Golden California

Arrive at San Francisco International Airport, pick up your car and proceed to your hotel.

You are free to enjoy this fascinating city today. Walk through the narrow crab markets of Fisherman’s Wharf and enjoy sidewalk dining and many fine attractions. Charming neighborhoods greet you at every turn with their elegant architecture. See Chinatown, the Japan Center, and the Embarcadero. Looming in the middle of the bay is the ominous island of Alcatraz, housing the infamous prison.

A full day to explore the City by the Bay, beautiful San Francisco, or to enjoy the rolling hills of California’s Wine Country, Napa Valley, where famed wineries welcome you for tours and tastings. Established in 1828, this fertile area is considered the premier wine growing region in the United States.

Drive south to Monterey where you can stroll along Fisherman’s Wharf and Cannery Row. The 17-Mile Drive toll road along the Peninsula Coast from Pacific Grove to Carmel boasts magnificent seaside scenery. Visit Carmel Mission, founded in 1770.

One of the most scenic drives of your journey today takes you along the California coast through the Big Sur peninsula to San Simeon. Make time to visit Hearst Castle or to take a hike along one of the many well maintained trails near Pfeiffer State Beach.

Drive down the coast passing San Luis Obispo to Solvang, a unique town founded by Danish immigrants. Solvang is a quaint village in the Santa Ynez valley surrounded by local wineries and famous for its bakeries and specialty shops. Drive by Malibu and Santa Monica to Los Angeles. If you plan to arrive in Los Angeles early, we suggest a visit to Universal Studios this afternoon before continuing to your hotel in Los Angeles.

A full day at leisure. Today we suggest a full-day visit to Walt Disney’s Magic Kingdom of Disneyland. Known as one of the top tourist attractions in Southern California, Disneyland attracts millions of visitors from all over the world and offers pleasures for young and old alike. Or, simply discover Los Angeles, including Hollywood and Beverly Hills.

Today drive east through the Mojave Desert and the ghost town of Calico en route to the glittering Entertainment Capital of the World, Las Vegas. Once an oasis on the route to California, Las Vegas began as a Mormon settlement and boomed fleetingly during the silver rush. Today Las Vegas is one of the great gambling capitals of the world, with 24-hour entertainment and world-class dining.

A full day at leisure for you to either take a short drive to Lake Mead and Hoover Dam, or see one of the great natural wonders of the world, the spectacular Grand Canyon, on an optional day trip by air. In form, glowing color, and geological significance, the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River is unsurpassed. The canyon is 277 miles long, averages 10 miles in width from rim to rim and is 5,700 feet deep.

Drive south past Lake Elsinore to the picturesque town of Temecula. Enjoy famed rolling hills and vineyards on your way to San Diego, popular for its year-round sparkling weather and relaxed living.

A full day to discover some of San Diego’s attractions such as: Balboa Park, Old Town, Sea World, which is the largest park in the world devoted to marine life, Coronado Beach, the San Diego Zoo, and Seaport Village.

Return your car at the San Diego airport before your departure flight, or drive north to Los Angeles to end your tour.