From the beautiful coastal roads and the glacial wonder of Alaska to the wine regions of California and all the cultural heritage in between, there are magical moments waiting around every corner in the USA, and that’s before you even discover the wide array of spectacular national parks found across the country, from Bryce Canyon to Yellowstone to Yosemite. This is the USA—the Intrepid way.
Experience the laidback Southwestern lifestyle and travel through the very heart of Utah!
Terms & ConditionsSet off on a five-day adventure through some of the USA’s most epic scenery, including...
Fall in love with the untamed beauty of Alaska on a 6-day walking tour that loops you...
Walk in famous footsteps on a 6-day musical journey from Nashville to Memphis and New...
Follow your feet on this 6-day walking tour that shows off the very best of Yosemite...
Explore California’s wine regions on a 6-day cycling adventure with Intrepid from San...
Explore Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Lake Powell and Monument Valley on this 4-day...
Discover Alaska on a 7-day walking tour looping from Anchorage along the Kenai...
Explore the USA’s West Coast on a six-day small group tour which includes Portland,...
Explore Acadia National Park and Maine on a 6-day cycling adventure with Intrepid from...
A 6-day discovery of Wyoming’s highlights, with plenty of wildlife-spotting and vista...
Explore Canyonlands National Park, Arches National Park, Zion National Park, and Dead...
Explore the deep South on your way to New Orleans on a twelve-day small group tour...
Take a trip from the steep hills of San Francisco on an arc through the best National...
On a six-day journey from Charleston to Savannah, discover the culture, history and...
Explore Montana on a six-day small group tour which includes the Missouri River,...
Explore South Dakota and Montana on a 12-day small group tour which includes...
From Pike Place Market to Mt Rainier, this 5-day tour of the Pacific Northwest packs in...
Explore the Georgia History Trail on your way to Nashville on a seven-day small group...
Hop from New York to Rhode Island, Cape Cod and Boston on a six-day East Coast...
Explore Death Valley and Nevada by bike on 6-day small group cycling tour which...
Discover the best of Alaska on a 12-day hiking adventure taking in Anchorage, the Kenai...
Explore Canyonlands National Park, Arches National Park, Dead Horse Point State Park,...
Discover the best of the USA’s East Coast on a 7-day small-group adventure taking in...
Explore Washington’s best-kept cycling secret on a 6-day tour of the San Juan Islands,...
Take an adventure through California, Arizona and Nevada past Joshua Tree, Grand Canyon...
Explore rugged Utah on this eight-day tour created by Lonely Planet and Intrepid. Hit...
Taste the best of the South on a eleven-day adventure from Louisville to Nashville,...
From peaceful seaside towns to diverse wildlife and a dramatic national park, discover...
Explore the rugged landscape of icy Alaska. From Anchorage, head north into the wild of...
Enjoy a sun-soaked adventure through southern Florida, exploring Miami, the Everglades...
Explore the Sierra Nevada Range on a 5-day small group hiking tour which includes...
Taste the best of Louisville and Nashville on a five-day adventure, following the food...
From Seattle to San Francisco, this 11-day tour packs in all the highlights
From the glitz of the Vegas Strip to the hush of Monument Valley; travel through Zion...
Explore Southern Utah on a 6-day cycling adventure with Intrepid Travel from Saint...
Take a trip from the steep hills of San Francisco to the flashing lights of Vegas, with...
Explore South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana Parks on a 6-day small group tour which...
Explore South Dakota on a 4-day small group tour that includes Badlands National Park,...
Discover the best of Colorado on a 6-day adventure, taking in Denver, Rocky Mountains...
Explore Joshua Tree and Death Valley on a five-day small group tour which includes...
Get pedalling on 5-day cycling adventure through South Dakota, taking in Badlands...
On this 6-day tour of New Mexico, wander the Pueblo streets of Santa Fe and Taos,...
Travel from San Francisco to South Lake Tahoe for a 5-day active adventure in the...
Explore Sedona’s most magnificent river and rock formations and sacred canyons on foot,...
Explore Anchorage, Denali National Park, Kenai Fjords National Park, and Seward on foot...
Take the family on a 6-day adventure in Yellowstone and Grand Teton national parks....
Discover the best of the USA’s Wild West on a six-day family Zion ranch stay in Utah....
Explore the beauty of California on a 6-day small group tour which includes San...
This five-day cycling adventure will introduce you to Vermont’s most delightful sights...
Take a road trip from Los Angeles to Vegas on a classic five-day Lonely Planet...
Hit the road from Las Vegas to San Francisco on a six-day Lonely Planet Experience,...
