Southwest Chief with the Grand Canyon - Chicago to Los Angeles

Get set for adventure as you board the Southwest Chief at Chicago's historic Union Station. Settle in your comfortable reclining seat with leg rest or private room (upgraded passengers) for a mid-afternoon departure. Relax, read or listen to music. Be sure to see the glass-walled Sightseer Lounge car with its swivel seats and expansive views. Have a glass of wine and toast to the marvelous journey ahead. You'll pass through the prairie, the plains and the mighty Mississippi River. Overnight train.

As you head west, you'll notice the changing scenery, where snow-capped mountains and lush valleys come into view. Relax as you spend the day riding the rails over Raton Pass, elevation of 7834 feet, through New Mexico and Arizona. You'll arrive in Flagstaff, Arizona just before 9 p.m. and check into the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel. Overnight Williams.

This morning, enjoy breakfast at the Fred Harvey Restaurant and board the historic Grand Canyon Railway for a ride to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. Carved over several millennia through the rocks of the Colorado Plateau, the Grand Canyon is seen by more than five million visitors who come from all over the world each year. From any perspective, this great chasm is unsurpassed in size, color and geological importance. After your tour, you are free to explore the Grand Canyon South Rim or check in to your hotel. Overnight Grand Canyon.

• Breakfast

Spend the morning exploring the South Rim on your own or take another guided tour. There are several historical buildings worth visiting including Buckey O'Neill's Cabin, the longest continually standing structure in the South Rim; and Bright Angel Lodge with its small museum honoring Fred Harvey, who played a prominent role in popularizing the Grand Canyon. Opt to visit Mary Colter's Lookout Studio and Hopi House, or take the shuttle to the Geology Museum at Yavapai Point or to the Visitor Center. Board the Grand Canyon Railway southbound to Williams Depot at 3:30 pm. Dinner this evening is at the Fred Harvey Restaurant. Relax at the historic Grand Canyon Railway hotel before transferring to Flagstaff tonight for your train west to Los Angeles. After such a full day, you'll be ready for a good night's rest aboard the Southwest Chief. Overnight train.

• Dinner

Your train arrives in LA's Union Station in the morning and you'll check into your hotel before you head out to explore this cosmopolitan city. See the extensive art collections in the J. Paul Getty Center or the La Brea Tar Pits on Museum Row. Who knows which Hollywood stars you'll run into while shopping on Rodeo Drive or Melrose Avenue? No trip to LA would be complete without visiting Venice Beach Boardwalk, TCL Chinese Theater or the Santa Monica Pier. Overnight Los Angeles.

Plan to stay in Los Angeles for another day or two. Catch all the action at Universal Studios Hollywood, Warner Bros. Studios and Disneyland. Take an Amtrak train back to your city of origin or transfer to the airport for your return flight home.