TakeTours Gotobus

DAY1 Hometown - Los Angeles

When you arrive in Los Angeles, you will be transferred to our hotel for check in. Spend a day in the City of Angels at your leisure.

DAY2 Los Angeles City Tour

At 9:00AM we will depart from the hotel and travel to the city of Santa Monica. This famous beach town is known for its beautiful views and has been the shooting location of hundreds of Hollywood films. Walk along the Santa Monica Pier and enjoy views of the Pacific Ocean. Next we will head to Beverly Hills via Rodeo Drive. Celebrities and the ultra-rich frequent this shopping area, making it one of the most glamorous destinations in the world. After leaving the wealthy enclave, we will head to the Original Los Angeles Farmers Market, originating in 1934. You will find many international cuisine choices among the delicious California grown produce. After lunch, we will head up the hills above Los Angeles for spectacular views of the city and the iconic Hollywood sign. We will continue on to Olvera Street. This 200 year old street is a colorful Mexican market place and is known to host Mexican music, dancing and holiday celebrations. Before returning to the hotel, we will stop in downtown L.A. at the Staples Center, home to the Los Angeles Lakers , the world champion basketball team. We will then return to the hotel; arriving by 6:00PM.

DAY3 Disneyland OR San Diego City Tour (120 miles)

Today we’ll spend the day in the magical world of Disneyland*, brainchild of creator Walt Disney. Suitable for all ages, from children to the young at heart, Disneyland has a little something for everyone. Not only will you meet some of the most memorable characters from Disney films, including the one and only Mickey Mouse, but you’ll also experience the brilliance of Walt Disney’s imagination through the countless rides and shows that will give memories to last a lifetime. At night you’ll see fireworks over Magic Kingdom’s Castle and other special treats found nowhere else in the world. When the park closes, we’ll head back to our hotel in Los Angeles for another night.

San Diego City Tour* (Optional - Adults $68; Child $58)

At 9:00am we will depart from the hotel and drive south along the Pacific Ocean heading to San Diego, the second largest city in California. We’ll first stop by the U.S. Naval compound in San Diego harbor, where docked at the Navy Pier is the USS Midway, the longest-serving aircraft carrier in U.S. Naval history, with a storied career that lasted from 1945 to 1997. After lunch, our tour goes to Coronado Island and visits the Hotel del Coronado, a National Landmark that was built in the glorious wooden Victorian style in the 1800s. Up next is Balboa Park, where we’ll enjoy the luscious botanical gardens and Spanish architecture lining the long promenades, and then we’ll move on to Old Town San Diego to walk among the classic Mexican Pueblos and browse the shops offering unique Latin American souvenirs and craftwork. In the evening we’ll return to Los Angeles to catch the sunset. We’ll return to our hotel by 7:30 pm.

*Optional activity; fee not included in tour price. See “Exclusions” for cost details.

DAY4 Universal Studios

Experience a day of entertainment and the magic of filmmaking at the world-famous Universal Studios* in California. The studio-themed park has attractions that include behind-the-scenes tours of movie sets, as well as rides based on your favorite films, such as the Shrek 4D Simulator Ride, or the heart-pounding Jurassic Park River Adventure. And with various shows and performances throughout the day featuring scenes and reenactments from blockbuster movies, you can expect a whole day’s worth of non-stop excitement! We’ll take a much needed night’s rest back in our hotel in Los Angeles.

*Optional activity; fee not included in tour price. See “Exclusions” for cost details.

DAY5 Los Angeles - Las Vegas (265 miles)

Las Vegas, it's a city that has something to offer for everyone. The infamous Las Vegas Strip is where tourists can enjoy a walk in the warm desert evening and visit the newest and most lavish casinos from Bellagio, Venetian, MGM Grand, The Mirage, and others. Or perhaps take a stroll downtown and view a dazzling light show that spans an entire street (Optional night tour). The are special shows and performances year round that truly makes Las Vegas as a city that never sleeps. Accommodations will be at the Excalibur Hotel & Casino, named for the mythical sword of King Arthur. Immerse yourself in the castle themed resort right in the middle of the Las Vegas Strip. Choose from one of the many eateries on the property, including the Roundtable Buffet, or head down the Strip and stop by one of the other world famous hotels.

