Travel to the USA: when to go, budget and itineraries

From Boston to Washington, the big cities line up along 700 kilometres linked by Amtrak: New York to Washington in 3h30, New York to Boston in 4h15. A week is enough for three of them with no rental car. New York needs at least four nights, Washington two for the National Mall and its free museums. September and October bring crisp light and the first fall colours in New England, before the foliage rush around mid-October.

This is the most affordable state for lodging, with off-season nights around 75 to 100 euros. Florida combines the Orlando parks, the Miami beaches and the road to the Keys, whose Overseas Highway strings 42 bridges out to Key West, 3h30 from Miami by car. Avoid June to November: it is hurricane season, peaking in mid-September. Winter, mild and dry, is the real high season, prices included.

Highway 1 between San Francisco and Los Angeles covers about 1,000 kilometres and deserves three full days with stops at Big Sur and Monterey. California adds the Napa vineyards to the north, Yosemite to the east and the southern deserts. Plan a week minimum. Spring and autumn are ideal; summer overwhelms the parks and the coast often stays locked in morning fog until noon.

From Las Vegas, a 10-day, 2,000-kilometre loop links the Grand Canyon, Arizona with Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon, then Zion and Bryce in Utah. Distances between parks often exceed three hours of driving with no gas station: fill up every time. Park entry costs 35 dollars per vehicle and is valid seven days. Spring and autumn avoid the summer heat, which tops 40°C in the canyons.

Yellowstone and Grand Teton form the heart of the Rockies: geysers, bison and colourful hot springs like the Grand Prismatic. Plan three nights on site and book the in-park lodges up to a year ahead. High-altitude roads close from November to May under snow, which narrows the visiting window to summer and very early autumn. From Salt Lake City or Jackson, the south entrance is half a day's drive.

Chicago is the gateway to the Midwest and the historic start of Route 66. The city fits into two days: a 90-minute architecture cruise on the river, Millennium Park and a blues club at night. Around it, the Great Lakes and the small towns of Illinois and Wisconsin suit weekend drives. Summer is short and full of festivals; winter is harsh, with an icy wind off Lake Michigan.

The Hawaiian archipelago is about a 5-hour flight from the West Coast. Hawaii is split mainly between Oahu and its capital Honolulu, Maui, and the Big Island with its active volcano. A week per island is a good pace; two islands in ten days stay feasible. The climate is stable year-round, with a wetter season from November to March. Dengue circulates in episodes: mosquito protection is advised.