Tour: AA - 2012 (AA) - 2012 / 2013

Questions? 866.755.8581


Itinerary

DAY 1Arrive in San Francisco

Welcome to the Golden State! At 6:30 pm, meet your traveling companions for a welcome drink. Your Tour Director will prepare you for your upcoming adventure.

San Francisco 
[STORIES]
[CULTURAL]

DAY 2San Francisco

Enjoy morning sightseeing in one of the world’s most beautiful cities. Your tour includes Golden Gate Park, Twin Peaks, Fisherman’s Wharf, and much more. Afterward, enjoy a spectacular CRUISE around San Francisco Bay. Still plenty of time for pursuing your favorite interests and activities—ride the world-famous cable cars, shop in Union Square, or visit the Museum of Modern Art. This evening, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Spend time in sophisticated San Francisco San Francisco’s renowned Golden Gate Bridge Enjoy guided sightseeing and a cruise across San Francisco Bay 
[STORIES]
[CULTURAL]

DAY 3San Francisco–Wine Country–Lake Tahoe

From the Pacific coast, travel to the lush hills of Sonoma and Napa Valley with its charming wineries. Visit CLINE CELLARS in the Carneros region to tour their vineyards and taste their acclaimed wines. A short drive brings you to the OLIVE PRESS to learn how some of the best extra-virgin olive oil is produced from the first cold-crushing of the freshest olives. No visit is complete without sampling several olive oils and a vinegar, too. Continue to stunning Lake Tahoe, surrounded by the Sierra Mountains. There’s plenty of time to explore this alpine lake, the largest in North America and also one of the highest. Even though the average depth of the lake is 989 feet, it is one of the clearest and purest bodies of water in the world! (Breakfast)

Enjoy the beautiful vineyards of Napa Valley 
[STORIES]
[CULTURAL]

DAY 4Lake Tahoe–Yosemite National Park

Southward through the Sierra Nevadas to YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK. Yosemite has innumerable lakes, meadows, ice-sculpted domes, forests, waterfalls, and unspoiled alpine scenery. Descend into the 4,000-foot valley, where you’ll board an open-air TRAM to explore the famous sites of El Capitan, Cathedral Spires, Yosemite Falls, and Half Dome. The scenery is nothing short of spectacular! (Breakfast)

El Capitan, a popular rock climbing destination in Yosemite National Park 
[STORIES]
[CULTURAL]

DAY 5Yosemite National Park–Carmel–Monterey

A high point on today’s journey is the beautiful 17-MILE DRIVE, with views of famous Pebble Beach Golf Course and the tenacious Lone Cypress. Enjoy a visit to the resort town of Carmel, a popular haven for writers, artists, and celebrities. Then, on to Monterey and Cannery Row, immortalized by John Steinbeck. Head to the wharf for a visit to the world-famous MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM followed by a special dinner here overlooking the bay. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Monterey Bay Aquarium 
[STORIES]
[CULTURAL]

DAY 6Monterey–San Simeon–Solvang

This morning, journey south to San Simeon and visit HEARST CASTLE, the opulent mansion of wealthy newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, which houses splendid antiques, art treasures, and exotic possessions purchased at an estimated $50 million. The tour shows off the highlights of the impressive 123-acre estate. Then, journey to your resort hotel near Solvang. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Hearst Castle 
[STORIES]
[CULTURAL]

DAY 7Solvang–Santa Barbara–Los Angeles

Visit downtown Solvang, where Denmark has been recreated with picturesque buildings and windmills. Free time to browse through the charming shops featuring Danish imports and rich pastries. Travel through the Santa Ynez Mountains to beautiful Santa Barbara, where the Spanish influence is apparent in quaint whitewashed and tile-roofed buildings. Visit the impressive 200-year-old MISSION with its world-famous twin bell towers. Afterward, enjoy a leisurely stroll along the wharf. Hollywood celebrities’ homes dot the shoreline from Malibu to Santa Monica on your way to metropolitan Los Angeles, the motion picture capital of the world. (Breakfast)

A beautiful sunset in Los Angeles The palm trees line the streets of LA Los Angeles, California 
[STORIES]
[CULTURAL]

DAY 8Los Angeles

Morning sightseeing of this gigantic metropolis takes you from Olvera Street—the oldest thoroughfare in the city—to Hollywood. Step into the shoeprints of famous movie stars at Grauman’s Chinese Theater, and see Sunset Strip and Rodeo Drive. Later, visit the GETTY MUSEUM, housing a collection of Western art from the Middle Ages to the present. This evening your Tour Director hosts a special farewell dinner. Wonderful conversation and cuisine make the perfect finale for your vacation. (Breakfast, Dinner)

Enjoy the open architecture of the Getty Museum 
[STORIES]
[CULTURAL]

DAY 9Los Angeles

The vacation ends this morning after breakfast with guests departing on individual schedules. Airport transfers are provided. (Breakfast)

[PHOTOS]
[STORIES]
[CULTURAL]