Best of the West

Welcome to the land where it's usually 70F or 21C degrees and sunny, southern California. Arriving today, you'll meet up with your Travel Director to get a glimpse of what's to come on your West Coast USA tour, before getting to know Los Angeles, your home for the next two nights. You'll find plenty of dining and entertainment options in Koreatown, Silver Lake, and Hollywood, all just moments away from your hotel.

Ready to get stars in your eyes? This morning's tour with your Travel Director will show you the all-out glitz and glamour of L.A. Join your fellow travellers and see the wealthy streets of Beverly Hills, drive down the iconic Sunset Boulevard, walk along the stars of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and see the Dolby Theater, home of the Academy Awards. Afterwards, we take you to beautiful Santa Monica where you'll have the afternoon free to explore your way.

We depart Los Angeles for Phoenix passing through San Gorgonio Wind Farm (one of the windiest places in the US). It features thousands of wind turbines that power the popular Coachella Valley resort towns. Passing through the resort town of Palm Springs, you will then cross the Arizona state line and catch your first glimpse of the Colorado River before entering the 'Valley of the Sun,' a region boasting 300 days of sunshine per year. Your final destination for today is Phoenix. This evening is yours to enjoy at your leisure.

Heading north out of Phoenix, today you will witness the impressive saguaro cactus in their desert habitat. As you make your way to the small town of Sedona you will notice the red rock landscape provides a stunning backdrop for artists and craftsmen alike. As one of America's best small cities for the arts and a haven for New Age enthusiasts, Sedona lives up to its reputation as an artist's hub. On your way from Sedona to Flagstaff, you will pass through the heart of Oak Creek Canyon. Located in the Coconino National Forest, it is one of the most scenic drives in all of Arizona. With red sandstone walls on one side of the road and the lush river gorge canyon on the other, you can expect an incredible panoramic view.

Start today in style with your sights firmly set on one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, the magnificent UNESCO World Heritage-listed Grand Canyon National Park. You'll learn all about the geological formation of the Grand Canyon with your Travel Director, and then it’s up to you to choose how to explore it further. Stop at the Desert View Intertribal Cultural Heritage Site to learn about local Indigenous people on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Perhaps view the Grand Canyon from above on an optional helicopter tour. Still flying high from an incredible day, you'll finish this evening in the Arizonan escape town of Flagstaff, a laid-back outpost on the historic Route 66.

Ready to get your kicks on Route 66? Today is the day to do it. This iconic road is a symbol of the American dream and has been immortalised in books and movies for years. Still to this day, Route 66 represents the ultimate American road trip and you'll get to take an unforgettable journey down a stretch of it, stopping by Seligman and Kingman en route to Vegas, two iconic outposts that offer a real taste of all things Americana, complete with classic motels, kitsch petrol pumps and steaming slices of apple pie. Finally, as if by magic, you'll slowly spot the neon lights of Las Vegas looming in the distance. This entertainment oasis is surrounded by dry desert and has a reputation almost as big as the fortune's many have made (and lost) here.

With a full day in Sin City, it's entirely up to you how to explore the entertainment capital of the world. The casinos, the all you can eat buffets, the glittering rooftop pools, the biggest names in show business - they're all here for the taking. Or if you're up for it, to help tailor your Vegas experience, we've also got a whole suite of enticing Optional Experiences lined up to help you experience a different side of Las Vegas. Head over to Hoover Dam to stand over 200 metres above the Colorado River to admire Lake Mead, it holds back the biggest man-made reservoir in the United States. Perhaps a singalong at ‘Vegas! The Show' if a show is more your style. However you choose to explore, today will be one to remember.

Leaving Las Vegas rich in memories, you'll head for the Mojave Desert this morning. As the driest desert in the United States you'd expect nothing more than barren landscape as you drive through, so prepare to be surprised as you pass lots of rare and beautiful flowers and wildlife. Admiring the dramatic Sierra Nevada mountain range and continuing into the San Joaquin Valley, you'll finish up today in the agricultural hub of Selma, CA. Often referred to as the "Raisin Capital of the World" due to its significant role in the raisin industry, Selma was founded in 1880 initially as a railroad town. You'll enjoy dinner on your own tonight where you'll certainly be chatting about what to expect from your exciting visit to Yosemite National Park tomorrow.

Awe-inspiring nature at its finest, Yosemite will challenge all other national parks you've previously visited to stake its claim as the most beautiful. The third oldest national park in the United States and a UNESCO World Heritage site, this patch of heaven is all emerald green valleys, cascading waterfalls, giant sequoia trees, and pine scented forests, framed by the iconic Half Dome and the striking peak of El Capitan. Take your time soaking it all in and exploring the various trails and picnic areas your way before heading on to Modesto, one of the greatest agricultural areas of the nation.

Feeling the ocean breeze moving ever closer you'll head back to the California coast today, crossing the Bay Bridge into one of the West Coast's best loved cities, San Francisco. A historical hub for progressive thinkers and creatives, San Fran's famously hilly landscape will instantly win you over as you spot the old-fashioned cable cars slowly rising and falling on the horizon. Explore the ‘City by the Bay' on a sightseeing tour that visits Fisherman's Wharf, the Palace of Fine Arts, the lush Presidio area and Italian influenced North Beach. This evening you could opt to join our Chinatown walking tour, exploring the markets, dim sum joints and herb shops of America's oldest Chinatown before dining family style at a decadent Chinese feast.

You'll head off this morning to a San Fran institution, Boudin Bakery, who have been producing their very special ‘Mother Dough' since 1849. With breakfast sorted, the rest of the day is then free for you to explore your way. If it's city icons you're after, why not join your fellow travellers for a walk along the Golden Gate Bridge, followed by a visit to the pretty seaside community of Sausalito. Alternatively, take a cruise around the bay, taking in Alcatraz Island en route, or venture out to Muir Woods to admire the towering, ancient redwood trees that grow here. However you choose to explore, you'll be sure to make the last day of your USA value tour an extra special one.

With fond memories of sunny Los Angeles, fun loving Vegas and peaceful Yosemite still fresh in your mind, today your adventure through the Golden West will come to an end. You've tasted, trekked and maybe even taken a helicopter ride over these lands, and we hope you've made a bunch of incredible memories along the way. Not ready to go home just yet? Why not extend your stay in San Francisco a little longer, and pay those cheeky Sea Lions down at Fisherman's Wharf an overdue visit. Departure will be at leisure.