Western Highlights

SAN FRANCISCO - ARRIVAL 

Day 1: Arrive at San Francisco International Airport and transfer independently to your hotel. Your ATI Tour Director will meet you this afternoon. 

SAN FRANCISCO 

Day 2: This morning, join a half-day city tour that includes Union Square, the Civic Center, and Fisherman’s Wharf. From the top of Twin Peaks, enjoy the spectacular view and see for yourself why many consider San Francisco the most beautiful city in America. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure in “the City by the Bay”, perhaps taking a cable car ride to Fisherman’s Wharf, where one may enjoy a “Taste of San Francisco”: local seafood, famous sourdough bread, or decadent Ghiradelli’s Chocolate. Or take a stroll by the Sea Lions’ Marina to observe them frolic and play. Be sure to gaze across the bay to Alcatraz Island, where “America’s Most Wanted,” such as Al Capone and ”Machine Gun” Kelly, were incarcerated. Or visit Union Square for a shopping stop at Macy’s Department Store. Your ATI Tour Director will be on hand to assist you in planning your next two days in the city. 

SAN FRANCISCO (MONTEREY/CARMEL 17-MILE DRIVE OPTIONAL) 

Day 3: Join an optional tour of Monterey and Carmel. Travel along the Pacific Coast to the Monterey Bay Peninsula. Visit Cannery Row, which John Steinbeck's book made famous. Your optional package includes admission to the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, one of the most respected aquariums in the world. Continue on the 17-Mile Drive, admiring the natural scenery and gorgeous homes. Enjoy time in the charming community of Carmel, known for its art galleries and shops, before returning to San Francisco. 

SAN FRANCISCO - YOSEMITE 

Day 4: Join the group for an all-day adventure to Yosemite National Park. Known for its magnificent waterfalls (seasonal), granite peaks, and remarkable wildlife, Yosemite is one of America’s favorite National Parks. We will explore the park by motorcoach, but you will also have time on the valley floor to enjoy the spectacular scenery and an included all-American picnic. 

YOSEMITE - MOJAVE DESERT - LAS VEGAS 

Day 5: Today, travel through the Mojave Desert on your way to Las Vegas. A late afternoon arrival in the dazzling “Entertainment Capital of the World” will give you enough time to start enjoying this fantastic city right away. Your ATI Tour Director will assist you in arranging all you want to do whether it is shopping, seeing a show, enjoying fine dining, or joining an optional evening tour. 

LAS VEGAS - GRAND CANYON WEST - LAS VEGAS 

Day 6: This morning we stop at the iconic Las Vegas Welcome Sign, where you may wish to capture a photo memory of Las Vegas before making your way to an included day trip to the Grand Canyon. On the way, admire the beauty of Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the U.S., formed by the Hoover Dam. At the Grand Canyon, you will have time to explore the views on your own and, if you choose, join an optional helicopter trip over the canyon, or walk on the Skywalk platform. 

LAS VEGAS (DEATH VALLEY) 

Day 7: The day is yours to choose how you spend it. Maybe do a little shopping at one of the fine shopping outlets in Las Vegas, lounge by the pool, or join an optional tour of Death Valley National Park. The lowest (below sea level) and hottest region in the western hemisphere. 

LAS VEGAS - PALM SPRINGS - LOS ANGELES 

Day 8: Today your journey takes you from Las Vegas through Palm Springs, the winter playground for Hollywood royalty, with its lively downtown area and immaculately kept golf courses at the base of the rugged San Jacinto Mountains. This city in the desert was once known as the winter retreat of stars like Frank Sinatra, Jane Russell, and Elvis Presley. Today it is a flourishing resort town with great shops, restaurants, and, a year-round desert climate. A sea of wind turbines marks the entrance to this desert oasis. Along the way, you will pass through Indio, home to the International Date Festival due to the abundance of this crop in the Coachella Valley. In the late afternoon, arrive in Los Angeles. 

LOS ANGELES - HOLLYWOOD - BEVERLY HILLS - LOS ANGELES 

Day 9: This morning, you will enjoy a comprehensive city tour of Los Angeles, including hip Santa Monica, glamorous Hollywood, and posh Beverly Hills. You will be able to stop by the “finish line” of Historic Route 66, see an iconic Californian lifeguard tower made famous by “Baywatch”, walk on the boulevard of stars, and take a great photo of the famous Hollywood sign. The afternoon is yours to explore more on your own or join an optional excursion to Universal Studios, where you will learn all about how movies are made. 

LOS ANGELES (THE O.C. /SAN DIEGO) 

Day 10: Today, enjoy an optional full-day excursion to San Diego. Travel south through San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente to San Diego, the second-largest city in California. San Diego enjoys year-round mild weather and a location on the San Diego Bay. Enjoy a city tour, including the historic Old Town, the Gas Lamp District, and the bay front picturesque Seaport Village. For a different view of the city, you can join an optional cruise on the bay before returning to Los Angeles in the late afternoon. 

LOS ANGELES - DEPARTURE 

Day 11: “That’s a wrap!” We hope you have enjoyed your tour and that you return soon to visit another area of America!