USA Coast to Coast: New York, Niagara, Orlando and California, 15 Nights

Your driver meets you after immigration and customs, which at the New York airports can take a while, and drives you into the city. Hotel rooms are usually ready in the mid-afternoon. Keep the first evening simple: a walk to Times Square to see the screens light up, a slice of pizza or a meal in one of the many Indian restaurants around Lexington Avenue, and an early night to reset the body clock after the long flight.

Start downtown with the harbour cruise that swings past the Statue of Liberty for close views of the copper figure and the Manhattan skyline behind you; it does not land on the island. Nearby, the 9/11 Memorial pools sit at the foot of One World Trade Center, and your ticket takes you up to the observatory near the top of the tower. Use the bus for the rest of the day: Wall Street, Rockefeller Center, Fifth Avenue and the southern edge of Central Park.

After breakfast, a transfer to the airport for the short hop to Washington; the Amtrak train from Penn Station is a comfortable alternative that can be booked separately. The rest of the day is free. A good first walk is the length of the National Mall at sunset, from the Capitol end towards the Washington Monument, with the Lincoln Memorial and the Reflecting Pool beyond. Distances look short on the map and are not, so wear good shoes.

The bus loop links the city's landmarks, so you can see the White House from Lafayette Square and the Ellipse, the domed Capitol, the Supreme Court and the grand hall of Union Station, stepping off where you like. Leave time for the Smithsonian museums on the Mall, which are free to enter; Air and Space, which asks for a free timed-entry pass, and Natural History are the favourites with children. End the day at the western memorials: the Washington Monument first, then the World War II Memorial, and Lincoln seated above the Reflecting Pool.

A morning flight to Buffalo and a transfer of well under an hour to the town of Niagara Falls on the American side. In season the Maid of the Mist boats leave from below Prospect Point and push into the mist at the base of the American and Horseshoe Falls; ponchos are handed out, and you will still get wet. The boats do not run in winter. After dark, the falls are lit in changing colours and are worth a second walk out to the railings.

An early look at the falls from Goat Island if the flight allows, then back to Buffalo airport for the flight south to Orlando, where a driver meets you on arrival. The change of climate is abrupt, so keep light clothes in your hand baggage. Orlando is spread out and built around its parks and International Drive, so this is a good evening to settle in, buy water and sunscreen, and plan tomorrow's park day.

The park that started Walt Disney World, and the one to choose if you only visit one: Main Street leads to Cinderella Castle, with the themed lands fanning out around it. Arrive before the gates open, head for the most popular rides first and use the official app to watch the wait times. Afternoons are hot and often bring a brief thunderstorm in summer. Stay for the evening show over the castle if the family still has the energy.

A day with nothing booked, placed in the middle of the park days on purpose. Epcot is the natural choice, and we can add a ticket: one half is rides and science pavilions, the other a lake ringed by pavilions dedicated to eleven countries, each with its own food and architecture. Alternatively, use the hotel pool, visit the outlet malls, or spend the evening at Disney Springs, the free-to-enter shopping and dining district.

A marine park with some of Orlando's best roller coasters, including Mako and Manta, alongside aquariums, a chilled penguin habitat, and presentations with dolphins and sea lions. It suits mixed groups well, since grandparents can watch the animals while the teenagers queue for the coasters. Check the day's show schedule at the gate and build the day around it, and carry a change of clothes if you plan to sit near the front of the water rides.

A long flight west across three time zones, so you gain three hours and land with most of the afternoon in hand. After the transfer from the airport, walk to Union Square or ride a cable car over the hills to Fisherman's Wharf for the sea lions at Pier 39 and a bowl of clam chowder. San Francisco summers are cool and often foggy, so a warm layer is essential, whatever the month.

The bus route crosses the city: Union Square, the Civic Center and City Hall, the dragon gate and busy lanes of Chinatown, the columns of the Palace of Fine Arts, and out to the Golden Gate Bridge, where you can step off and walk part of the span if the wind allows. Alcatraz is not included, but if you want it, tell us early, because the boat to the island sells out well ahead in busy months.

A short morning flight over the Sierra Nevada into the Mojave, and a transfer to your hotel on or near the Strip. In the evening the included city tour shows the place at its most theatrical: the famous dancing fountains, the themed casino fronts along the Strip, and downtown's Fremont Street, where a vast canopy of lights plays music and colour over the crowds. Summer days here are very hot; save walking for after dark.

A free day, and the chance for the Grand Canyon, which we can add as an option. The West Rim, with its glass-floored Skywalk, is the closer; the South Rim has the classic views but makes for a very long day by coach, and small-plane flights save time. If you would rather stay in town, the Strip has free sights, from the dancing fountains to the lavish lobby gardens and indoor canals, and an evening show can be booked in advance.

Travel on to Los Angeles, by a short flight or about four hours by road across the desert; we can arrange a shared road transfer as an option. After checking in, use the hop-on hop-off pass to see the city's famous names: the stars of the Walk of Fame, the handprints in the forecourt of the TCL Chinese Theatre, the Sunset Strip and the smart streets of Beverly Hills. Los Angeles is huge, so choose a few stops rather than trying to see everything.

A full day at the park that is also a working film studio. The Studio Tour tram rolls through backlot streets and sets that have appeared in films and television for decades, while the upper and lower lots hold the rides and shows, joined by long escalators. Arrive at opening to get ahead of the queues. Universal CityWalk, just outside the gates, is the easy place for dinner before the ride back to the hotel.

A last breakfast and a free morning if your flight allows, perhaps at Santa Monica pier or on Venice Beach, then the transfer to the airport. Traffic in Los Angeles is unpredictable at any hour, so allow generous time for the drive, and more again for check-in and security on a long-haul flight home.