DAY1 Hometown - San Francisco

When you arrive in San Francisco Airport, please go to the listed courtyard for pickup after collecting your luggage. Domestic airlines: United Airlines - Courtyard #4, American Airlines - Courtyard #3, Virgin America - Courtyard #2, others - Courtyard #1; International airlines: Courtyard A. Our group is scheduled to meet at 11:00 AM, so please arrange to arrive before the scheduled meeting time.

We’ll spend a day discovering San Francisco’s many facets, from the urban (San Francisco Civic Center), to the natural (stunning views from the Twin Peaks of Eureka and Noe), to the iconic (the Golden Gate Bridge), and everything in between. We’ll spend time in Golden Gate Park, and see the Palace of Fine Arts, as well as visit the neighborhoods around Fisherman’s Wharf, Market Street, and Chinatown to glimpse the many lifestyles that flourish throughout the city. Also take ride a San Francisco Boat Cruise* to see the wonderful sights of the Bay.
Pick up service is also available from Radisson Hotel, Best Western Grosvenor, Citi Garden Hotel and downtown San Francisco, please refer to "Departure and Return Details" for more information.
For pre-post tour hotel accommodation in Best Western Grosvenor Hotel, please click here. Pick up and drop off are available from/to this hotel.

*Optional activity; fee not included in tour price. See “Exclusions” for cost details.

DAY2 Bay Area - Yosemite - Fresno

From the Bay Area, we’ll motor high up to Yosemite National Park where we’ll arrive after lunch, and marvel at the vistas that caused early explorers to call Yosemite the “incomparable valley”. Gaze at the jagged rocks of grotesque shapes, sheer precipices and overhanging rocks, waterfalls dropping hundreds of feet, and endless mountain ridges, as we come to understand why Yosemite is considered one of the most scenic spots in the Western United States. Sure to leave a lasting memory are the Giant Sequoia Trees, the Tunnel View, Bridalveil Falls, Yosemite Falls, the Merced River, and the famous rock formations, El Captain and the Half Dome. The day ends with an overnight stay in Fresno.

Hotel: Radisson Hotel & Conference Center, Fresno or similar

OR Bay Area - Barstow (Nov 26 - Mar 18, 2011)

We’ll drive through California's central valley and into the vast and beautiful Mojave Desert, with its Joshua tree forests, singing sand dunes, volcanic cinder cones, wildflowers, canyons, mountains, and mesas. Later, we’ll stop for a shopping adventure at the Tanger Outlets in Barstow, which offers factory discounted prices at fashion and accessory powerhouses such as Calvin Klein, Coach, Guess, Michael Kors, and Polo Ralph Lauren. We’ll return with our purchases to our hotel in Barstow for a night’s rest.

DAY3 Fresno - Las Vegas

Las Vegas is a city of wonders, odds, and oddities, and offers much more than just gambling to entertain every member of the family. On the Las Vegas Strip, tourists can enjoy a walk on a warm desert evening and visit the newest and most lavish casinos: the Bellagio, the Venetian, the MGM Grand, or The Mirage, and more. Explore on your own, or take a Special Night Tour* of Las Vegas, which includes a dazzling light show that spans an entire street. Furthermore, there are countless one-of-a-kind performances year round, ranging from the bizarre, to the magical, to the flat-out legendary that can be found nowhere else but Las Vegas. Here, where the city doesn’t sleep, we’ll spend our third night.

OR Barstow - Death Valley National Park - Las Vegas (Nov 26 - Mar 18, 2011)

Death Valley is arguably one of the most beautiful valleys in the world. Looking out from Zabriskie Point, you are surrounded by forbidding, almost unearthly, desert landscapes. These are the badlands. Beneath the dark shadows of the Black Mountains, a great, extraordinarily flat expanse of shimmering white spreads out before you: the Bad Water. At 282 feet below sea-level, it is the lowest spot in the Western Hemisphere. Step onto the trail and you'll see that the white expanse is made up of billions of crystals of almost pure table salt! After leaving this stunning park, we’ll head back to Las Vegas. Upon arrival in Las Vegas, you will have a choice of joining a Special Night Tour*, which will show you the best of what Las Vegas has to offer, or exploring the city on your own. Overnight stay in Las Vegas.

