America's Glorious West

​Experience some of the most incredible natural and man-made wonders on our ultimate tour of the west. Starting in Los Angeles, you'll see highlights including the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the TCL Chinese Theatre and have the chance to visit Universal Studios. Enjoy the glitz and glamour of Palm Springs, then take a journey through the Arizona Desert. A visit to the Grand Canyon is an amazing trip of a lifetime, and an optional helicopter flight comes highly recommended. You'll travel along a section of Route 66 to the neon-lit wonderland of Las Vegas before heading back to California through the Mojave Desert. The highlights keep on coming as you explore Yosemite National Park, cross San Francisco's famous Golden Gate Bridge, journey along 17 Mile Drive and take in glorious scenery en route to Long Beach.

What's Included:

• Return flights
• 14 nights in great quality hotels plus 1 night in flight
• 10 breakfasts, 1 dinner and welcome drink
• Travelsphere Tour Manager and Specialist Local Guide
• Overseas transfers, other transportation and porterage

Included Holiday Highlights:

• ​Tours of Los Angeles and San Francisco
• The Grand Canyon
• Explore Yosemite National Park
• San Francisco tour and Golden Gate Bridge
• 17 Mile Drive
• Drive along the Californian coastline
• Orientation tour of Palm Springs
• Enjoy the glitz of Las Vegas
• Enjoy a stop in pretty Sausalito
• Dinner on Pier 39 in San Francisco​​
• Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea

Day 1: UK - Los Angeles

Depart on your scheduled flight to Los Angeles. On arrival we'll transfer you to your hotel, the base for your explorations of this exciting city.​

Day 2: Los Angeles

Once infamous for its smog, LA couldn't be more different these days, with plenty of green, open spaces and some of the most impressive sights of any Californian city. Your morning tour will give you the chance to experience many of its highlights including Hollywood, where you'll see brass stars embedded in the sidewalk along the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the famous Hollywood sign and the TCL Chinese Theatre. Here you'll be able to admire celebrity handprints, footprints and autographs etched into the concrete. Head along Sunset Boulevard, and look out for celebrity homes in Beverly Hills. If you've always dreamed of visiting Universal Studios, why not come with us on an optional tour this afternoon. There's so much to see and do here, from thrilling rides to a behind-the-scenes tour.​

Meals included: B

Day 3: Los Angeles - Palm Springs

This morning you arrive in the desert oasis of Palm Springs, located at the base of the San Jacinto Mountains. Hollywood movie stars have been coming here for years and you'll soon see why on a short orientation tour. With its tree-lined boulevards and luxury hotels, there's a sense of glamour at every turn. What's more, it boasts more than 300 days of sunshine a year. During a free afternoon you can make your own discoveries or take an optional ride on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. The world's largest rotating tram car transports you over the cliffs of Chino Canyon into the wilderness of Mount San Jacinto State Park. During your journey, the tram cars slowly rotate to offer spectacular views of the valley floor below.

Meals included: B

Day 4: Palm Springs - Prescott

Sit back and take in the views today, as a long but rewarding journey takes you through the Arizona desert to Precott. As the road stretches out for miles in front of you, admire the landscape of red sand, dramatic rock formations and towering cactus plants.​

Meals included: B

Day 5: Grand Canyon

This is the day you visit a natural wonder that's on every traveller's wish list, the iconic Grand Canyon. Over a mile deep in parts and more than 14 miles wide, it stretches for an incredible 277 miles from end to end. Its scale is simply immense, and as you try to take it all in, you'll be mesmerised by the different colours of the rock. There are several different ways to view this spectacular gorge, including plenty of walking trails and scenic viewpoints. One of the best ways is, however, by air, and our optional helicopter flight gives you the chance to enjoy this thrilling experience.

