Compare Hawaii: Ocean and Islands Adventure by Discover Corps vs NYC to LA: The Great American Road Trip by Great Value Vacations

Day 1: Arrive in Honolulu and Meet the Group

Meals: Dinner

Upon arrival in Hawaii’s capital, Honolulu, you’ll be be met at the airport and taken to your hotel just steps from the world famous Waikiki beaches. After a relaxing welcome dinner together, we’ll get to know one another and discuss the schedule for the week ahead.

Day 2: Journey to Oahu’s North Shore & Experience the Aloha Spirit

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

After breakfast, we’ll set out for Hawaii’s iconic North Shore, famous for its big waves and stunning landscapes. Spend the morning in the historic Waimea Valley with a local organization helping to preserve the valley’s cultural heritage and rainforests. Assist with a reforestation initiative, swim in waterfalls, and see why the ancient Hawaiians deemed the valley sacred centuries ago. In the afternoon, we’ll continue to Na Mea Kupono, an eco-farm that is home to Hawaii’s staple crop, taro. We’ll be hosted by this local family for a Hawaiin-style paina, or gathering, for our dinner as we learn more about their role in farming on the island.

Day 3: Climb Diamond Head & Sail out to Sea on a Catamaran

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Hawaii’s South Shore is crowned by the now extinct Diamond Head volcano. We’ll take a hike this morning to the top of the rim to get a panoramic view of Waikiki from above. For those who opt not to hike, we’ll have the option to visit the Bishop Museum, home of the royal Kamehameha family and now housing an array of artifacts covering Hawaii’s vast Polynesian heritage. After lunch in Waikiki, we’ll hit the sea on a catamaran ride over the turquoise Pacific waters.

Day 4: Fly to Maui & Explore the Tropical‘Iao Valley State Park

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Enjoy a free morning to explore Waikiki. Head to the beach for a surf lesson with the Waikiki beach boys, check out the area’s cafes and shops or simply relax on white sand beaches only steps from your hotel. We’ll take a short mid-day flight across the Hawaiian archipelago to the Valley Isle of Maui. After landing, we’ll head over to the towering emerald peaks of the ‘Iao Valley on Central Maui for a guided hike of the state park. A location revered by the ancient Hawaiians, the valley also served as the site of one of Hawaii’s most important battles as King Kamehameha I tried to unite the islands in the 1700’s. Later in the evening, unwind at our Kaanapali beachfront hotel.

Day 5: Snorkel off Lana’i & Lend a Hand Protecting Sea Turtles

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

We’ll have an early breakfast before cruising to the scenic coastline of Lana'i island with the Pacific Whale Foundation. Spend the morning with breakfast on the boat (expect large boat with other travelers) and then 1.5 hours of snorkeling. Scout for wild dolphins, including acrobatic spinner dolphins, friendly bottlenose dolphins, and curious spotted dolphins. Conservationists from the Foundation will narrate your journey and take about everything from whale migration to plastics in the ocean to reef health.

We’ll return to Maui and, after lunch, spend our first afternoon volunteering alongside the Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute. Home to one of Hawaii’s largest sea turtle rescues and land based coral nurseries, we’ll join their staff on beach and marine debris cleanu , specifically collecting coral fragments. Take these pieces of coral back to the research center and aid in cutting them into smaller pieces to be grown at the center for a period of 8 months - something that would take the reef 20 years to regenerate! This coral is eventually placed back into the reef to bring back areas that are dead or dying.

Day 6: Maui Ocean Center Volunteering & Farewell Luau

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

After breakfast, we’ll spend another morning helping the conservation team at the Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute. On Maui and other Hawaiian islands, sea turtles are being threatened as their habitat is increasingly depleted. Green turtle populations are being impacted by events such as the 2018 hurricane that washed out the most important nesting beach for this species in the entire archipelago. We’ll continue to lend a hand on our projects while learning about some of the initiatives in place to preserve the fragile ecosystem both on land and underwater, including going out with the team to find turtles and tag them for research purposes.

Later in the afternoon, we’ll head back to the hotel where you’ll have some free time to enjoy the beach, swim in the ocean or venture into the coastal town of Lahaina. Tonight, we’ll enjoy a special farewell dinner together along with a traditional island luau.

Day 7: Depart Maui or Continue on for the Post-Trip Extension

Meals: Breakfast

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and check-out of your rooms. The rest of the day is free to relax at the beach or explore nearby Lahaina until your flight home, or continue on to our optional post-trip extension along the gorgeous road to Hana.

