlands National Park (Mandatory, 90 mins) → Sioux Falls

Transportation：Take a bus from Deadwood to Presidential Monument
Travel distance：50miTravel time：1Hour10Minute

Today we will depart from Sioux Falls and head to the Spam Museum. SPAM is a brand of precooked canned meat produced by Hormel Foods. The museum tells the history of Hormel, the origins of Spam, and its place in world culture. The 16,500-square-foot space includes a theater, historical exhibits, a family activity and game center, and a gift shop. There is a Spam Wall in the museum's lobby, with more than 3,300 Spam cans on the wall.


Itinerary:

Sioux Falls → Austin → Spam Museum (60 mins) → Madison

Transportation：Driving from Sioux Falls to Austin
Travel distance：200mi

Chicago, located on the shores of Lake Michigan, is the third largest city in the United States and also the city with the best architectural model in the United States. It is a holy place visited by many architecture pilgrims. There are many landmark pavilions, buildings, parks and food here - the world-famous urban garden - Millennium Park; the magnificently designed Cloud Gate, the giant city mirror that shows the silhouette of the city; the world's largest artificial fountain - Buckingham Fountain; and the NBA Bulls home court, art museum, Magnificent Mile, etc. are all popular attractions that are highly sought after.



Itinerary:

Madison → Chicago → Millennium Park & ​​Cloud Gate (20 mins) → Grant Park (10 mins) → Chicago Opera House (car tour) → Art Institute of Chicago (Optional, 120 mins) → Old Water Tower (10 mins) → Michigan Avenue (car tour) → Chicago Architecture Cruise (Optional, 75 mins, you cannot participate if the cruise is closed) → 360 Chicago (Optional, 75 mins) → Chicago Night Tour (Optional, 120 mins)

Itinerary passes: Buckingham Fountain, Navy Pier, Corn Building, Trump Tower, Willis Tower

Transportation：Driving from Madison to Chicago
Travel distance：150miTravel time：3Hour30Minute

Today we will go to Detroit, the once prosperous automobile capital of the world. The headquarters of the three major American automobile giants GM, Ford, and Chrysler are all located in Detroit and its surrounding areas. The Ford Motor Company Museum is definitely a stop that history fans and car enthusiasts cannot miss. This museum houses various models of Ford cars from different historical periods. It not only records the past and present of Ford cars, but also is a vivid description of the American Industrial Revolution. You will see more than one million exhibits, including the mounts of many presidents during their tenure, modern sports cars, racing cars, military vehicles and aircraft during the world wars, etc., which are full of a sense of time. Then we checked in at GM
General Motors headquarters and headed to Toledo after the tour.


Itinerary:

Hotel → Detroit → Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation (Optional, 75 mins) → GM Renaissance Center (30 mins) → Toledo

Transportation：Drive from hotel to Detroit
Travel distance：260mi

Today we're heading to Cleveland, the city of rock! The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, built in 1984, is located in Cleveland. The museum is located on the shore of Lake Erie, and the entire building looks like a huge white sailboat ready to take off. Here you can get close to rock music, from Elvis Presley to the world-famous British Beatles, to the guitars and drums used by superstars such as the Rolling Stones, U2 and Michael Jackson, as well as various performance costumes they wore back then, old records and huge performance advertisements, all are on display here. There is also a high-fidelity headset in front of each celebrity booth, so you can play the rock songs they have sung at will. The last place we came to was Pittsburgh, the “Steel Capital of the World”. Pittsburgh has a very rich culture and art. It is home to the famous University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, which is famous for computer science. The Carnegie Museum of Natural History donated by steel tycoon Carnegie is one of the largest natural history museums in the United States. The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, with a history of more than 100 years, is one of the most famous symphony orchestras in the United States.



Itinerary:

Toledo → Cleveland → Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Optional, 90 mins) → Pittsburgh → Duquesne Incline (Optional, 50 mins) → Pittsburgh Downtown Park (30 mins)

Transportation：Driving from Toledo to Cleveland
Travel distance：120miTravel time：2Hour0Minute

As we enter the end of our journey, today we will head to Harrisburg, the capital of Pennsylvania. Nestled in the fertile Hana Valley, Harrisburg played a pivotal role in American history—as a major link in rail and water transportation and as the site of a major Civil War battle. After visiting the elegant and vintage Pennsylvania State Capitol, we will head to Hershey's Chocolate World, the largest chocolate and chocolate candy manufacturer in North America. The Hershey Chocolate Factory has now developed into a characteristic town. Take a ride on the chocolate making tour bus and observe every step of chocolate production, the process is also very creative. Finally, we will arrive in the City of Brotherly Love - Philadelphia.


Itinerary:

Pittsburgh → Harrisburg → Pennsylvania State Capitol (30 mins) → Hershey → Hershey Chocolate World (60 mins) → Philadelphia

Transportation：Driving from Pittsburgh to Harrisburg
Travel distance：200miTravel time：3Hour30Minute

Today, we will go to the University of Pennsylvania, which has the Wharton School of Business, which is rated as "the best business school in the world." Take a one-hour campus tour to learn about the school's history and outstanding achievements; visit the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Paleoanthropology, which has a rich and colorful collection. The Chinese exhibition hall is the most dazzling part of the museum, and the most famous ones include Saluzi and Quanmao Guā, two of the Six Horses of Emperor Taizong of Tang's Zhaoling Mausoleum, the huge Buddhist murals of Guangji Temple in Shanxi, and the world's third largest crystal ball; you can also enjoy lunch in the Penn campus cafeteria and experience the wonderful university life. After leaving Pennsylvania, we will visit Independence Historical Park to witness the history of American independence. Finally, we will drive back to New York and end this journey across the United States!



Itinerary:

Philadelphia → University of Pennsylvania (4-hour experience, fee includes: campus tour arranged by the university or official institutions + Museum of Anthropology ticket + lunch) → Philadelphia Independence Historical Park (60 mins, with a view of Independence Hall and Liberty Bell) → New York

Transportation：Driving from Philadelphia to New York
Travel distance：100miTravel time：1Hour40Minute