America’s Golden West with Hawaii add-on

Day 1: UK/Las Vegas
Depart on your scheduled flight to Las Vegas. On arrival, you will transfer to your hotel for a three-night stay in this exciting, exuberant city.

Day 2: Las Vegas
After your included tour of the city, there’s plenty of time to explore Las Vegas at your own pace. You might choose to explore the famous Strip, with its glitzy, glamorous hotels and casinos – such as the Hotel Paris Las Vegas, with its Eiffel Tower replica, or the pyramid-shaped Luxor. Tonight, join an optional Las Vegas by Night tour to see these fabulous sights lit up against the desert sky.

Day 3: Las Vegas
You can take an optional air tour to view the majestic splendour of the Grand Canyon today – or experience the sheer scale of this 14-mile wide gorge from the Skywalk, a horseshoe-shaped viewing platform which extends 70ft out across the canyon. You’ll be guaranteed some stunning, panoramic views of this unique natural wonder.

This evening, enjoy some free time in Las Vegas – there’s always plenty of star-studded shows to choose from, or you could try your luck in one of the casinos.

Day 4: Palm Springs
Today, you’ll arrive in Palm Springs for a one-night stay. Nicknamed ‘America’s Desert Playground’, this unique city is the perfect place to rest, relax and soak up the sun, as well as enjoying the breathtaking natural backdrop provided by the desert mountains. It’s easy to see why stars such as Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope had holiday homes here.

Day 5: Los Angeles
Before arriving in Los Angeles, we include a visit to the beautiful and vibrant seaport of Long Beach. You might like to visit the former Cunard White Star liner Queen Mary, now permanently berthed here and transformed into a hotel, restaurant and museum. There’s even a shopping mall on board – the Queen’s Market Place.

Or why not visit the Aquarium of the Pacific, a world-renowned research facility and tourist attraction. Here you’ll find 11,000 ocean animals in a spectacular aquarium. You can even touch the sharks in the Shark Lagoon!

After your Long Beach visit, you will continue to Los Angeles to begin your two-night stay in one of America’s most exciting cities.

Day 6: Los Angeles
Get to know more about LA’s many attractions this morning with our included city tour, featuring the Hollywood Bowl, Sunset Strip, the Farmers’ Market and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, with its Hollywood celebrity handprints, footprints, and autographs etched into the theatre’s concrete forecourt.

This afternoon, you might like to join our optional visit to Universal Studios, where movies are brought to life. You can enjoy thrilling rides and attractions at this exciting LA theme park.

Day 7: San Luis Obispo
Today is the first day of your spectacular two-day drive up the magnificent Pacific coastline. You’ll travel through the affluent beachfront community of Malibu and through Santa Barbara, often nicknamed the American Riviera thanks to its balmy Mediterranean climate. Your overnight stay tonight will be at San Luis Obispo an ideal mid-point in which to break your journey between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Day 8: San Francisco
Follow in the footsteps of historic Spanish missionaries today as you travel along El Camino Real – ‘The Royal Road’ – and continue your journey northwards. Passing through Carmel and Monterey, you’ll experience the famous 17-Mile Drive, hugging the coast and providing you with a breathtaking ocean panorama, before you arrive in San Francisco for a three-night stay.

Day 9: San Francisco
On your morning sightseeing tour, you’ll visit Golden Gate Park, the Civic Centre and Chinatown. Alternatively, join one of our optional excursions including a harbour cruise which passes underneath the Golden Gate Bridge and sails close to Alcatraz island, with its infamous prison. Or you might like to take a helicopter flight under the bridge. If you prefer, explore at your own pace using the famous San Francisco cable cars – or you could take advantage of this versatile city’s excellent shopping facilities.

Day 10: San Francisco
Enjoy a free day in San Francisco.

Day 11: San Francisco/Honolulu
You will be transferred from your hotel to the airport for a flight to Honolulu on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. On arrival, transfer to your hotel, where you will stay for six nights.

During your stay we include a city tour including a visit to Pearl Harbour, where you’ll see a film about the events leading up to the Japanese attack during the Second World War before visiting the museum.

Days 12 – 16: Oahu
You are free to relax and enjoy the beautiful island of Oahu. While you are here there will be a selection of optional excursions available (at extra cost). These will include:

Royal Circle island tour
This is the perfect way to explore the beautiful scenery and highlights of Oahu. You will be taken to Diamond Head Crater where you can admire the view before moving on to Hanauma Bay, where you’ll discover the North Shore surfing beaches and exotic pineapple and sugarcane fields. This full-day tour also includes an escorted walk through tropical gardens, a stop at the Macadamia Nut Hut, where you will be able to sample the produce, and a visit to a magnificent fish pond.

Polynesian Cultural Center
You can tailor your full-day visit to this fascinating cultural centre by choosing one of the following options:

Explore the island villages at your own pace, enjoy the IMAX theatre where you can learn about the “Ha Breath of Life” show and join a virtual canoe and tram tour. There are plenty of restaurants and snack bars in which you can dine before the show commences.

