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Independent Amtrak Tours
Escorted Amtrak Tours
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- 4900 miles of relaxed, comfortable travel on
double-decker Amtrak Superliners . . . westbound
through the majestic Colorado Rockies and
eastbound through the stark, rugged highlands of
Arizona and New Mexico.
- The meandering train ride through the Napa
Valley vineyards will be a high point of this
awesome California adventure.
- Board an historic Roaring Camp & Big Trees
Narrow Gauge Rail Road train for a spectacularly
scenic, six-mile ride through a magnificent stand of
tall redwood trees.
- During our time on the Monterey Peninsula, we'll
travel along the scenic, 17-mile drive from Pacific
Grove to Carmel.
- You'll find the tour of luxurious Hearst Castle to be
an unbelievable experience. It's one of California's
major attractions.
- "24 miles across the sea . . . Santa Catalina is the
place to be". The Beach Boys aptly describe this
island paradise where you'll spend a memorable
day. Its beauty is breathtaking.
- We'll cover Los Angeles from Hollywood's opulent
Rodeo Drive and Sunset Boulevard to downtown's
Mann's Chinese Theater. Visit Chinatown,
Griffith Park and historic Olvera Street.
- Round-trip transportation by rail
departing from and returning to
Chicago.
- Private Roomette bedroom sleeping
accommodations on the trains for four
nights ($868 additional per person for
an upgraded Bedroom.
- First-class hotel accommodations for
seven nights.
- 20 meals.
- Extensive sightseeing including San
Francisco, Monterey, Hearst Castle,
Catalina Island and Los Angeles.
- Baggage handling, taxes & tips.
- Services of a professional Tour Director.
Day 1: Depart Chicago
The complete Golden West Rail Ramble tour group will meet their Tour Director in the Metropolitan Lounge of
Chicago's Union Station. We'll prepare to
board the famous California Zephyr in
time for its mid afternoon departure. The
Zephyr features double-decker Superliner
equipment. Relax in your comfortable
Roomette bedroom sleeping accom-modations.
Upgraded Bedrooms are
available at an additional cost. After
settling in you may want to go to the
glass-walled Sightseer Lounge. Enjoy a
sumptuous, full-course dinner in the
dining car. All meals are included on the
Zephyr. D
Day 2: Colorado Rockies
The Zephyr will depart Denver this
morning and begin its climb over the
Front Range of the awesome Colorado
Rockies. Throughout the day the train
will wind around sharp mountain curves
and through numerous tunnels. You'll
look down at fast-flowing streams
winding through valleys far below. The
breathtaking mountain vistas will
continue until late afternoon. B, L & D
Day 3: En Route/San Francisco
During the night you crossed the dry,
sparsely populated Nevada countryside.
Today's scenery will be almost as
spectacular as that experienced yesterday
in Colorado as the Zephyr struggles over
the high Sierra Nevada
mountains through the
famous Donner Pass.
From rugged terrain and
pine trees to lush greenery
and palm trees . . . this
landscape contrast will
occur in just three hours.
Our arrival in the
world-famous "City by
the Bay" is scheduled for
6:30 p.m. Our home for
three nights in San
Francisco is the attractive
Chancellor Hotel. Our
hotel is conveniently located on Union
Square. Dinner tonight is included.
B, L & D
Day 4: San Francisco
You're free this morning to ride a cable
car or just wander through Union Square
enjoying the great shops and galleries.
At 1:00 p.m. we'll check out of our
hotel and embark on a three-and-a-half
hour sightseeing tour of San Francisco,
including Chinatown, Golden Gate Park,
Jackson Square, the Mission District,
Telegraph Hill, the Presidio and
Fisherman's Wharf. Our tour will end at
the world-renowned Fisherman's Wharf,
with its picturesque sights and pungent
smells. It attracts millions of visitors
annually. You'll have several hours to
discover the excellent restaurants, markets,
import houses and souvenir shops.
Return to our hotel or spend time at this
marvelous attraction. Choose one of the
many fine restaurants in Fisherman's
Wharf or Union Square near our hotel for
dinner.
Day 5: Napa Valley Wine Train
This morning we'll board a comfortable
motor coach and travel eastward across
the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge
and then head north into the famous
California wine country. Our destination is
Sonoma where, for a few hours, we'll return
to the gracious era of elegant rail travel and
distinguished service. The rail cars that make
up the Wine Train have been meticulously
restored to their original splendor.
The Lounge and Wine Tasting cars are
resplendent in polished mahogany, brass and
etched glass. You'll savor hors d'oeuvres
chosen to enhance the Wine Train's own
selection of the finest Napa Valley Wines.
Later you'll be ushered into the 1917
Pullman Dining Car. While the train rolls
slowly past many of the valley's 50+ vineyards
and wineries, you'll enjoy a three-course
gourmet lunch.
