Los Angeles – Las Vegas – Death Valley – Mammoth Lakes – Yosemite – San Francisco – Hawaii

Los Angeles - Las Vegas - Death Valley - Mammoth Lakes - Yosemite - San Francisco - Hawaii

CALIFORNIA / NEVADA / HAWAII

Fourteen days, three states, we cover it all! Luxury, Hollywood glamour, incredible kids attractions, sun, beautiful views, fantastic culture, entertainment... take a breath there's more! Towering ocean cliffs, crashing waves, desert, gorgeous national parks, and stunning beaches. Also, let's not forget a chance to see some of the amazing locations from your favourite films! This is the trip of a lifetime!

WHY VISIT?

• a real-life chance to experience the places you know well from the silver screen or television.
• feel the warmth of the Californian sun as you visit its scenic coast.
• touch the hot sand of the incredible Nevada desert.
• have loads of fun visiting Universal Studios, a theme park for everyone – young and old!
• behold the stark beauty of Death Valley – the lowest place in North America.
• be entertained by one of Las Vegas' famous shows.
• ride the iconic cable cars of San Francisco (you've seen those in the films too!).
• peer into the crystal clear waters of June Lake.
• feel the gentle spray from the waterfalls in Yosemite Park.
• soak in the brilliant clear waters of Hawaii.
• chill-out on one of the world's most famous beaches – Waikiki!
• visit the crater of an extinct Hawaiian volcano and dance the Hula as you wait for the best lemongrass shrimp in the world!
• be humbled by a historic tour of the Pearl Harbour memorial.
• relax and rejuvenate while also winning the best parent award – Hollywood, Universal Studios, giant sequoia trees, and beautiful Hawaii – the kids will never forget!

Our adventure starts in Los Angeles – the City of Angels! This is a sprawling metropolis with a unique history and rich cultural heritage. Even though it's famously known for its film industry along with the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, primarily this is a chilled-out city renowned as the Creative Capital of the World. Its attractive location on the shores of the Pacific, tropical beaches, and palms entice many of the world's greatest artists. There are more art galleries and museums here than most other major cities in the world, some of the most significant include the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Getty Center, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Despite its creative side, Los Angeles has a huge industrial centre and one of the world’s largest seaports. Of course, we have to mention Sunset Boulevard, this famous road starts in the centre of Los Angeles and winds its way west to the beautiful Pacific.

Hollywood – the most famous district of Los Angeles. It was once a place where you could meet real legends of the film industry, and the headquarters of the world's largest film studios. Now it is more of a symbol and the capital of film premieres. Here we find The Walk of Fame with stars of more than 2,600 celebrities embedded in the sidewalk and the Kodak Theatre where the famous Oscars award gala is held.

The Hollywood Sign – this must be the most recognised landmark in the world! At 14 metres high and 110 metres long it was created in 1923 as 'Hollywoodland' – an advertisement for a housing estate! It soon became a symbol of America and in 1949 the 'land' was removed. Despite being destroyed and defaced many times by both bark beetles and vandals it has managed to stand the test of time. In 2010 there was a risk of the structure being demolished, fortunately, there was a Hollywood ending – a fundraiser was organised to purchase the land and save the sign! The stars of this real-life production were names such as Arnold Schwarzenegger, Steven Spielberg, and Tom Hanks who stepped in.

Malibu/Beverly Hills

The names of these places go hand-in-hand with luxury, glamour, and wealth. Packed with grand villas many Hollywood celebrities and prominent personalities are residents. Malibu is famous for its beautiful and fashionable beaches. Rodeo Drive with its European styling, fresh fragrant flowers, and a selection of shops and boutiques stocking the world's finest brands is the defining road in Beverly Hills.

One place we'll be sure to visit is the incredible Universal Studios theme park. Some of the greatest cinematic films are shot and created here! Apart from the fascinating film set tours, there are a whole host of rides and experiences: floods, King Kong attack, meeting with a Mummy, river log ride, Waterworld, robot fights, and even see the 'sea' where Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed. There are also plenty of restaurants, cafes, theme stores, and more! This will be an exciting and eventful day for any children (and adults) - they will sleep soundly!

