•On vacations that include an overnight stay in Las Vegas, at least one member of the traveling party must be 21 years of age or older. •This itinerary enters both the US and Canada.•Maximum elevation on tour: 9,900 ft.
Itinerary
Day 1 NEW YORK CITY
Welcome to the “Big Apple!” Your Tour Director is on hand from 3:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. to answer any questions.Once you are settled, perhaps head out and start exploring the ‘city that never sleeps’ known for its world-famous shopping, iconic landmarks, and diverse dining scene featuring cuisines from around the globe.NEW-YORK-CITY-MANAHATTAN-SKYLINE.jpg
Day 2 NEW YORK CITY
New York City is one of the world’s most exciting cities, filled with famous landmarks and vibrant neighborhoods. On today’s guided sightseeing tour, see Broadway, the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, and the 9/11 Memorial. Have free time this afternoon and evening to explore more of the city, from its museums and parks to its shopping, dining, and entertainment options.NEW-YORK-CITY-TIMES-SQUARE.jpg
Day 3 NEW YORK CITY–PHILADELPHIA– WASHINGTON DC AREA
Travel south through New Jersey to Philadelphia, the birthplace of American independence. Have free time to see Independence Hall, where the Declaration of Independence and U.S. Constitution were debated and signed, and the Liberty Bell, one of the nation’s most enduring symbols of freedom. Continue to Washington DC. for a two-night stay. This evening, join an optional dinner and National Monuments by Night tour to see many of the capital’s most famous landmarks beautifully illuminated after dark.PHILADELPHIA-INDEPENDENCE-HALL.jpg
Day 4 WASHINGTON DC AREA
The nation’s capital is filled with monuments, museums, and historic sites. Your half-day tour with a Local Guide features Capitol Hill, the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and other well-known sights. Stop for photos at the White House and the Capitol. The remainder of the day is free. Perhaps visit one of the many Smithsonian museums such as the National Museum of American History to see Dorothy’s ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz, the National Museum of Natural History to see dinosaur bones and the Hope Diamond, or the National Gallery of Art to see the only Leonardo Da Vinci oil painting in the western hemisphere. WASHINGTON-DC.jpg
Breakfast
Day 5 WASHINGTON DC–NIAGARA FALLS, CANADA
Enjoy a scenic drive north through Pennsylvania, following the Susquehanna River to Williamsport, the birthplace of Little League baseball and home of the annual Little League Baseball World Series. Later, cross the Rainbow Bridge into Canada and arrive at Niagara Falls, Ontario, for your overnight stay. NIAGARA-FALLS-PANORAMA.jpg
Breakfast
Day 6 NIAGARA FALLS, CANADA–DEARBORN
This morning, board your Niagara Falls sightseeing cruise for exhilarating close-up views from the base of the falls. Then travel the Niagara Parkway, passing the scenic countryside, farmlands, and vineyards of Ontario. Head southwest to overnight in Dearborn, a suburb of Detroit. NOTE:Operation of the Niagara Falls sightseeing cruise is subject to favorable weather and/or river conditions. Favorable conditions usually exist from May to October. When conditions are unfavorable, a visit to Journey Behind the Falls will be substituted.NIAGARA-FALLS.jpg
Continental Breakfast
Day 7 DEARBORN–CHICAGO
Begin the day with a visit to the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, where exhibits showcase the people, inventions, and events that helped shape America. Arrive in Chicago, America’s third-largest city, in the late afternoon for a two-night stay. Your city sightseeing tour includes all the major landmarks of the “Windy City.” CHICAGO-CITYSCAPE.jpg
Day 8 CHICAGO
Today is free to explore Chicago. Perhaps learn about Chicago’s iconic architecture on an optional river cruise that takes in skyline views from Lake Michigan. Or visit the world-renowned Art Institute of Chicago.Later, experience two Chicago icons along the Magnificent Mile on an optional excursion that includes a deep-dish pizza dinner at Gino’s East followed by a trip to the 360 Observation Deck for spectacular views from the 94th floor. CHICAGO-DOWNTOWN.jpg
Day 9 CHICAGO–MADISON–MINNEAPOLIS
First stop today is Madison, Wisconsin’s capital, set between the shores of Lakes Mendota and Monona. Stop for photos at the striking Wisconsin State Capitol before continuing to Minnesota—the “Land of 10,000 Lakes” – for a two-night stay in Minneapolis, the state’s largest city..MINNEAPOLIS-SKYLINE.jpg
Day 10 MINNEAPOLIS. EXCURSION TO THE MALL OF AMERICA
Enjoy an orientation tour of downtown Minneapolis before visiting the Mall of America, the largest shopping mall in the United States. With hundreds of stores and a wide variety of restaurants and attractions, there’s plenty of time to shop, dine, and explore.MALL-OF-AMERICA-XGTY.jpg
Day 11 MINNEAPOLIS–MITCHELL–OACOMA
Into the farmlands of South Dakota, homeland of the Sioux Nation. Stop in Mitchell to see the Corn Palace, a Moorish-style building decorated inside and out with murals made from corn, grasses, and grain. Stay overnight on the shores of the Missouri River in Oacoma.MITCHELL-CORN-PALACE-XGTY.jpg
Day 12 OACOMA–BADLANDS NATIONAL PARK–MOUNT RUSHMORE–CUSTER
Travel across the South Dakota prairie before entering Badlands National Park, where millions of years of wind and water have carved colorful rock formations, steep canyons, and rugged buttes. Continue into the Black Hills to Mount Rushmore National Memorial and see the monumental granite carvings of Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt. This evening, join an optional dinner and visit to Crazy Horse Memorial, an ongoing mountain carving honoring the Lakota leader, with time to explore the Indian Museum of North America.MOUNT-RUSHMORE.jpg
