Best of USA

Highlights

• 12 nights accommodation in hotels
• Internal flights as per itinerary
• All transport
• New York Metro pass
• 7 breakfasts and 5 dinners
• Experienced Tour Guide

Itinerary

Day 1 Los Angeles
Meet up with your fellow travellers and Tour Manager before heading to mythical Hollywood and onto holy ground for the stars. Check out the Kodak Theatre and the Chinese Theatre, where so many greats have pressed their hands into the famous cement stars. Cruise down the hottest shopping street in LA, Melrose Avenue, and one of the best areas for nightlife, the Strip (Sunset Boulevard).

A little further west and we arrive in Santa Monica, LA’s oldest beach resort. Known for its liberal vibes, art galleries and wide sand beaches, Santa Monica is all about the California coast lifestyle. Travel out to LA’s quirkiest suburb where anything goes: Venice Beach. A favourite hang out spot for locals, colourful Venice Beach attracts all sorts of people. Get a feel for street life when you hit the buzzing broadwalk, where performers, tattoo artists, hair braiders, musicians and roller bladders gather. 

Days 2 and 3 Los Angeles
You’ll get an insider’s look at downtown LA on our morning walking tour. In your free time, explore more of this colourful metropolis. 

Day 4 Los Angeles to San Francisco 
This morning, we board our flight for San Francisco. Colorful, cosmopolitan and creative, San Francisco is packed with characters, free-thinkers, and artists. You’ll see the signs of its recent history where it served as the hub of the gold rush, as well as the center for Beatnik and Hippy cultures. Get familiar with this buzzing city as your Tour Manager shows you around San Francisco’s key sights including the Golden Gate bridge and Fisherman’s Wharf. Thriving with activity, Chinatown is a fun, kitsch experience. Learn about the history of the gold rush as you walk through the bustling district, past traditional herb-sops, Buddhas, and flashing neon lights. Then eat together at one of its many authentic restaurants.

Day 5 San Francisco
With a full day here, get a real feel for San Francisco and its hilly streets. Chalk up a local experience by jumping on a cable car and exploring the city. If you’ve booked ahead of time, catch a ferry out to Alcatraz, the former island jail that once held A-list criminals like Al “Scarface” Capone, Soviet spies and crime bosses. Walk around the old cells and get the background on these bad boys. Tonight there’s an optional sunset sailing out on San Francisco’s famous bay.

Day 6  San Francisco to Las Vegas
Get ready to arrive in larger-than-life Las Vegas – a man-made entertainment oasis smack in the middle of the desert. Often dubbed Sin City, it’s all about glitz, neon lights, and excess. See the bright lights of this city and its world-famous casinos in a first taste of Vegas kitsch as the group heads down the main drag, the “Strip”, and your Tour Manager fills you in on the story behind Vegas. Then cruise downtown to Freemont Street and experience a slice of the spectacular at a light and laser show in a massive pedestrian mall.

Days  7 and 8 Las Vegas 
With two free days, you’ve got time to get a real feel for this outrageous town, so keep an eye out for Elvis impersonators and fast-paced chapel weddings! Explore more of the Strip and check out over-the-top versions of international icons, like the Eiffel Tower, Venetian canals and gondolas, a Roman temple or the pyramid, whose nightlight can be seen from the moon. Try your luck at one of the casinos, sit yourself down at a blackjack table and watch the high-rollers or go for a ride at one of the casino’s theme-parks. If you work up an appetite, tuck into an all you can eat buffet, and lunch American style.

Day 9 Las Vegas to New York 
Leaving Las Vegas behind, we catch a flight and hit New York next. Cool, chic and pumping with urban soul, this is one knock-out town. From yellow cabs to delis, from hit shows to cutting-edge galleries, from iconic monuments to street culture, this city has it all. 
 
Day 10 Hello Big Apple! 
Get familiar with the Big Apple as your Tour Manager shows you round New York’s core spots today. See the USA’s economic heart on Wall Street and the famous stock exchange NYSE, before checking out the cultural hub of Harlem and the famous Apollo theater, where jazz, blues and soul greats like James Brown performed. Check out the towering Rockefeller center and the exclusive jewelry store, Tiffany’s before making a sobering stop at the World Trade Center Site, where the Twin Towers once stood. Get up close to one of the world’s most recognizable icons, the Statue of Liberty.

After dinner tonight, we’ll all head down to Times Square. Take in the bright night lights of this popular meeting point, right in the thick of the theater district. With free time, maybe you could catch a late show, New York style. Or else, with so much variety and so many places to go, head out with some friends and explore the city’s incredible nightlife.

Day  11  New York, New York 
With a free day, you can take off at your own pace and discover more of the ultimate big city. 

Day 12 More of Manhattan 
Start the day of with an adrenaline-pumping optional ride on the famous Hudson River. Hit speeds of up to 72km/hr(45mph) and check out Manhattan’s incredible skyline from the water. Otherwise, use your free time to get out of the city for a change of scene. Head out to beautiful Brooklyn by walking over the historic Brooklyn Bridge or visit the colourful suburb, the Bronx, known for its zoo and botanical gardens.

Tonight is the last night on tour, and we’re going to make it unforgettable. After a farewell dinner, we’ll head straight to the top of New York’s most famous landmark, the Empire State Building. Take in the gorgeous night lights of Manhattan and sweeping views over the city from 102 floors up. 

Day 13 Depart New York City 
Your tour ends this morning so it’s time to say goodbye to your new friends and Tour Manager.

Destination Information

Pricing

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For further information on any of our holidays and for a more extensive range of travel dates and prices, please contact one of our Adventure Specialists on 0800 707 6010.

• Availability: 08 Jan 11 - 03 Mar 11 Adult Price from £2145