Day 1: San Francisco

Meet and greet in San Francisco at our base hotel at 4pm where you meet the group and your tour leaders. Drive over Golden Gate Bridge; stop for a walk at a beautiful overlook in Marin headlands; enjoy the galleries and scenic waterfront in the lovely bayside town of Sausalito; receive your travel documents and get to know your travel companions at dinner. 1 night in San Francisco. We will gladly help you reserve nights before the tour, to allow extra time in San Francisco.

Day 2: San Francisco – Monterey

Drive to Monterey along the fantastic Pacific scenic coastal byway. Stop at a marine reserve for a walk and discover rare marine life. Explore Santa Cruz’s historic boardwalk where the Giant Dipper, a wooden roller coaster of the 1920s is still in operation. Our destination is Monterey, a beautiful small city directly located on the magnificent Monterey Peninsula, named the greatest meeting of land, sea and sky. Night in or near Monterey.

Day 3: Monterey

Drive the famous 17-Mile-Drive along the scenic beaches of Pebble Beach and Pacific Grove, stopping at one of the exclusive Golf resorts. Visit historic Carmel Mission, an important legacy of Californian history. Monterey offers many activities including an optional visit to the world famous Monterey Aquarium, a walk on the Wharf, a visit to Cannery Row and shopping or an optional whale watching tour.

Day 4: Monterey – Morro Bay

Drive south along the famous coastline of Big Sur on Cabrillo Highway with stops and walks along the way including Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park with it’s pretty waterfall and coastal scenery. Observe a rare colony of elephant seals. Visit magnificent Hearst Castle, a National and California historical landmark mansion perched high above the coast. Evening and night in Morro Bay, a small waterfront city, also called the Gibraltar of the Pacific.

Day 5: Morro Bay – Los Angeles

Enjoy a walk on beautiful Pismo Beach then head to the “Danish Capitol” of the USA in Solvang. Stop at the Old Santa Barbara Mission, built in 1786, also known as the Queen of the missions and the icon of Santa Barbara. Visit the Spanish-Moorish County Courthouse, built in 1929 with a tower that allows wonderful views of the city and the ocean. Drive on to Los Angeles and spend the evening in Santa Monica. Two nights in Los Angeles.

Day 6: Los Angeles

Highlights Explore famous Beverly Hills, Hollywood and Walk of Fame, shopping and sightseeing. View Disney Concert Hall. In the afternoon you can optionally visit the Universal Studios for an interactive and fun look at movie history or come along on a tour to the Getty Museum. Night in Los Angeles.

Day 7: Los Angeles – Palm Springs – Desert Hot Springs

Drive to Palm Springs, a beautiful desert resort city. Depending on the temperature take a hike in famous Tahquitz or Indian Canyons. Ride the aerial tramway up to San Jacinto Peak for some great views and walks. Tonight relax at a resort hotel and enjoy the various mineral hot springs. Night in Desert Hot Springs.

Day 8: Palm Springs – Joshua Tree National Park – Shoshone/Death Valley

Spend the morning exploring Joshua Tree National Park, with its intriguing desert flora and fauna of the Mojave Desert. Enjoy a picnic and some shorter hikes. Then drive through Mojave National Preserve, desert lands of natural beautify and stop at the visitor center. In the evening we will arrive at the gate of Death Valley National Park. Night in or near Shoshone.

Day 9: Death Valley National Park – Lone Pine

Explore famous and less known highlights of Death Valley National Park. Stop at Furnace Creek Visitor Center and view many unique sights on walks and short hikes. In the evening expect a spectacular sunset in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada and Mount Whitney, the tallest mountain in the lower 48 states. The Alabama Hills are still the backdrop for many Hollywood movies. Night in Lone Pine.

Day 10: Lone Pine – Markleeville

Explore a historic railroad station near Bishop. Take a short hike along Mono Lake, one of the oldest lakes of the U.S. with its fascinating Tufa formations, a heaven for photographers. Bodie, Californian’s largest and best preserved ghost town is reached by gravel road and offers an incredibly accurate view into a 19th century gold town. Night in little town Markleeville.

Day 11: Markleeville – Lassen Volcanic National Park

Drive along stop for views and a short hike at beautifully deep blue Lake Tahoe. On the scenic drive to Lassen Volcanic National Park we stop at an historic gold mining State Park and explore. Night at the gateway to Lassen.

Day 12: Lassen Volcanic National Park – Sacramento – Jamestown

Lassen Peak stands at an elevation of 10,457 ft and is the southernmost active volcano of the Cascades that had a powerful explosive eruption in 1915 and devastated nearby areas. Discover nagged peaks, smoking fumaroles and hot bubbling pools on walks and a shorter hike. In the later afternoon arrive to Sacramento and visit the Capitol of California. Evening and night in small gold rush town Jamestown.

Day 13: Yosemite National Park

Today explore Yosemite National Park, the natural beauty of the valley and granite peaks and the fascinating old growth forests of giant Sequoia trees. Shorter hikes and picnic. Night in Oakhurst, gateway to Yosemite.

Day 14: Oakhurst – Sonoma – San Francisco

Drive through famous wine country Napa Valley with a stop at the oldest winery of California. See historic plaza of Sonoma and then reach San Francisco over the Golden Gate Bridge. The tour ends in the early evening. We are happy to reserve your hotel stay either downtown San Francisco or at the airport.