Meals included: B

Day 6: Prescott - Las Vegas

​You're going off in search of man-made wonders today. Travelling along a section of Route 66, you'll pass the immense Hoover Dam. This impressive feat of engineering was built in 1935 to provide hydroelectric power to California and Arizona, and is still one of the country's largest power plants. Declared a National Historic Landmark, it straddles the Arizona-Nevada border and towers more than 725 feet above the Colorado River, making it one of the world's tallest dams. Later you'll arrive in the desert city of Las Vegas, which is stunning at night when it's illuminated by colourful neon lights.​

Meals included: B

Day 7: Las Vegas - at Leisure

You can spend today exploring Las Vegas at your own pace. Just walking up and down the famous Strip will keep you entertained for hours. The hotels lining it really have the wow factor and come in all shapes and sizes. Spectacular sights include dancing fountains and a volcano that comes alive at night spewing fire and steam. You can stroll past a replica of the Great Sphynx of Giza or take a gondola ride on Las Vegas' version of Venice's Grand Canal. Step inside the hotels to discover a host of fantastic attractions ranging from shopping malls, cinemas and casinos to rollercoasters, theatres and even a shark aquarium. If you want to catch a show, join our optional excursion to see 'The Beatles Love' by Cirque du Soleil.​

Day 8: Las Vegas - Selma

We head back to California today on a journey that takes us through the Mojave Desert, named after its original inhabitants, the Mohave tribe of Native Americans. Extending over 25,000 square miles, it is bordered by mountain ranges and is home to a wide variety of cacti. The most prominent plant species, however, is the Joshua tree, a spiky evergreen whose striking sight has made it a symbol of the desert. Few species of animal can survive in the harsh conditions here, but those that have adapted include the California desert tortoise, coyote, desert iguana, hummingbird and the western diamond rattlesnake.​

Day 9: Selma - Yosemite National Park - Mariposa

Today you're going to visit Yosemite National Park. In contrast to the dry deserts of previous days, here you'll see an abundance of waterfalls and lakes. Enjoy some free time to discover Yosemite Falls - one of the world's tallest waterfalls, and learn about the native Miwok Indians at the Indian Cultural Museum. As you explore the park, keep a look out for wildlife – you might see coyotes, falcons and even bears. Our journey then continues to the Gold Rush town of Mariposa.​

Meals included: B

Day 10: Mariposa - San Francisco

Our sights are set on the vibrant city of San Francisco today. On the way we'll stop in the pretty city of Sausalito, where you might choose to enjoy lunch. Our afternoon begins with the excitement of crossing the famous Golden Gate Bridge. Your tour of San Francisco then takes in numerous sights, from the iconic cable cars to the colony of sea lions in residence at Fisherman's Wharf.​

Meals included: B

Day 11: San Francisco - at Leisure

Today you can set your own pace as you explore at leisure. Your hotel is in a great position, in the heart of Fisherman's Wharf, so everything is within easy reach. You could take a stroll to Chinatown, where Grant Avenue is the city's oldest street, or take a cable car to see the sights. You can also choose from a range of optional excursions. On offer is a helicopter ride over the city and under the bridge, or you might want to take to the water. The chance to sail by the former prison island of Alcatraz as you enjoy a cruise is just one recommendation. San Francisco offers a sparkling and cosmopolitan nightlife, and this evening we come together to enjoy a three-course dinner at one of the restaurants located on Pier 39. ​

Meals included: D

Day 12: San Francisco - San Luis Obispo

There's a wonderful journey ahead today as we travel along 17 Mile Drive. Described as one of the most scenic drives in the world, the road winds its way through a forest of Cypress trees and along a dramatic stretch of rocky coastline dotted with fine sandy beaches. As we make our way to San Luis Obispo, we'll stop at the waterfront city of Monterey and then at Carmel-by-the-Sea, with its lovely white-sand beach.​

Day 13: San Luis Obispo - Long Beach

​You'll experience even more beautiful scenery today as we head to Long Beach, an ocean-front city with an array of museums and shops.

Meals included: B

Day 14: Long Beach - at Leisure

You've a full day at leisure in Long Beach to spend just as you wish. You could choose to visit the Aquarium of the Pacific, which is home to more than 11,000 creatures, browse the eclectic selection of colourful bazaars and speciality shops. Alternatively, why not join an optional excursion to Catalina Island. We'll reach Catalina by ferry, and step ashore on the island for a tour. Boasting a Mediterranean climate, white sands and swaying palms, this is the perfect paradise island and you'll have time at leisure to explore.​

Meals included: B

Day 15: Long Beach - Los Angeles - UK

Today we'll transfer you to the airport in Los Angeles ready for your flight back to the UK.

Meals included: B

Day 16: UK

You'll arrive back in the UK today.