Where can we go for a weekend away?
Every big US city has national parks, beaches, mountains or small towns within a few hours. Distances are bigger than in the UK, and outside the Northeast most trips need a car. Book popular parks and holiday weekends well ahead.
In 30 seconds
- Each city has classic short breaks: Shenandoah from Washington, Indiana Dunes from Chicago by train, the Everglades from Miami, Joshua Tree from Los Angeles
- Once you have a US driving licence or state ID you can buy the $80 resident parks pass; visitors from the UK pay $250 or extra fees at 11 big parks
- For Canada or Mexico, British visitors need an ESTA to come back in by land, and visa holders should check their visa stamp is valid before going
Joshua TreeAbout 140 milesEast of Los Angeles
Point ReyesAbout 30 milesNorth of San Francisco
Park entry$15–$35About £11–£27 per car or person at most parks
Non-resident fee$100About £76 per person at 11 busy parks
Ideas from each city
| From | Short breaks people go for |
|---|---|
| New York | Fire Island National Seashore by train to Sayville or Patchogue, then ferry; the Hudson Valley and the Catskills for autumn colour |
| Boston | Cape Cod National Seashore, by car or the weekend Cape Flyer train to Hyannis in summer; Acadia National Park in Maine; Vermont and New Hampshire for skiing and autumn colour |
| Washington DC | Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, just west of the city |
| Chicago | Indiana Dunes National Park, with stops on the Chicago South Shore train inside the park |
| Austin | The Texas Hill Country: Enchanted Rock’s granite dome, Fredericksburg and the Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park; San Antonio’s Missions National Historical Park, which is free |
| Miami | The Everglades, about an hour’s drive to each entrance; the Florida Keys; Dry Tortugas National Park, about 70 miles west of Key West by boat or seaplane only |
| Los Angeles | Joshua Tree, about 140 miles east; the Channel Islands, by boat from Ventura; Santa Barbara by Pacific Surfliner train |
| San Francisco | Point Reyes National Seashore, about 30 miles north; Muir Woods, where you must book parking or the shuttle; Yosemite; Lake Tahoe |
Parks, passes and booking
Most National Park Service sites are free. Those that charge usually ask $15 to $35 for a private car for up to 7 days: Acadia, Everglades and Yosemite charge $35, Shenandoah and Joshua Tree $30, Cape Cod and Indiana Dunes $25. Muir Woods charges $15 per adult on top of a separate parking or shuttle booking.
- America the Beautiful pass: $80 (about £61) a year for US residents, $250 (about £189) for non-residents. To buy the resident pass you show a US passport, US driving licence or state ID, or a green card. It covers everyone in your car
- Non-resident fee: since 2026, non-residents aged 16 and over pay an extra $100 each at Acadia, Bryce Canyon, Everglades, Glacier, Grand Canyon, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, Sequoia and Kings Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite and Zion, unless they enter with an annual or America the Beautiful pass. If you hold a pass, visiting family in your car are covered
- Reservations: some parks use timed entry at busy times, booked on recreation.gov. Yosemite dropped its season-long reservation system for 2026, but check each park before you go. Book campsites at popular parks early
- State parks are run separately, with their own fees. In Texas, reserve a day pass for Enchanted Rock in advance: it fills up on busy days
Fees and reservation rules change
Hiring a car
The FCDO says you can drive in the US on a UK photocard licence, though some states want an International Driving Permit too, and hire companies can be stricter, asking for a year’s experience or an IDP. For when you need a state licence once you live here, see driving.
- The minimum age to hire is 21 in most states (18 in New York and Michigan), and drivers under 25 usually pay a daily young-driver fee
- At the counter you’ll be offered a collision damage waiver and extra liability cover. Before you decline, check what your own car insurance and your credit card cover
- E-ZPass, the electronic toll tag, works on toll roads in 20 states. Ask the hire firm how it charges for tolls before you drive off
- Check the forecast before long drives: desert heat in summer and mountain snow in winter both need planning. See summer and winter
Canada and Mexico
Canada and Mexico are within reach of several calculator cities. Coming back into the US is the part to plan.
| Trip | What to check |
|---|---|
| Into Canada | British citizens need an eTA (electronic travel authorisation) to fly to Canada, but not to arrive by land or sea. Carry your passport |
| Into Mexico | No visa for tourists. If you enter by land you must fill in an immigration form online, and make sure your passport is stamped at the border. The FCDO advises against all but essential travel to parts of Mexico: check its advice first |
| Back into the US on ESTA | Visitors under the Visa Waiver Program, such as family from the UK, need an approved ESTA to enter at a land border as well as by air |
| Back into the US on a visa | You need a valid visa stamp to re-enter. Under “automatic revalidation”, many visa holders can return from a trip of under 30 days spent only in Canada or Mexico on an expired visa, if they have an unexpired I-94 and keep their status. There are conditions and exclusions, so check with your employer’s immigration attorney before you go |
See visa routes for more on your status, and keep your I-94 record handy when you travel.
What to do next
- Pick one break within 3 hours and book it for the next long weekend
- Buy the America the Beautiful pass once you have a US licence or state ID
- Before any trip to Canada or Mexico, check your visa stamp and I-94
Keep going
Sources
- National Park Service: entrance passes
- National Park Service: nonresident fees FAQ (updated Jul 2026)
- National Park Service: Fire Island directions
- National Park Service: Cape Cod National Seashore directions
- National Park Service: Acadia fees and passes
- National Park Service: Shenandoah fees and passes
- National Park Service: Indiana Dunes directions
- Texas Parks and Wildlife: Enchanted Rock State Natural Area
- National Park Service: Everglades directions
- National Park Service: Dry Tortugas directions
- National Park Service: Joshua Tree directions
- National Park Service: Channel Islands directions
- National Park Service: Point Reyes directions
- National Park Service: Muir Woods fees and reservations
- National Park Service: Yosemite entrance reservations (2026)
- Pacific Surfliner: Santa Barbara
- USDA Forest Service: Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
- FCDO: USA travel advice, safety and security (driving)
- Citi: how old do you have to be to rent a car? (Mar 2025)
- The Points Guy: credit cards with rental car coverage
- E-ZPass Group: about E-ZPass
- FCDO: Canada travel advice, entry requirements
- FCDO: Mexico travel advice, entry requirements
- FCDO: USA travel advice, entry requirements
- 22 CFR 41.112 (Cornell LII): automatic extension of visa validity