17 days in United States Itinerary

Surrounded by mountain ranges, forests, valleys, beaches, and deserts, the metropolitan area of Los Angeles is home to over 17 million people.

Take a break from the city and head to Dolphin & Whale Watching and Santa Monica State Beach. Get a sense of the local culture at Mission San Juan Capistrano and Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. Change things up with these side-trips from Los Angeles: Third Street Promenade (in Santa Monica) and Oceanside Pier (in Oceanside). There's lots more to do: take in nature's colorful creations at The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens, get to know the fascinating history of Hollywood Walk of Fame, learn about all things military at Battleship USS Iowa BB-61, and examine the collection at The Getty Center.

To see reviews, maps, traveler tips, and other tourist information, use the Los Angeles online trip maker .

Auckland, New Zealand to Los Angeles is an approximately 16-hour flight. You can also do a combination of flight and bus; or do a combination of flight and train. The time zone difference moving from New Zealand Standard Time to Pacific Standard Time is minus 20 hours. Traveling from Auckland in July, you will find days in Los Angeles are warmer (33°C), and nights are a bit warmer (22°C). Wrap up your sightseeing on the 6th (Sat) early enough to travel to New York City.

Writer Pearl Buck once called New York City “a place apart,” and this giant urban center remains unlike any other in the world.

Museum-lovers will appreciate Ground Zero Museum Workshop and 9/11 Memorial. Get some historical perspective at The Met Cloisters and Brooklyn Heights Promenade. There's lots more to do: explore the world behind art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, take in the architecture and atmosphere at St. Patrick's Cathedral, contemplate in the serene atmosphere at St. Paul's Chapel, and get some thrills on the water with a speed boat tour.

To see more things to do, ratings, and tourist information, go to the New York City trip planner .

Fly from Los Angeles to New York City in 9 hours. Alternatively, you can do a combination of flight and bus; or drive. You'll lose 3 hours traveling from Los Angeles to New York City due to the time zone difference. Expect somewhat warmer evenings in New York City when traveling from Los Angeles in July, with lows around 26°C. Cap off your sightseeing on the 9th (Tue) early enough to travel to Washington DC.

The capital of the United States, the District of Columbia contains the lion's share of the country's most treasured monuments, memorials, and public museums.

Let the collections at The Walters Art Museum and Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History capture your imagination. Visit Manassas National Battlefield Park and Fell's Point for their historical value. Explore the numerous day-trip ideas around Washington DC: Fort McHenry National Monument (in Baltimore) and Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center (in Chantilly). The adventure continues: get engrossed in the history at United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, deepen your understanding at Georgetown University, get to know the fascinating history of Capitol Hill, and get advice or help at Library of Congress.

To find reviews, more things to do, maps, and other tourist information, use the Washington DC driving holiday planner.

You can fly from New York City to Washington DC in 3.5 hours. Alternatively, you can take a train; or drive. In July, daily temperatures in Washington DC can reach 37°C, while at night they dip to 26°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 13th (Sat) to allow time to travel to San Francisco.

San Francisco is a top holiday destination featuring scenic beauty and great ethnic and cultural diversity.

Crocker Art Museum and Musee Mecanique will appeal to museum buffs. Satisfy your inner culture vulture at California State Railroad Museum and Walt Disney Family Museum. Step out of San Francisco with an excursion to Muir Woods National Monument in Mill Valley--about 48 minutes away. Next up on the itinerary: head off the coast to Alcatraz Island, examine the collection at Cable Car Museum, appreciate the extensive heritage of Filbert Steps, and trek along Lands End.

To find maps, where to stay, ratings, and other tourist information, use the San Francisco trip planning site .

You can fly from Washington DC to San Francisco in 7 hours. Alternatively, you can do a combination of subway, bus, and flight; or drive. The time zone changes from Eastern Standard Time to Pacific Standard Time, which is usually a -3 hour difference. Traveling from Washington DC in July, expect San Francisco to be a bit cooler, temps between 26°C and 16°C. Wrap up your sightseeing by early afternoon on the 18th (Thu) to allow time for travel back home.