Western Highlights

Day 1: San Francisco

San Francisco Arrival
Welcome to San Francisco! The California Gold Rush of 1849 transformed this small, sleepy village into a bustling port nicknamed “City by the Bay.” Its cosmopolitan flair and breathtaking view of the bay attracts visitors from all over the world. San Francisco ranks as one of America’s most popular destinations for American and foreign visitors alike.

Day 2: San Francisco

San Francisco
Experience for yourself why so many people leave their hearts in San Francisco. A half-day city tour will introduce you to many sights and sounds of the city. Hear the horns of ships leaving from the Bay to faraway places, see shoppers rush by on busy Union Square, and listen to the cable car operators clanging their bells. The afternoon is yours to cruise the bay, shop, ride the cable cars or just stroll and explore the streets. Your Tour Director will be on hand to assist you in planning your activities in the city.

Day 3: Yosemite Area

San Francisco - Yosemite- Fresno
Leave San Francisco and drive on to Yosemite National Park. Drive through California’s Central Valley, where extensive irrigation projects turned the region into an agricultural wonder, unequaled on the North American continent. Over 240 different crops are grown here, including almonds, oranges, and grapes. Later, we arrive in Yosemite National Park, which is home to the truly spectacular collection of waterfalls, majestic granite formations such as El Capitan and Half Dome, and remarkable wildlife. We will explore the park by motorcoach, but you will also have time on the valley floor to enjoy the spectacular scenery. Overnight in Fresno.

Day 4: Las Vegas

Fresno - Mojave Desert - Las Vegas
Get an early start this morning for the drive south through the Central Valley and over the mountains into the rugged Mojave Desert. Continue east and you will immediately notice you have entered Nevada. Casinos at the state line greet weary interstate travelers on both sides of the road. A few more miles and there it is, like a mirage in the desert: the entertainment capital of the world, Las Vegas. Once a small settlement, founded as a farming center, it fleetingly boomed during the silver rush of the 1860s. Today, Las Vegas is one of the great gambling capitals of the world, with sensational entertainment and famous shows.

Day 5: Las Vegas

Las Vegas (Death Valley Optional)
The day is yours to enjoy in Las Vegas. Maybe do a little shopping at one of the fine shopping outlets in Las Vegas, lounge by the pool, or join an optional tour. Ask your Tour Director for more information.

Day 6: Bryce Canyon Area

Las Vegas – Cedar City – Bryce Canyon
Continue the adventure as you travel north bound through the Mojave Desert towards the neighboring state of Arizona, which is then followed almost immediately by the state of Utah. Traveling through the Virgin River Gorge you can see how the scenery changes from a desert to a mountainous plateau. Once you have entered the state of Utah also known as the Beehive State and headquarters to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, also known as the Mormon Church, the elevation will rise as well to an average of 6000 feet. For the next couple of days we will visit the Colorado Plateau, home to several national parks including our destination today, Bryce Canyon.
Enjoy the spectacular views of Bryce and Inspiration points where you see how the canyon is filled with numerous Hoo-doos, a Pillar of Rock.

Day 7: Williams

Bryce Canyon – Grand Canyon – Williams
After Leaving Bryce Canyon travel through the community of Kanab, where at one time the movie industry was alive and cowboys like Roy Rogers, John Wayne, and Ronald Reagan, just to name a few, filmed the old western movies with the beautiful scenery of Kanab as the background, giving the town its nickname “Little Hollywood”
After Page Arizona, we enter the Navajo Indian Reservation, where this ancient culture remains through today a fascinating one. See the original homes of the Navajo’s known as the Hogan, the vast and spread-out lands, the magnificent color formation where certain regions are knows as the painted desert. Once we have travelled through, we enter the Grand Canyon National Park, one of the 7 natural wonders of the world. Consult your Tour Director about a helicopter flight above the canyon and experience the canyon from a bird’s eye view. Overnight in the historic Route 66 community of Williams.

Day 8: Bullhead City

Williams – Route 66 Seligman – Kingman – Laughlin
After experiencing historic Williams, Arizona, once a thriving railroad community connecting east and westbound train travelers but also the start and end station of the Grand Canyon Railway, it is now time to travel onto Historic Route 66 and relive the 50ies and 60ies, by stopping in one of last remain historic towns, Seligman. If souvenir shopping is on your mind, this is where you find them ranging from road signs to T-shirts displaying the history of the Route. Continue to Kingman, the largest community within the region, before returning into the state of Nevada after you have crossed the Colorado River. Our overnight is in Laughlin named after Don Laughlin, once a land and business entrepreneur, who created the city of Laughlin, NV. Explore some of the Casinos tonight or perhaps just a relaxing stroll along the Colorado River.

Day 9: Los Angeles

Laughlin – Palm Springs – Los Angeles
An early start will take us back into the State of California and on our way to the desert Community of Palm Springs, where celebrities had their winter retreats when they wanted to escape the hustle and bustle of their busy Hollywood lifestyles of the 40ies through today. Palm Springs is also a community of Great classic Spanish Revival as well as Mid Century Modern architecture and great art festivals during the winter season. We continue to our last destination, Los Angeles, where an orientation tour will commence upon arrival, focusing on neighborhoods of downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood and a bit of Beverly Hills before ending at our overnight hotel.

Day 10:

Los Angeles Departure
Our adventure has come to an end, and we wish you a pleasant but safe journey back home. Consult your Tour Director if assistance is required with arranging your transfer to Los Angeles International Airport.