Monterey Holidays
Sample itineraries
California's Gold Coast - A Tauck Escorted Tour
From £3195
Have your camera at the ready as you journey through the diverse Golden State of California. From the Beautiful City on the Bay , San Francisco to glamorous Hollywood.
En route you'll delight in the wine tasting opportunities in charming Sonoma and the awesome scenery of Yosemite National Park, where you'll enjoy a private tour led by a local naturalist. As you leave the mountains behind it's time to head for the California coast and one of the most scenic drives in the world-Pacific Coast Highway 1. Sit back and enjoy the stunning vistas of famous 17 Mile Drive and Big Sur and a visit to gloriously OTT Hearst Castle, before you arrive at delightful Shell Beach. En route to Los Angeles you'll have time to explore the charming Moorish town of Santa Barbara before heading off to the bright city lights of LA.
California's Gold Coast-Tauck Escorted Tour
From £3195
per person (based on two sharing)
Price includes:
EXCLUSIVE to Bon Voyage in the UK-
Book your Tauck Tour through Bon Voyage and enjoy return private car transfers from your home to your local airport*. Your holiday will begin in true style from the moment we collect you from your front door and assist you with your luggage. Sit back, relax and enjoy the stress free journey in a standard of car that will reflect the excellent quality of your Tauck Tour.
Prefer to make your own way? Not a problem, we will reduce the cost of your tour accordingly.
*our exclusive door to door airport transfers is for journeys from your home to within 100 miles of your local airport.
- Return flights from the UK to San Francisco and home from Los Angeles
- 9 nights deluxe accommodation in sought after locations
- A privately guided walk with a naturalist during a two-night stay at The Ahwahnee in Yosemite National Park who shares insights on its wildlife, geology and history.
- A tour of Los Angeles’ star-studded sights including Rodeo Drive, Sunset Strip and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.
- A walking tour of Hearst Castle at San Simeon, grand estate of publisher William Randolph Hearst.
- A drive along the Scenic Highway #1 with an opportunity to see giant redwoods in Big Sur State Park and elephant seals along the coast.
- A visit to the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center in Brentwood, renowned for its extensive collection of art, antiquities and photographs by outstanding artists.
- Private wine tasting at a Sonoma Valley vineyard .
- Airport transfers
- 19 meals (9 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 6 dinners), service charges, gratuities to local guides, admission fees, taxes and porterage
Prices are based on low season-please call or email for your preferred date of travel. Please ask about our supplements for travel in Economy Plus, Business and First Class for your flights..
Tour begins in San Francisco
- April 21st
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May 2nd, 12th, 23rd & 30th
- June 9th, 13th & 23rd
- July 4th, 14th & 25th
- August 15th & 25th
- September 5th, 15th & 26th
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October 6th, 17th & 27th
Day 1 Arrive San Francisco
Tour begins: 5:30 PM at The Westin St. Francis. A transfer is included from San Francisco International Airport to The Westin St. Francis for a two-night stay. California dreams become reality tonight at our welcome cocktail reception and dinner at your hotel. A beloved San Francisco landmark that has kept watch over Union Square since 1904, The Westin St. Francis is inextricably entwined with the city itself.
Accommodation: 2 nights at The Westin St Francis
Meals included: Dinner
Day 2 City Tour/Wine Country
Nob Hill... Chinatown... Fisherman’s Wharf... Lombard Street...the names alone evoke iconic visions of cityscapes that have made San Francisco famous around the world. Today’s sightseeing excursion includes a mix of must-see sights and cultural delights to give you a well-paced overview of the “City by the Bay.” Cross the Golden Gate Bridge – one of the most beautiful and oft-photographed bridges in the world – and head north to Sonoma Valley, the birthplace of wine in California. Enjoy a tasting tour at a Sonoma winery, reflecting the essence of local wine-making; your travels take you through rolling hills blanketed in vineyards before returning to San Francisco to explore as you wish. Dinner is on your own tonight in a city known for its variety of restaurants and unique culinary treats.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 3 Gold Country & the Yosemite Valley
Speculators from around the world rushed to California in the1800s to find their fortune in the rich mountain veins and riversof gold country. You won’t be rushed today as we step back in time to the days of the Forty-niners in Jamestown at the foot of the Sierra Nevadas – look around and see remnants of the town’s boom and bust periods as you stop for lunch at the historic National Hotel, an area landmark since 1858. Next up are the scenic treasures and great valley that so inspired conservationist John Muir... and led to the creation of Yosemite National Park.
