Welcome to the neon city in the Nevada desert. This brash, iconic city offers families the chance to see a show, shop or simply indulge in a spot of people watching. A welcome meeting will be held at approximately 6pm with free time afterwards to explore the cityscape at night and see the neon lights in all their glory. Stay: Alexis Park Resort (or similar).
Leaving Las Vegas, your first stop is to treat the kids to a dose of real Americana as you travel along an original section of Route 66 stopping at the quirky town of Seligman. Pick up souvenirs for friends at home before arriving at the mighty Grand Canyon. Your family will never forget the moment they lay eyes on one of the world's greatest natural wonders. For the ultimate thrill ride, take a scenic helicopter flight or a nature walk along the rim for spectacular views.
Did you know that only five percent of visitors to the canyon ever venture inside? Get your family hooked on being in the great outdoors with a great hike to Ooh Aah Point or Plateau Point for incredible views looking both up and down. After watching a glorious sunset, make sure you head over to the Grand Canyon IMAX Theater for an incredible audio-visual experience and to learn how the canyon was discovered and how the area has developed. Optional activities: IMAX Theater: US$10 Grand Canyon helicopter flight: US$289 (starting rate, price varies according to demand) Stay: Mather Campground (or similar) (B/L/D).
You've seen the movie; now it's your chance to run like Forrest Gump on the iconic stretch of road en route to Monument Valley! Discover the hidden secrets of this tribal land and learn more about Native American culture on your included Navajo guided backroads tour. Arriving in this mesmerising landscape is like stepping into a Western movie, with towering red rock buttes and mesas, and there is nothing quite as amazing as a night sky in Monument Valley. Stay: Goulding's Campground (or similar) (B/L/D).
On the road again and your next stop is one of the most photographed places on the Colorado River, Horseshoe Bend. Believe us, it's impressive.
Next up is Bryce Canyon National Park with its fascinating natural amphitheatres of pink, orange and white sandstone spires, known locally as hoodoos. There are a variety of scenic overlooks and trails that range from easy to moderate in difficulty, so depending on what you and your family are after, there's plenty of choice. The Navajo Trail enables you to hike right in among the unique rock formations. Some may prefer to hike the Queens Garden Trail or to remain on the rim and photograph the ever-changing colours as the sun moves across the wide-open sky.
We transfer to the campsite at Kodachrome Basin State Park, named after a National Geographic Society exhibition which came to the park and was amazed by the changing colours of the sandstone chimneys, creating a beautiful spectacle as the sun crossed the sky. This quiet campsite will allow you to experience true desert life and enjoy quality time with your family. Optional activities: Western horseback riding: US$65-US$90 Stay: Kodachrome Basin State Park Campground (or similar) (B/L/D).
The next destination is Zion National Park, named by the early Mormon settlers of Utah who thought of it as their promised land. Some of the best hiking in this desert terrain of Southwest USA is found here, in and around the fertile Virgin River Gorge. With an early arrival today and two nights here, you have plenty of time to explore after setting up camp.
The perfect thing to do today is walking along a section of the Virgin River called The Narrows, if weather conditions permit. Dry feet are not an option as you hike through the river and in between towering walls; as the day heats, the cool water and shadows of the canyon can be very pleasant indeed and you and your family can enjoy a quick dip. Stay: Zion Ponderosa Ranch Campground (or similar) (B/L/D).
You have a full day to further explore the delights of Zion National Park. Hire a bike or enjoy Western horseback riding. There are many great trails but a really good option to start is the Watchman Trail, a steady uphill climb until you reach a viewpoint with stunning vistas of Watchman Peak.
In the afternoon, you and the family can find welcome shade while walking the Emerald Pools trail. Another hike option is Angels Landing, which due to its popularity cannot be booked by a tour operator and requires individual customers to apply for a permit via a seasonal lottery. We have included more details on how to go about this in the ‘Is This Trip for You?' section. Optional activities: Western horseback riding: US$45-US$90 Stay: Zion Ponderosa Ranch Campground (or similar) (B/L/D).
Travel west via Rhyolite ghost town on the Nevada-California border, a former goldrush town that was once prosperous but later abandoned in the 1920s. Check out the remains of this well-preserved ghost town and feel the spirit of the old gold prospectors in the Wild West stirring on the wind as you visit the jailhouse, schoolhouse and train station.
Tonight, you stay in Tonopah. Stay: Best Western Hi-Desert Inn (or similar) (B/L).
Today you travel from east to west, traversing the 9,945ft (3,031m) high Tioga Pass over the Sierra Nevada Mountains. You travel past the eerie shores of Mono Lake before arriving at Yosemite National Park, which sits in the Sierra Nevadas of Northern California, where green forest meets towering granite walls.
After a visit to see the giant sequoia trees, Yosemite Valley beckons. Here you may cycle, take a dip in the Merced River or wander the meadows. Hike the Mist Trail, arguably one of the most outstanding day hikes from Yosemite Valley. The trail has superb views as you walk across picturesque bridges up towards Vernal Falls, where the spray from the falls will cool you down on a hot summer's day and create rainbows along the trail.
Continue walking to reach another beautiful waterfall, Nevada Falls, and return via the John Muir Trail for perfect afternoon views and – if you're lucky – you may even spot the black bears and coyotes that sometimes roam the surrounding areas. Junior Ranger programs are available at most national parks, which give kids and families the opportunity to explore and learn about the national parks and how they can help protect them today and into the future. Optional activities: Bike rental: US$12-US$34 Float trip on the Merced River: US$31 Stay: Yosemite Lakes Campground (or similar) (B/L/D).
Make your way through the historic gold country of California to the City by the Bay, San Francisco. Enjoy a brief orientation tour around the city including a close-up view of the Golden Gate Bridge and the chance to walk across it. Completed in 1937, this suspension bridge stretches for 1. 7mi (2. 7km) and is probably the most photographed bridge in the world. Unfortunately, your tour must come to an end but if you decide to stay on, there's plenty to keep you entertained – the best introduction to the city is to jump on a hop-on-hop-off bus tour.
If you want to visit Alcatraz on this day, you need to book your tickets online in advance with Alcatraz Cruises. This tour ends at our partner hotel at approximately 5pm. We can book you post-tour accommodation at our partner hotel if required. If you are planning to fly out tonight, please do not book a flight that departs before 9pm (B/L).
There are currently no departures available on this trip. Either it's the end of the season and new departures will be released shortly, or this itinerary has been changed and will no longer continue. Feel free to contact us for information about when next seasons dates will be released or click here to view the general release dates for all destinations.
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