The Very Best of California and the Canyonlands

Luxury USA Group Tour - 23 Days

It doesn’t take long for this country to get under your skin. The genuine warmth, the incredible natural wonders, the glamour and vitality, the peace and serenity; it all combines to set your spirits soaring as high as the giant sequoias.

Tour highlights
• Seeing the bright lights, glitz and glamour of the world famous Las Vegas strip, with its lavish shows and super casinos
• Exploring the dramatic landscapes of Zion National Park
• Cruising along the glorious waters of Lake Powell and witnessing the changing colours of the redrock landscapes
• Watching the sun rise over the Grand Canyon
• Viewing Indian cliff dwellings at Montezuma Castle National Monument
• Discovering the sights of California’s second largest city, San Diego, and the Golden Gate city – San Francisco
• Staying overnight in Yosemite National Park, amongst giant sequoias, deep valleys and granite cliffs
• Saying farewell over a dinner cruise around San Francisco Bay

Extend Your Holiday

While you’re so close, why not finish your tour with a visit to the Napa Valley? We’ve found a remarkable sanctuary, tucked away in private woods, where you can relax and recharge in a sublime setting. The Calistoga Ranch sits in its own canyon, amongst oaks and redwoods, and has a private vineyard and wine cave.

You can also link this 23-day Very Best of California and the Canyonlands with our 12-day East Coast Splendours tour

Tour itinerary

Day 1 Depart London Gatwick
Your Tour Manager will meet you in the executive lounge before you board your flight to Las Vegas. In Las Vegas, you’ll transfer to your hotel, the lavish five star Bellagio.
Meals: In-flight.
Hotel: Bellagio.

Day 2 Las Vegas
Las Vegas is bigger, brighter, louder, more energetic, more colourful, more glitzy; it’s an experience like no other. You have a free day to explore this fascinating, round-the-clock city at your own pace. The casinos, shops and incredible shows all bombard your senses; and there are more reflective pursuits too, such as viewing the Bellagio fountains and people watching down the strip.
Meals: Breakfast.
Hotel: Bellagio.

Day 3 Las Vegas to Zion National Park
Today you’ll head out of Las Vegas to the unique geography of the Zion National Park. Once you’ve settled into the wonderful mountain lodge, you’ll sit down for a short but impressive video presentation about the National Park. Then, there’s some free time to take in your surroundings before re-joining your travel companions for dinner this evening.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner.
Hotel: Cable Mountain Lodge.

Day 4 Zion National Park
Lit by the red, orange and yellow hues of Navajo sandstone, and dominated by a massive canyon, 15 miles long and half a mile deep, the landscape here is truly dramatic. The day is free to explore as you please, and your Tour Manager will tell you about the different walking trails and the shuttle bus around the park, which offer different ways of viewing the magnificent scenery and getting to know the wildlife, which includes over 200 species of birds, such as the white-throated swift and the mighty Californian condor.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner.
Hotel: Cable Mountain Lodge.

Day 5 Zion to Lake Powell
Your voyage of discovery continues as you head up to Bryce Canyon to take in the hoodoos; tall, skinny spires of rock that rise up majestically from the canyon floor. The day’s trip moves on through dramatic countryside to Kanab, the gateway to southern Utah and northern Arizona, before arriving at beautiful Lake Powell, America’s second largest manmade reservoir. From its enviable location, your hotel overlooks Waheap Marina on the south eastern side of the lake.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner.
Hotel: Lake Powell Resort.

Day 6 Lake Powell
To fill today’s free day, just ask your Tour Manager for ideas, such as an optional ‘flight-seeing’ excursion over the stark desert landscapes of Monument Valley. On this evening’s relaxing dinner cruise, you can savour the stunning backdrop of blue waters, vast skies and the subtly changing colours of the sandstone rocks.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner.
Hotel: Lake Powell Resort.

Day 7 Lake Powell to Grand Canyon National Park
Today you’ll drive on to one of Mother Nature’s most magnificent spectacles; the Grand Canyon National Park; one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Over one mile deep in places, and 15 miles across at its widest, the sheer size of the canyon is genuinely quite humbling.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner.
Hotel: Kachina Lodge, Thunderbird Lodge or Maswik North Lodge.

Day 8 Grand Canyon National Park to Scottsdale
At sunrise, watch the Arizona landscapes light up before your eyes. After an early morning visit to the canyon, you’ll travel to Scottsdale, via the red rock formation of Sedona. En route, you’ll also visit Montezuma’s Castle, the ruins of Native American cliff dwellings, before continuing deep into the Valley of the Sun where there’s still so much to discover.
Meals: Breakfast.
Hotel: Westin Kierland Resort

Day 9 Scottsdale
On your free day in Scottsdale, relax and reflect on everything you’ve encountered so far, hit the shops, play a round of golf on a world-class course, linger in the waterfront restaurants or visit the inspiring galleries in the art district.
Meals: Breakfast.
Hotel: Westin Kierland Resort

Day 10 Scottsdale to San Diego
Heading south, you’ll travel through the arid desert landscape of Yuma Valley and cross the Colorado River to San Diego in southern California. With its blue skies and sunshine, this is a city that feels more like a holiday getaway.
Meals: Breakfast.
Hotel: US Grant.