Alternatively, you can choose to experience a traditional meal by joining the Ali’l Luau tour, where you will witness the uncovering of the traditional ‘imu’ underground oven where a kalua pua’a (roast pig) will have been cooking for most of the day. You will be served a sumptuous feast and enjoy preferential seating for “Ha Breath of Life” – a show which incorporates dance, music and spectacular special effects.

Paradise Cove Luau
This truly cultural evening begins with a traditional Mai Tai greeting and live Hawaiian music. You will then enjoy a stroll through the traditional village where you can admire the locals’ arts and crafts skills. You may even get the chance to have a go at some Hawaiian games.

Your excursion includes a “hukilau on the beach”, where you will observe traditional net fishing techniques, witness the pageantry of the Royal Court Procession and experience imu underground cooking. The highlight of your evening will be a feast of Hawaiian dishes, local specialities and continental cuisine.

Navatek sunset buffet dinner cruise
Watch the sun set while dining at sea on the sleek and modern vessel, Navatek I, whose hi-tech equipment guarantees guests a smooth cruise.

Your route takes you along Waikiki Beach and beyond Diamond Head to the hidden shores of the Kahala Coastline – home to Hawaii’s rich and famous. You will dine in the ocean-themed Blue Hawaii room with an accompaniment of Hawaiian and contemporary music. After dinner, enjoy music and dancing late into the evening.

Volcano tour and lava walk – full-day tour
This exciting day of exploration is a real adventure, allowing you to see nature at work. A picturesque ride gives way to the vistas of dormant volcanoes, lava beds, steam vents and craters. You will hear the legends of Pele, ancient Hawaiian goddess of the volcano, who settled in the crater of Halemaumau at the summit of Kilauea. You will also visit the many wonders of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, such as Rainbow Falls State Park, Mauna Loa Mac Nut Factory, Kalapana Black Sand Beach, Chain of Craters Road, Devastation Trail/Lava Tube, Kilauea Iki Overlook and the Jaggar Museum. Please note: Route may be modified due to National Park advisories.

Day 17: San Francisco or Los Angeles/UK
Today you’ll transfer to the airport for your flight back to the UK via San Francisco or Los Angeles.

Please note

Accommodation throughout is in hotels of a comfortable standard, typical of the hotels you will stay in are:

Stratosphere Hotel in Las Vegas
Hyatt Regency in Palm Springs
Best Western Carriage Inn in Los Angeles
La Cuesta Inn in San Luis Obispo
Holiday Inn Golden Gateway in San Francisco
The Stratosphere is located right on the Las Vegas Strip and includes a revolving restaurant among its many features. Hotel Zoso, in Palm Springs, boasts a spa (at additional cost) and al fresco dining, while the Best Western Carriage Inn, in Los Angeles, has a cocktail lounge and exercise facilities. All hotels also feature pools. All your hotel bedrooms will have TV, telephone and en suite facilities.

For the Hawaii part of your holiday, you will stay in the comfortable;

Miramar Hotel or similar on the island of Oahu
Situated within easy walking distance of Waikiki Beach, the hotel features a choice of restaurants, cocktail lounge, coffee shop, fitness centre, swimming pool, large whirlpool spa, and a range of shops. Guest rooms feature air conditioning, en suite facilities, hairdryer, balcony, coffeemaker, TV and safe.

Hotels will be confirmed in your final documentation.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Included excursions and visits

Las Vegas city tour
Long Beach visit
Los Angeles city tour (half day)
San Francisco sightseeing tour (half day)
A traditional lei greeting
City tour including Pearl Harbor

Optional excursions

Las Vegas by Night tour
Grand Canyon flights
Universal Studios, Los Angeles
San Francisco harbour cruise or helicopter flight
Pre-bookable excursion package
Las Vegas night tour, Universal Studios, San Francisco by night

Your holiday includes

Scheduled flights
Overseas transfers and other transportation
16 nights’ room only accommodation
The services of a Travelsphere Tour Manager and Local Guides (main tour)
Services of a local representative in Hawaii
Hotel porterage (one bag per person)
All airport taxes and security charges
UK Airline Passenger Duty
All state and local taxes

With 50 years’ experience in arranging escorted tours to exciting destinations across the globe, Travelsphere have built an excellent reputation founded on quality and value.

By choosing a Travelsphere escorted holiday you can travel with confidence, knowing that every aspect of your holiday has been carefully planned and arranged from start to finish. Further to this they are ATOL bonded and members of ABTA.

Travelsphere’s thorough planning of travel arrangements, itineraries and accommodation combined with the unique insight of their knowledgeable Tour Managers and Local Guides will enable you to experience the culture, traditions and hidden away places less accessible to other travellers.

Our Opinion
“Travelsphere are one of the biggest names in the Escorted Tour market. Finely tuned over the last 50 years their tours have been tried, tested and refined by thousands of customers.”