Southern California with Death Valley & Joshua Tree National Parks (ND)

10 Day Tour from Los Angeles to Las Vegas

2020 Tour Details View 2021 Tour Details »

Vibrant cities, unique experiences, and striking landscapes…all of this and more await you on this Southern California tour—with 2-night stays in Los Angeles , San Diego, Palm Springs, and Death Valley National Park, as well as an overnight in Las Vegas.

Tour highlights include time in three unique settings: Joshua Tree National Park, Death Valley National Park, and Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. Joshua Tree National Park contains two deserts and two large ecosystems. Here, enjoy a jeep tour to learn about the area's geology, fascinating plants and animals, and rich history. Ash Meadows National Refuge is the largest remaining oasis in the Mojave Desert and home to nearly 30 species of plants and animals that don’t exist anyplace else on earth. Here, stroll the boardwalks and learn about this unique area.

Death Valley National Park is the hottest place on earth. Visit its Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America. Globus has also arranged a special experience here...a stargazing program with a local expert. Due to its remote location with limited city lights, Death Valley National Park offers one of the best places to view the stars. Stand in awe as daylight fades and the planets, stars, and constellations come into view.

On this Southern California tour, you’ll also experience vibrant cities. From Los Angeles, take a high speed ferry to beautiful Catalina Island and enjoy a guided tour, another great experience offered by Globus. In San Diego, your sightseeing features Old Town, Balboa Park, and the historic Gaslamp Quarter. Also in San Diego, enjoy lunch at the impressive Hotel Del Coronado, San Diego's legendary seaside resort and return to San Diego via a scenic ferry—another special experience offered by Globus. Your time in Palm Springs includes an aerial tram ride on the world's largest rotating tramcar.

From its lively cities to its fascinating scenery, this Southern California vacation offers all of this and more.

Free Wi-Fi available on your motorcoach and in most hotels.

Dates & Prices Book Online

866.254.0703

Southern California with Death Valley & Joshua Tree National Parks map

Photo Highlights

Meals

Meals & Itinerary

Breakfast daily, 1 lunch, 3 three-course dinners including a farewell dinner in Las Vegas

Notes:

On vacations that include an overnight stay in Las Vegas, at least one member of the traveling party must be 21 years of age or older.

Itinerary

Inside visits and special features are shown in UPPERCASE in the tour description, including admission charges where applicable.

Day 1 ARRIVE LOS ANGELES

Welcome to sunny California! At 6 pm, meet your traveling companions for a welcome drink. Your Tour Director will prepare you for your upcoming adventure.

Day 2 LOS ANGELES

This morning, enjoy a sightseeing tour of “Tinseltown” that takes you from Olvera Street to Hollywood where you can step into the shoeprints of famous movie stars at the TCL Chinese Theater. Also see Beverly Hills and the Sunset Strip, known for nearly 100 years of free expression and escapism. The rest of the afternoon is free to explore the “City of Angels” on your own.

Breakfast

Day 3 LOS ANGELES–CATALINA ISLAND–SAN DIEGO

This morning, travel to the coast and board a high-speed FERRY for beautiful Catalina Island. Located just 22 miles off the coast of southern California, the island has a rich and colorful past. On an island TOUR, you’ll learn the history of this unique place and admire beautiful scenery. Afterward, there is time to explore the village of Avalon on your own, shop for unique island gifts or enjoy a delicious lunch at a seaside restaurant. Later, FERRY back to the mainland and continue south along the stunning California coast to San Diego for an evening at leisure.

Breakfast

Day 4 SAN DIEGO

Today, enjoy a city sightseeing tour featuring Old Town, Balboa Park, and the historic Gaslamp Quarter. End your tour in Coronado, home to beautiful beaches and elegant mansions. Lunch will be served at the historic HOTEL DEL CORONADO, San Diego’s legendary seaside resort. The resort, known by locals as “the Del” celebrates a rich heritage as the proud host to celebrities, royalty, and U.S. Presidents. After lunch, take a scenic FERRY back to San Diego where your afternoon is free for exploration. You may wish to relive history on the USS Midway Aircraft Carrier, spend time at Mission Beach, or do some window shopping in one of the city’s neighborhood shopping districts. Your Tour Director will have additional ideas.

Breakfast

Lunch

Day 5 SAN DIEGO–TEMECULA–PALM SPRINGS

Today, travel east stopping in picturesque Temecula for a tasting of some of the region’s best wines at a local VINEYARD. Continue to the desert playground and mid-century architecture mecca of Palm Springs. Take the Palm Springs AERIAL TRAM to the top of Mount San Jacinto for amazing views of the valley below. Then, hear tales of the town’s famous celebrity residents, past and present, and of the city’s colorful past on an orientation tour.