Day 11 San Diego
Today is free to explore this uplifting city for yourself. Relax into Coronado Island’s small beach community, which you may recall from the classic 1958 movie, Some Like it Hot, or absorb the culture in the shops and galleries of the Gaslamp Quarter.
Meals: Breakfast.
Hotel: US Grant.

Day 12 San Diego to Los Angeles
It’s hard to say goodbye to charming San Diego, but there’s so much more to discover as you head north up the coast, via the old Spanish mission of San Juan Capistrano. The missions of California played an important part in the founding of the State and, if you visit the mission house, you’ll learn of its rich history. Your next stop is the vibrant beach scene of Santa Monica, then you’ll continue on to Los Angeles.
Meals: Breakfast.
Hotel: Intercontinental Los Angeles.

Day 13 Los Angeles
For a touch of Hollywood glamour, you’ll head up to Beverly Hills, past the homes of the rich and famous, then down onto Hollywood Boulevard itself, where you can look for your favourite stars’ hands and feet imprints in the pavement. In the evening, dinner is served at a Santa Monica restaurant on the waterfront.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner.
Hotel: Intercontinental Los Angeles.

Day 14 Los Angeles to Shell Beach
Experience California’s famed beaches for yourself as your journey north passes stunning bays and beaches before reaching Santa Barbara, known as the American Riviera. The wharf is particularly pretty, with its Spanish Colonial architecture sitting against an inspiring mountain backdrop. Your hotel is perched on a bluff overlooking Shell Beach at Pismo; drift off to sleep to the sound of the Pacific Ocean lapping the shores.
Meals: Breakfast.
Hotel: Cliffs Resort.

Day 15 Shell Beach to Monterey
A short drive past Morro Bay takes you to San Simeon for a tour of Hearst Castle, the extravagant former home of newspaper magnate, William Randolph Hearst; now one of the largest ‘house’ museums in the States. The Pacific Highway beckons, however, and you’ll continue up dramatic Highway 1 to Monterey, through the Big Sur region, which is home to the coastal mountain, Cone Peak.
Meals: Breakfast.
Hotel: Marriott.

Day 16 Monterey
We’ve saved the most stunning part of the coastline ’til last. The sights along the 17-Mile Drive, including the Lone Cypress at Cypress Point, are bound to have you reaching for your camera. Towards the end of the day, you’ll arrive in arty and charismatic Carmel-by-the-Sea for a wander round its quaint streets.
Meals: Breakfast.
Hotel: Marriott.

Day 17 Monterey to Yosemite
Heading inland, you’ll cross the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains en route to the World Heritage Site of Yosemite National Park. Over 95% of the park is designated wilderness, amidst granite cliffs, waterfalls and giant sequoia groves, and it’s home to an abundance of wildlife. Your trip will stop off at Mariposa Grove to see Grizzly Giant – an enormous, 2,700-year-old sequoia.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner.
Hotel: Tenaya Lodge.

Day 18 Yosemite
This morning, you’ll venture deep into the Valley of Yosemite and view the 3,000 feet vertical granite rock formation of El Capitan. As you can imagine, the walking trails are exceptional, and there’s plenty of time to explore, see the wildlife up close and visit the Indian Museum, the Ranger Station or the Adams Gallery.
Meals: Breakfast.
Hotel: Tenaya Lodge.

Day 19 Yosemite to San Francisco
We deliberated long and hard over a fitting end to a tour of such exceptional contrasts. And we decided it had to be the Golden Gate City of San Francisco. So, today you’ll head out of Yosemite’s 1,200 square mile expanse and on to this colourful city.
Meals: Breakfast.
Hotel: Intercontinental Mark Hopkins.

Day 20 San Francisco
You’ve no doubt seen many of San Francisco’s sights on TV, but today you’ll see them first hand, in all their glory, on a packed morning tour that takes in Telegraph Hill, the Golden Gate Bridge, China Town, Twin Peaks, Pier 39 and Fisherman’s Wharf, with its views of Alcatraz. This afternoon is free for you to get a real feel for local life.
Meals: Breakfast.
Hotel: Intercontinental Mark Hopkins.

Day 21 San Francisco
Today is a full free day. If you like, we can arrange a memorable and moving trip to the eerie and fascinating Alcatraz. This is a particularly popular trip with visitors so we genuinely recommend that you pre-book this option with us to avoid disappointment. This evening, meet back with your fellow travellers for your farewell dinner cruise around San Francisco Bay.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner.
Hotel: Intercontinental Mark Hopkins.

Day 22 Depart San Francisco
Make the most of your last morning in San Francisco before your flight back to Heathrow, accompanied by your Tour Manager.
Meals: Breakfast, In-flight.

Day 23 Arrive London Heathrow
You’ll arrive back in the early morning, with many stories and memories to share with friends and family.
Meals: In-flight.

Any questions? Chat to your Personal Travel Advisor on 0161 491 7616