Day 13 CUSTER–CODY
Journey through the ranching state of Wyoming, where cattle drives and open-range ranches shaped the history of the American West. Pass through Sheridan before crossing the scenic Bighorn Mountains, home to alpine forests and the site of the Battle of Tongue River. Continue to Cody, the frontier town founded by Buffalo Bill Cody, for your overnight stay. CUSTER-STATE-PARK-BLACK-HILLS.jpg
Continental Breakfast
Day 14 CODY–YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK–WEST YELLOWSTONE
Travel through Shoshone National Forest to Yellowstone National Park, the world’s first national park. Follow Grand Loop Road to Artist Point for sweeping views of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and the Lower Falls, nearly twice the height of Niagara Falls. Yellowstone is famous for its abundant wildlife. Keep watch for bears, wolves, bison, elk, and moose as you explore this remarkable landscape. Spend the next tin West Yellowstone.YELLOWSTONE-NATIONAL-PARK-LOWER-FALLS.jpg
Day 15 WEST YELLOWSTONE. DAY EXCURSION TO YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK
Spend more time today exploring Yellowstone National Park. See its colorful mud paint pots and the famous Old Faithful geyser. Known for its remarkably regular eruptions, Old Faithful sends thousands of gallons of steaming water as high as 180 feet into the air approximately every 90 minutes. Return to West Yellowstone for an evening at leisure. YELLOWSTONE-NATIONAL-PARK-OLD-FAITHFUL-ERUPTING.jpg
Breakfast
Day 16 WEST YELLOWSTONE–JACKSON
Travel south through Idaho to the western Wyoming town of Jackson. The afternoon and evening are free to explore the shops, galleries, and restaurants of the historic downtown. Be sure to visit Town Square, famous for its four aches made from elk antlers. Choose to take an optional scenic float trip down the Snake River between Grand Teton National Park and Bridger Teton National Forest keeping an eye out for eagles overhead and wildlife along the riverbank. JACKSON-WYOMING.jpg
Breakfast
Day 17 JACKSON–SALT LAKE CITY
Journey south to Salt Lake City, Utah’s capital, located between the Wasatch Mountains and the Great Salt Lake. Founded by Brigham Young and Mormon pioneers in 1847, the city remains the spiritual center of the Mormon religion. Your included orientation tour features the Utah State Capitol Building, Temple Square, and other city highlights. SALT-LAKE-CITY-SKYLINE.jpg
Continental Breakfast
Day 18 SALT LAKE CITY–BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK
Travel through the sagebrush landscapes of southern Utah to Bryce Canyon National Park, famous for its colorful limestone hoodoos, with more found here than anywhere else on Earth. Explore this remarkable landscape, where thousands of rock spires create one of the Southwest’s most distinctive national parks. The evening is at leisure. BRYCE-CANYON-NATIONAL-PARK.jpg
Breakfast
Day 19 BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK–ZION NATIONAL PARK–GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK
Drive through the historic Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel to explore Zion National Park, where the Virgin River has carved towering sandstone cliffs and deep canyons over millions of years. Continue along the scenic Zion-Mount Carmel highway before stopping at Cameron Trading Post, a historic stop on the Navajo Nation where you can browse Native American jewelry, woven baskets, pottery, and other handcrafted items. Later, arrive at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park for spectacular views of one of the world’s greatest natural wonders. Gaze across the vast canyon as its colorful rock layers descend nearly a mile to the Colorado River, below. ZION-NATIONAL-PARK.jpg
Breakfast
Day 20 GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK–LAS VEGAS
Have free time this morning to take in more of awe-inspiring Grand Canyon National Park. Consider an optional helicopter flight over the canyon for breathtaking aerial views. Later, travel to Las Vegas, the iconic desert city known for its themed resorts, dazzling entertainment, shopping, and casinos. An orientation tour introduces you to the famed Las Vegas Strip. The evening is free to explore the bright lights, attractions, and nightlife.GRAND-CANYON.jpg
Day 21 LAS VEGAS
Enjoy a full day at leisure to experience Las Vegas your way. You may choose an optional excursion to nearby Hoover Dam, an engineering marvel, or take a scenic rafting trip through the Black Canyon along the Colorado River. This evening, consider joining your travel companions for an optional dinner and Vegas! The Show, a musical celebration of the legendary performers who helped make Las Vegas the ‘Entertainment Capital of the World’.LAS-VEGAS-STRIP-SKYLINE.jpg
Day 22 LAS VEGAS–LOS ANGELES
Travel through the Mojave Desert and over the San Gabriel Mountains en route to Los Angeles, America’s second largest city, for a two-night stay. After settling in, visit the Santa Monica Pier for an evening at leisure along the California coast, with time to stroll the boardwalk, dine, and take in views of the Pacific Ocean.LOS-ANGELES-SKYLINE.jpg
Day 23 LOS ANGELES
Start the day with a sightseeing tour of Hollywood. See the celebrity handprints at the TCL Chinese Theatre and also the Dolby Theater, home of the Academy Awards. Continue to Beverly Hills before driving along the famous Sunset Strip. The rest of your afternoon and evening are free. Perhaps choose an optional Warner Bros. Studio Tour for a behind-the-scenes look at film and television production.LOS-ANGELES-WALK-OF-FAME.jpg
Day 24 LOS ANGELES
Your vacation ends this morning. You may choose to extend your vacation with extra nights and explore L.A. further.LOS-ANGELES-CITY-PALM-TREES.jpg