Compare California Classics by Globus vs California Dreaming: From Yosemite National Park to Napa and Sonoma Valley by Culture Trip
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5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 10 days | 7 days |
| Price From | $ 3,899 | $ 3,099 |
| Price Per Day | $ 390 | $ 443 |
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| Trip Style | Group tour | Group tour |
| Lodging Level | Premium | Standard |
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| Flights & Transport | No | Ground transport included |
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| Meals Included | N/A |
6 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches & 2 Dinners |
| Description | When you hum along to California Dreamin’ on the radio, what wistful wonders come to mind? Giant sequoias in Yosemite National Park? Big reds in Sonoma? Mega stars in Los Angeles? Colossal mansions that dot the entire Pacific coastline? From the City by the Bay to the City of Angels, this ten-day tour of California reveals every heavenly sight that earned the Golden State its name. Yosemite’s Cathedral Spires, 17-Mile Drive’s Lone Cypress, and San Simeon’s Hearst Castle are just a few you’ll want your camera ready for. Between the high energy of Silicon Valley and the high style of Beverly Hills, this encompassing California vacation weaves in plenty of kickback time with visits to a Sonoma vineyard, the quiet Danish village of Solvang, and the tony resort zip codes of Monterey, Carmel, and Santa Barbara. Don’t forget your shades. |
On this trip, you’ll head into the wilderness of Yosemite National Park before a vino-tasting tour through the finest fine wine country in the US. Departing from San Francisco, you can look forward to nature-rich hikes through majestic Yosemite, renowned for its towering granite peaks and ancient sequoia trees. You’ll also get to hike the Pacific coast, swim in glassy lakes, and sip cabernet sauvignon in the Napa Valley surrounded by picturesque vineyards. Back in the throb of San Francisco, there’ll be more sightseeing with the chance to explore the myriad street-art murals of the vibrant Mission District. |
Day 1: ARRIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO
Welcome to San Francisco! At 6 pm, meet your Tour Director and traveling companions for a welcome drink.
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Day 2: SAN FRANCISCO
City by the Bay Enjoy morning sightseeing in one of the world’s most beautiful cities. See Golden Gate National Recreation Area, including the Golden Gate Bridge and the Presidio. Free time this afternoon to explore the city. Ride the world-famous cable cars, shop in Union Square, or visit the Museum of Modern Art. Dinner at a local restaurant this evening. (Breakfast,Dinner)
LOCAL FAVORITECULTURE & TRADITION As the song goes, you’ll leave your heart in San Francisco with a stroll through the exquisite Japanese Tea Garden. Walk the beautiful landscapes in the oldest public Japanese garden in the United States. Learn about the history of the park and enjoy time to explore the five acres of native Japanese plants, serene koi ponds, pagodas, and more.
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Day 3: SAN FRANCISCO–EXCURSION TO SAUSALITO & SONOMA
Vineyards & Views Travel across the Golden Gate Bridge this morning to the charming town of Sausalito. Continue to Sonoma for lunch on your own. Visit a local vineyard for a tour and tasting. (Breakfast)
TOUR HIGHLIGHTTASTES & TRADITIONS Cross San Francisco Bay on the iconic Golden Gate Bridge to stroll the quaint artisan avenues of Sausalito. Enjoy waterfront views and breathtaking scenery in the charming waterfront village with a large variety of shops, restaurants, and art galleries. Venture to Sonoma with its wealth of verdant vineyards for a wine tasting.
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Day 4: SAN FRANCISCO–YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK
The Mountains are Calling Travel eastward through the Sierra Nevada Mountains to Yosemite National Park. Free time this evening. (Breakfast)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT NATURAL WONDERS Yosemite has innumerable lakes, meadows, ice-sculpted domes, forests, waterfalls, and unspoiled alpine scenery. Descend into the 4,000-foot valley for an open-air Valley Floor Tram to explore the famous sites of El Capitan, Cathedral Spires, Yosemite Falls, and Half Dome. Here, John Muir realized, “The mountains are calling, and I must go.” We think you’ll agree.
