Grand Tour of the USA

Your grand tour of the USA begins at London Heathrow, where you meet the Tour Manager and rest of the group before boarding a direct daytime flight to the city of San Francisco.

Arriving in the late afternoon, we are transferred to our hotel located on the iconic Fisherman's Wharf, our base for the next two nights. With its harbourside charms, historic streetcars and famously welcoming laid-back culture, San Francisco is one of America's best-loved cities and we are perfectly placed between the centre and the relaxed waterside.

Tonight is free to dine independently. You could order the catch of the day at one of the Wharf's much-loved seafood restaurants, many of which are family-owned and have been serving locals and tourists for decades. Alternatively, try a classic sourdough bowl filled with creamy clam chowder or head to Little Italy for artisan pizza.

After breakfast, we're introduced to San Francisco on a guided tour. Among other landmarks, we take in the iconic Golden Gate Bridge - built in the 1930s and celebrated as one of the world's most beautiful bridges - and explore Pier 39, known for its sweeping views of the bay and its famous resident sea lions.

Our tour concludes at Fisherman's Wharf, with free time over lunch before our cruise to Alcatraz. On the island, we take a self-guided tour of this public museum, once an 'escape-proof' maximum-security prison housing notorious criminals such as Al Capone and the 'Birdman of Alcatraz'.

Back on the mainland, the rest of the afternoon and evening are yours to explore. You might visit the city's Maritime Museum, wander through Chinatown or stroll the cafes and streets of Little Italy. For a classic San Francisco moment, you could also hop aboard one of the historic streetcars for a ride over the famous hills. Later, enjoy dinner independently at one of the city's many inviting restaurants.

• Breakfast

Making an early start this morning, we transfer by coach to Emeryville station. Here, we board an Amtrak train for a scenic journey inland to Merced, a city in Merced County. On arrival, we continue by coach to El Portal at the entrance to Yosemite National Park, meeting our guide for a tour of its wonderful sights.

One of America's most stunning areas of natural beauty, Yosemite is known for its distinctive rocks, tumbling waterfalls and ancient redwood trees. Our guide shows us the national park's main highlights: Half Dome, a well-known rock formation with a distinctive shape, the 3,000-foot El Capitan - a huge rock face popular with climbers - and the spectacular Bridalveil Falls.

We return to Merced, where we check in to our hotel in the heart of the town for the night. Tonight, you are free to dine independently. Our hotel offers an in-house restaurant which is highly rated, and there is a good choice of places to eat a short distance away.

• Breakfast

Setting out early this morning, we board the Amtrak service to Bakersfield, travelling through the rolling landscapes of California's Big Valley - an area known for its orchards, vineyards and agricultural fields.

From Bakersfield, we continue by coach, passing the dramatic peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountains before travelling across the atmospheric Mojave Desert to Las Vegas.

Arriving in the late afternoon, we check in for two nights at our four-star hotel, the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino - ideally situated on the glittering Las Vegas strip. With outdoor pools and an incredible choice of restaurants, Planet Hollywood is everything you might expect from a Las Vegas hotel, and more. It is also directly connected to the 'Miracle Mile' of upmarket shops, restaurants and live theatres on the strip, which you are free to explore this evening.

You are free to explore the incredible world of Las Vegas at your own pace today, and there's plenty to discover. The Las Vegas Monorail system is a quick and easy way to explore the four-mile Strip of resorts and sights, with a dazzling selection of entertainment.

Among the Strip's most famous sights are the Fountains of Bellagio, the pyramid of the Luxor with its well-known beam of light and the Skypod observation tower. You may also spot the replica Eiffel Tower at the Paris casino hotel and the Campanile at the Venetian Resort, a glamorous tribute to the architecture of Venice with Baroque-inspired murals and colonnades of solid Botticino marble.

The city is known for its wide choice of entertainment, including well-established theatre productions and concerts. There are also numerous restaurants offering everything from casual dining to high-end cuisine, giving you plenty of options for a relaxed and enjoyable day.

Today, we leave the neon-soaked landscape of Las Vegas and start our journey to Flagstaff by coach, stopping at the Hoover Dam viewing point along the way. Harnessing the power of the mighty Colorado River in Black Canyon, the dam is an impressive example of American hydropower and engineering.

Continuing our journey, we enter Arizona and take the legendary Route 66, stopping for lunch enroute before following this famous road until we reach Flagstaff. Along the way, the scenery gradually changes from rugged desert and rocky outcrops to rolling hills and distant mountain ranges.

