Northern California

Tour Highlights:
Napa Valley Wine Train
Old Sacramento
Mono Lake Visitor Center
Yosemite National Park
Old Mission San Juan Bautista
Cannery Row
17 Mile Drive
Carmel

Prices & Dates : Below

Based on per person traveling, Prices are subject to change 

YOUR TOUR INCLUDES:

• Airport transfers on days 1 and 8
• Twin-bedded rooms in hotels listed or similar, hotel taxes, service charges, and tips for baggage handling
• 7 full breakfasts (FB); and 4 three-course dinners (D)
• Services of a professional Tour Director
• Private luxury motorcoach with air-conditioning and reclining seats and emergency restroom
• Complete sightseeing program as detailed in the itinerary
• Inside visits and special features as shown in bold in the tour description including admission charges where applicable

Pricing excludes

• Airport taxes and security charges
• Transfers from airport / hotel /airport
• Meals not specifically identified
• Other personal expenses

DAILY ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrive San Francisco Welcome to the City by the Bay! Upon arrival, you will be transferred to your hotel. Your Tour Director will be available to welcome you and answer questions.

Day 2: San Francisco This morning's city tour highlights some of San Francisco's most famous landmarks. See Union Square, stately Victorian mansions, Lombard Street, Golden Gate Park, the Financial District, Chinatown, and Fisherman's Wharf. The afternoon is free to explore this fascinating city further on your own. Tonight, enjoy a Welcome Drink with your fellow travelers followed by dinner at a local restaurant. (FB,D)

Day 3: San Francisco/Sonoma/Napa Cross the famous Golden Gae Bridge and head north into California's premier Wine Country. Stop at a winery for a guided tour and to sample local vintages. Later, stroll around charming Sonoma before heading to Napa. This evening, board the superbly restored Napa Valley Wine Train and enjoy wine tasting and fine dining while taking in wonderful vistas of the Napa Valley. (FB,D)

Day 4: Napa/Sacramento/Lake Tahoe This morning, perhaps join an optional hot air ballon excursion over the vineyards and wineries of the Napa Valley. Then travel east and step into the past in Old Sacramento, a typical town from the Gold Rush era. Continue on to beautiful Lake Tahoe. Perhaps take an optional gondola ride high up the mountain for amazing views over Lake Tahoe's crystal clear waters and gorgeous mountain scenery. (FB)

Day 5: Lake Tahoe/Mono Lake/Yosemite Travel south along the eastern side of the Sierra Nevadas and stop at the Mono Lake Visitor Center. Learn about this hauntingly beautiful lake, its unusual formations called tufa towers, and the lake's millions of migratory and nesting birds. Next, cross the Tioga Pass (weather permitting) and enter Yosemite National Park. Descending through Tuolumne Meadows, enter the legendary Yosemite Valley, home to spectacular waterfalls and teh granite monuments of Half Dome and El Capitan. (FB,D)

Day 6: Yosemite/San Juan Bautista/Monterey Heading back to the Pacific Coast, travel across the San Joaquin Valley, known as California's breadbasket. Visit the historical Old Mission San Juan Bautista, one of the original 21 Spanish missions. Continue on to Monterey, with John Steinbeck's famous Cannery Row and quaint Fisherman's Wharf. (FB)

Day 7: Carmel & Big Sur Excursion Ride along the spectacular 17 Mile Drive this morning, home to the Lone Cypress and Pebble Beach Golf Club. Stop at the quaint village of Carmel with time to explore the shady streets lined with eclectic shops and tempting cafés. Next, head south along Highway I to Big Sur, and admire the magnificent ocean vistas, rugged shorelines, and great redwood tree forest. Then back to Monterey for a delectable Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant. (FB,D)

Day 8: Monterey/Bear Mountain/Depart San Francisco Travel north and inland to Roaring Camp, an 1880's logging camp, for a short break. Then take a scenic drive through Bear Mountain with spectacular views of the famous giant coastal redwood trees. Your tour ends with stops at San Francisco International Airport and the San Francisco hotel for those extending their stay. Please do not schedule any flights before 3 p.m. (FB)

Hotels

SANFRANCISCO - Marriott (SF) 
NAPA - River Terrace INN (SF)
LAKE TAHOE - MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa (SF)
YOSEMITE - Yosemite View Lodge (ST)
MONTEREY - Portola Plaza Hotel (SF) or Marriott Moneterey (SF)