The Great American Road Trip

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NEW YORK - ARRIVAL 

Day 1: Arrive in New York, the city that never sleeps, and transfer independently to your hotel. 

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NEW YORK 

Day 2: This morning, enjoy the city of New York. Catch glimpses of the famous skyline as you absorb the bustle and energy of the Big Apple. May we suggest a stroll through Central Park, a bird's-eye view on a Manhattan Helicopter Tour (optional), or reenacting history with a kiss in Times Square. Bring your camera! 

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NEW YORK - PHILADELPHIA - WASHINGTON, D.C. 

Day 3: Depart New York for Philadelphia, where you may spend the morning exploring the historic district of the “City of Brotherly Love” and the birthplace of a nation. See the Liberty Bell, and stroll through Independence National Historic Park and Mall. Then continue to the nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., for an overnight stay.

Driving Distance: 240 MI / 390 KM 

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WASHINGTON, D.C. 

Day 4: Enjoy DC with such highlights as the U.S. Capitol Building, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the White House, and Arlington National Cemetery, the site of the JFK Memorial. Spend the remainder of the day exploring some of the many museums comprising the Smithsonian Institute or simply strolling the banks of the Potomac River. 

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WASHINGTON, D.C. - GETTYSBURG - NIAGARA FALLS 

Day 5: Today, visit Gettysburg National Military Park, the site of one of the most decisive battles during the American Civil War and the place where Abraham Lincoln gave his famous address in 1863. We then travel through upstate New York to Buffalo and arrive at the majestic Niagara Falls, where the mist of the falls permeates the air. 

Driving Distance: 429 MI / 690 KM 

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NIAGARA FALLS - THE GREAT LAKES - DETROIT 

Day 6: Spend the morning sightseeing at Niagara Falls. If desired, cross the international border to Canada and explore the falls on the Canadian side. Stroll along Table Rock and view the thundering waters of Horseshoe Falls. In the late afternoon, return to the United States, crossing the border and continuing to your hotel in a suburb of Detroit, known as “Motor City USA”. Enjoy an evening at leisure. 

Driving Distance: 240 MI / 386 KM 

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DETROIT - CHICAGO  

Day 7: Travel along Lake Michigan and on to Chicago, where you can soak up the city’s highlights, including Lake Shore Drive, the Magnificent Mile, Navy Pier, and one of the world’s tallest buildings, the Willis Tower (admission not included). 

Driving Distance: 283 MI / 455 KM 

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CHICAGO 

Day 8: A full day at leisure to explore the museums, architecture, or a river cruise (optional). 

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CHICAGO - MISSISSIPPI RIVER CROSSING - SIOUX CITY 

Day 9: Travel through Midwest farm country abundant in corn fields and dairy farms. Then cross the mighty Mississippi River into the state of Iowa to arrive just as Lewis and Clark did 200 years ago on the banks of the Missouri River. Overnight in Sioux City. 

Driving Distance: 574 MI / 923 KM 

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SIOUX CITY - BADLANDS - MT. RUSHMORE - DEADWOOD/RAPID CITY 

Day 10: Travel westward through the grasslands of South Dakota to Badlands National Park, once home to buffalo and antelope, and filled with colorful rock formations. Continue on to the Black Hills, sacred to the Plains Indians and home to Mount Rushmore, a monument to four great American presidents: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt. 

Driving Distance: 354 MI / 569 KM 

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DEADWOOD/RAPID CITY - BIGHORN MOUNTAINS - CODY 

Day 11: Enter the state of Wyoming, which has twelve mountain ranges intermixed with deserts and rolling grasslands. Continue on to Cody for the night. 

Driving Distance: 390 MI / 627 KM 

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CODY - YELLOWSTONE  

Day 12: Drive past the mountains in Wyoming to Yellowstone, America’s first National Park, and enjoy a sightseeing tour of this immense geothermal wonderland, including: geysers, waterfalls, wildlife, and canyons. Highlights will include Yellowstone Lake, Old Faithful, Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone Canyon’s majestic falls, and the beautiful Hayden Valley.