Spend two nights at The Ahwahnee, a National Historic Landmark in the heart of the park, boasting soaring cathedral ceilings and massive stone fireplaces. Dine at your leisure tonight in the Ahwahnee Dining Room – floor-to-ceiling windows offer spectacular views of Half Dome and Glacier Point.
Accommodation: 2 nights at The Ahwahnee
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 4 Yosemite National Park
The entire day is yours to doas you wish in Yosemite and your accommodations put you right in the centre of it all. You can begin you explorations with Tauck's private two-hour walking tour. Led by a local naturalist, this is a great way to learn about the stories behind natural wonders like Bridalveil Falls, whose wind-driven waters take on the appearance of a delicate veil; El Capitan, the largest granite monolith in the workd; and Cathedral Spires and Rocks, doubly impressive in height and size! There are more waterfalls, glacier-hewn gorges, granite peaks and remarkable wildlife within easy access of your wilderness lodge. Optional activities are available at an additional charge, including a tram tour of Yosemite's valley floor and an excursion to Glacier Point. Enjoy dinner on your own tonight, surrounded by The Ahwahnee's intriguing Native art.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 5 Across Lush Valleys to Monterey
Leave Yosemite after breakfast today for an exclusive visit and demonstration of early mining equipment at the Mariposa Museum and History Centre. Then it’s on to the California coast, passing through the farmland of the San Joaquin Valley – dubbed “America’s Salad Bowl” – to Merced for lunch. The scenic feast continues in Carmel-by-the-Sea. Founded as a small artists’ colony, today it is one of the hottest tourist destinations in the state, thanks to its celebrity residents and its undeniably romantic charm. Enjoy time at leisure, browsing in intimate art galleries and boutiques, before arriving in seaside Monterey.
Accommodation: 2 nights at InterContinental the Clement Monterey
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 6 Monterey Bay Aquarium / 17-Mile Drive
Your accommodations at the InterContinental the Clement Monterey are next door to the famous Monterey Bay Aquarium; Tauck’s guided tour of the aquarium showcases some of the 200 marine life exhibits that make it one of the most respected aquariums in the world. Drive out to the Monterey Bay Peninsula, viewing a parade of impressive homes and lovely beaches, and travel along the 17-Mile Drive, renowned as one of the most scenic coastal routes in the world. Many of the sights you’ll pass by this afternoon may look familiar; several have been in films with such stars as Elizabeth Taylor, Dean Martin and Marlon Brando. You’ll be back in Monterey in the afternoon, where the rest of the day is free for you to enjoy as you wish.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 7 Big Sur and Hearst Castle
Redwoods and seals are just a few of the sights that may be seen today on a drive along the Scenic Pacific Coast Highway #1as it follows the Big Sur coastline. Stroll the manicured grounds and explore Hearst Castle during a guided visit that reveals the grandiose lifestyle of publishing magnate William Randolph Hearst, who referred to this 165-room Spanish-Moorish mansion as “the ranch.” He tinkered with it so much during the 27 years he lived there that it was never completed in his lifetime! Arrive at The Cliffs Resort on Shell Beach overlooking the Pacific Coast!
Accommodation: 1 night at The Cliffs Resort, Shell Beach
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8 Santa Barbara / Pasadena / Los Angeles
Seaside Santa Barbara is your next stop along California’s Gold Coast. See the Spanish Mediterranean architecture of the old courthouse, designated a National Historic Landmark, before free time to explore the city. Journey on to Pasadena this afternoon to The Langham Huntington, Pasadena, Los Angeles – a short drive from the hustle and bustle of the city, this landmark retreat has long been favoured by celebrities.
Accommodation: 2 nights at The Langham Huntington
Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner
Day 9 Hollywood / Getty Museum
Explore glamorous “LA” today, including Beverly Hills, Rodeo Drive, Sunset Strip, the Kodak Theatre and Grauman’s ChineseTheater. Spend the afternoon at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Getty Center, featuring an extensive collection of pre-20th-century European art and sculpture, antiquities, and photographs. Enjoy the hotel grounds and amenities this afternoon before our farewell reception and dinner tonight!
Meals Included: Breakfast and Dinner
Day 10 Journey Home
Tour ends: Los Angeles. Fly home anytime. A transfer is includedfrom The Langham Huntington, Pasadena, Los Angeles to the Los Angeles International Airport. Allow a minimum of two hours for flight check-in.
Meals Included: Breakfast
