Grand Southern
Grand Southern
Grand Southern
21 Days Starting in Miami, FL, USA and ending in Los Angeles, CA, USA
Visiting: Miami, Orlando, Panama City Beach, New Orleans, Memphis, Dallas, Amarillo, Santa Fe, Durango, Oljato-Monument Valley, Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Los Angeles
Tour operator:
Tour code:
GRMIM18
Specialist Group:
18-30 Somethings
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
0 - 54
Physical rating:
Low
Age range:
18-35
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians, Please contact Contiki with specific dietary requirements
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
From:
$4825
$3896 (USD)
Operator discount: -$724
The Big ADVENTURE Sale: -$205
-19%
Tour Overview
Travel through the USA doesn't get any grander than this. This sprawling adventure takes you from the sun-soaked city of Miami, through the smooth jazz and intoxicating charm of New Orleans, the gob-smacking Grand Canyon, and ends in the hotspot city of Los Angeles. Welcome to the Great American Road Trip - the open road has never felt so good.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Start Miami
Location: Miami
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Catalina Hotel (or similar)
Meals Included: Dinner
Welcome to Miami, with its sprawling beaches, art-deco masterpieces, tropical charms and buzzing party scenes. If you want to soak up a little local culture, head downtown and hit the Bayside Marketplace. Ever wanted learn to salsa? There's no better way to bond with your new crew.
Day 2 : Miami
Location: Miami
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Catalina Hotel (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
The day is ours to explore sun-soaked Miami. For anyone looking for an adrenaline rush, the option is there for a Thriller Speedboat across the bay. Options for a bike down the beach or kayaking are on the cards for anyone looking for a more relaxed adventure.
Day 3 : Miami To Orlando
Location: Miami, Orlando
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Grand Hotel Orlando (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
Another slightly cleaner type of fun awaits us today - Orlando, the home to more than a dozen theme parks and belly screams a-plenty.Â
Orlando was once a farming town but has since undergone a transformation into the most visited place in Florida. It is now home to the happiest place on earth, Disney World. Walt Disney’s imagination was instrumental in turning this place into the fun, fantasy and amusement-loving spot that it is today.
Day 4 : Orlando
Location: Orlando
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Grand Hotel Orlando (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today is your opportunity to visit the epic Universal Studios, where you can visit Diagon Alley, splash around in the vast water park or visit the islands of adventure. There's something for everyone in this dizzying spectacle of rides, film and entertainment.
Day 5 : Orlando To Panama City Beach
Location: Orlando, Panama City Beach
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Sleep Inn & Suites (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
You can leave your Mickey ears on, but we're on the move again today, this time westward. We'll be turning the clocks back an hour as we journey to Tallahassee, which means an extra hour in Florida's vibrant capital.Â
Tonight we'll settle in at one of "The World's Most Beautiful Beaches" - Panama City Beach, testing out the hype with a dip in the clear blue waters.
Day 6 : Panama City Beach To New Orleans
Location: Panama City Beach, New Orleans
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: La Quinta Inn and Suites New Orleans Downtown (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
Tear yourself away from the beach - a feast of music, food and culture awaits!
A melting pot of French & Caribbean infusions, New Orleans will steal our hearts as soon as we arrive. We'll kick off the festivities today with a wander through the French quarter, jamming in Jackson Square before sampling beignets & marveling at pre-war mansions, all to the sweet sounds of Southern jazz, of course.
Day 7 : New Orleans
Location: New Orleans
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: La Quinta Inn and Suites New Orleans Downtown (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
Now that you know New Orleans like one of the locals, it's your day to do your own thing. Stroll down Frenchmen street for the sounds of jazz and funk, head to the vast grassy oasis of the city park or check out the New Orleans museum of art for an extensive collection of gorgeous French masterpieces. Our recommendation? Experience New Orleans with your own Airboat adventure.
Day 8 : New Orleans To Memphis
Location: New Orleans, Memphis
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Crowne Plaza Memphis Downtown (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
Leaving New Orleans won't be easy, but we're heading to somewhere with an equally meaty musical heritage.
We'll get a city orientation of musical Memphis this afternoon, with a whole day of sightseeing awaiting us tomorrow.
Day 9 : Memphis
Location: Memphis
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Crowne Plaza Memphis Downtown (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today's the day to get into the history of music your way. We'll start with a visit to Sun Studios where Elvis recorded his very first song. Want more? Why not check out Graceland, the home of the King, or the Rock and Soul Museum.
Day 10 : Memphis To Dallas
Location: Memphis, Dallas
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Holiday Inn Express & Suites Fort Worth Downtown (or Similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Swinging past Little Rock High School, a historic site of the Civil Rights movement, we'll head to Dallas.
Here in the land of leather boots & Cadillacs, you'll soon learn that ‘bigger is better' is a way of life. An overnight stay in the cowboy town of Fort Worth will give you the full Texan experience.
Day 11 : Dallas
Location: Dallas
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Holiday Inn Express & Suites Fort Worth Downtown (or Similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today we'll dive deep into the Texan way of life. We'll visit the Dealey Plaza and have options to tour the iconic home of the Dallas Cowboys or see the 6th floor museum.
Day 12 : Dallas To Amarillo
Location: Dallas, Amarillo
Accommodation Name: Big Texan Inn (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Is this the way to Amarillo? It certainly is, and it's one picturesque drive across Texas.
Sweet Marie might not be waiting for you but hey, you have a Contiki crew to explore with now.
Day 13 : Amarillo To Santa Fe
Location: Amarillo, Santa Fe
Accommodation: Lodge
Accommodation Name: The Lodge at Santa Fe (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
After a morning Cadillac ranch visit, we'll say farewell to Amarillo (and sweet Marie) today as we head towards another southern icon.