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Day 5: YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK–MONTEREY
Giants of the Land and Sea Before departing Yosemite National Park, visit Mariposa Grove, home to many old-growth sequoias. Stand in awe as you look skyward at these massive giants, one of the Earth’s largest and longest living organisms. Then, on to Monterey, home to the famed Cannery Row. (Breakfast)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT HISTORY & HERITAGE Immortalized by John Steinbeck in his novel of the same name, Cannery Row is filled with history and vibrant sights along the waterfront of Monterey Bay. Once a bustling district of sardine factories, the street is a brightly painted avenue of eateries and shops that harken back to a heritage of fishermen and rich stories. In the morning, stroll along the wharf for the chance to see whales, otters, and other sea creatures in the kelp forests of the Pacific Ocean shore.
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Day 6: MONTEREY. EXCURSION TO CARMEL
Cottages & Cypress Trees This morning, spend your free time visiting historic Cannery Row. Other highlights today include a visit to the resort town of Carmel with a scenic drive along the famed 17-Mile Drive. Return to Monterey for free time before dinner at a local restaurant. (Breakfast,Dinner)
TOUR HIGHLIGHTCULTURAL GEMS Feel the windswept spirit of the Pacific Ocean with a spectacular drive along 17-Mile Drive to the charming haven of Carmel-by-the-Sea. See its crooked cottages and twisted trees in the popular haunt of writers, artists, and celebrities. You’ll pass by sweeping sea views and rocky shores, visit the world-famous Pebble Beach Golf Course for a walk on the fairway, and see the iconic Lone Cypress clinging to its rocky perch.
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Day 7: MONTEREY–BIG SUR–SAN SIMEON–SOLVANG
California Gold Journey south through Big Sur to San Simeon and visit Hearst Castle. Continue to Solvang for a free evening. (Breakfast)
TOUR HIGHLIGHT LEGENDARY LIVES Visit the opulent mansion of legendary newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, which houses splendid antiques, art treasures, and exotic possessions purchased at an estimated $50 million. Your guided tour shows off the highlights of the impressive 123-acre estate.
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Day 8: SOLVANG–SANTA BARBARA–LOS ANGELES
Treasures & Traditions Explore the Danish town of Solvang and enjoy a [LF] Danish specialty at a local bakery. Then, travel through the Santa Ynez Mountains to beautiful Santa Barbara to visit the Old Mission Santa Barbara. Continue to metropolitan Los Angeles, the motion picture capital of the world. (Breakfast)
LOCAL FAVORITECULTURAL GEM Stroll the streets of Solvang and feel as though you’ve entered a charming Danish town with picturesque buildings and shops, restaurants and windmills that create a taste of Denmark in California’s Santa Ynez Valley. Enjoy a traditional Danish pastry at Mortensen’s famous bakery.
TOUR HIGLIGHTHISTORY & HERITAGE Experience the beauty and history of California’s mission trail with a visit to Old Mission Santa Barbara. Soak in the stunning Spanish influence of the 1786 “Queen of the Missions” with its wrought iron, terra cotta, and carved wood. Feel the serenity amid its whitewashed walls and tile-roofed buildings below its chiming twin bell towers ringing out on the Camino Real above the beautiful Pacific Ocean.
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Day 9: LOS ANGELES
California Traditions Morning sightseeing of this gigantic metropolis takes you from Olvera Street—the oldest thoroughfare in the city—to Hollywood. See the Sunset Strip and Beverly Hills. Later, visit the Getty Museum. This evening, your Tour Director hosts a special farewell dinner at a local restaurant. (Breakfast,Dinner)
TOUR HIGHLIGHTART & ARCHITECTURE Visit the amazing Getty Museum to see a vast collection of art housed within its hilltop complex above Los Angeles. Here, a treasure trove of masterpieces is displayed with art from the Middle Ages to the present.
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Day 10: LOS ANGELES
Safe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. You may choose to extend your time in Los Angeles and explore more on your own. Extra nights are available for purchase. (Breakfast)
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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.