Day 1 Welcome to New York City

Catch a glimpse of the world's most famous skyline as you touch down in the city that never sleeps and begin your epic trip across the USA! You'll pick up your automatic rental car at the airport and head to your first hotel to check in. 

Tonight, you might want to see the dazzling lights of Times Square!  New York City has no shortage of exciting things to do, amazing food to indulge in or interesting people to meet. Take in the bustle and energy of the Big Apple!

Day 2 New York City

This exciting city is filled with amazing people, famous sights, and towering skyscrapers. Take your pick of the Statue of Liberty, Fifth Avenue, Central Park, Rockefeller Center, the Empire State Building and much more!

Day 3 New York City - Washington D.C.

Grab one more breakfast in the Big Apple before getting back into your rental car and heading south to the nation's capital, Washington, D.C.!  Depending on traffic (be sure not to leave at rush hour!) the trip will probably take a little over 4 hours. 

If you prefer, you can stop in Philadelphia on the way.  Explore the historic district of the "City of Brotherly Love" and the birthplace of the nation.  See the Liberty Bell and stroll through Independence National Historic Park and Mall.  Don't leave Philly without trying one of their famous cheese steaks! The most famous rivalry is Pat's vs. Geno's, try both and see which you prefer!  Or, why not ask a local for their recommendation on the best spot? 

After settling in at your D.C. hotel, you might want to have dinner in lively Georgetown, where some of the best chefs vie for your attention.

Day 4 Washington D.C.

Spend a full day exploring Washington, D.C.  Start by strolling along the National Mall where you'll find iconic monuments including the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument.  Lose yourself in some of the world's most inspired museums.  

After lunch, why not journey across the Potomac to nearby Alexandria or perhaps you would prefer to rent a bicycle and continue your exploration of the city. 

Tonight, check out the Adams Morgan or Dupont Circle areas for great nightlife!

Day 5 Washington D.C. - Niagara Falls

Today, you'll leave Washington, D.C. and head northwest toward the New York/Canada border.  Just before reaching the Niagara Falls area, you might want to make a stop at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, N.Y. and try some famous buffalo wings right where they were invented!

Cross the international border into Canada, where the thundering noise and mist of Niagara Falls permeates the air.  Check into your hotel and settle in for the night.

Day 6 Niagara Falls - Detroit

Get an early start today to view the famous Niagara Falls!  Famed for its stunning beauty, Niagara Falls is actually a group of 3 waterfalls on the border of New York and Ontario with a vertical drop of over 160 feet.  Stroll along Table Rock and view the thundering waters of Horseshoe Falls.  You might want to consider a boat or helicopter tour for a more in-depth visit.

This afternoon, cross back into the US and continue to your hotel in Detroit, known as "Motor City USA".  Spend the evening in the downtown area with some great food and live jazz and blues music.

Day 7 Detroit - Chicago

Grab a coffee and take a walk along the Detroit Riverfront to see the revival of this city in action. You might want to check out DIA, Detroit Institute of Arts, or the Motown Museum, also known as Hitsville, USA.  Have lunch in the city center before starting your drive to Chicago. 

Day 8 Chicago

Spend a full day exploring exciting Chicago!  Soak up the city's highlights including Lake Shore Drive, the Magnificent Mile, Navy Pier and one of the world's tallest buildings, the Willis Tower.  If the weather is nice, you might want to see the city from a river cruise.  Be sure to try the famous deep dish pizza! 

Day 9 Chicago - Sioux City

Leave the city life behind and travel through Midwest farm country, abundant in corn fields and dairy farms. Then, cross the mighty Mississippi River into the state of Iowa to arrive just as Lewis & Clark did 200 years ago on the banks of the Missouri River.

Day 10 Sioux City - Rapid City

You might want to check out Trinity Heights, the restored Orpheum Theatre or the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center in Sioux City before continuing your journey west. 

Drive through the grasslands of South Dakota to Badlands National Park, once home to the buffalo and antelope, and filled with colorful rock formations. Continue on to the Black Hills, sacred to the Plains Indians and home to Mount Rushmore, monument to four great American presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt.

Day 11 Rapid City

Today you'll undoubtedly want to visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial, about 30 minutes southwest of Rapid City.  Reaching over 60 feet tall, the impressive carved sculptures were started in 1927 and completed in 1941 with the goal of bringing more tourists to South Dakota's Black Hills.  Known as the "Shrine of Democracy", Mount Rushmore now welcomes over 2 million visitors annually and is one of America's most popular attractions.

