The Grand California Discovery Tour

Arrival into Las Vegas where you will pick up the rental vehicle to begin your tour of the vast state of California and surrounding areas. Head to your hotel, where you will be staying just minutes from the Las Vegas Strip. Enjoy dinner at one of the many restaurants nearby and hit the town for a night of fun!

Today you will be spending a full day in Las Vegas where you will get to stay away from the typical Las Vegas Experience. If you are an adventure seeker, take a helicopter tour, a jeep tour, a hot air balloon ride, or even go horseback riding. If you want to see the Grand Canyon, there are bus tours that depart from Las Vegas, and if you just want to relax, you can take a river float trip. For the foodies out there, you can book a food tour through the Las Vegas Strip. And for those who love museums and are interested in organized crime and law enforcement, check out the Mob Museum. There are so many different activities in Las Vegas, and it will be hard just to pick one! Overnight in Las Vegas.

Begin your day with just a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Las Vegas to Death Valley. Once you arrive, start your adventures at the Furnace Creek Visitor Center and make your way to the must-see spots. Visit the salt flat, Badwater Basin (the lowest elevation in North America), tour the colorful Artists Drive, check out the Devils Golf Course and stop at the many viewpoints available in the park, including the most famous one, Zabriskie Point. Overnight in Death Valley.

With so much to see and do in Death Valley National Park, you will be spending the first half of this day doing some more hiking, driving and exploring through the park.

Once you have seen everything you have wanted to see, make your way to the Sequoia National Park area where you will be staying for the night.

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park are adjacent to each other and are located in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains, which will be quite welcoming after spending two days in Death Valley. These parks are best known for their giant sequoia trees, especially the General Grant Tree (the second largest tree in the world) in Kings Canyon National park.

These parks aren’t just about the trees though. There are several hiking trails, scenic drives and viewpoints, the underground Crystal Cave, rock climbing, and so much more. Stay a second night in the park.

Get up early, grab some breakfast, and head to the famous Yosemite National Park. Yosemite Valley stretches nearly 8 miles from East to West and features granite walls more than twice the height of the Empire State Building. You can only imagine why this is one of the wonders of the natural world.

Hike Half Dome, check out the Yosemite Tunnel View, take a stroll through Tuolumne Meadows, and take some pictures of Yosemite Falls (the highest waterfall in Yosemite National Park). 

You cannot see everything that Yosemite National Park has to offer in just one day. Spend the first half of this day finishing up your exploring at the park, buying some souvenirs, and reflecting on all the beauty that you just witnessed firsthand. Get in the car, and make your way to South Lake Tahoe, where you will be staying for the night.

South Lake Tahoe is an outdoorsman’s paradise. With activities to do year-round, you will be able to find something to fill your day no matter the season. You can go mountain biking, hiking, fishing, relaxing on the beach, or partaking in several types of watersports, including kayaking, paddleboarding, and jet skiing.

Once you are done playing outside, hit the downtown area for shopping and dining. Freshen up at your hotel and head to town for the fun nightlife that South Lake Tahoe has to offer, including casinos, bars, and nightclubs. Stay one more night in South Lake Tahoe.

Get ready for a long day of driving to see the tallest trees on Earth in Redwood National and State Parks, California. Though this is a seven-and-a-half-hour drive from South Lake Tahoe, there are some exciting places to stop making it seem not so bad. Head west to Sacramento, the capital of California and a city that is rich in history and culture, and continues to remember the Gold Rush.

Next, make your way North to Redding, CA, and stop by the Turtle Bay Exploration Park, which includes an arboretum, botanical gardens, and a museum with natural history exhibits. From Redding, make the final stretch to the Redwood area where you will be staying overnight.
  

Redwood National and State Parks are famous for being home to the tallest trees on Earth. But they offer so much more than that. They protect vast prairies, oak woodlands, wild river-ways, and nearly 40 miles of rugged coastline. Spend your day exploring these magnificent lands. You can choose to drive the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway, go on a hike to Fern Canyon, take the Sky Trail gondola ride for a view (and a 50-foot-tall Paul Bunyan), or stop by the Lost Coast Brewery for a refreshing flight of beer. Stay one more night in the surrounding area.

Today, you will be driving to the Golden Gate city, San Francisco, rich in culture and charm. There is so much to do here. You may never want to leave.

Hop on a boat to Alcatraz, which used to be home to America’s most notorious criminals. Take a boat tour through the Golden Gate Bay. Go shopping and eat some fresh, delicious seafood at Fisherman’s Wharf. Take a helicopter tour or just rent a bicycle and cruise around the city while you guide yourself to all the sites you would like to see. Stay one night near downtown San Francisco. 

From San Francisco, you will head south on the Pacific Coast Highway (CA-1), stopping in San Luis Obispo and ending your day in Santa Barbara.

This route adds a little more driving time, but it is worth it for these incredible coastal views. Stop in the historic downtown of San Luis Obispo for lunch and go to one of the many beaches nearby.

We recommend Pismo Beach, Avila Beach, or Shell Beach. You can hop on the U.S. 101 and make your way farther south to Santa Barbara, where you will be staying for the night.

Head to the downtown area for dinner, drinks, and shopping.

Santa Barbara has a lot to offer, so we suggest using the morning to do kayaking tours, biking tours, and stand up paddleboard lessons. Once you are done, you will make your way to Los Angeles, where so many attractions are located.

You can hike to the Griffith Observatory, seeing the Hollywood Sign on the way. Walk the Hollywood Walk of Fame and see the TCL Chinese Theatre. If you want a taste of stardom, head to Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills and window shop or drive along Sunset Boulevard. Have dinner in L.A. at one of the many delicious restaurants and then head to your hotel where you will be staying for two nights.

Today is another free day in Los Angeles for you to taste this famous city. We recommend spending the day at Universal Studios, which now features Harry Potter World. There are many amazing rides and attractions for you to fill your day with as well as entertaining shows, dining, and shopping. Don’t forget to enjoy a butterbeer in Hogsmeade in Harry Potter World! Los Angeles is also nearby Disneyland if you would rather spend the day at the happiest place on Earth! Are you looking to relax on your last day? Head to one of the many beaches in the area and put your toes in the sand. Overnight in Los Angeles.

Transfer to the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to return the rental car and fly home.