Description
San Francisco
4 nights' accommodation at Holiday Inn, Fisherman's Wharf Picturesque San Francisco is bulging with cosmopolitan restaurants, shops galore, amazing views and world-famous sights. To ensure you don't miss out on anything, we've collected together some of the best excursions which you can pre-book in the UK, including a day trip to the scenic surrounding wine country of Napa and Sonoma Valleys, where you can tour famous wineries and more importantly, taste some great vintages, or explore the great outdoors on our fantastic excursion to majestic Yosemite National Park. These are just 2 of many exciting things to keep you busy. No trip to San Francisco would be complete without a trip to the infamous Alcatraz and, of course, you can't come to San Francisco and not ride a cable car! Head to Aquatic Park near Ghirardelli Square, and take the Hyde line up Hyde Street and over Nob Hill. Up on Nob Hill, you can spot the posh houses of the 19th-century hoi polloi, as well as visiting soaring Grace Cathedral. Walk or drive across the famous Golden Gate Bridge and take pictures of it from Fort Point Lookout.
San Francisco - Monterey
3 nights' accommodation at Monterey Embassy Suites The historic city of Monterey sits on the shores of Monterey Bay, the USA's largest marine sanctuary, and it's one of the most beautiful places on the coast. There are numerous Spanish and Mexican buildings in Old Monterey dating back to the 18th Century, creating a pretty town that is a joy to explore. Monterey is home to one of the world's most incredible aquariums, where you can watch sea otters cavort joyfully about, see a great white shark up close and see how big the giant octopus actually is. Fans of author John Steinbeck will be eager to explore Cannery Row, 7 blocks of shops and restaurants in authentic former sardine canning buildings.
Monterey - Santa Barbara
3 nights' accommodation at the Harbor View Inn Sitting pretty between the gentle Santa Ynez Mountains and the sparkling Pacific Ocean, Santa Barbara boasts a multitude of Spanish-Moorish Revival buildings lining cobbled streets with their red-tile roofed, gleaming white adobe brilliance. It's truly gorgeous here, and you can spend your days exploring the Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Historical Museum, Mission and Botanic Gardens. Or, simply wander around the one-off shops and boutiques, stopping to dine in one of the many fantastic local restaurants. The town is right on the beach as well, so sun worshippers and beach lovers will be in seventh heaven. Activities here include sailing, surfing, swimming, cycling and hiking.
Santa Barbara - Santa Monica
4 nights' accommodation at the Sheraton Delfina Drive west of Hollywood along the famed Santa Monica Boulevard and you hit the Pacific Ocean, and the vibrant beachside community of Santa Monica at the same time. It's only a 20-min drive to Hollywood (outside rush hour), so you can either enjoy the beach feel or use this as your LA base. Santa Monica is famous for its fantastic seafood restaurants and great shopping. Third Street Promenade is a pedestrian street jammed with shops and has a great mall at the ocean end, where you can truly shop till you drop with favourite brand names such as Abercrombie & Fitch, Gap and Macy's. For something a bit different, head down Main Street towards Venice, which is full of eclectic shops, pretty alfresco cafs and lively bars. Hire bikes or in-line skates and you can explore the crazy fun along the beachfront promenade in Venice Beach. This is where you'll find Muscle Beach (where Arnold Schwarzenegger used to work out before he become governor of the state!), as well as plenty of henna tattoo shops, surf boutiques and chilled-out bongo drummers.