Compare Yosemite and Sequoia: John Muir's California 2021 by Tauck vs California Dreaming: From Yosemite National Park to Napa and Sonoma Valley by Culture Trip

Day 1 Arrive San Francisco

Tour begins: 5:00 PM, The Westin St. Francis. A transfer is included from San Francisco International Airport to The Westin St. Francis, the elegant “Grand Dame” of Union Square, close to the city’s main attractions – with a cable car stop at the front door. Join us this evening for a welcome cocktail reception and dinner.

MEALS : D

LODGING : The Westin St. Francis San Francisco on Union Square

PORTOFCALL : San Francisco, California, USA

Day 2 Muir Woods & The Presidio

Head across the city for a drive through the Presidio then over the Golden Gate Bridge to the green canopy of Muir Woods, a coastal redwood forest preserved as a national monument. These towering ancient trees, some 20 stories high, are among the last remnants of a fog-shrouded primeval forest that once blanketed the northern coast. A self-guided tour along its winding walkways takes you through a shaded, misty world of slanted cathedral light, dense flora, and tranquil running streams – a place to feel the awesome power (and silence) of some of the tallest living things on the planet. After lunch in picturesque Sausalito, return to San Francisco; the remainder of the day is free to explore as you please.

MEALS : B, L

LODGING : The Westin St. Francis San Francisco on Union Square

PORTOFCALL : San Francisco, California, USA

Day 3 The Central Valley to Sequoia National Park

Before there was a National Park Service, the job of policing and protecting the national parks belonged to the U.S. Army. At Sequoia and Yosemite, the parks’ guardians were the Buffalo Soldiers, who rode out every spring from the Presidio, crossing 300 miles on horseback to the Sierra Nevada. Drive a route that follows the Buffalo Soldiers’ path across the agricultural Central Valley. Stop in Fresno for lunch, then board a motor coach for the 7,000-foot climb to Sequoia National Park. Your destination is remote Wuksachi Lodge® on the park grounds. This afternoon, an expert from the Sequoia Field Institute describes how John Muir found and documented the “Giant Forest” in 1875, a perfect introduction to the park. Tonight at the lodge, a naturalist guides you through the spectacular constellations that fill the night skies.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Wuksachi Lodge

PORTOFCALL : Sequoia National Park, California, USA

Day 4 Land of giants and Moro Rock in Sequoia National Park

Begin the day with privately guided walks among ancient Giant Sequoias soaring to the height of skyscrapers; your first walk is in the Giant Forest Grove to see the General Sherman Tree, estimated to be over 2,500 years old (and still growing). Next up is a walk along the "Big Trees Trail" at Round Meadow with an interpretive naturalist guide who will give you some amazing insights into the unusual ecosystem of the Giant Sequoias. Lunch today is a private barbecue style western lunch. Travels this afternoon inside Sequoia National Park are via small 10-passenger vehicles, accompanied by a guide; you'll hear stories of early park "personalities" such as John Muir, Charles Young and Stephen Mather, as well as climb the 400 steps to the top of Moro Rock for stunning views of the park and the peaks of the Great Western Divide. The rest of the day is yours to explore as you wish. Possibilities include a visit to the Lodge Pole Visitor Center to learn about the amazing Buffalo Soldiers. Everyone returns to the Lodge late afternoon; the evening is free.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Wuksachi Lodge

PORTOFCALL : Sequoia National Park, California, USA

Day 5 Yosemite National Park

Depart Wuksachi Lodge and Sequoia National Park this morning and head over to Fresno via Kings Canyon National Park, arriving at the south entrance to Yosemite National Park late morning. Your visit to Yosemite begins with a film by Ken Burns describing Muir’s passion for the Yosemite Valley, and his activism to preserve it for future generations; it is followed by lunch at Wawona® Hotel, an inn that was once a stagecoach stop. An afternoon tour brings you to your home for tonight, The Ahwahnee, a historic masterpiece of stone, timber and soaring stained glass windows in the heart of Yosemite. Dinner tonight is at your leisure.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : The Ahwahnee

PORTOFCALL : Yosemite National Park, California, USA

Day 6 Yosemite, "Nature's Grandest Temple"

Yosemite “is the grandest of all the special temples of Nature I was ever permitted to enter,” wrote Muir, who regarded such settings of awesome natural beauty as sacred places with restorative powers, “where the galling harness of civilization drops off and wounds heal, ere we are aware.” Discover the park's power to move your spirit on a guided Yosemite tour in a special open-air vehicle, with opportunities to explore on foot. The afternoon is yours to enjoy the park at your own pace. Optional activities are available (some at additional cost), including bicycling, a hike over the footbridge at Vernal Falls, and a visit to the Yosemite Indian Cultural Museum and Village.

