17 DAYS NEW YORK TO HOLLYWOOD

Visit Philadelphia, the "City of Brotherly Love," the nation's founding city and the spot where the Declaration of Independence was ratified on July 4, 1776. Discover Philadelphia by visiting one of its numerous museums, Independence Hall, or the Liberty Bell. Continue traveling to Washington, D.C., where you will arrive and have the remainder of the evening free.

Washington, D.C., overnight

Enjoy your time in Washington, D.C., and see its top attractions, including the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, White House, and Arlington National Cemetery, where the JFK Memorial is located. The rest of the day might be spent strolling along the Potomac River's banks or exploring some of the numerous museums that make up the Smithsonian Institute.

Washington, D.C., overnight

Visit the historic Gettysburg National Military Park this morning. This location is the scene of the biggest combat ever fought on American soil and is also the location of President Lincoln's illustrious 1863 address. Travel across upstate New York to Buffalo, then cross the border into Canada to reach one of the natural wonders of the world, the beautiful Niagara Falls, where the air is filled with the mist and thundering sound of the falls. Visit the romantic Niagara Falls during the evening.

Niagara Falls hotel overnight

Early in the morning, explore and take in Niagara Falls' splendor. You might take a Hornblower cruise down the foot of the falls and eat lunch while taking in the scenery, or you could wander along Table Rock and take in the roaring Horseshoe Falls. Drives back to US borders in the afternoon take you via the Great Lakes region and into Detroit, sometimes known as "Motor City, USA." Detroit was the first US city to be designated a "City of Design" by UNESCO in 2015.

Detroit overnight

Visit the Rouge Factory first thing in the morning, then the Henry Ford Museum. Enter the realm of American Innovations to fully immerse yourself in the achievements of the nation's brightest brains. Visit the nearby Ford plant and watch a contemporary production vehicle roll off the extremely busy factory floor after learning about advances in a variety of sectors through the museum's numerous exhibits. Chicago can be reached by going further south from Lake Michigan.

Chicago Overnight

Learn about the charms of the Windy City and take a quick tour of its top attractions, such as the Lake Shore Drive, Navy Pier, and the Magnificent Mile, which is a haven for shoppers and is home to some of the most renowned department stores and high-end businesses. This cultural and financial hub is set against a dramatic backdrop of outstanding high-rise architecture, including one of the world's tallest structures, the Willis Tower. I have the rest of the day free to relax or go exploring on my own in Chicago.

Chicago Overnight

The landscape of cornfields, wheatfields, and dairy farms is always changing as you travel through the Midwest. Just as Lewis and Clark did 200 years ago, cross the massive Mississippi River and enter the state of Iowa to get to the Missouri River's shores.

Sioux City, overnight

You will travel west through South Dakota's picturesque grasslands before arriving at Badlands National Park, which will astound you with its bizarrely shaped and vibrant rock formations. The park was originally home to buffaloes and antelopes. Keep on to the Black Hills, which are revered by the Plains Indians, and the location of Mount Rushmore, a mammoth monument centered on a massive sculpture of the four greatest American Presidents—Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt—etched into the granite face of the hill.

Rapid City overnight

Driving through Wyoming, a state with an unusual topography where twelve mountain ranges combine with deserts and a plateau of rolling grasslands, the journey continues westward until it reaches Cody. When you get there, check into the hotel. The remaining time in the day can be used to unwind or explore the area.

Cody overnight

Yellowstone, the country's first national park, is located in Wyoming past the mountains. It was created in 1872 by Ulysses S. Grant. Take in this enormous geothermal wonderland's geysers, waterfalls, wildlife, and canyons on a sightseeing tour. Yellowstone Lake, Old Faithful, the well-known geyser whose average eruption height is about 145 feet, Mammoth Hot Springs, the magnificent falls in Yellowstone Canyon, and the lovely Hayden Valley are some of the tour's standout attractions.

Yellowstone overnight

As you enter Grand Teton National Park, go through the rocky, snow-capped mountains. Visit the Snake River Outlook to take in the breathtaking scenery that made Ansel Adam's photograph famous. Wild buffalo (Tatonka! ), moose, and elk reside in this prairie habitat. Arrive in Utah, a state famous for its Mormon population, and take a quick tour of Salt Lake City, the state's capital. One of the greatest designed towns in the world was constructed by Brigham Young's disciples. Before checking into the hotel for the evening, explore the State Capitol building, renowned Temple Square, and The Tabernacle. You might consider dining at the Roof Restaurant, which offers sweeping views of Temple Square.

In the evening, in Salt Lake City

Keep being great Driving through the multicolored world of "hoodoos," or spires and pinnacles made of sandstone, in Bryce Canyon will dazzle the sight. If the weather cooperates this evening, be sure to take in the breathtaking night sky, which is dotted with beautiful constellations and sparkling stars.

Bryce Canyon Overnight

Travel to magnificent Lake Powell this morning from Bryce Canyon, where azure water laps against soaring red rock canyon walls. The second-largest artificial lake in the country, Lake Powell is one of several lakes created as a result of damming the Colorado River. One of the seven natural wonders of the world, the enormous Grand Canyon National Park, should be seen. Stop near the rim to take in the mile-deep, vibrant canyon's soaring spires, tumbling gorges, extinct volcanoes, and the meandering Colorado River below the rim. Arrive in Flagstaff, a well-known Route 66 stop.

Flagstaff overnight

Drop down from the high Coconino Plateau into the Mojave Desert, the smallest of North America's deserts and the location of Death Valley, the continent's lowest point and one of the planet's hottest spots. Pass by Seligman along the trip; it was built along the fabled Historic Route 66 and appears to have been preserved from 60 years ago. The bright "Entertainment Capital of the World" in Las Vegas, so keep driving there. You can spend the rest of the day at your leisure exploring the renowned Las Vegas Strip.

Las Vegas overnight

Take the Mojave Desert, home to the 134-foot-tall thermometer that tops the planet, to get to Los Angeles. In North America's hottest and driest region, Joshua tree clusters dot the rugged terrain. After arriving in Los Angeles, take a tour of the "City of Angels," stopping at locations including Hollywood, the Sunset Strip, and parts of Beverly Hills before making your way to your hotel.

Los Angeles overnight.

You complete your 17-day East to West exploration tour of the USA by making your own way to the Los Angeles airport to catch your aircraft back home.