DAY1 Arrival in Las Vegas
If you arrive in Las Vegas in the morning, you would have some free time to visit the beautiful decorative hotels and casinos by yourself on Las Vegas Boulevard. You may take an optional night tour to explore the prosperity of night life in Las Vegas and see the famous shows such as the Fremont Street Viva Vision, Fountain Show at Bellagio and Mardi Gras at Rio.
Standard Hotel: Stratosphere hotel
DAY2 Hoover Dam - Grand Canyon West Rim (Mandatory $69/person) - Las Vegas
Morning visit
Hoover Dam, which is one of the seven wonders of the Industrial World. Afterwards, proceed to one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the
Grand Canyon. It is the World's Seventh Natural Wonder. As you gaze out from the rim, you're viewing 2 billion years of geologic history. Millions of people each year stand in awe at the canyon and leave with a sense of fulfillment and realization that they have witnessed nature at her finest. You may take an optional visit to the "Skywalk", which is the new g gigantic construction built on the very edge of the Grand Canyon West Rim. The
Skywalk (optional) is suspended 4, 000 feet above the Colorado River. This $60 million dollars bridge can withstand the weight of 71 filly loaded Boeing 74 airplanes (more than 71 million pounds). It is the tallest man-made structure in the world. From the bridge, you can step out onto the glass floor for a 720 degree view of the Canyon. You may also take an optional helicopter or boat tour to see the true beauty of the Grand Canyon.
Standard Hotel: Stratosphere hotel
DAY3 Las Vegas - Chocolate Factory - Botanical Cactus Gardens - Los Angeles
You may visit
Ethel M Chocolate Factory and
Botanical Cactus Gardens in the morning before leaving Las Vegas for Los Angeles. On the way back to Los Angeles, you will stop at the
factory outlet mall where you can purchase famous brands at the lowest price possible. Arrive in Los Angeles in the evening.
Standard Hotel: Holiday Inn, La Mirada or Guest House Hotel Norwalk or similar
Deluxe Hotel: Crowne Plaza Hotel or Hilton San Ganbriel
DAY4 Los Angeles - Solvang - Hearst Castle
After departing Los Angeles at dawn, we will drive along the beautiful Pacific Coast Highway and stop in the Santa Ynez
Valley’s quaint
Danish Village of Solvang just before lunchtime, approx.
11:30 a.m. Antiquated windmills and Northern European-style architecture punctuate this charming village's skyline. Brilliant sunshine, boundless open country and rolling hills--these are the characteristics that inspired the original Danish immigrants who settled this area to call it "Solvang" or "Sunny Field.” Pour yourself a cup of aromatic European coffee and nibble a piece of world famous Danish pastry. Around
1:00 p.m., we will board the bus to make our way to the ornate
Hearst Castle* in San Simeon, where we should arrive by
3:00 p.m. Built by the famous newspaper tycoon, William Randolph Hearst, at the cost of the millions of dollars,
Hearst Castle and the surrounding estate boasts 165 rooms filled with priceless antiques and works of art, as well as an ornate gilt-bordered swimming pool. We will have two hours to explore the castle and grounds before we board the bus to take us to dinner and our hotel in the evening.
Standard Hotel: Crowne Plaza Union City or Similar
DAY5 San Francisco - Stanford University
This morning, the tour will head to San Francisco’s popular Chinatown for
passengers to enjoy breakfast. After our meal, we’ll explore San Francisco, the
beautiful City by the Bay! Our tour will visit the stately Palace of Fine Arts;
the world famous Golden Gate Bridge; Lombard Street, the world’s most crooked
street; the bustling tourist area still home to many commercial fisheries,
Fishermen’s Wharf. Passengers may also choose to take a one and a half hour Bay
Cruise* to experience the sights of San Francisco from the water, with views of
the East Bay and beautiful city skyline, the stately Golden Gate and Bay
Bridges, and the harbor islands, including the infamous Alcatraz Island, Angel
Island and Treasure Island. Around 3:00pm, passengers may choose to spend some
time at leisure in the city, or have the option of the Extensive City Tour* to
visit sights such as St. Mary’s Cathedral, the principal Catholic church of San
Francisco; Alamo Square; Twin Peaks; the Civic Center; and the Castro District,
otherwise known as the gay capital of the world. After the tour concludes at
approximately 5:15 p.m., we will make a trip to Stanford University, slightly
less than an hour’s drive from the city. Recognized as one of the world's
leading research and teaching institutions, the tranquil campus is home to a
rich collection of historical and contemporary buildings. Just before 7:00 p.m.,
we will return to the city for dinner and a night’s rest at our hotel.
Standard Hotel: Crowne Plaza Union City or Similar
DAY6 Yosemite National Park - Los Angeles
We will depart San Francisco early this morning for a trip to
Yosemite National Park, gem of California’s National Park system and UNESCO World Heritage site, where we should arrive by
9:00 a.m. Located near the geographical center of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, Yosemite is comprised of granite rocks, mighty waterfalls and placid valleys, giving it an aspect of a "land of the gods." With its notable cliffs and unique carved rock formations, there is little doubt that water - in both its liquid and solid form as glacial ice - was the chief architect of Yosemite's landscapes. We will have close to two hours to experience this natural wonder up close, with stops for photo opportunities and exploration at such viewpoints as the
El Capitan and
Bridal Veil Falls, the mighty Yosemite Falls, and the
Tunnel View. We leave the park before lunchtime to make our final drive back to Los Angeles, where we should arrive at approximately
6:40 p.m.(Please arrange return flight departing
Los Angeles after 9:30pm)
*** Itinerary varies slightly depending on day of departure.