15 day America’s Western Discovery
Description:
Itinerary:
Los Angeles – Arrival
Arrive at Los Angeles International Airport and transfer independently to your hotel. Your Tour Director will then meet you this afternoon.
Overnight: The Hilton Los Angeles Airport (or similar)
Los Angeles – The O.C – San Diego – Los Angeles
Travel south through San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente to San Diego, the second largest city in California, renowned for its year-round mild weather. Following a city tour, visit picturesque Seaport Village and San Diego’s relaxing bayfront marketplace. Perhaps enjoy the opportunity for shopping. Return to Los Angeles for the evening.
Overnight: The Hilton Los Angeles Airport (or similar)
Los Angeles – Palm Springs – Phoenix/Scottsdale
Today your journey takes you through Palm Springs, the winter playground for Hollywood royalty, with its lively downtown and immaculately kept golf courses at the base of the rugged San Jacinto Mountains. A sea of wind turbines mark the entrance to this desert oasis. Afterward, you will pass through Indio, home to the Int’l Date Festival in the Coachella Valley.
Overnight: Best Western Plus Executive Residency Phoenix North Happy Valley, Phoenix (or similar)
Phoenix/Scottsdale – Sedona – Grand Canyon
Travel through the Sonoran Desert, the richest, most biologically diverse desert ecosystem in the Americas. Continue to Sedona, a city situated in a unique geological area and encircled by distinctive red-rock monoliths with such names as Cathedral and Coffee Pot. Then drive through the breathtaking Oak Creek Canyon before arriving at Grand Canyon National Park. Majestic Grand Canyon National Park is one of the 7 great natural wonders of the world. Stop at the rim to fully experience this mile-deep colorful canyon’s plunging gorges, and rising spires formed by the mighty Colorado River.
Overnight: Yavapai West, Grand Canyon (or similar)
Grand Canyon – Monument Valley – Page/Lake Powell
As you journey further today, you will enter the Navajo Indian Reservation, passing the trading post of Cameron. Continue through the Painted Desert and the region of Monument Valley, an area that embodies perhaps the most iconic images of the American West. In the afternoon, enter the town of Page, situated on a mesa above the Colorado River. Evening at leisure.
Overnight: The Hyatt Place, Page/Lake Powell (or similar)
Page/Lake Powell – Kanab – Bryce Canyon
Visit the mighty Glen Canyon Dam, the second-highest concrete-arch dam in America. From here you’ll enjoy views of stunning Lake Powell, where crystal blue water laps against towering red-rock canyon walls. Enter Utah, known for the Mormon Community, and pass through the town of Kanab before visiting spectacular Bryce Canyon, where a tour through a multi-colored world of sandstone spires and pinnacles will dazzle the eye. This evening, weather permitting, be sure to gaze upon the spectacular night sky filled with sparkling stars and brilliant constellations.
Overnight: The Bryce View Lodge, Bryce Canyon (or similar)
Bryce Canyon – Zion – Las Vegas
Travel today to Zion National Park and see the massive rock formations carved by wind, time, and the Virgin River. This afternoon, experience the contrast of Las Vegas, the dazzling “Entertainment Capital of the World,” where round-the-clock shopping, nightly shows, and of course gambling are available. As we stop at the iconic Las Vegas Welcome sign, you may wish to capture a photo memory there.
Overnight: The Luxor, Las Vegas (or similar)
Las Vegas
Today is leisure for you to enjoy the many attractions that Las Vegas has to offer. In addition to world-class shopping, bustling casinos, and Broadway-caliber shows, you might simply stroll the famous Strip to take in its amazing sights, or “shop ‘til you drop” at designer outlets.
Overnight: The Luxor, Las Vegas (or similar)
Las Vegas – Death Valley – Mammoth Lakes/Fresno
Having enjoyed glamorous Las Vegas, it will be a sharp contrast this afternoon to enter the quiet and extreme environment of Death Valley. Stop at Zabriskie Point and Furnace Creek Ranch/ Visitors Center before continuing across the valley and ascending the Sierra Nevada Mountains to the alpine resort town of Mammoth Lakes. The area gained prominence as a gold mining town in the 19th century and today is renowned for its superior skiing terrain and staggeringly beautiful mountain vistas.
Overnight: The Mammoth Mountain Inn or Hampton Inn Fresno Airport, Mammoth Lakes or Fresno (or similar)
*Please note, if the Tioga pass is closed, the routing will be done via Fresno.
Mammoth/Fresno – Yosemite – Modesto
Your journey today brings you to the Tioga Pass into the scenic wonderland of Yosemite National Park. Here, you will experience the valley floor and its splendors including the glacial-shaped granite formations of El Capitan, Half Dome, the magnificent Bridal Falls, and Yosemite Falls. Overnight in nearby Modesto.
