California and the Golden West

Day 1 - Redondo Beach

Join your tour group at the hotel.

Sonesta Redondo Beach & Marina (4-star)

Days 2-3 - Los Angeles - San Diego

On our California holidays we'll stick to the coast for the first couple of days, starting in LA before winding our way south to San Diego. Guided tours will introduce us to some of both cities’ highlights - Hollywood, Sunset Boulevard, TCL Chinese Theatre (to see those all-important handprints), Balboa Park - and there’ll be plenty of time for you to relax and enjoy these seaside cities at your own pace.

Hilton San Diego Harbor Island Hotel (4-star)

Day 4 - Scottsdale

We travel from California to Arizona, arriving in Scottsdale in the afternoon.

Hilton Garden Inn, Scottsdale (3-star)

Day 5 - Sedona - Flagstaff

The desert scenery of Arizona is a complete contrast to the Californian coast - but just as beautiful. En route to Flagstaff, we’ll stop to take in the scenery (think pine forests, burnt-orange sandstone formations and dramatic buttes) and spend time in the artist colony of Sedona.

Little America Hotel, Flagstaff (4-star)

Day 6 - Grand Canyon

Nothing can quite prepare you for your first sight of the Grand Canyon. This colossal geographical wonder is 277 miles long, 18 miles wide and one mile deep. Peer down and you’ll spot the silvery Colorado River flowing far below. Get your adrenaline pumping and take to the skies on an optional helicopter ride over the canyon, or pull up a rock and ponder the incredible view. However you choose to view it, this inspiring sight is sure to inspire the creative photographer in you so be sure to charge your camera ahead of our visit today. This is a real highlight of our California tours.

Little America Hotel, Flagstaff (4-star)

Days 7-8 - Williams - Las Vegas

Sin City. The Entertainment Capital of the World. City of Lights. Las Vegas is all of the above and more. After stopping off for a Wild West shootout at Williams, we arrive at this oasis of indulgence in the heart of the Mojave Desert. The city might seem a little overwhelming at first, but you don’t need to be a high roller or slots wizard to have fun here. Stop for a show (you’ll have plenty of choice!), visit Fremont Street - the ‘original’ Las Vegas - or walk along The Strip to soak up the weird and wonderful sights.

Horseshoe Las Vegas Hotel & Casino (4-star)

Day 9 - Calico - Visalia/Selma

We cross the Mojave Desert en route to Calico, a once-thriving centre of silver mining, now an enjoyable reminder of the days when cowboys roamed its streets. We pause in Visalia (2024) or Selma (2025) for the night.

Holiday Inn Selma-Swancourt, an IHG Hotel, Selma (3-star)

Day 10 - Yosemite National Park - Modesto

Yosemite is the headliner of all America’s national parks - and we’ll explore some of its best bits. This natural sanctuary is a real feast for the eyes and for the soul. Take a deep gulp of fresh air, gaze up at the craggy mountain views and walk by postcard-pretty lakes and verdant forests. We’ll stop to pose for a photo in front of El Capitan - an immense vertical rock formation and an icon of American wilderness. Waterfalls and streams, lakes and rivers, valleys and meadows - Yosemite is endlessly photogenic. After getting our fill of this natural wonder, we’ll continue west to Modesto.

DoubleTree Modesto (3.5-star)

Days 11-12 - San Francisco

We’ll enjoy two nights in the ‘City by the Bay’, with a full day at leisure. On our guided San Francisco tour, you’ll have the chance to sample delicious street food in China Town, wander through Union Square and admire the city skyline as you cross the famed Golden Gate Bridge. With a full day to spend as you please, there’s so much to see and do. There’s notorious Alcatraz (you’ll need to have booked this independently before you left the UK); you could wander up and down the iconic streets, including zig-zagging Lombard Street; or maybe walk around the eclectic district of Haight-Ashbury (the heart of America’s ‘counterculture’ in the 1960s), so beloved of hippies, artists, writers and musicians.

Parc 55 San Francisco - a Hilton Hotel (4-star)

Day 13 - Monterey - 17 Mile Drive - Carmel - Big Sur - Cambria - Pismo Beach

Today we’ll make the epic drive from the old Spanish and Mexican capital of upper California, Monterey, to Pismo Beach - a route which takes us along one of the loveliest roads in the world. 17 Mile Drive wiggles along the coastline of the Monterey peninsula, passing pebbled bays, craggy coves and cypress forests. We’ll stop for lunch in delightful Carmel, before continuing along the curving Big Sur coastline (Jack Kerouac’s inspiration) to Cambria and then our classic beach destination. Please note: At the time of publication, Big Sur is temporarily closed due to rock slides. If it's still closed during your tour we'll take an alternative route - no other part of the day will be missed.

Hilton Garden Inn San Luis Obispo/Pismo Beach (3-star)

Day 14 - Santa Barbara - Redondo Beach

Santa Barbara - a town of natural beauty favoured by artists - is a ‘really great place’ (as the locals will proudly tell you). The pretty harbour promenade and palm-fringed streets are the perfect setting for a stop, en route to Redondo Beach for our final night.

Sonesta Redondo Beach & Marina (4-star)

Day 15 - Redondo Beach

Say goodbye to your tour group for your onward travel.

Redondo Beach