Best of the West

You’ll be the envy of all your friends today as you travel to the airport for your flight to Los Angeles. When you arrive in this bustling metropolis, we’ll take you straight to your hotel, where a two-night stay gives you plenty of time to explore.
This evening, your Holiday Director will host a welcome drink and explain more about the exciting adventure ahead.

You're going to experience the excitement and glamour of LA this morning on your included tour. Highlights include Hollywood and Grauman's Chinese Theatre, where you'll see celebrity handprints, footprints and autographs etched into the concrete. We’ll also see Sunset Strip and visit Beverly Hills, home of the rich and famous. There's time to explore at your own pace this afternoon or simply relax with a refreshing drink in one of the bars or restaurants not too far from the hotel.
If you’re raring to go and would like to continue sightseeing, you can take an optional drive on the famous Route 66 to Santa Monica, a trendy, vibrant yet relaxing beach resort overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Stroll the famous wooden pier lined with food stalls and fairground rides and browse the boutiques along Third Street Promenade.

You’ve free time this morning to relax at your hotel or explore more of LA at your own pace. If you have always dreamed of visiting Universal Studios, that's where our optional excursion is headed. This thrilling theme park is packed with movie memorabilia, big rides, and exciting attractions. What will you do first? Join the World-Famous Studio Tour and get a behind-the-scenes view of a movie set or immerse yourself in The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™.
This afternoon, we're off to our next base, the seaport of San Diego. Your Holiday Director will be able to recommend a selection of restaurants if you want to head out for dinner this evening.

You can soak up the sights of this Spanish-influenced city on an included morning tour. Then the rest of the day is all yours to see more as you wish. You might be tempted to join an optional cruise around San Diego Bay or spend time exploring the historic Gaslamp Quarter, with its tempting array of shops and restaurants. Another possibility is Balboa Park, a vast area of green space, museums and places dedicated to the performing arts. If that’s not enough, there’s also the Maritime Museum.

Today we'll leave California on a drive that takes us through a spectacular desert landscape filled with distinctive, tree-like Saguaro cactus plants. We’re heading into Arizona and will make our way to the town of Prescott. At over 1,500 metres above sea level, this former Wild-West town is set amongst evergreen forests and shimmering lakes.
Whiskey Row is one of downtown Prescott’s most famous attractions. Named because of its many saloons and watering holes, much of the area was destroyed by fire in July 1900. It was rebuilt in the years that followed and today, Whiskey Row houses an eclectic collection of bars, boutiques, galleries, and restaurants. Tonight, why not experience its vibe, you could and even choose to dine in a cowboy-style saloon bar once frequented by notorious gamblers Doc Holiday and Wyatt Earp.

We take to the road again today, driving into Northern Arizona. We'll make a stop at the township of Sedona, known for its vibrant arts community. Enjoy some time at leisure to discover the many galleries and public art installations before having a bite to eat if you are feeling hungry. You might also choose to join an optional Jeep ride into the spectacular red-rock landscape surrounding the town. During this fun and unique experience, your entertaining guide will point out an array of stunning rock formations and share stories about Sedona and its history. Our final destination today is the former Wild West town of Flagstaff. Flagstaff is known as the worlds first International Dark Sky City and this evening you will have the chance to visit the Lowell Observatory, where Pluto was discovered. Enjoy stargazing using the six advance telescopes on the open air observatory deck, and time to explore the campus.

This is the day that you visit one of the world's most iconic natural wonders, the Grand Canyon, a must-see on any traveller's list. We’ll head to the South Rim, where nothing can prepare you for this awe-inspiring sight carved by the Colorado River. You’ll have plenty of free time to take in the incredible views and for a truly unforgettable experience, why not admire the spectacular 14-mile-wide gorge from the air on an optional helicopter flight.
You’ll also want to explore the picturesque Grand Canyon Historic Village and learn how the arrival of the first steam train in 1901 transformed this remote area into a bustling tourist destination. Amidst well-preserved, historic buildings you can step back in time and imagine what life was like for the Grand Canyon’s very first visitors.

You're going to travel on the legendary Route 66 today, westwards to the neon-lit city of Las Vegas. On the way, we're going to pass the mighty Hoover Dam. A feat of 20th-century construction, it was built to harness and control the power of the Colorado River.
When we arrive at our hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, you are free to relax and explore at leisure. If you want to be dazzled, join an optional Las Vegas by night tour to get your bearings and take in the lights and sights of this spectacular desert city.

Las Vegas is yours to discover today, so why not start with a stroll down the famous Strip. As you dip into the themed hotels lining it, you'll find a host of attractions. There are casinos, of course, shopping malls, aquariums, and you can even take a gondola ride on Vegas' very own 'Grand Canal'! The city also has roller coasters and ziplines for thrill seekers, museums aplenty and shows galore – you really will be spoilt for choice!
Whatever you decide to do today, be sure to make time for the fabulous Bellagio water show, an incredible spectacle featuring more than a thousand fountains dancing to music and soaring into the air.

On today's journey back to California, the Golden State, we'll drive through the rugged and scenic Mojave Desert, the driest in North America. We'll continue through California's fertile Central Valley filled with orchards, vineyards and farms to Selma, our base for this evening. Your Hotel Director will be able to recommend some options if you want to dine out this evening.

Travelling north, today you're going to visit the vast Yosemite National Park. With its abundance of waterfalls, lakes and dramatic mountain peaks it's a wonderful place to explore and you’ll have free time to make your own discoveries. You could perhaps take a short stroll to see Yosemite Falls, one of the world’s tallest waterfalls, or go for a riverside walk, keeping your eyes peeled for wildlife. There’s time to enjoy lunch in the park if you wish, before we travel on to San Francisco.

Your morning tour of San Francisco begins as you cross the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. You'll then take in wonderful views from the city's Twin Peaks and visit landmarks including Golden Gate Park and Chinatown. In the afternoon you can set your own pace. If you want to shop, there's a branch of Macy's that's a whole block in size, and the famous cable cars are a great way to get around. You could explore Fisherman’s Wharf and see the hundreds of sea lions at PIER 39 or learn about the city’s history in one of its many museums. San Francisco Bay is at your feet too, so joining our optional cruise is another great idea. You’ll enjoy superb views of the city’s skyline and magnificent bridges, then circle the infamous Alcatraz Island.
The city offers a sparkling and cosmopolitan nightlife, and this evening we will get together and enjoy a three-course dinner in a restaurant by the waterfront in Fisherman's Wharf.

Enjoy the final few hours of your holiday at leisure in San Francisco. Later we’ll drive to the airport and check in for our flight to the UK.

After an overnight flight, you will arrive home today.