Description
Experience the very best of the southwest on this tour that takes you from the wondrous natural beauty of canyon country to the excitement and glamour of Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
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Arrive at the airport, pick-up rental car and proceed to your hotel. Los Angeles is the entertainment capitol of the United States. Home to famous movie stars and the infamous landmark, the Hollywood sign; it is a city brimming with culture and happenings. This big metropolis has many regions with distinct flavors and communities.
Accommodations:
(STD) Hacienda Hotel Los Angeles Airport or similar (1 night).
(SUP) Hilton Los Angeles Airport or similar (1 night).
Depart Los Angeles and head toward Nevada and the exciting “city of lights”. Las Vegas has something to offer everyone. From the outrageous live shows to the excitement of casinos, the action never stops from morning to night. Try your luck at a blackjack table or dance the evening away at a nightclub. Stroll down Las Vegas Boulevard, also known as “the strip”. Each hotel and casino has a distinctly different theme. Take a trip up to the top of the Stratosphere hotel tower, the tallest building west of the Mississippi River. Enjoy dinner at the Top of the World, or simply admire the view from the observation deck. Visit any of the premier hotels including Caesars Palace, The Venetian and Paris for luxury shopping. If you’re searching for a bargain, drive to one of the outlet malls featuring designer names at discounted prices. Dining in Las Vegas is superior. World-renowned chefs have made Vegas their kitchen and there is a restaurant nearby to satisfy any palette. Make sure not to miss the nightly fountain show at the Bellagio Hotel. Using a dramatic combination of music, water and light, the Bellagio delivers spectacular performances with its majestic fountains. For a different side of Vegas, visit Fremont Street. This historic street features shops, restaurants and casinos under a canopy screen where more than 12 million lights put on a spectacular show.
Accommodations:
(STD) Best Western Mardi Grass Inn & Casino or similar (1 night). (SUP) Tropicana Hotel & Casino or similar (1 night).
Leave the glitz of Las Vegas this morning and head toward beautiful Zion National Park. Driving into Zion you will be greeted by gigantic sandstone monoliths and hear the soft rush of the Virgin River. The Narrows are Zion’s famous slot canyons. These are narrow stone crevices with colorful stripes formed by years of water and wind erosion; the result is a hiker’s paradise. In the park and along the river there are a variety of trails and paved pathways for explorers of all skill levels. In addition, there is a complimentary shuttle system that runs throughout the park. By utilizing this, you can visit the Zion’s other major attractions such as the Emerald Pools, Weeping Rock and Angels Landing. Stop at the Visitor Center for information on guided tours and park history. Continue on to Bryce Canyon for an overnight stay.
Accommodations:
(STD) Bryce View Lodge or similar (1 night).
(SUP) Best Western Plus Bryce Canyon or similar (1 night).
This morning visit Bryce Canyon National Park. Dramatically different from Zion, Bryce contains “amphitheatres” of colorful eroded rock formations. These spires of rock are called hoodoos. It is their uniqueness that sets Bryce apart from anywhere else. Light reflecting on the hoodoos at different times of day change the colorful scene of the park. Consider a drive to Rainbow Point where, from some of the overlooks, you can see more than 100 miles on a clear day. There are a variety of walking trails in the park. Horseback riding is another popular way to see the highlights of the park. Continue traveling through canyon country to Capitol Reef National Park which is known for its vivid sandstone formations and fruit orchards. Stop at Panorama Point which offers excellent photo opportunities and to enjoy the views, then at the Park’s Visitor Center to view their displays and hike one of the many trails that depart from there. Continue on to Moab for a two-night stay.
Accommodations:
(STD) Super 8 Moab or similar (2 nights).
(SUP) Red Cliffs Lodge or similar (2 nights).
Today, visit Arches National Park. Here you will encounter over 2,000 natural freestanding sandstone arches. The number varies from day to day, as old arches crumble and new ones form. The most famous of these is Delicate Arch. The best viewing of this impressive arch is done off the roadway and on a trail. It is well worth the hike to encounter it up close. At the Visitor Center, rangers offer guided walks and nature talks. Keep your eyes open for desert bighorn sheep. These famous residents tend to blend in with the landscape; a sighting is a special treat. You might also choose to visit the Aztec Ruins National Monument. Construction began on this 500 room “great house” by ancestral Pueblo people around 100 A.D. A short trail winds through the rooms and provides an intimate showing.
In the morning visit to Dead Horse Point from where you may view Canyonlands with its spectacular rock formations and great variety of colors. Immediately after, continue via Cortez to Mesa Verde National Park. This park consists of more than 4,000 ruin sites, which include 600 cliff dwellings; these magnificent sites include the famous Balcony House and Cliff Palace. Visit Spruce Tree House, constructed between AD 1211 and 1278 by the ancestors of the Puebloan peoples of the Southwest. The dwelling contains about 130 rooms and 8 kivas, or ceremonial chambers, built into a natural cave. Continue to Durango. This great city, nestled in the picturesque San Juan Mountains of Southwest Colorado was built as a mining supply and smelting center during the gold and silver era.
Accommodations:
(STD) Durango Downtown Inn or similar (1 night).
(SUP) Strater Hotel or similar (1 night)
After we cross the continental divide we make a stop in the surprising green valley of Chama, the last leg of the Rio Grande Railway. A lunchtime arrival in Santa Fe, the capital of New Mexico and the second oldest city in the USA, will allow for an orientation tour of Old Town Santa Fe with its three different cultures, Spanish, Indian and American. Some of the tour highlights are the State Building, San Miguel Church Which is the oldest church in the US, Loretto Chapel with its Miraculous floating staircase, and Governor’s Palace which houses the most extensive museum collection spanning the history of Santa Fe and the Southwest. After the tour you will have time to explore the city on your own. Native Americans ply their arts and crafts outside the buildings facing the central Plaza just as they have for over 400 years. Jewelry, pottery, and more are spread out on blankets for you to admire and purchase. The tour continues in route to Albuquerque.
