Chicago to the Golden Gate
Trip Itinerary
Day 1
Chicago Arrival
Arrive in Chicago and transfer independently to your hotel where you will meet with your Tour Director in the evening.
Day 2
Chicago
Today we will enjoy a short tour of the city’s highlights including Lake Shore Drive, the Magnifi cent Mile and Navy Pier. The Windy City’s stunning high rise architecture and one of the world’s tallest buildings, the Willis Tower (admission not included), provide a dramatic backdrop for this cultural and fi nancial center. The rest of the day is at leisure.
Day 3
Chicago – Mississippi River Crossing – Sioux Falls
Travel through Midwest farm country abundant in corn fields, wheat fields and dairy farms. Then we cross the mighty Mississippi River and travel into the state of Iowa to arrive just as Lewis & Clark did 200 years ago on the banks of the Missouri River. Overnight in Sioux Falls.
Day 4
Sioux Falls – Badlands National Park – Mt. Rushmore National Memorial – Deadwood / Rapid City
Travel westward through the grasslands of South Dakota and onwards to Badlands National Park, once home to the buffalo and antelope, and filled with strange shaped and colorful rock formations. Then we continue on to the Black Hills, sacred to the Plains Indians and home to Mount Rushmore, an enormous monument to four of the great presidents of America: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt. Spend an evening at leisure.
Day 5
Deadwood/Rapid City – Bighorn Mountains – Cody
Enter the “Equality State”, Wyoming, which has twelve mountain ranges intermixed with deserts and rolling grasslands, and continue to Cody for the night.
If overnight in Cody is not possible due to weather or adverse road conditions in Yellowstone, overnight will be in Billings/ Livingston, Montana.
Day 6
Cody – Yellowstone National Park
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.
Day 7
Yellowstone National Park – Grand Teton National Park – Salt Lake City
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. This prairie land is home to wild buffalo (Tatonka!), moose and elk. 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 Capital 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).
Day 8
Salt Lake City – Bryce Canyon National Park
Continue today to spectacular Bryce Canyon, where a tour through a multi-colored world of sandstone spires and pinnacles, "hoodoos", will dazzle the eye. This evening, weather permitting, be sure to gaze upon the spectacular night sky filled with sparkling stars & brilliant constellations.
Day 9
Bryce – Lake Powell – Grand Canyon – Flagstaff
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, and one in a series of lakes formed by the damming of the Colorado River. Then visit colossal Grand Canyon National Park, one of the seven great natural wonders of the world. Stop at the East Rim to fully experience this mile-deep canyon’s plunging gorges, rising spires, extinct volcanoes and, below the rim, the winding Colorado River. Overnight in Flagstaff, a famed stop on historic Route 66.
Day 10
Flagstaff – Seligman/Route 66 – Las Vegas
This morning depart Flagstaff and 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 leisure for you to explore the famous Las Vegas strip.
Day 11
Las Vegas – Mojave Desert – Beverly Hills – Los Angeles
Travel to Los Angeles via the Mojave Desert, home of the world’s tallest thermometer, at 134 feet (41 meters) high. Clusters of unique Joshua trees dot the mountainous landscape. Upon arrival in Los Angeles you will enjoy a tour through the City of Angels including star studded Hollywood, Sunset Strip and parts of Beverly Hills, before reaching your hotel.
Day 12
Los Angeles
Today we suggest an optional full-day tour visiting the world’s largest movie studio and theme park: Universal Studios, where Hollywood puts you so close you can hear the cameras rolling. Get an inside look at the sets and uncover the behind the scenes secrets of legendary films or perhaps, for the more adventurous, take one of the Studio’s feature rides including Jurassic Park and Revenge of the Mummy. A universe of excitement awaits in one of California’s premier attractions.
Day 13
Los Angeles – Santa Barbara – Central Coast
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 mission and Spanish heritage. Along the way, see an iconic California lifeguard tower made famous in “Baywatch”. Then, continue north to the charming town of Solvang.
Day 14
Central Coast – Carmel/Monterey – San Francisco
Today we 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.” Tour concludes upon arrival at the hotel.
Prices, Dates, Hotels & Conditions
CHANGE CURRENCY
€
£
$
A$
¥
C$
The final price you will pay for this tour is that displayed in USD. Prices converted in other
currencies are for guidance purposes only and are approximate.
| DEPARTURES 2025 | PRICE FROM |
|---|---|
| MAY 14 | 3010 |
| JUNE 18 | 3135 |
| JULY 9, 23 | 3135 |
| AUG 13, 27 | 3135 |
| SEP 10, 24 | 3135 |
YOUR ESCORTED MOTORCOACH TOUR INCLUDES
- Services of a professional Tour Manager throughout
- Deluxe air-conditioned motorcoach with onboard restroom facilities
- Hotel accommodations as specified or similar
- Sightseeing as specified
- Hotel taxes; service charges; and baggage (one suitcase per person)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT INCLUSIONS
- 4 complimentary breakfasts*
- Enjoy an orientation tour of downtown Chicago including Lake Shore Drive, Navy Pier & the Magnificent Mile
- See the famous carving of the 4 American Presidents’ faces: Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt at Mount Rushmore
- Discover the world’s first National Park: Yellowstone
- Tour Salt Lake City including Temple Square, home to the Mormon Tabernacle
- Explore Bryce Canyon National Park
- Travel the historic Route 66, stopping at the iconic town of Seligman
- Photo stop at the landmark “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign
- Travel across the Mojave Desert and see its indigenous Joshua Trees
- Orientation tour of Los Angeles including stops at some of its most famous spots
- See Hollywood and its ‘Sidewalk of the Stars’
- Travel California’s central coast and its rich agricultural plains
- Visit Monterey including Cannery Row, inspiration for American author John Steinbeck
- Journey through one of America’s most renown technology hubs: Silicon Valley
| NIGHT | CITY | HOTEL ACCOMMODATION |
|---|---|---|
| 1-2 | Chicago | Best Western River North Hotel |
| 3 | Sioux City | Comfort Inn & Suites |
| 4 | Rapid City | First Gold Hotel |
| 5 | Cody | Buffalo Bill Village |
| 6 | Yellowstone Park | Yellowstone Westgate Hotel |
| 7 | Salt Lake City | Crystal Inn Hotel & Suites |
| 8 | Bryce Canyon National Park | Bryce View Lodge |
| 9 | Flagstaff | Days Hotel by Wyndham Flagstaff |
| 10 | Las Vegas | The STRAT |
| 11-12 | Los Angeles | Sonesta Los Angeles Airport LAX |
| 13 | Central Coast | Historic Santa Maria Inn |
PRE & POST HOTELS
PRE: Chicago, Best Western River North Hotel
POST: San Francisco, Holiday Inn Golden Gateway
OPTIONAL EXPERIENCES
- Enjoy a river cruise in Chicago, seeing the works of famous American architects
- Ride to the top of Willis Tower and enjoy the spectacular view (weather permitting)
- Dinner at the Roof Restaurant in Salt Lake City with panoramic views of Temple Square
- Dinner and boot stompin’ fun to cowboy music at Bryce Canyon
- Grand Canyon helicopter flight
- Fly over Lake Powell and enjoy a Monument Valley tour
- Las Vegas Night tour
- Dinner at Bubba Gump’s in Long Beach
- Visit Universal Studios