Travel from LA via Joshua Tree, the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Yosemite, Sierra Nevada to...
Explore Denver, Frisco, the Arkansas River Valley, and Salida on foot, by mountain bike...
Travel for 18 days from Los Angeles to San Francisco, passing through Las Vegas, the...
Spend six days cycling through New Mexico’s most inspiring landscapes, travelling from...
Spend 13 days uncovering the best of the East Coast with a local leader, taking in...
Explore northern California on a 6-day adventure from San Francisco. Hike coast and...
Explore Smoky Mountains National Park on a 6-day small group walking tour which also...
Explore Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park on foot, by bike and on a...
Uncover the wonders of Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula on a 6-day adventure with Intrepid –...
Discover the best of Alaska in summer on a week-long family holiday with Intrepid. From...
Step out to explore Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park on a 7-day walking...
Beginning in Las Vegas, see Zion, Moab and Bryce Canyon, Monument Valley, Yosemite, the...
Atlanta, Georgia, is the birthplace of the civil rights movement, Coca-Cola and…...
These sneaky benefits of visiting California during winter will have you booking a...
If you’re looking for the best Arizona things to do, you’ll discover dramatic...
‘What did you eat?’ is what I was asked the most after returning from a road trip...
Struggling to choose between Yosemite and Yellowstone? Check out this guide to...
We take a look five of the United States’ most iconic road trips, with a guide to...
See the sights in New York, hike in a National Park, visit Graceland, or party...
Find out what to expect on a wolf tracking tour in Yellowstone.
From deserts, canyons and mountains, to alpine forests, lakes, tropical reefs,...
Bask in your love for nature at these stunning hot pools with their clear waters...
Looking for some excitement in 'Sin City'? Here are 10 things to do in Las Vegas...
Exploring the great outdoors is hungry work. Relax and refuel at these awesome...
The Florida Keys will have you questioning whether you're still in the United...
Skipping America's Deep South is a big, fat, deep-fried, sugar-coated, bourbon...
Music is everywhere in the Big Easy. But where do the LOCALS go to catch a tune?
Get ready to explore the natural beauty of Salt Lake City on these breathtaking...
Can you handle the heat of these spectacular California deserts?
National parks? Check. Rugged coastlines? Check. Breathtaking waterfalls? Check,...
I thought I knew the United States like the back of my hand - until I did a small...
It takes seven hours to drive from Atlanta to New Orleans, but you would be crazy...
Stargazing can make you feel humble and powerful at the same time – don’t forget,...
The boots of female hiking pioneers such as Cheryl Strayed are large ones to fill ...
Where to go, what to do, what to pack - and more - all wrapped up in a neat little...
Like the neighbourhood itself, the food scene in the Lower East Side serves up a...
Nothing compares to your first time in New York. Now that you’ve ticked off the...
Road-tripping across America will reveal cinematic landscapes, bizarre roadside...
If you’re after something a little more exciting than blobbing at a beach resort...
With so many bizarre geological properties, unique ecosystems and adrenaline...
Doug Whyte's guide to the towns and cities that pepper the Californian coast, from...
Is the West Coast *really* the best coast? It is if you want to get to some truly...
From the weird and wonderful to the religious or spiritual, there’s one thing...
We sat down with Intrepid leader, Chadwick, to get the low down on the real Hawaii...
For those carnivores on the hunt for their next meat-filled dish and their next...
From Moab on the outskirts of Canyonlands National Park, to Boulder on the fringes...
Reading Time: 5 minutes If you want to see the night sky, there are few better...
Hollywood films and every ‘top things to do’ list will tell you to head on over to...
If you have a parent who is still in good health, do not hesitate to seize the...
To experience a total eclipse is surely to have won first prize in the natural...
Forget about reaching for your wallet with nervous hands. Our guide to tipping in...
If you watched Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote chase one another through the...
Find out how to explore San Francisco's Mission District. It's the city's oldest...
Sure, cities like New York, San Fran, Las Vegas and Washington DC deserve the...
These are the moments we live for as travellers – finding those spectacular place...
Intrepid believes half the fun of experiencing a new country is getting there, and getting around once there! Where possible, Intrepid uses local transport options and traditional modes of transport - which usually carry less of an environmental impact, support small local operators and are heaps more fun.
Depending on which trip you're on while in the US, you may find yourself travelling by:
Be amazed by enormous glaciers and stunning, icy landscapes while travelling on a ferry in Alaska.
Use pedal power to see the best of Venice Beach and Santa Monica. Cycling is a great way to see the sights and get fit at the same time.
Take in the sights while enjoying a ride on one of San Francisco’s icons – the streetcar.