VIVA LAS VEGAS!

Founded in 1905, this is the state of Nevada's most populous city. Considered by some to be the entertainment capital of the world it is famous for its casinos, neon, and architecture that imitates various famous buildings around the world. Also known as the 'City of Sin' its centrepiece is Las Vegas Boulevard, or 'The Strip', running through the middle of the city; the concentration of lights makes this the brightest place on Earth and can be seen from space!

Although famous for gambling the main attraction for our visit to Vegas is the Grand Canyon! We'll get to see this monumental natural structure from above on a full-day of flying.

We couldn't leave Vegas without going to watch a show in one of its most famous hotels and casinos – Bellagio! The front of the building shows-off a man-made lake with some astonishing fountains which 'dance' to the rhythm of music every half hour, at night the effect is enhanced by the addition of lighting.

Death Valley

This place received its gloomy name during the Californian Gold Rush when a group of pioneers perished crossing the valley. The only things left from the gold rush are ghost towns with their abandoned buildings and car wrecks.

Death Valley is primarily a rocky desert with the lowest point in North America – Badwater, which is 86 metres below sea-level. This is the driest place in America and is very hot! Summer air temperatures reach above 50 degrees Celsius (the record is 56.7 degrees) and the sand underfoot nears 100 degrees!

Despite its cynical name, the valley has some beautiful sites including Artist's Drive and Artist's Palette. These two places are known for the variety of amazing colours formed on the rock formations caused by the oxidation of different metals contained within them.

Mammoth Lakes and Yosemite National Park are sure to impress with amazing views, crystal clear water, and beautiful rare plant species.

Mammoth Lakes: a superb ski resort in the winter and in summer a magnificent place to trek and breath in the clear mountain air. There are two must-sees – the unusual columnar basalt rock formations of Devils Postpile and the extraordinary Rainbow Falls.

Yosemite National Park covers a massive 3,030 square kilometres and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The large area contains a diversity of natural wonders including cliffs, crystal clear streams, waterfalls, and clusters of giant sequoia trees. The huge number of waterfalls are what the park is most famous for and Yosemite waterfall at 739 m, is North America's highest. In the south of the park, we find Mariposa Grove with a large number of giant sequoia's and its most famous specimen – the 'Grizzly Giant'. This tree is truly remarkable at 2,700 years old, 65 metres tall, and with a base of 9 metres is diameter!

San Francisco – the last city we visit on the American continent, but certainly not the least! This picturesque city sits at the end of the San Francisco Peninsula, surrounded by water on three sides: the Pacific Ocean to the west, as well as San Francisco Bay to the north and east. This is a foggy city with a rich history. After a devastating earthquake struck in 1906, ruining the city, it rose from the ashes like a phoenix. The city was quickly rebuilt and on a massive scale, by 1915 the residents were celebrating the revival of the Town Hall and showing the world they were back.

The Golden Gate Bridge with its sweeping cables and art deco styling is the city's most recognisable landmark. Built between 1933 and 1937 it was the world's longest suspension bridge for 20 years. The construction of the bridge was a dangerous and difficult task, many workers fell victim and progress was often hampered by thick fog and strong currents. The Golden Gate, painted in international orange to make it highly visible even in thick fog, has a darker side to its story – it is the second-most used bridge for suicides in the world. A program to build suicide barriers has recently begun to alleviate this problem.

Despite the city's difficult past, the residents of San Francisco are always described as very friendly, happy, and always smiling!

There are many fantastic places to enjoy here, visit the largest Chinatown in the world, or travel the path of Al Capone as you cross over to Pelican Island and the notorious Alcatraz Prison – once the most secure in the U.S. and now a fantastic tourist attraction. Of course, you can't visit San Francisco without riding on its iconic cable cars! These are the showcase of the city and have been running since the first tram set-off on the 1^st of September 1873.

Our last day on the North American continent sees us visiting the Muir Woods National Park. This is a beautiful primeval redwood forest with a magical atmosphere, it's the perfect place to conclude our trip here. In the afternoon we fly out of San Francisco and over the Pacific Ocean towards the tropical islands of Hawaii!

