California Zephyr with Yosemite National Park - Chicago to San Francisco

Arrive in Chicago and spend the day exploring the city at your leisure with a hop on/hop off tour. See Millennium Park, the theatre district, the Art Institute, Navy Pier, the John Hancock Observatory, Willis Tower and other important city landmarks. Overnight Chicago.

Admire the architectural gems of Chicago during this 90-minute River Architecture tour. See the city with unobstructed views from a boat cruising along the river. Learn about over 130 years of the city's history and sightsee from a new angle. Overnight Chicago.

Arrive at Chicago's historic Union Station for your 1:50 pm departure and prepare for your train adventure. Once onboard the iconic California Zephyr, settle into your onboard accommodations for the 2,400+ mile journey across the country to San Francisco. As the train chugs across the Midwest, make sure to visit the Sightseer Lounge to meet some new friends and admire the passing scenery. Enjoy dinner in the Dining Car as you cross the mighty Mississippi River. Overnight train.

Stunning views of the Colorado Rockies await you this morning as the Zephyr climbs the front range of the Rockies. Keep an eye out for wildlife and enjoy the breathtaking scenery from your onboard accommodations, or opt for a more panoramic setting in the Lounge Car. During the summer months, take advantage of the opportunity to learn about the area through which you're traveling during a Trails and Rails presentation conducted by volunteer rangers as you travel from Denver to Grand Junction. Overnight train.

The train arrives in Reno, Nevada mid-morning and continues across the border into California, climbing through the legendary Donner Pass, the high point in the northern Sierra Nevada Mountains. The California Zephyr is scheduled to arrive in Emeryville around 4:10 pm this afternoon. Upon arrival, hop a shuttle for your transfer to the San Francisco Ferry building, where you can get a taxi to your hotel located near Fisherman's Wharf. Overnight San Francisco.

Spend the day exploring the City by the Bay on a city tour. Learn about San Francisco's history from the early Spanish settlers and the Gold Rush to today. Highlights include the Golden Gate Bridge, Muir Woods, Chinatown, Haight Ashbury, Coit Tower, Ghirardelli Square and more! Overnight San Francisco.

*Option to swap the city tour with 1.) Mission District Walking Food Tour or 2.) Half Day Sonoma Wine Country Tour*

Discover the wonders of Yosemite National Park on a full-day excursion to Yosemite Valley and the Giant Sequoias. Visit El Capitan, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, Bridalveil Falls and Inspiration Point before driving to a lesser-traveled part of the Park for a chance to hike in the evergreen forest to see the world's largest living things: a grove of Giant Sequoia trees! Overnight San Francisco.

Your California Zephyr and Yosemite National Park vacation comes to an end today. Check out of your hotel and transfer on your own to the airport or railway station for your return travel home.