Tonight, relax at a local pub in downtown Rapid City. 

Day 12 Rapid City - Cody

Drive further to the "wild west" and into Wyoming, which has twelve mountain ranges intermixed with deserts and rolling grasslands.  Spend the night in Cody, a small frontier town and home to the Buffalo Bill Center of the West.  Walk the downtown area, visiting the many cowboy apparel stores, galleries and wonderful restaurants. 

Day 13 Cody - West Yellowstone

Today, drive past the mountains in Wyoming to Yellowstone National Park and check this amazing landscape off your bucket list. You might want to consider booking a guided tour of this immense geothermal wonderland to make the most of your time here. Spend the afternoon exploring geysers, waterfalls, wildlife and canyons.

Day 14 West Yellowstone

Grab your camera and wear comfortable shoes! Today, you'll spend a full day exploring all the wonders of Yellowstone National Park, established in 1872 as America's first national park. See the world-famous Old Faithful Geyser, Mammoth Hot Springs, the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, and Fountain Paint Pots. 

Keep a lookout for some of the park's wildlife that can include moose, bison, elk, deer, bighorn sheep, wolves, bear, fox, coyote, and beaver!

Day 15 West Yellowstone - Salt Lake City

Travel through Grand Teton National Park (weather permitting) and see awesome mountain peaks towering over 13,000 ft. Visit the Snake River Outlook and try your eye at capturing the stunning landscape made famous by Ansel Adam's iconic shot. Later, arrive in Utah's capital, Salt Lake City. The followers of Brigham Young built one of the best-planned cities in the country. See the State Capital building and visit famed Temple Square and the Tabernacle before arriving at the hotel for the evening. You might want to enjoy dinner at the Rooftop Restaurant for panoramic views of Temple Square.

Day 16 Salt Lake City - Bryce Canyon area

Continue south to Bryce Canyon where a multi-colored world of sandstone spires and pinnacles, "hoodoos", will dazzle the eye. Here, nature's artistry has created rocks in various shades of red into an other-worldly landscape with the erosion caused my wind and rain over time.  The back drop of blue sky only makes it more stunning.  You may want to explore the canyon by walking or horseback. 

Day 17 Bryce Canyon area - Flagstaff

Depart Bryce Canyon this morning and journey to stunning Lake Powell, where crystal blue water laps against towering red-rock canyon walls. Lake Powell is the second-largest man made lake in America. While here, Horseshoe Bend and Antelope Canyon are well worth a visit. Grab lunch in Page before heading to Flagstaff, a famed stop on Historic Route 66.

Day 18 Flagstaff

Today, visit what is sure to be a highlight of your cross-country adventure, the Grand Canyon!  It's about a 90-minute drive from Flagstaff so be sure to leave early so you can maximize the day. Grand Canyon National Park is one of the seven great natural wonders of the world. Stop at the Canyon rim to fully experience this mile-deep canyon's gorges, rising spires, extinct volcanoes and, the winding Colorado River.  Take a short hike on one of the many trails, snap tons of photos and enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime sunset before heading back to Flagstaff.  Tonight, enjoy a flight at one of Flagstaff's many local craft breweries.
 

Day 19 Flagstaff - Las Vegas

This morning travel to Las Vegas, the infamous "Entertainment Capital of the World".  Along the way, pass through Seligman, a town built along the famed Route 66 that looks as if it were frozen in time sixty years ago. The remainder of the day is yours to explore the dazzling Las Vegas Strip! Take in a show, unwind at a cocktail bar, or try your luck at a casino!

Day 20 Las Vegas - Los Angeles

Travel to Los Angeles through the Mojave desert, where clusters of unique Joshua trees dot the mountainous landscape. Upon arrival in the "City of Angels", drive through areas such as Hollywood, Sunset Strip and Beverly Hills, before reaching your hotel.

Day 21 Los Angeles

Wake up surrounded by glitz and glam! L.A. is filled with things to see and do.

Take obligatory photos in front of the iconic Hollywood Sign, consider a visit to Griffith Observatory, walk along the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and drive down Sunset Boulevard. Feeling fancy? Bring out your inner "Pretty Woman" and go shopping on Rodeo Drive. Or, treat yourself to a movie studio tour!

Tonight, head out on the town to experience L.A.'s famed nightlife and toast to the last night of your epic road trip adventure.

Day 22 Depart Los Angeles

Sadly, the time has finally come.  Return your rental car, find your departure gate, and spend your flight home dreaming about your next adventure.