Accommodations:
(STD) Quality Inn & Suites Hotel or similar (1 night). (SUP) Crowne Plaza Albuquerque or similar (1 night).
Start the day with a visit to Old Town where you can walk through history around its original central plaza. Uniquely distinctive Southwestern items can be found in numerous shops and boutiques. The tour continues west for a visit to Canyon De Chelly and its magnificent vistas. Canyon de Chelly is part of the Navajo Reservation. Stop at the Visitor Center and proceed via the South Rim from which you can admire the Ancient Ruins and geologic structures. These ancient ruins were once home to the thriving Anasazi Indian community. The steep, stained walls of the canyon have helped preserve these petroglyphs and cliff dwellings. From here you will also see Spider Rock; this spectacular geologic feature is a sandstone spire that rises 800 feet from the canyon floor. You may recognize it, as it has served as the scene of a number of television commercials. Continue to Kayenta for an overnight stay.
Accommodations:
(STD) Kayenta Monument Valley Inn or similar (1 night). (SUP) Goulding’s Lodge or similar (1 night).
Today we visit Monument Valley. This Valley provides perhaps the most enduring and definitive images of the American West. The isolated red mesas and buttes surrounded by empty, sandy desert have been filmed and photographed countless times over the years for movies, advertisements and holiday brochures. Because of this, the area may seem quite familiar, even on your first visit. Stop at the Cameron Trading Post where you can have lunch and purchase local Indian crafts. The tour continues to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon where you can visit Desert View, Mather Point, Yavapai and Bright Angel Lodge. The Grand Canyon is one of the seven natural wonders of the world, its amazing landscape awes and inspires. It is a steep-sided gorge carved by the Colorado River over a six million year period. The Canyon is between 1500 and 2700 meters above sea level.
Accommodations:
(STD & SUP) Grand Canyon Lodging* to be determined at time of booking, based on availability. Excludes El Tovar Hotel – (1 night).
* We would strive to provide accommodations inside Grand Canyon National Park for early bookings. National Park lodging must be booked well in advance, especially for the summer months. National Park accommodations, while rustic, provide an incomparable experience and many added conveniences. The park’s free shuttle buses connect the lodges with restaurants, shops, visitor centers, scenic overlooks and trailheads. Later bookings will be accommodated just outside the National Park.
The journey continues as you depart the Grand Canyon through scenic Oak Creek Canyon to Sedona for a lunch stop. Oak Creek Canyon is a spectacular 16-mile gorge with streams and waterfalls between sheer rock walls. Breathtaking in its red rock beauty, the Canyon with its clear perennial stream provides a strong contrast to the Sedona’s red rocks. After lunch continue to Phoenix or Scottsdale for a mid-afternoon arrival. This evening visit the “Old Town” area of Scottsdale. In addition to multiple galleries and exclusive shops, here you will find excellent collection of Southwestern and Native American art and handicrafts for sale. Enjoy the regional flavors of the southwest cooking style at one of the multiple restaurants in this area.
Accommodations:
(STD) Sleep Inn Phoenix or similar (1 night). (SUP) Scottsdale Cottonwoods Resort or similar (1 night).
Leave Scottsdale behind and head west toward Los Angeles through scenic desert country where you will encounter the exclusive resort town of Palm Springs. Situated in the shadow of the San Jacinto Peak, Palm Springs serves as a playground to the rich and famous; it brims with lush farming land and manicured golf courses which does not conform to the typical desert image. Take a ride on the Aerial Tramway, a popular attraction that takes you from the desert to snow-capped mountains. This cable car ride ascends Mt. San Jacitno. At the top, there are hiking trails, mule rides, a cocktail bar and a restaurant. Afterward, continue to Los Angeles for a two-night stay. Los Angeles is the entertainment capital of the United States. Home to famous movie stars and the infamous landmark, the Hollywood sign, it is a city brimming with culture and happenings. This big metropolis has many regions with distinct flavors and communities.
Accommodations:
(STD) Figueroa Hotel or similar (2 nights).
(SUP) Angeleno Hotel or similar (2 nights).
Today, explore the City of Angels. Visit the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. Take a stroll along the Walk of Fame and see the names of celebrities commemorated in pink stars along the sidewalk. Visit Mann’s Chinese Theater, the best-preserved of the movie palaces from Hollywood’s golden era. Known for its celebrity hand and footprints in the forecourt, over 200 impressions are yours to discover. Drive through Beverly Hills, the most famous neighborhood in the United States and glimpse exclusive homes of celebrities. Shop the famous Rodeo Drive, where luxury retail commands the street. Have lunch in Venice Beach, home to famous Muscle Beach, where the sand and surf are secondary to the lively scene of people that inhabit the sidewalk. Or, make your way to Anaheim and visit the “Happiest place on earth.” Disneyland is home to your favorite characters like Mickey Mouse. Here you will find entertainment for the young and the young at heart. In the evening have dinner at one of the many ethnic neighborhoods and experience the distinct flavors of authentic dishes.
Depart at leisure to Los Angeles International Airport. Drop-off rental car.
Experience the very best of the southwest on this tour that takes you from the wondrous natural beauty of canyon country to the excitement and glamour of Las Vegas and Los Angeles.
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