MEALS : B

LODGING : The Ahwahnee

PORTOFCALL : Yosemite National Park, California, USA

Day 7 Return to San Francisco

Depart Yosemite and return to San Francisco, first visiting the Mariposa Museum, then driving across the populous Central Valley with a stop for lunch. Filmed narratives by Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan weave together the past seven days of history and nature, with insights you won’t get anywhere else. One of the stories you'll hear relates to Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, a glacial valley that Muir fought unsuccessfully to save; in the 1920s, the federal government allowed its river to be dammed, turning the valley into a reservoir for the city of San Francisco. Today, a campaign continues, joined by the Sierra Club (which Muir founded) to remove the dam and restore the valley to its original state. “Mountain parks,” Muir argued, “are useful not only as fountains of timber and irrigating rivers, but as fountains of life...” an idea that remains controversial to this day. Arrive late afternoon at The Fairmont San Francisco, a Beaux Arts-style, premier hotel on Nob Hill – it’s listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. Join us tonight for a farewell cocktail reception and dinner; the setting may be a long way from the Sierra Nevada, but Yosemite can never be left behind (and may be as close as your glass of tap water...).

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Fairmont San Francisco

PORTOFCALL : San Francisco, California, USA

Day 8 Journey home

Tour ends: San Francisco. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from The Fairmont San Francisco to San Francisco International Airport. You should allow two hours for flight check-in. If you wish to stay longer in San Francisco, ask about additional hotel nights.

MEALS : B

PORTOFCALL : San Francisco, California, USA

Day 1: Welcome to the Hotel California

Accommodation: The Stanford Court

Activities Included: Welcome dinner of dim sum in Chinatown

Well, not quite – but your accommodation is just as lovely as the one described in the song. In fact, unlike the actual Hotel California, your hotel puts you on the edge of San Francisco’s storied Chinatown district, which – after you’ve met your group at 6pm – is where your journey starts. Our Local Insider will also accompany the group throughout the trip. A guided tour is followed by an authentic dim sum dinner, before rounding off with a cocktail at a top-secret speakeasy bar.

Day 2: Into the wild

Accommodation: Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort

Activities Included: Tuolumne Grove hike

After a full-American breakfast, you’ll head east towards the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas, stopping at the oldest bar in California, the Iron Door Saloon, for cold beer and buffalo wings. Next up is Tuolumne Grove in Yosemite National Park, where you’ll walk among giant sequoia trees – some up to 300ft (91m) tall – and spy the mountain peaks, El Capitan and Half Dome, from Tunnel View.

Day 3: Hiking, biking and a sunset view in Yosemite

Accommodation: Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort

Activities Included: Guided Yosemite Valley hike, Sentinel Dome hike with champagne

Optional Activities: Bike ride

Pinch yourself. Yes, you really have awoken in Yosemite. Breathe in a lung-full of fresh mountain air and enjoy a hearty California breakfast. Today is all about seeing the highlights of Yosemite. You decide what you’d like to do next: a full-day guided hike in Yosemite Valley, a leisurely bike ride, or an extended session in the eco-spa. Finish the day by ascending Sentinel Dome to watch the multicolored sunset.

Day 4: Sweeping meadow views and swimming in Tenaya Lake

Accommodation: Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort

Activities Included: Pothole Dome hike, Swimming at Tenaya Lake

Today, you’ll have the chance to beat the crowds and explore lesser-known spots within Yosemite. To start, you’ll take the high road to Tuolumne Meadows, a high-altitude area and the starting point of a short hike to the top of Pothole Dome. You might feel slightly breathless, but the panoramic views waiting at the top make it worthwhile. Later, cool off with a swim in Tenaya Lake, or pick a lakeside spot and lounge around while taking in your epic environs.

Day 5: Wine, wine and more wine in Napa and Sonoma

Accommodation: Best Western Dry Creek Inn

Activities Included: Napa bike tour

Wave goodbye to Yosemite and hello to California’s world-famous wine country. To make the most of your time (and wine) in the Napa Valley, you’ll get around by bike, before a gourmet lunch at chef Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery, served alongside the best wines from the region. And if that wasn’t enough, there will be time for more in the vineyards of Sonoma Valley on the way to your hotel in Healdsburg.

Day 6: Towering redwoods and road-trippin’ the Pacific Coast

Accommodation: Best Western Dry Creek Inn

Activities Included: Guided hike in Samuel P Taylor State Park, Road trip to Goat Rock Beach, Farewell dinner

Optional Activities: Swimming at Russian River

Your day begins with a morning stroll among towering redwood trees in Samuel P Taylor State Park, giving you the chance to work up an appetite for lunch at the Marshall Store in Tomales Bay, well-known for its Pacific oysters. The road trip continues after lunch with a drive along the coast and a stop at Goat Rock Beach, before pizza at the Russian River Brewing Company.

Day 7: Return to San Francisco

Activities Included: Lands End Trail hike

Optional Activities: Mission District tour

It may be your final day, but the trip is far from over. Back in San Francisco, there are a few more treats in store, including a hike along the Lands End Trail – a one-way clifftop route with amazing views over the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island. Lunch in the Mission District means one thing: the Mission burrito, popular since the 1960s and a must-eat if you’re in this part of town. You’ll also discover the local street art, which forms the largest concentration of murals in the world, before finally bidding farewell to your travel companions at the hotel at 3pm.