DAY6 Las Vegas - Grand Canyon South/West Rim - Las Vegas (545 miles)

Las Vegas - Grand Canyon South Rim - Las Vegas

Today we will make our way to the Grand Canyon, one of the most spectacular examples of water’s erosive power. Carved by the Colorado River beginning as much 17 million years ago (according to recent studies), this stunning natural wonder is 277 miles long, 18 miles wide, and more than a mile deep. Canyon National Park is a designated World Heritage Site and is incomparable with its vistas of sheer drops and cliffs marked with different geological strata dating back billions of years. We’ll spend the day along the South Rim of the Canyon, stopping at various viewpoints along the way and admiring this glorious work of art that could only have been sculpted by nature and time. Then return for an overnight stay at our hotel in Las Vegas.

OR

Las Vegas - Hoover Dam - Grand Canyon West Rim - Las Vegas

From Las Vegas, we’ll make our first stop of the day at the magnificent and massive Hoover Dam, built during the Great Depression to harness the power of the Colorado River. We’ll then travel on to the Hualapai Indian Reservation, located on the West Rim of the Grand Canyon*, and its famous Skywalk*. Created by David Jin of the Hualapai Tribe, the Skywalk extends in a U-shaped platform 70 feet over the edge of the Grand Canyon, and about 4,000 feet above its basin. With a 10 foot solid glass floor, you’ll have a view of the Canyon below like nothing you’ve ever seen – the closest thing to floating in thin air. You may also elect to experience the Grand Canyon from both above and below: the adventurous among you won’t want to miss the Helicopter and Pontoon Boat Ride*. Later, we’ll return to our hotel for a night’s rest.

*Optional activity; fee not included in tour price. See “Exclusions” for cost details.

DAY7 Las Vegas - Fresno (390 miles)

Las Vegas is a city of wonders, odds, and oddities, and offers much more than just gambling, to entertain every member of the family. On the Las Vegas Strip, tourists can enjoy a walk on a warm desert evening and visit the newest and most lavish casinos: the Bellagio, the Venetian, the MGM Grand, The Mirage, and more. Explore on your own, or take a Special Night Tour* of Las Vegas, which includes a dazzling light show that spans an entire street. Furthermore, there are countless one-of-a-kind performances year round, ranging from the bizarre, to the magical, to the flat-out legendary that can be found nowhere else but Las Vegas. Or you can spend the evening at the Excalibur Hotel & Casino (where we’ll be staying.) Named for the mythical sword of King Arthur, this castle-themed resort will allow you to immerse yourself in all things medieval right in the middle of the Las Vegas Strip. The day ends with an overnight stay in Fresno.
Hotel: Park Inn by Radisson Fresno
Except:
3/24/12 Radisson Hotel & Conference Center Fresno
4/21/12 Best Western Village Inn
4/28/12 Holiday Inn Airport

DAY8 Fresno - Yosemite - Bay Area (331 miles)

From the Fresno, we’ll motor high up to Yosemite National Park where we’ll arrive after lunch, and marvel at the vistas that caused early explorers to call Yosemite the “incomparable valley”. Gaze at the jagged rocks of grotesque shapes, sheer precipices and overhanging rocks, waterfalls dropping hundreds of feet, and endless mountain ridges, as we come to understand why Yosemite is considered one of the most scenic spots in the Western United States. Sure to leave a lasting memory are the Giant Sequoia Trees, the Tunnel View, Bridalveil Falls, Yosemite Falls, the Merced River, and the famous rock formations, El Captain and the Half Dome. The day ends with an overnight stay in Bay Area.

DAY9 San Francisco City Tour - Transfer Out

We’ll spend a day discovering San Francisco’s many facets, from the urban (San Francisco Civic Center), to the natural (stunning views from the Twin Peaks of Eureka and Noe), to the iconic (the Golden Gate Bridge), and everything in between. We’ll spend time in Golden Gate Park, and see the Palace of Fine Arts, as well as visit the neighborhoods around Fisherman’s Wharf, Market Street, and Chinatown to glimpse the many lifestyles that flourish throughout the city. Also take ride a San Francisco Boat Cruise* to see the wonderful sights of the Bay. At the end of the tour, our driver will transfer you directly to San Francisco Airport (SFO).

*Optional activity; fee not included in tour price. See “Exclusions” for cost details.

Please arrange your departure from SFO for after 7pm.