Travelling with Intrepid is a little bit different. We endeavour to provide travellers with an authentic experience to remember, so we try to keep accommodation as unique and traditional as possible.
When travelling with us in the US you may find yourself staying in a:
Spend a night sleeping in a hogan – a traditional Navajo structure built with an open roof to view the stars.
Get back to nature and enjoy staying in quaint cabins throughout the beautiful national parks of America.
Everyone travelling on an Intrepid trip must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 as a condition of carriage.
All travellers are required to produce:
In all cases, you must be fully inoculated. This means you must receive the full dosage of the COVID-19 vaccine and allow enough time for immunity to take effect. Each COVID-19 vaccine has different dosages and timeframes for inoculation, so please check the relevant medical advice associated with your vaccine.
Learn more about Intrepid's COVID-19 proof of vaccination policy
Entrance requirements to the USA have changed in recent years so please read the following instructions carefully, even if you have travelled to the USA before.
Many countries now operate under a visa waiver program (meaning a visa isn't required) however you still need to obtain an authorisation which confirms that you have been approved to travel. This authorisation must be obtained in advance of travel.
Many citizens from Visa Waiver Program countries can travel to the USA without a visa for a 90 day stay, if they meet certain requirements. Travellers from all Visa Waiver Program countries must present a machine-readable passport (which meets US requirements) at the port of entry to enter without a visa, otherwise a US visa is required. You can get further information from the US Department of State website:
- http://travel.state.gov/visa/tempvisitors.html
Also please note, all travellers from Visa Waiver Program countries must obtain an electronic travel authorization prior to their flight from the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) website: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov
All ESTA registration applications or renewals require a US$14.00 fee paid by credit or debit card. You should apply for your visa waiver authorisation at least 1 week prior to travel to avoid any last minute delays. You will require your passport details and your address in the US (you can use the starting point hotel/hostel address).
Please note that if there is any discrepancy between the name on your ESTA, your passport, your tickets and even your frequent flyer membership, you may be detained at Immigration and subject to a secondary inspection which could take a few hours. If you have recently changed your name, please check that your details have been updated everywhere.
If you are from a country eligible for the visa waiver program but are a dual citizen of Iran, Iraq, Syria or Sudan, or if you have travelled to Iran, Iraq, Syria or Sudan since 1 March 2011, you will not longer be eligible for the visa waiver program and will instead need to apply for a non-immigrant visa. Please see the Department of State website for more information: http://travel.state.gov//content/travel/en.html
Tipping is very much a part of the culture in the US. Tips are expected at restaurants, cafes and diners, as well as by taxi drivers, valet attendants, porters and hotel maids. People working the service industry generally receive the minimum wage, which is quite low and therefore rely upon tips as a major source of their income. In general, leave 15% of the bill at places serving food, $1 to bar tenders and a few dollars for hotel staff who provide a personal service like carrying bags or cleaning your room.
Internet access is excellent in the US, and internet cafes and Wi-Fi hot spots are easily found in most cities and major towns.
Mobile phone coverage is excellent in most parts of the US although coverage may be patchy in remote, mountainous areas like national parks and canyons. Ensure global roaming is activated before you arrive.
Western-style flushable toilets are the norm in the US.
Cup of coffee = US$1.50-2
Hotdog from street cart = US$2-3
Newspaper = US$0.50-$2
Cinema admission = US$10-12
Drinking water from taps in the US is considered safe unless otherwise marked. For environmental reasons, try to use a refillable water bottle rather than buying bottled water.
Major credit cards are widely accepted by stores in the US. Smaller cafes and shops may not accept credit cards, so ensure you carry enough cash to cover small purchases.
ATMs are common in the US, so finding one won't be a problem in most towns and cities.
Absolutely. All passengers travelling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.
For more information on insurance, please go to: Travel Insurance
Please note these dates are for 2017. For a current list of public holidays in the US go to: http://www.worldtravelguide.net/united-states-america/public-holidays
Intrepid is committed to travelling in a way that is respectful of local people, their culture, local economies and the environment. It's important to remember that what may be acceptable behaviour, dress and language in your own country, may not be appropriate in another. Please keep this in mind while travelling.
In United States, we stay in locally run accommodation including guesthouses, smaller-scale hotels and homestays in an effort to support the local economies. We also visit locally-run restaurants and markets where travellers will have opportunities to support local businesses and purchase handicrafts created by local artisans.
We have a variety of similar destinations, trips, and routes that you could consider! Tie another trip into your holiday, or, see how we can help you get from A to B. We have tours departing from all major cities in the United States. The options below may be of interest:
Tours from Los Angeles to San Francisco
Tours from New York to New Orleans