At mid afternoon our travelers will return
to San Francisco for a final night. L
Day 6: Monterey
Our travelers will check out of the hotel this morning and travel south about 80 miles to Felton. At 11:00 a.m. we'll board a historic Roaring Camp & Big Trees Narrow Gauge Railroad train for a spectacularly scenic, six-mile ride through a magnificent stand of tall California redwood trees. We'll enjoy a picnic lunch (included). We'll continue on to picturesque Monterey. This charming resort community is one of the most scenic locations on the Pacific Coast. Our overnight hostelry is the attractive Casa Munras Garden Hotel.
Late this afternoon, we'll visit historic Cannery Row. Cannery Row was once araucous industrial street famous for canning sardines and for the haunts of characters in John Steinbeck's 1945 novel, "Cannery Row." There are many shopping opportunities and restaurants . . . all within walking distance. You will have time for an "on-your-own" dinner before our motor coach returns us to our hotel. L
Day 7: San Simeon
We'll strike out this morning on a
sightseeing tour of the Monterey area. The
high point of our visit will be the scenic, 17-
mile drive from Pacific Grove to Carmel.
Points of interest along the way include Seal
Rock and Cypress Point. You'll also see
Pebble Beach and other golf courses made
famous as the site of the annual Bing Crosby
golf tournaments. After an "on-your-own"
luncheon stop, we'll travel south along the
Pacific Ocean shoreline to San Simeon. Our
home for this evening is the Orchard Inn. The Tour Director will host
dinner tonight. D
Day 8: Hearst Castle
After breakfast (included) we'll transfer from our hotel to one of California's major attractions and a high point of our tour, the famous Hearst Castle. You'll see the Castle greenhouses and 123 acres of the estate of the late publishing czar William Randolph Hearst. The main residence is a huge Hispano-Moorish building, called La Casa Grande, where millions of dollars worth of the Hearst art collection and antiques are displayed. The landscaped gardens are decorated with pools, fountains and statuary. We'll take an hour-and-a-half walking tour of this magnificent complex.
We'll reboard our motor coach and continue south along the coastline another 150 miles to Santa Barbara where, at 4:29p.m., we'll board an Amtrak Pacific Surfliner train for the final 103 miles to Los Angeles. Upon arrival in Santa Barbara we'll embark on an hour-and-a-half sightseeing tour that includes the famed Courthouse with its massive murals. On the train you'll see more of the beautiful Pacific coastline from the train before we enter the sprawling San Fernando Valley. Our arrival into beautiful Los Angeles Union Station is scheduled for 7:40 p.m. Upon arrival, we'll transfer to the Los Angeles suburb of Long Beach. Our transfer motor coach will make a stop en route for a buffet dinner (included).
For the next two nights, our travelers will enjoy the hospitality of the Coast Long Beach Hotel. Our hotel is located on a peninsula in the harbor. The world-famous Long Beach Aquarium and the restored trans-Atlantic liner, The Queen Mary, are nearby. B & D
Day 9: Catalina Island
Breakfast is included each morning in
Long Beach.
It takes a little more than
an hour to cover the 22
miles from Long Beach to
Avalon in a modern express
boat that features airline-style
seats. A two-hour
sightseeing tour ten miles
into the scenic interior of the
island is included. You'll see
spectacular vistas, deep
canyons, quiet coves and the
blue ocean. Be on the
lookout for buffalo and other
wildlife. You'll also have
time to explore the primary
city of Catalina, Avalon.
Glass-bottom boat tours are
available. We'll return to the
mainland late this afternoon.
B
Day 10: Los Angeles
Late this morning we'll strike out on an
extensive tour of Los Angeles, The famous
sites we'll visit include Chinatown, Griffith
Park, Exposition Park and Mann's Chinese
Theatre where the hand and footprints of
many stars are imprinted in concrete. Enjoy
an "on-your-own" lunch at the world-famous
Farmers' Market.
After the tour, we'll arrive at Los Angeles
Union Station where we'll board Amtrak's
Southwest Chief for Chicago. You'll again
enjoy private-room sleeping accommodations,
all the train meals and other amenities
experienced on your westbound train. Count
on a full-course dining car dinner upon
departure. B&D
Day 11: En Route
You'll want to take advantage of the
fascinating scenery of Arizona and New
Mexico our train will pass through during the
day. The Sightseer Lounge is the best
vantage point. B, L & D
Day 12: En Route
Our Southwest Chief will roll across
northern Missouri, a corner of Iowa, and all
of Illinois before our late afternoon arrival in
Chicago. Some tour members will change to
trains bound for Midwest, Eastern, and
Southern home cities. B & L
Catalina Island
Golden West Rail Ramble is not being offered this year. A variety of other spectacular tours to see America by rail are currently available for travel.
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