Breakfast

Dinner

Day 6 PALM SPRINGS. EXCURSION TO JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK

Adventure awaits today in the Mojave Desert as we explore the fascinating landscape of JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK. The park contains more than 700,000 acres, two deserts, two ecosystems. This unique habitat is also home to the ancient Joshua trees; twisted, spiky trees that oddly soar in all directions skyward. See the park on a JEEP TOUR and learn about the area’s rich history, as well as the geology, flora, and fauna of the California desert. Return to Palm Springs, where the remainder of the day is yours. Relax by your hotel’s pool, stroll the Palm Springs Walk of Fame, or join the locals at the popular VillageFest, offering more than 200 booths of beautiful art, handcrafted items, and unique food.

Breakfast

Day 7 PALM SPRINGS–BARSTOW–DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK

Leave the desert oasis of Palm Springs and travel to Barstow, located on the famed Route 66. Take a step back in time with a visit to the ROUTE 66 MOTHER ROAD MUSEUM, home to vintage cars, signs, photos, and other memorabilia. Continue to DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK, an International Dark Sky Park, the hottest and driest place on earth, and the lowest elevation in North America. Spend the next two nights at the energetic resort, the Ranch at Death Valley.

SPECIAL FEATURE: The Ranch at Death Valley sits in the middle of Death Valley National Park providing visitors an oasis from the surrounding desert. This former working ranch has been thoughtfully transformed into a classic mid-century resort with sprawling lawns, natural springs, towering date palms, and even a spring-fed pool to enhance the experience of this historic gem.

Breakfast

Day 8 DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK

Spend a full day exploring the wonders of Death Valley. Visit Badwater Basin, the lowest point in North America (282 feet below sea level) and home to a surreal landscape of vast salt flats. At Stovepipe Wells, witness the ripples and patterns of the breathtaking sand dunes that rise 100 feet above the Mesquite Flat. After dinner this evening, enjoy a STARGAZING PROGRAM with a local expert. Due to its vast area and absence of man-made light, Death Valley National Park is the world’s largest International Dark Sky Park and one of the best places to star gaze. Stand in awe as daylight fades and the planets, stars, and constellations come into view.

Breakfast

Dinner

Day 9 DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK–ASH MEADOWS NATIONAL REFUGE–LAS VEGAS

A morning stop is made at ASH MEADOWS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, a desert oasis with a rare and unique ecosystem. The refuge is home to nearly 30 species of plants and animals that do not exist anywhere else on earth, including desert fish that have existed since the time of the mammoths. Stroll the boardwalks and learn about the early pioneers and the mysterious Devils Hole. Continue on to the bright lights of Las Vegas for a brief orientation tour. Your Tour Director hosts a festive farewell dinner this evening—the perfect ending to your vacation.

Breakfast

Dinner

Day 10 LAS VEGAS

The tour ends today with guests departing on individual schedules.

Breakfast

Accommodations

Optional Excursions

No matter what you’re into: food, wine, history, art, music or anything else, we give you the freedom to personalize your vacation with optional excursions that speak to your interests.

When you book your excursions with us, you can be assured that every optional excursion that we offer coordinates with the free time that you'll have in your destination, so you'll never have conflicts between included and optional activities. Our team of travel experts carefully selects each optional excursion that we offer to ensure that you receive the highest quality at a great value. Our tried-and-true partners have a finger on the pulse of the city in which they operate so they deliver the very best experiences. We offer experiences you cannot create on your own and because you’re booking with us, we coordinate all your transportation and timing needs.

The following optional excursions are examples only for this vacation. These may or may not be offered, and availability is subject to days of operation and seasonality. Please select a departure date to view optional excursions and pricing for a specific date (due to currency fluctuation, pricing shown is subject to change until purchased). Optional excursions are available for purchase on our MyGlobus site 90 days prior to the tour start date.

Price Ranges

$ ($50 USD and under)
$$ ($51 - $100 USD)
$$$ ($101 - $150 USD)
$$$$ (Over $150)

San Diego

Cruising the waters of San Diego Harbor

The sights and soul of San Diego come to life on this cruise around beautiful San Diego Harbor!

Price Range: $

* The "Starting at" or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per passenger based on double occupancy and does not include International airfare; additional fees/charges are not included. If a price is crossed out, the new price shown includes a limited time promotional offer(s) – please review current promotions or deals for additional information. Some tours require intra-vacation flights (and in some cases intra-vacation segments must be purchased from Globus).