America's Golden West, Las Vegas & San Francisco - Extended Stay

Fly to Los Angeles this morning and transfer to your hotel for the next two nights in Buena Park.

Head north today for a visit to Santa Monica with its famous pier, which marks the end of Route 66. It's a trendy city with plenty of Art Deco heritage and a wealth of boutiques to explore. Continue to Hollywood Boulevard, where you’ll enjoy a brief tour of the star-studded streets. Be sure to see the TCL Chinese Theatre and chart the history of the city's film industry along the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Don't forget to take a picture of the unmistakable Hollywood sign! 

Discover the laid-back Southern California city of San Diego on today's full-day excursion. Highlights include the historic Santa Fe Railroad Depot and the Gaslamp District. Across the Bay Bridge, Coronado Island is home to the Hotel del Coronado, where, according to local legend, Edward VIII first met Mrs Simpson and Marilyn Monroe filmed 'Some Like it Hot'.  

From here, you’ll travel to the millionaires’ playground of Palm Springs, with its grand collection of architecture. After checking into your hotel, make the most of the rest of the day with time to explore downtown’s palm-fringed streets. Once home of the late Bob Hope and still a haunt of a host of Hollywood stars, Palm Springs exudes mid-century charm and promises fascinating sights at every turn.   

Cross the desert and travel to Williams, once a Route 66 staging post and now a quintessential western town handy for the Grand Canyon, where you’ll spend the next two nights.  

Venture out for one of your trip’s undeniable highlights today with a journey into the breathtaking Grand Canyon, one of the world’s best-known natural wonders, which has been shaped by the Colorado River for millions of years. You’ll enter the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park near the Mather Point lookout, which offers truly unforgettable views over the immense chasm below.    

You’ll observe multi-coloured layers of rock, visit some of the region’s finest vantage points and learn about the diverse range of wildlife that inhabits the area. As the day goes by, watch the canyon’s rock change colour as the sun moves across the sky.   

If you’re feeling daring, you can also enjoy the expansive red-rock landscapes from the open skies with an extraordinary optional helicopter ride. Soaring over the top of the canyon allows you to marvel at the almost incomprehensible vastness of it all.   

This evening, return to Williams for a second night.  

Today's journey takes you to Las Vegas, for a three-night stay in the ‘Entertainment Capital of the World’. Spend your first evening soaking up the energetic atmosphere of this extraordinary, man-made, 24-hour entertainment oasis.  

See the spectacular hotels, casinos and show lounges, home to some of the biggest names in show business.   

Today, you’ll be free to make the most of the Las Vegas Strip and its colourful array of highlights and entertainment venues. Enjoy a walk, perhaps with a drink or two on the way, along downtown Fremont Street or take a short taxi ride to the mega-resorts on the Strip. Soak up the energy of the Vegas’ electrifying main thoroughfare and try your luck in one of the many casinos. Later, you can choose to relax by the pool, arrange to be pampered in a spa, or enjoy a spot of retail therapy at one of the nearby malls.   

This evening, don’t miss an opportunity to see the city by night on an optional Vegas Helicopter Flight over the Strip for an incredible 10 minutes, soaring high above the neon landscapes including Bellagio and Caesars Palace.

It’s another free day in Nevada and you can enjoy more of the gaming rooms, vast shopping malls, diverse entertainments and endless dining opportunities of the Strip and Downtown.  

Later tonight, you’ll have the chance to take a trip back in time with the acclaimed and optional ‘The Rat Pack is Back’ show. Enjoy dinner and live entertainment as the Tuscany Suites plays host to a recreation of the Sands show room for the fascinating tribute to the unforgettable sounds of Frank, Sammy and Dean. 

Bid Vegas farewell today and head west across the vast, dry wilderness of the Mojave Desert, entering the lush California’s Central Valley for an overnight stay in small-town Visalia.

Today, explore one of North America’s most impressive natural wonders - the magnificent Yosemite National Park. With spectacular mountain landscapes and dramatic waterfalls, Yosemite showcases its own distinctive version of America’s Great Outdoors.   

The first of many remarkable sights you might see today is the park’s unmistakable granite peak, Half Dome, one of Yosemite’s most famous rock features. Next will be the imposing El Capitan. This glorious granite monolith is a relic of the Cretaceous period, and at more than 900 metres tall, it towers over the surrounding valleys.  

Take a break on the valley floor, surrounded by mountain peaks and dense woodland, before heading off to Merced for an overnight stay.   

Head for the Californian coast today, visiting exquisite Carmel-by-the-Sea and the fishing town of Monterey, both linked by 17-Mile Drive on the shore of the Pacific Ocean.  

Continue to delightful San Francisco, the ‘Golden Gate City’, for a five-night stay.

This morning marks the first of three full days at leisure in colourful San Francisco, and you’ll be free to spend your time however you see fit. If you’d prefer to unwind, the city’s glorious green spaces, from the panoramic Twin Peaks area to Golden Gate Park, are the perfect choice. 

If you’d prefer, you can see the city under guidance with this morning's optional guided tour. Start the day at Union Square and stylish Nob Hill, before crossing the ever-photogenic Golden Gate Bridge to the bayside artists' town of Sausalito. Take the ferry back to the city, and enjoy unrestricted views of the infamous prison island, Alcatraz, en route. 

Alternatively, you’ll have the chance to set sail on an optional 90-minute sightseeing cruise across San Francisco’s Golden Gate Strait for unobstructed views of the Pacific Coast’s most recognisable sights. Start at Fisherman’s Wharf, and pass Alcatraz Island, Coit Tower and the Ferry Building on San Francisco’s waterfront. Other highlights include the Palace of Fine Arts, the Transamerica Pyramid, and the Salesforce Tower, and you’ll see them all with an audio guide. The cruise will then pass directly beneath the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge towards the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. 

After a busy day’s sightseeing in San Francisco, enjoy a well-earned rest with the evening at leisure.   

Wake up to the sights and sounds of San Francisco and spend the rest of the day however you see fit.  

If you’d like to continue your exploration, the city’s waterfront is a great choice and offers a wide variety of attractions that you can discover at leisure. Pier 39 is a particular highlight, with its renowned seafood restaurants, aquarium and resident sea lions, which can be seen from the harbour. Also of interest is Fisherman’s Wharf, and you can return to see more of the area’s waterfront attractions.  

If California’s cultural highlights are on your mind, the Palace of Fine Arts, overlooking the Presidio of San Francisco and Golden Gate Bridge, and the de Young Museum are ideal choices. 

Enjoy a laid-back morning and head out for another full day under your own steam. If you haven’t already, why not visit the Painted Ladies? This collection of pastel-coloured Victorian houses shows just how much the city has evolved over the centuries and is across the road from charming Alamo Square Park, a great spot for a relaxing stroll.

It’s your final day in San Francisco, and this’ll be the perfect opportunity to tick off any remaining wish-list experiences on your American itinerary. 

This morning, you'll have a few final hours to explore San Francisco, perhaps heading to the city’s botanical gardens, or Haight-Ashbury. Alternatively, take the cable car down to the bustle of Union Square or enjoy some retail therapy in nearby Market Street.  

Later, continue to the airport by private taxi transfer for your overnight flight home. 

Touch down in the UK and head home.