On arrival, we check in to our hotel for the next two nights, set in a mountainous area amid 500 acres of ponderosa pine forest. There is time to look around and dine independently this evening, exploring the town's music venues, coffee shops and restaurants offering diverse dishes.

Our day starts with a drive along the legendary Route 66 to Williams. From here, we board the Grand Canyon Railway for a trip to one of the world's most spectacular natural wonders, travelling in carriages hauled by historic locomotives.

On arrival at the South Rim, there is free time over lunch to take in the breathtaking views of the Grand Canyon. Carved over millions of years by the Colorado River, the canyon stretches 277 miles in length, up to 18 miles wide and a mile deep. You might choose to stroll along a section of the paved South Rim Trail, stopping at lookout points such as Mojave Point, or simply relax and admire the scenery from the restaurants or gift shop overlooking the canyon.

The Grand Canyon is a place of deep spiritual significance for the Hopi people, who consider it a gateway to the afterlife. Learn more about their history and culture in the nearby adobe building showcasing traditional Hopi arts and crafts. In the late afternoon, we return to Flagstaff by coach, with a free evening to explore the town, enjoy dinner or unwind at the hotel.

We set off early by coach this morning, travelling through wide-open Navajo country to Utah's Monument Valley. We stop for a short break in a town called Cameron before continuing through the stunning yet familiar desert landscape of Monument Valley, the backdrop of so many American Western movies.

The entire region has the feeling of a bygone era, where cowboys still spend months herding cattle across miles of untouched hills and Native Americans perform age-old rituals. After around two hours of travelling, we stop for lunch at the Monument Valley Visitor Centre.

We continue to Gooseneck State Park, recognisable by its long, narrow river which forms a bowl. We stop at a scenic point here before driving to the Colorado mountain town of Durango, arriving late afternoon. After checking in to our hotel for the night we have a free evening ahead.

After breakfast at the hotel, we take a short walk to board the Durango and Silverton Railroad* for a journey through breathtaking canyons, past emerald-green rivers and dense forests. The line connects Durango with the mining town of Silverton and incredibly, has been in continuous use since its inception more than 130 years ago.

We have free time over lunch in the Old West town of Silverton, surrounded by the impressive San Juan Mountains, part of the Rocky Mountains. Our journey continues by coach from Silverton to Grand Junction, a city nestled in Colorado's fruit growing area, where we arrive this afternoon to spend the night.

Staying in a downtown hotel, you are free to try one of the many restaurants on Main Street for dinner. Grand Junction is known for its locally grown produce and regional wines.

*Please note: During the early part of the season the Durango & Silverton Railroad operates a winter timetable. During this period, we enjoy a journey from Durango to Cascade Canyon by rail.

• Breakfast

This morning after breakfast, we transfer to Grand Junction railway station to set out on one of America's most famous rail journeys aboard Amtrak's legendary California Zephyr. This historic train was first launched in 1949 and ran along three railroads - the Burlington, the Rio Grande and the Western Pacific - until 1970. Today's California Zephyr service follows the same spectacular route.

With a full day and overnight onboard the train, you could spend some time in the Observation Car, where large windows provide excellent views as we travel across open plains, river valleys and rugged canyons on our way from Colorado towards Chicago.

As evening approaches, we settle in for the night as our picturesque journey carries us through the superb landscapes of the Rocky Mountains, passing through the heart of Colorado's wine region as we head towards the 'windy city'.

• Breakfast

Our train rumbles towards Chicago this morning. A few hours before arriving in the city, we cross the landmark steel bridge which spans the mighty Mississippi River, marking our arrival into Illinois.

We pull into Chicago's historic Union Station this afternoon, where we are transferred by coach to our hotel in the heart of the city. After checking in, you are free for the rest of the day to familiarise yourself with your new surroundings and start exploring this great city.

Our hotel is in the River North district, a short distance from the Magnificent Mile, one of Chicago's most inviting areas. This neighbourhood stretches along the Chicago River and features an outstanding range of city attractions, glittering high rises, shops and restaurants. Take a stroll and soak up the atmosphere along the riverfront or find a spot nearby for dinner, making the most of your first evening in Chicago.

A cruise along the Chicago River awaits after breakfast this morning, a relaxing way to soak up the city's remarkable architecture. Chicago is known around the world for its skyline, where 100-year-old Art Deco, neoclassical and Gothic towers stand alongside some of the tallest modern skyscrapers in the country.

As we sail along, we pass many of Chicago's most significant buildings, including the Wrigley Building, Tribune Tower and the Willis Tower, which held the title of the world's tallest building until 1998. The fully narrated tour provides an engaging insight into the city's history and tales of people who helped shape Chicago's skyline.

