Nevada to the West Coast Wineries and National Parks

Welcome to Las Vegas. Individual transfer from airport to hotel, Hotel Golden Nugget or similar 3 star

Meals:  B

Your Guide will welcome you at the hotel. We start by exploring the famous Las Vegas Strip by foot. In the early afternoon we are heading out to reach Death Valley National Park. Our hotel is in the heart of the national park, complete with its own hot spring pool! In the soft evening light, we explore Zabriske Point and the salt flats at Badwater. Marvel at the immense dark skies and the milky way above. We might see a coyote walking over the dunes and howling at the moon. Maybe you want to enjoy a swim in the hot spring fed pool at your hotel. Overnight at The Ranch at Death Valley or similar 3 star. Drive time: 141 mi/ 2 hours

Meals:  B,L

This morning we wake up at Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park. After a leisurely breakfast we’ll take some time to explore Death Valley. Popular stopping points include the Harmony Borax Works, the Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Stovepipe Wells, and the seldom visited Mosaic Canyon. We’ll exit the park through Panamint Springs and make way towards the lush mountains and forests of central California. This evening we’ll find ourselves just outside the gateway town to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks which we’ll visit the next morning. Comfort Suites Visalia or similar 2 star Drive time: 315 mi / 5 ½ hours

Meals:  B,L

From Visalia we’ll depart towards our next national parks following breakfast. The winding Sierra Drive takes us through the small town of Three Rivers and rapidly engulfs us with the Old Growth Redwood Forests. A stop at the Sequoia National Park sign will be our welcome to this trip’s second National Park before embarking on the Generals Highway. There are more points of interest worth stopping at in Sequoia NP than a lifetime could afford, so our guide will navigate us to the most stellar of highlights. The General Sherman Tree, King’s Canyon Overlook, the Lost Grove, and the Big Stump grove will be among the stops as we weave through the park. We’ll exit the in the afternoon, drive through Fresno, Oakhurst, and eventually come to rest for the evening inside Yosemite National Park at Curry Village tent cabins. Drive time: 240 miles/ 4 hours

Meals:  B,L

Wakeup surrounded by granite domed walls in the one and only Yosemite Valley. Breakfast with the group will be early to facilitate an entire day wandering about the park. We’ll spend the morning doing leisurely walks around the valley floor. Plenty of opportunities for photos and self directed strolls. Stop at the backpacker’s campground, lay on your back, and take in the views of Yosemite Falls and Half Dome, then take a swim in a calm river eddy as the sun goes down.

Meals:  B,L

A transfer from Yosemite to the Napa Valley will include seeing a part of Yosemite we haven’t yet visited. Exiting through Big Oak Flat Road will allow us to look back on the valley from a vantage new to us. We’ll pass Tuolumne Grove and Groveland on our way to Napa. We’ll visit a winery for an included tasting before settling in at our hotel for the evening. Napa Winery Inn or similar 3 star. Drive time: 175 mi /3 ½ hours

Meals:  B,L

Sleep in this morning after a full week of heavy travel. Eat breakfast at your leisure then take a walk around Napa. At 10am we’ll hop on the wine trolley where we’ll commence a tour of numerous wineries and sample the region’s best product, finishing the night with an included dinner at a local restaurant. We’ll return to the hotel post-dinner

Meals:  B,L,D

Today we’ll make way to San Francisco over The Golden Gate Bridge. We’ll stop on both sides of the bridge and look over Alcatraz Island which we’ll be visiting in the afternoon. Your guide will give you a lay of the San Fran landscape to explore on your own the following day. After the Alcatraz tour this afternoon, return to the hotel, or stay out to enjoy a SF dinner. Hotel Caza or similar 3 star, 2 nights Drive time: 70 miles / 2 hour

Meals:  B,L

Today is entirely self-directed. The presidio of SF, Golden Gate Park, Union Square, Chinatown, Fisherman’s wharf, and the Embarcadero are favorites of locals and visitors alike. See the painted ladies and the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood if there’s any time left in your day

Meals:  B,L

Today we depart San Francisco and make our way along the coast to Paso Robles, another favorite for California’s wine afficionados. Before tonight’s arrival, we’ll make several stops at notable CA coastal cities. Driving between the ocean and the redwoods, we’ll pass Half Moon Bay on our way Santa Cruz where we’ll take our first break from driving. Grab a coffee on the pier and get some sand between your toes before we head around the bay to Monterey. Have some lunch, stroll around the downtown neighborhood, then hop back in the van as we cruise up to Paso Robles where we settle in for the night. Paso Robles Inn 3 star Drive time: 215 miles / 4 hours

Meals:  B,L

From Paso Robles to Los Angeles we’ll have many more stops to make along the shore. We’ll hit the coast at Pismo Beach then again at Gaviola Beach where highway one and the 101 meet. We’ll make a stop in Santa Barbara to stretch the legs, eat lunch, and explore the downtown; then we’ll cruise over to Ventura, drive through Malibu, and see the pacific Palisades from the coast. Once we arrive in Santa Monica we’ll turn inland towards Los Angeles proper. Before arriving at the hotel for the night we’ll drive through Beverly Hills for some celebrity spotting. Get to bed early tonight because tomorrow will be a long but fruitful day on Catalina Island. Miyako Hotel or similar 3 star, 3 nights Drive time: 250 miles / 4 ½ hours

Meals:  B,L

The early bird gets the worm today, so we’ll aim to be in Long Beach for the boat to Catalina Island by 7:30am. The boat ride is about an hour, so you’ll have time to review the day’s options and itinerary while you sip a cup of jo on the water. Catch breakfast with the group once we touch down in Avalon then spread out to see the island however you’d prefer. Some like to see it via Zip-line, others via jeep tour. After the morning activity, grab some lunch in the historic downtown before heading out for a second activity. Some enjoy a glass-bottom boat, a drink on the beach, a relaxing hour or two at the spa, or a stroll through the botanical garden. Whatever it is that you do, don’t miss the boat back at 7:30pm!

Meals:  B,L

Today is our last full day as a group. From the hotel, we’ll drive around LA from Rodeo Drive, Hollywood, the Walk of Fame, and Melrose Ave. In the afternoon we’ll head to Venice beach, Manhattan Beach, and finally the Santa Monica Pier. Farewell dinner included. Drive time: 70 miles / 2 hours

Meals:  B,L,D

After breakfast, this amazing trip concludes and you will continue to your forward arrangements independently.

Meals:  B