Overnight: The Doubletree by Hilton Modesto, Modesto (or similar)
Modesto – San Francisco
Depart early this morning to arrive in San Francisco, one of the most beloved cities in America. Enjoy a comprehensive sightseeing tour before arriving at your hotel. This evening, take a memorable City by Night Tour (optional).
Overnight: The Hilton San Francisco, Union Square, San Francisco (or similar)
San Francisco (Napa Valley – optional)
Day at leisure! Your Tour Director is on hand to assist with making your plans for the day: perhaps a cable car ride to Fisherman’s Wharf where you may enjoy a “Taste of San Francisco”: local seafood, famous sourdough bread, or decadent Ghiradelli’s Chocolate. Or take a stroll by Sea Lions’ Marina to watch them frolic. Be sure to gaze across the bay to Alcatraz island where “America’s Most Wanted” such as Al Capone and ”Machine Gun” Kelly were incarcerated. Or visit Union Square for a shopping stop at Macy’s Department Store. You also may choose to embark on a wine-tasting tour to Napa Valley, world-renowned for its fine wineries and beautiful scenery (optional).
Overnight: The Hilton San Francisco Union Square, San Francisco (or similar)
San Francisco – Monterey/Carmel – Central Coast
Depart San Francisco this morning for the drive to the Monterey Peninsula, known for its magnificent homes and lovely beaches. In Monterey, visit Fisherman’s Wharf and the famous Cannery Row. Then tour charming Carmel-by-the-Sea, noted for its quaint houses, upscale art galleries, and unique stores. In the afternoon your tour continues through Paso Robles, home of fine wineries. Overnight in a quaint Central California Coast town.
Overnight: The Radisson Santa Maria, Central Coast (or similar)
Central Coast – Santa Barbara – Santa Monica – Los Angeles
Journey south through the Santa Ynez valley into Santa Barbara where palm-lined walkways border white sandy beaches. Upon arrival in Los Angeles, an orientation tour commences to include Hollywood, portions of Beverly Hills, and Century City before arriving in Santa Monica, home to the finish line of Historic Route 66, where you may enjoy an optional lunch on the pier before arriving at your hotel.
Overnight: The Hilton Los Angeles Airport, Los Angeles (or similar)
Los Angeles – Departure
Your tour ends upon check out from your hotel.
Inclusions:
- 14-night hotel accommodations as specified or similar with a private bath and/or shower
- Services of a professional multilingual Tour Manager throughout
- Enjoy a welcome reception where you will meet your fellow travelers
- Experience the low-key coastal vibes of San Diego during day long sightseeing tour of the city
- Discover the famed mid-century architecture of “Hollywood’s desert retreat” during a visit to Palm Springs
- Gaze at the majesty of the Grand Canyon Relive American western film history, witnessing the iconic landscapes of Monument Valley
- Capture the unique rock formations of Bryce Canyon National Park
- Enjoy leisure time for shopping, gambling, eating, or all of the above in glitzy Las Vegas
- Post an Instagram of yourself at the iconic “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign
- Traverse the lowest and driest spot within the western hemisphere: Death Valley National Park
- Explore the magnificent falls during a visit to majestic Yosemite National Park (weather permitting)
- Take in the sites of the City by the Bay, San Francisco, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Union Square, and Fisherman’s Wharf
- Journey through America’s capital of technology innovation, Silicon Valley
- Experience the charming sites and sounds of Monterey including Cannery Row, the inspiration for American author John Steinbeck
- Discover through the picturesque scenery of California’s central coast and its rich agricultural plains
- Stroll the Hollywood Walk of Fame and find your favorite celebrity’s star
- Get a glimpse of all the glamour Los Angeles has to offer with stops at some of its most famous spots
- Transportation by a comfortable air-conditioned motor coach equipped with Wi-Fi throughout
- Hotel, state, and local taxes, service charges, and porterage service (limit one piece of checked luggage per person
- Information kit
Exclusions:
- Airfare unless specified in the tour itinerary
- Meals are not included in order to allow for more flexibility
- Laundry, telephone, optional excursions and other items of a personal nature
- Travel Insurance
- Gratuities
- Pre and Post Accommodation
- Airport Transfers
- Everything that is not mentioned in included
Optional activities:
- Take flight over the magnificent Grand Canyon for an unforgettable experience
- Jump into a Jeep and take an in-depth tour of Monument Valley
- Capture the intense colors and ethereal light of Antelope Canyon
- How about a boot stompin’ dinner with country music fun at Ebenezer’s Barn in Bryce Canyon
- Experience the glitz and glam of Las Vegas during an extensive evening tour
- Hop on board a cable car during an extensive night tour of San Francisco and enjoy the “City by the Bay”
- Pre and post accommodation
**Please note all optional excursions are subject to change and availability. Optional excursions are to be booked with the Tour Manager while on tour.