Honolulu welcomes us with emerald waters and beautiful beaches – the most famous being Waikiki, flanked at its southern end by the incredible crater of the extinct Diamond Head volcano.

However, it's not just Hula dancing and swaying palm trees, there's a serious side worth exploring on these islands. The Pearl Harbour Memorial is a solemn reminder of the tragic events that occurred here during the WW2 attack by the Japanese Empire. Portrayed in many films and documentaries this is a different perspective to the European fight against fascism and the Axis powers.

ITINERARY

Day 1 — Depart Warsaw for Los Angeles. On touchdown, we transfer to our hotel accommodation.

Day 2 — A guided eight-hour tour of Los Angeles (Malibu, Hollywood, etc.)

Day 3 — A day trip to Universal Studios – a theme park experience for all!

Day 4 — A morning in the city before an afternoon transfer to the airport and our flight to Las Vegas.

Day 5 — A day-trip flight over the Grand Canyon (optional). Evening performance at the Bellagio Hotel (optional).

Day 6 – Depart Las Vegas and drive towards Mammoth Lakes. On the way a visit to Death Valley. In the evening accommodation is a hotel in Mammoth Lakes.

Day 7 — Exploring the Mammoth Lakes area. Trekking/walking in the beautiful natural surroundings.

Day 8 — Depart Mammoth Lakes and head for San Francisco, passing through Yosemite National Park. In the evening, accommodation in a San Francisco hotel.

Day 9 — Visiting San Francisco. Among the attractions are Alcatraz, Chinatown, Lombard Street, and the cable cars; or Muir Woods and Napa Valley – nature and flowing wine!

Day 10 — A morning relaxing before transferring to the airport and our flight to Honolulu. Evening landing and transfer to our hotel.

Day 11 — Relax on the beautiful Waikiki beach or go diving with the local dive club.

Day 12 — A tour of Oahu or more diving!

Day 13 — Another day to relax on Waikiki beach or go diving with the local dive club.

Day 14 — A trip to Pearl Harbour and a trek to Diamond Head in the afternoon. In the evening, a farewell dinner and preparing for departure the next day.

Day 15 — Departure from Honolulu to Warsaw (with changes).

Day 16 — Touchdown in Warsaw.

End of trip.

PRICE per person:

USD 7381 + flights

Included in the Price:

• hotel accommodation in 4 to 5-star hotels in excellent locations: Los Angeles (Santa Monica), Las Vegas (The Strip), Mammoth Lakes (city centre), San Francisco (central city), Honolulu (on Waikiki beach). Twin rooms.
• an all-day pass to Universal Studios (without transfers).
• a day trip around Los Angeles with a private driver and licensed guide.
• rental of a 12 person vehicle for the journey from Las Vegas to San Francisco through Mammoth Lakes, Death Valley, and Yosemite National Park. Includes driver, GPS, full insurance, and fuel option.
• a flying trip over the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas with transfers and lunch.
• insurance: medical expenses (EUR 30,000), personal accident (EUR 4,000), baggage (EUR 400). Medical expenses can be extended to EUR 50,000 — please contact us.
• services of an experienced English speaking guide/organiser 24×7.
• assistance with visa applications if required.

Not Included in the Price:

• flights on the following routes: Warsaw – Los Angeles – Los Vegas, San Francisco – Honolulu – Warsaw. Price depends on the timing of your reservation and departing location (other departure locations possible). For logistical reasons, these should be purchased through our office.
• any other flights not in the itinerary.
• meals (breakfasts in US hotels are very expensive, you’re much better finding a cheaper and tastier option outside the hotels). Breakfast is included in the price in Hawaii.
• tips (in the US a 15% to 25% service charge is often added to the final bill, this needs to be taken into account).
• visa fees, airport fees (these days included in flight the price), excess baggage fees or baggage fees for internal flights (from USD 25 per suitcase), hotel resort fees, etc. In total, about USD 90 per person.
• personal expenses.
• optional show or performance in Las Vegas (cost approx. USD 210/person). trips to Alcatraz and Muir Woods (admission approx. USD 10/person). A trip to Pearl Harbour (from USD 50/person). Diving and trekking on Diamond Head in Hawaii.