Santa Fe calls, a city rich with Native American and Hispanic influences. When the mood strikes, we can refuel with some enchiladas.
Day 14 : Santa Fe To Durango
Location: Santa Fe, Durango
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Days Inn by Wyndham (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
Rise and shine, it’s Hot Air Balloon Ride time! Get ready for tremendous views of the Santa Fe sunrise. Then its onwards to Durango.
Welcome to Colorado's adventure capital! This historic mining town is packed with gorgeous scenery, buzzing nightlife and excellent eateries.
Day 15 : Durango To The Grand Canyon
Location: Durango, Oljato-Monument Valley, Grand Canyon
Accommodation: Lodge
Accommodation Name: Red Feather Lodge (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
Bidding farewell to Durango, We'll journey past the ‘Wild West' landscapes to...
...this monumental place has an iconic cluster of sandstone buttes, and we'll get a chance to visit the Monument Valley Tribal park as we wind our way through the Rocky Mountains.
Finally our journey takes us to the showstopper: The Grand Canyon National Park (entrance included, naturally)
Day 16 : The Grand Canyon
Location: Grand Canyon
Accommodation: Lodge
Accommodation Name: Red Feather Lodge (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
You will be contemplating life, existence, and the immense size of the Grand Canyon with a free day to spend in Grand Canyon National Park. You can spend your day feeling a part of the wilderness as you go hiking through the exposed rock, but by far the most spine tingling experience at this natural wonder is one of our optional chopper rides through the UNESCO World Heritage site. Indulgent sure, but one of those life moments you deserve to treat yourself to. Tonight settle in to watch the sunset on the rim - the image with plaster a wide grin on your face for years to come.
Day 17 : The Grand Canyon To Las Vegas
Location: Grand Canyon, Las Vegas
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Tropicana Hotel (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
With the timeless beauty of the Grand Canyon imprinted in our brains forever, we'll swap hiking boots for dancing shoes as we pull up in Sin City via the historic Route 66.
Following the legendary Route 66, we stop off for a souvenir hunt in the old historical town of Seligman. You’ll be transported back to the 1940s while you stroll past the original facades of shops and motels.
We've reached the one and only Sin City. Upon arrival we'll cruise the iconic strip & check out the Vegas sign. Feeling romantic? Stop by and see one of the many Elvis impersonators for a shotgun wedding ceremony, and maybe even get hitched yourself...(joking).Tonight, choose to hang out around Fremont Street or opt for a VIP nightclub experience for the kind of glitzy night out that only Vegas can provide.
Day 18 : Las Vegas
Location: Las Vegas
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Tropicana Hotel (or similar)
Meals Included: No Meals
You're in Vegas, baby! And the city's weird & wonderful charm isn't going to uncover itself. Experience the grandeur of the city's opulent casinos as we stroll down the strip and dance the night away, this is the perfect way to bond with your Contiki family, Vegas style.
Day 19 : Las Vegas To Los Angeles
Location: Las Vegas, Los Angeles
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Kawada Hotel (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
After partying it up in Las Vegas, we'll take the scenic route through the Mojave Desert.Â
Welcome to the City of Angels. Tonight is your chance to go and explore the city but remember to save some sights for tomorrow. Your phone will no doubt be full of Instagram worthy pics.
Day 20 : Los Angeles
Location: Los Angeles
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Kawada Hotel (or similar)
Meals Included: No Meals
The day is yours to explore the City of Angels. Opt to visit Paramount or Universal Studios and Disneyland or check out LA Live entertainment venue. The shopping goes off, so look for deals in the garment district. Visit the Grammy Museum and for the water babies among us there's an opportunity to ride the waves with the Santa Monica Surf School.
Day 21 : End Los Angeles
Location: Los Angeles
Meals Included: No Meals
Time to say goodbye to your crew. It's been a blast, but all good things must come to an end. With our sun-kissed skin and eyes on the next horizon, it's time to plan our next Contiki. Peru, anyone?
What's Included
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Accommodation
As detailed in the itinerary
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Fully Guided
Expert Trip Manager & Driver Team
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Meals
17 Breakfasts, 6 Dinners
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Transport
Coach
What's Not Included
Check out our Q&As
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Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
No, minimum age is 18
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Will passengers from another country be participating in the tour?
Yes
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Will I know the names and details of all the accommodation before I depart?
Yes
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Will there be an escort accompanying this tour?
Yes
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes
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How long has the tour company been trading?
In 1961, a guy called John Anderson founded Contiki in New Zealand. Whilst later bought by The Travel Corporation, the tour company had already been using the name ‘Contiki’ since its inception.
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Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?
Contiki trips are designed & operated exclusively for those aged 18-35 years. Your travelling companions will be like-minded adventurers within that age range. The age range is adhered to strictly.
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What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest COVID-19 policies
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® is our commitment to protect people, wildlife and the incredible planet we all share. Powered by The TreadRight Foundation, a non-profit organisation and Contiki’s guiding hand when it comes to making travel matter.
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
All documentation will be sent via email around 21 days prior to your trip departure. You can also access information on your trip by signing up to My Contiki via the top right icon of the homepage.
Reviews of this Operator
Dates & Availability
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Nov 27, 2025 - Dec 17, 2025Book with Confidence
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Contiki allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform contiki, 60 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Contiki requires a minimum deposit of 200 USD per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of contiki charges.
Up to 61 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 25% of booking price.
At 21 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 7 days before tour starts: Forfeit 75% of booking price.
At 1 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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