Driving Distance: 65 MI / 104 KM 

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YELLOWSTONE - GRAND TETON - SALT LAKE CITY 

Day 13: Travel through Grand Teton National Park (weather permitting) and see awesome mountain peaks towering over 13,000 ft. (4,000 meters). Visit the Snake River Outlook and try your eye at capturing the stunning landscape made famous by Ansel Adam’s iconic shot. Later, arrive in the Mormon State of Utah and take a short city tour of its capital, Salt Lake City. The followers of Brigham Young built one of the best-planned cities in the country. See the State Capitol building and visit famed Temple Square and the Tabernacle before arriving at the hotel for the evening. May we suggest dinner at the Rooftop Restaurant for panoramic views of Temple Square (optional)?

Driving Distance: 337 MI / 542 KM 

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SALT LAKE CITY - BRYCE CANYON 

Day 14: Continue to spectacular Bryce Canyon, where a tour through a multi-colored world of sandstone spires and pinnacles, or “hoodoos”, will dazzle the eye. This evening, weather permitting, be sure to gaze upon the spectacular night sky filled with sparkling stars and constellations. 

Driving Distance: 268 MI / 431 KM 

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BRYCE CANYON - LAKE POWELL - GRAND CANYON - FLAGSTAFF 

Day 15: Depart Bryce Canyon this morning and journey to stunning Lake Powell, where crystal blue water laps against towering red-rock canyon walls. Lake Powell is the second-largest man-made lake in America. Then visit the colossal Grand Canyon National Park, one of the seven great natural wonders of the world. Stop at the Canyon rim to fully experience this mile-deep canyon’s gorges, rising spires, extinct volcanoes, and the winding Colorado River. Overnight in Flagstaff, a famed stop on Historic Route 66. 

Driving Distance: 367 MI / 590 KM 

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FLAGSTAFF - SELIGMAN/ROUTE 66 - LAS VEGAS  

Day 16: This morning, travel on to Las Vegas, the dazzling “Entertainment Capital of the World”. Along the way, pass through Seligman, a town built along the famed Route 66 that looks as if it were frozen in time sixty years ago. The remainder of the day is at your leisure to explore the dazzling Las Vegas Strip. 

Driving Distance: 252 MI / 405 KM 

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LAS VEGAS - MOJAVE DESERT - LOS ANGELES 

Day 17: Travel to Los Angeles through the Mojave Desert, where clusters of unique Joshua trees dot the mountainous landscape. Upon arrival in Los Angeles, you will enjoy driving through the “City of Angels,” passing through areas such as Hollywood, the Sunset Strip, and Beverly Hills, before reaching your hotel. 

Driving Distance: 270 MI / 434 KM 

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LOS ANGELES 

Day 18: Today we suggest an optional full-day tour visiting Universal Studios. Get an inside look at the sets and behind-the-scenes secrets of legendary films, or perhaps, for the more adventurous, take one of the Studios’ feature rides, including Jurassic Park and Revenge of the Mummy. 

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LOS ANGELES - MALIBU - SANTA BARBARA - CENTRAL COAST 

Day 19: Leave Los Angeles in the morning and travel north through one of California’s favorite vacation spots, Santa Barbara, where palm-lined walkways border white sandy beaches. The city is famous for its missions and Spanish heritage. Along the way, stop at an iconic California lifeguard tower made famous in “Baywatch”. Continue along the coast to Shell/Pismo Beach. 

Driving Distance: 177 MI / 284 KM 

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CENTRAL COAST - CARMEL/MONTEREY - SAN FRANCISCO 

Day 20: Dip your toes in the cool, refreshing waters of the Pacific during an early morning beach stroll, then we leave Shell/Pismo Beach and make our way north to Carmel, home of actor/director Clint Eastwood. Enjoy browsing the shops and galleries of this famous artists’ colony. Traveling further north, visit Monterey’s Old Fisherman’s Wharf. Stroll the Pier to Cannery Row, brought to fame by John Steinbeck’s novel. In the afternoon, pass the fertile valleys of Castroville and Santa Clara en route to San Francisco, the “City by the Bay.” 

Driving Distance: 244 MI / 392 KM 

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SAN FRANCISCO 

Day 21: A full day at leisure to explore San Francisco and make any last minute purchases as a reminder of your great trip across North America. 

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SAN FRANCISCO - DEPARTURE 

Day 22: Return your rental car in time for your return flight. 

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