| Condensed Daily Itinerary |
Day 1 |
CHICAGO UNION STATION |
D |
Leave Chicago this afternoon aboard the
California Zephyr. We cross the Mississippi
River at dinner time and speed west. |
Day 2 |
THE COLORADO ROCKIES |
B L D |
En route with the stunning passage through
the heart of the Colorado Rockies today over
the fabled Denver & Rio Grande Western
Railroad, a breathtaking train journey.
|
Day 3 |
RENO NEVADA |
B |
We arrive in Reno this morning at 8:20am and
our rooms at the luxurious Grand Sierra
Resort are ready for us, having been
pre-booked for the night before. There is
time to freshen up before our midday depar-
ture for historic Virginia City where we enjoy
a ride on the newly restored Virginia &
Truckee Railroad. An evening of leisure at
the Grand Sierra Resort. |
Day 4 |
RENO |
B |
A glorious day as we travel to spectacular
Lake Tahoe that includes a cruise aboard the
Tahoe Queen Sternwheeler with time at
Emerald Bay. We return to Grand Sierra at
Reno the evening for a final night in this
magnificent resort. |
Day 5 |
SACRAMENTO CALIFORNIA |
D |
A short scenic drive through the High Sierras
this morning past Donner Lake brings us to
Old Sacramento with a visit to its justly famed
California State Railroad Museum. This
afternoon followed by dinner aboard the
legendary riverboat Delta King. Overnight at
the superbly located Holiday Inn in Old
Sacramento. |
Day 6 |
YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK |
B |
A drive through California’s lush Central
Valley brings us to Yosemite, a place that
mere words do not do justice to. We have a
tour of the Valley floor including Half Dome
and Bridal Veil Falls and you will want to have
your camera ready. Overnight is spent at the
luxurious Tenaya Resort within the Park. |
Day 7 |
MORRO BAY CALIFORNIA |
B L |
A special treat this morning with a ride on the
Yosemite & Sugar Pine RR followed by a visit
to the famed Big Trees before we drive west
to the Coast with the evening at leisure in
quaint Morro Bay, one of the most pictur-
esque spots in California. |
Day 8 |
LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA |
B L |
Today is a day of superlatives that begins
with a visit to the grandest private home ever
built in the country, extraordinary Hearst
Castle and like Yosemite yesterday, words
fail to capture the grandeur of this castle and
its location overlooking the Pacific. After the
Castle, we enjoy lunch in Morro Bay before another visual wonder, a 131 mile ride along
the California Coast by train to downtown Los
Angeles. Great beauty awaits in the City of
Angels where our guests begin a two-night
stay at the fabled Biltmore Hotel, the grande
dame of Los Angeles hotels. |
DAY 9 |
CATALINA ISLAND |
D |
Every great train journey should have at least
a short ocean cruise and today we set sail for
quaint and nostalgic Avalon on lovely
Catalina Islands, a magical place with quaint
shops, restaurants and the famous casino.
We return to the Biltmore this evening for a
second night in the ultimate setting with
frescoes by the Vatican painter. |
DAY 10 |
SANTA MONICA CALIFORNIA |
D |
We have left the morning free for you to enjoy
the many sights of downtown Los Angeles
with a midday departure for charming Santa
Monica with a visit to its famed Pier, at the
end of Sunset Blvd. With free time before
traveling to Union Station via Hollywood Blvd
past Mann’s Chinese Theatre. We enjoy an
early dinner in Olvera St., where Los Angeles
began before boarding the Southwest Chief
bound for the Grand Canyon later tonight. |
DAY 11 |
THE GRAND CANYON |
B L |
We arrive in Flagstaff this morning where a
stylish breakfast at Little America Hotel
awaits before boarding the historic Grand
Canyon Railway to South Rim. There we
have a tour of this wonder of the world before
staying overnight at the Grand Canyon. |
DAY 12 |
WINSLOW ARIZONA |
D |
We depart the Grand Canyon this morning
and drive along the remains of historic Route
66 to Winslow where the perfect treat awaits,
the magnificently restored La Posada Hotel,
one of the famed Harvey House properties
that welcomes travelers across the southwest. This awe-inspiring property, built for
the Santa Fe Railroad is the appropriate
ending point for a holiday that has shown us
the best of the west. A farewell dinner tonight
in the elegant main dining room. |
DAY 13 |
The Southwest Chief |
B L D |
The Southwest Chief makes a stop right at
our hotel this morning and we are soon
speeding across the Navajolands of Arizona.
Later today, we cross the continental divide at
Raton Pass. |
DAY 14 |
CHICAGO UNION STATION |
B |
We cross the Mississippi River this morning
and arrive in Chicago this afternoon with
memories of special places that will last a
lifetime. |