With an afternoon and evening at leisure after the cruise, you are free to explore at your own pace. You might choose to visit the Willis Tower's Skydeck to view Chicago from above, take the train up to Wrigley Field for a tour of the baseball stadium or enjoy a riverside walk. There's also plenty of opportunities for shopping, whether along the Magnificent Mile or on upmarket boutiques of East Oak Street.

• Breakfast

You are free to explore Chicago further after breakfast today, and there is plenty to discover at your own pace. The city's grid layout makes it easy to navigate, whether you prefer to explore on foot or take things a little easier by joining one of the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus tours that stop at many of the key sights.

Alternatively, you might like to visit one of the museums and galleries around the Magnificent Mile area. The Newberry, one of Chicago's best-loved cultural institutions, is free to visit and sits close to Washington Square Park. The Art Institute of Chicago is another highlight, home to an outstanding collection of works by world-renowned artists.

Chicago is also known for its popular green spaces, such as Millennium Park, Maggie Daley Park and the lakeside paths around Lake Michigan, all offering a pleasant place for a gentle stroll. This evening, we board Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited service for an overnight rail journey from Chicago to Buffalo, close to Niagara Falls.

• Breakfast

Our train rolls into the US city of Buffalo today, where we are transferred by coach to our hotel on the American side of the spectacular Niagara Falls. After checking in, we wander down to the Niagara Falls State Park nearby, the oldest state park in the country, for our first glimpse of this awe-inspiring natural wonder.

During your visit, it's possible to book a cruise boat for an exhilarating trip to the base of the falls, where you can experience the thunderous roar and cool mist rising from the cascade. Alternatively, you could stroll along the park's walkways to reach one of the scenic viewpoints, each offering its own impressive perspective of the falls and surrounding landscapes.

For a relaxed meal with a view, the Top of the Falls restaurant overlooks Horseshoe Falls, one of the most dramatic sections of the Falls, and is open for you to have lunch and dinner independently.

We transfer to Buffalo by coach after breakfast this morning, where we board the train to New York. The route sees us head east from Buffalo to New York State's capital, Albany. From here, we follow the course of the Hudson River straight into New York City.

Arriving in Penn Station, we are taken to our hotel in the heart of the city, located on iconic Times Square. With its revolving dining room offering spectacular views of the famous Manhattan skyline, it's easy to understand why this four-star hotel is our customers' favourite North American hotel.

The evening is free to either unwind or head out into the 'city that never sleeps'. Times Square is the beating heart of New York's entertainment district, where glittering billboards cast their sparkle across the square while an array of famous theatres line Broadway. In such a global city, your dining options are virtually unlimited.

• Breakfast

Today, we set out on a guided tour of the 'Big Apple', discovering some of New York's most familiar sights. We take a harbour cruise around the iconic Manhattan Harbour, passing America's emblematic Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island.

Returning to land, we transfer to Grand Central Station, a masterpiece of Beaux-Arts architecture. Here, there's time to look around, admire the famed opal glass clock and perhaps try the station's intriguing Whispering Gallery. After, we embark on an afternoon tour of Manhattan's renowned sights, visiting Central Park, the Rockefeller Centre, the Theatre District and the World Trade Centre site.

The rest of your day is free to explore at leisure. In nearby Midtown Manhattan, you'll find New York's impressive Museum of Modern Art and the elegant shops of Fifth Avenue. Alternatively, you might head to the acclaimed Museum of Natural History. This evening, to mark the final night of our exploration of the USA, you could catch a show on Broadway, a dance performance at the New York City Ballet or maybe see some live jazz at the Lincoln Centre.

Our last morning in this exciting city is free to spend as you wish, perhaps lingering over a classic New York breakfast in a local diner or browsing for last-minute souvenirs. From our hotel on Times Square, it's an easy stroll to Bryant Park or the characterful streets of Hell's Kitchen, taking in the city's energy one final time before you depart.

This afternoon, we transfer to the airport for our direct evening flight to London Heathrow.

On this unforgettable exploration of North America, we've witnessed some of its most iconic landmarks - from San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge to the neon-soaked Strip of Las Vegas and New York's Time's Square - and delved into multiple world-famous cities. We experienced breathtaking natural wonders, including Monument Valley, the Grand Canyon and the awe-inspiring Niagara Falls, and journeyed on renowned trains including Amtrak's California Zephyr and the historic Durango-Silverton Railway. Memories of these last three weeks, from the scenery to the unique energy and character of each place, are sure to remain with you long after the journey ends.

Touching down at London Heathrow this morning, your incredible holiday comes to an end, and you are free to make your way home.