California’s Wine Country, Redwoods & Yosemite

 Your California adventure begins today in San Francisco, a bohemian coastal city that exudes culture. As you arrive, make your own way to our hotel, conveniently located at Fisherman's Wharf. After check-in, there is time to relax at the hotel or begin exploring at your own pace.

San Francisco is a melting pot of a city, with ten cultural districts that speak to its eclectic citizens. You might like to start by wandering Fisherman's Wharf, admiring the water and the seals and sea lions that rest on its docks, or you could delve right into neighborhood explorations.

However you spend your day, return to the hotel early this evening to meet the Tour Manager and your travel group. A brief meeting introduces the adventures to come, and then your evening is free. The local culinary scene is truly impressive, with award-winning eateries and plenty of seafood restaurants where you can find dinner this evening. Overnight San Francisco.

 Some of San Francisco's most famous sites beckon on today's guided sightseeing tour. After breakfast, we set out with a guide, encountering sites like the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street and Chinatown as we drive through the city. The excursion concludes as we arrive at Pier 33, where you are free through lunch. You might like to seek out a sourdough bread bowl of San Francisco's famous clam chowder.

After lunch, a ferry takes us across the bay to Alcatraz. History comes to life as we walk through the cell blocks and see artifacts that were left behind after the prison's closing. The ferry takes us back to San Francisco, where your evening is at leisure to continue seeking out incredible attractions or to find dinner at one of the Fisherman's Wharf restaurants. Overnight San Francisco.

• Breakfast

 Leaving San Francisco by motorcoach, we head toward the Santa Cruz Mountains, where we look to the region's logging history at Roaring Camp Railroads. Our time here sees us board the Redwood Forest Steam Train, a narrow gauge that provides an unforgettable look at towering redwoods.

The train departs from Felton and winds through the forest en route to the summit of Bear Mountain. In all, the journey lasts approximately 1 hour, and passengers have the opportunity to take in the stunning scenery from closed or open-air train cars.

Rejoining our coach, we continue to Santa Cruz, where we pause with time for lunch on our own before continuing inland to our hotel at the gateway to Yosemite National Park. Nestled in the Sierra National Forest, our hotel provides a scenic base for two nights. Take some time to get settled in and admire the views, and then join the group for dinner. Overnight Fish Camp, CA.

• Breakfast, Dinner

 We get our first looks at the astounding beauty of Yosemite National Park after breakfast today. Majestic scenery surrounds our drive into the south entrance of the park, with views of forests and towering granite monoliths.

After some free time for lunch and to begin soaking in nature's jaw-dropping offerings, we set out on a guided tour of the Yosemite Valley. An expert tour guide offers invaluable insight into the history of the park, the wildlife, the indigenous people who once lived here as our route unfolds. The scenic vistas along the way are breathtaking and include waterfalls and the High Sierra Mountains.

We return to the hotel with a free evening to have dinner at the hotel or relax after a day of scenic explorations. Overnight Fish Camp, CA.

• Breakfast

 With an early start, our journey continues toward California's wine country today. We set out from Fish Camp by coach and drive north to Jamestown, where we pause our route. There is free time to find lunch on your own in this former Gold Rush town, and then we step back in time with a visit to a California Historical Landmark, Railtown 1897 State Historic Park.

This attraction is located in the heart of gold mining country and includes a still-operational Roundhouse and locomotive repair facility. The famous Jamestown Historic Shops, including the Depot Store, is also located onsite, as is an interpretive center filled with informative exhibits and experiences that combine California's history with the film industry. There are even operational trains that you can view.

Back on the road, the scenery changes from city to rolling hills and lush vineyards, marking our arrival in the wine country near Sonoma. We check into our hotel and then the evening is at leisure to immerse yourself in one of the world's best wine and food destinations. Overnight Rohnert Park.

Please note - For departures May 27th and September 9th, we will stay at the Hotel Centro Sonoma Wine Counrty, Tapestry by Hilton hotel in Sonoma.

• Breakfast

 Today brings a chance to experience the Golden Age of rail travel once more aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train. We travel by coach to downtown Napa, where we board this train, which takes passengers to St. Helena and back.

Onboard the train, the mahogany-lined lounge car is the perfect place to enjoy the sights, and there are four onboard kitchens in which chefs prepare sumptuous meals paired with wines from several of the region's beloved wineries. Our unparalleled experience on this train includes lunch as we roll through the landscape and rolling vineyards and grand estates come into view.

Following the train ride, we return to the hotel where the rest of your day and evening is at leisure. You could sample even more of the region's fabulous gastronomic contributions or wander amongst the picturesque scenery. Overnight Rohnert Park.

• Breakfast, Lunch

 We begin the day amidst green vines and juicy grapes as we visit two wineries for tastings. Setting out after breakfast, we first visit Beringer Vineyards, where we are treated to a tour of the facility and a tasting of its most popular wines.

Our route continues to Helena in the heart of the Napa wine region, and here, we have free time to find lunch locally. As the center of the St. Helena American Viticultural Area, there are many incredible places to continue sipping Sonoma and Napa wines and indulge in perfectly paired dishes before we continue to Sterling Vineyards. Here, a self-guided tour introduces the grounds and wine-making process, and then we wrap up our excursion with another tasting experience.

Back in Rohnert Park, spend the remainder of the evening soaking in the sights before joining the group for a farewell dinner at our hotel. Overnight Rohnert Park.

• Breakfast, Dinner

The Golden State's varied scenery and impressive destinations have set the stage for a vacation to remember. From the bustling streets of San Francisco, where we viewed sites steeped in culture and history, to awe-inspiring views of redwood forests, giant Sequoias and the Yosemite Valley, each day has presented a new side of California. And, of course, there is no better place to toast to a route well-explored than wine country, where we rounded out our itinerary.

Enjoy an encore of ever-changing scenery this morning as your vacation comes to a close, and a group transfer takes us to San Francisco's airport. This transfer accommodates planes departing after 1:00 p.m.

• Breakfast