Southern California, Vegas & the Grand Canyon

Fly to California's largest city, Los Angeles, where you’ll be welcomed by your tour manager and driven to your hotel in Buena Park.  

Your American adventure kicks off with a day discovering palm-fringed Santa Monica and its famous pier that marks the end of Route 66. This fashionable coastal city, west of downtown Los Angeles, looks out over the Pacific Ocean and is home to striking Art Deco architecture and an assortment of boutique shops and art galleries.  

Start by taking a walk along the pier, a historic landmark that is over 100 years old and features an amusement park with a solar-powered Ferris wheel, an aquarium, and various restaurants. Stretching out on either side of the pier is Santa Monica State Beach, a sandy stretch, lined with a boardwalk that is often referred to as ‘The Strand’.  

Take a seat in a beachfront café to watch as the local residents jog, cycle, and skate past before heading to the Third Street Promenade, a car-free outdoor mall with colourful street art, street performers, and restaurants. 

From here, the tour will drive to nearby Hollywood, the iconic hub of the entertainment industry. Watched over by the Hollywood sign on Mount Lee in the Hollywood Hills, this neighbourhood is where you can find several renowned landmarks.   

Chart the history of the city’s film industry along the Hollywood Walk of Fame, see the TCL Chinese Theatre, with its handprints and footprints of the big names, and visit the Hollywood & Highland shopping and entertainment complex. You can also view the Hollywood Bowl, a celebrated amphitheatre, the Capitol Records Building, and the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, where many stars are buried. Lastly, pass along the Sunset Strip in Sunset Boulevard with its legendary rock clubs and celebrity haunts.  

Leaving the ‘City of Angels’ behind this morning, you’ll travel through the Mojave Desert, a sprawling expanse of basins and sand dunes.  

In the heart of this desert, the electrifying entertainment capital of the world is situated, Las Vegas. Check into your hotel here, located just a short way from Las Vegas Boulevard ‘The Strip’, an illuminated track of notable casinos, opulent clubs, and impressive hotels.  

This evening will be free to soak up the atmosphere and explore the first-class restaurants and resort attractions, and perhaps opt for a helicopter flight over the city. From a bird’s eye view, you can watch as the city comes alive below with flashing neon lights and dazzling structures, including the Bellagio Fountains, the distinctive Luxor Pyramid, and the replica of the Eiffel Tower at the Paris Las Vegas.  

Today, Las Vegas is yours for discovering, and making your way to ‘The Strip’ is the perfect place to start. You can wander past the themed hotels and elaborate architecture, enjoy shopping at the Forum Shops or Miracle Mile, and see some of the top attractions, like the Neon Museum or the Mob Museum, or even experience a gondola ride at The Venetian. Those eager to try their luck can visit one of the many famed, iconic casinos, including the Bellagio, MGM Grand and Caesars Palace.  

You can also schedule some poolside relaxation back at the hotel and take advantage of its array of entertainment and dining options, too. As night falls, there is an opportunity to see the award-winning tribute show, ‘The Rat Pack is Back’. Celebrating the legendary Rat Pack, this tribute band highlights the music of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr, and this production covers classic songs with a live band in a nostalgic setting. 

Once you’ve checked out of the hotel, you’ll drive past Hoover Dam, which is situated on the border between Nevada and Arizona. Originally constructed during the Great Depression in 1931, this immense concrete arch-gravity dam was designed to control flooding and provide a reliable water supply.  

The coach will then continue onto old Route 66, the famous mother road, and call at Seligman, an old staging town in Arizona. Previously serving as a popular rest stop for refuelling travellers in the mid-20th century, Seligman has a charming, well-preserved downtown area with classic diners, vintage buildings, like a general store and gas station, and Route-66 signage and souvenirs  

Later in the day, you’ll arrive in Flagstaff, nestled in the shadows of the San Francisco Peaks, and check into your hotel. This town is an outdoor enthusiast’s paradise and an ideal location for stargazing.    

This will be another day for the wish-list, as you’ll journey to the breath-taking Grand Canyon, one of the world’s most famous natural wonders. You’ll enter the Grand Canyon National Park and stand on the edge of this immense chasm, which has been shaped by the Colorado River for millions of years. Observe the multi-coloured layers of rocks, visit some of the vantage points along the South Rim and learn about the diverse range of wildlife that inhabits the area.   

If you’d like to view this spectacle from above, a once-in-a-lifetime optional helicopter ride is available. Soaring over the top of the canyon allows you to marvel at the almost incomprehensible vastness of it all.  

You’ll travel back through desert scenery today and journey towards Coachella Valley in Southern California to Palm Springs. This city is surrounded by the Sonoran Desert, and known for its hot springs, resort hotels, and golf courses. Palm Springs also boasts one of the largest concentrations of mid-century modern architecture in the world.  

A resort just a short walk from the downtown area is where you’ll be based for the next three nights.  

A day of leisure awaits, and you can choose to relax at the resort, perhaps taking advantage of the swimming pool and spa facilities. Alternatively, you can venture to the quirky downtown area and wander along Palm Canyon Drive, fringed with art galleries, speciality shops, and vintage boutiques. In the surrounding neighbourhoods, lavish celebrity residences include the former homes of Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra as well as the house where Elvis Presley spent his honeymoon, which can be viewed from the outside.  

To explore further, an optional ride on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway takes you from the desert floor to the summit of Mt. San Jacinto Canyon. This tramway operates one of the world’s largest rotating tram cars, which slowly turns as you travel, ensuring views of the Chino Canyon and valley below. The journey is approximately 10 minutes, and once you reach the mountain station, you can admire the beautiful views from observation decks, and visit the natural history museum, gift shop, and two restaurants. 

Enjoy a full day visit to San Diego. With its Pacific Coast location, this laid-back city offers unspoilt beaches, lush parks, and a collection of art galleries and museums.

A highlight of this excursion includes the historic Santa Fe Railroad Depot, a train station and architectural landmark in the city, reflecting the Spanish and Mexican heritage of Southern California. The Gaslamp District, a notable downtown area, is another must-see, boasting restored Victorian-era structures, boutique stores, and stylish cocktail bars. Across the Bay Bridge, Coronado Island is home to the Hotel del Coronado, where Edward VIII first met Mrs Simpson and Marilyn Monroe filmed 'Some Like it Hot'.

After checking out of your hotel in Palm Springs, you’ll board the coach for the return journey to Los Angeles and the overnight flight home.  

Arrive back in the UK, this morning, at the end of an exciting West Coast USA adventure.