*Optional activity; fee not included in tour price. See “Exclusions” for cost details.

DAY4 Las Vegas - Grand Canyon South/West Rim - Las Vegas

Las Vegas - Grand Canyon South Rim - Las Vegas

Today we will make our way to the Grand Canyon, one of the most spectacular examples of water’s erosive power. Carved by the Colorado River beginning as much 17 million years ago (according to recent studies), this stunning natural wonder is 277 miles long, 18 miles wide, and more than a mile deep. Canyon National Park is a designated World Heritage Site and is incomparable with its vistas of sheer drops and cliffs marked with different geological strata dating back billions of years. We’ll spend the day along the South Rim of the Canyon, stopping at various viewpoints along the way and admiring this glorious work of art that could only have been sculpted by nature and time. Then return for an overnight stay at our hotel in Las Vegas.

OR

Las Vegas - Hoover Dam - Grand Canyon West Rim - Las Vegas

From Las Vegas, we’ll make our first stop of the day at the magnificent and massive Hoover Dam, built during the Great Depression to harness the power of the Colorado River. We’ll then travel on to the Hualapai Indian Reservation, located on the West Rim of the Grand Canyon*, and its famous Skywalk*. Created by David Jin of the Hualapai Tribe, the Skywalk extends in a U-shaped platform 70 feet over the edge of the Grand Canyon, and about 4,000 feet above its basin. With a 10 foot solid glass floor, you’ll have a view of the Canyon below like nothing you’ve ever seen – the closest thing to floating in thin air. You may also elect to experience the Grand Canyon from both above and below: the adventurous among you won’t want to miss the Helicopter and Pontoon Boat Ride*. Later, we’ll return to our hotel for a night’s rest.

*Optional activity; fee not included in tour price. See “Exclusions” for cost details.

DAY5 Las Vegas - Los Angeles

On this day, we’ll make our return sunny Los Angeles on the southern coast of California. In the famous entertainment city, we’ll stop by the Hollywood landmarks, take a walk along Hollywood Boulevard, and visit the Chinese Theater and the Kodak Theater complex, now the permanent home for the Oscars. After dinner, we’ll transfer to our hotel in the city for a night’s rest.

DAY6 Disneyland OR San Diego City Tour

Today we’ll spend the day in the magical world of Disneyland*, brainchild of creator Walt Disney. Suitable for all ages, from children to the young at heart, Disneyland has a little something for everyone. Not only will you meet some of the most memorable characters from Disney films, including the one and only Mickey Mouse, but you’ll also experience the brilliance of Walt Disney’s imagination through the countless rides and shows that will give memories to last a lifetime. At night you’ll see fireworks over Magic Kingdom’s Castle and other special treats found nowhere else in the world. When the park closes, we’ll head back to our hotel in Los Angeles for another night.

San Diego City Tour (Optional - Adults $68; Child $58) (Starting after 4/1/2011)

At 9:00am we’ll depart from the hotel and drive south along the Pacific Ocean heading to San Diego, the second largest city in California. We’ll first stop by the U.S. Naval compound in San Diego harbor, where docked at the Navy Pier is the USS Midway, the longest-serving aircraft carrier in U.S. Naval history, with a storied career that lasted from 1945 to 1997. After lunch, our tour goes to Coronado Island and visits the Hotel del Coronado, a National Landmark that was built in the glorious wooden Victorian style in the 1800s. Up next is Balboa Park, where we’ll enjoy the luscious botanical gardens and Spanish architecture lining the long promenades, and then we’ll move on to Old Town San Diego to walk among the classic Mexican Pueblos and browse the shops offering unique Latin American souvenirs and craftwork. In the evening we’ll return to Los Angeles to catch the sunset. We’ll return to our hotel by 7:30 pm.

*Optional activity; fee not included in tour price. See “Exclusions” for cost details.

DAY7 Universal Studios (Full Day) - Tranfer out

Experience movie magic at it best. The studio theme park has rides like Shrek and Jurassic Park. Various performances occur throughout the day. Get an inside look at the movie sets and uncover the secrets of legendary films on the world-famous studio tour. After the tour ends, transfers are provided for out of state passengers.