The Gold Experience is a 6-day journey through the icons of the American West: charming coastal towns, major cities, and breathtaking natural landscapes. Departing from San Francisco, the tour operates year-round with two seasonal versions designed to make the most of daylight and weather conditions.
Highlights: guided tour of the Las Vegas Strip, visits to the Hoover Dam and Lake Powell. Two seasonal itineraries, one unforgettable West adventure.
Please Note this Tour departs from San Francisco and returns to either Las Vegas or Los Angeles.
We will meet in San Francisco to spend the first day exploring the beautiful city by the bay, learning interesting facts and some history, and hop on a Sightseeing Cruises to admire some of the top attractions from the water including the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island. By the late afternoon, we will leave San Francisco behind and we'll start heading towards Yosemite National Park where will spend 1 day exploring some of the most iconic sights, the Yosemite Waterfalls and simply enjoying the glorious panorama that the Sierra Nevada Mountains will offer us.
The tour will continue inland, exploring the famous Wild West deserts until reaching Las Vegas in the afternoon. Here, you will have time at your disposal to enjoy everything Vegas can offer from popular Broadway-style Shows, Circ-du-Soleil, famous Restaurants such as Hell's Kitchen by Gordon Ramsay or try your luck at one of the Casinos in town.
Age Restrictions: 7 year old minimum to enter the Antelope National Park.
Discover why San Francisco is ranked among the world’s most beautiful cities. Start at Fisherman’s Wharf with a scenic Bay Cruise offering views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island en route to Sausalito. Return to Pier 39 for a leisurely lunch.
In the afternoon, enjoy a city tour featuring the Golden Gate Bridge viewpoints, Union Square, Chinatown, and Nob Hill. End the day with a panoramic skyline view from the Bay Bridge as you head back to the hotel.
Overnight: SpringHill Suites by Marriott Oakland Airport
Begin with a visit to Monterey—see the historic Wharf and Cannery Row, once lined with sardine canneries and now a picturesque waterfront district. Continue to Carmel-by-the-Sea for free time among galleries and boutiques.
Follow the famed California coastline up close along Route 1 (for small vehicles) or the panoramic 17-Mile Drive (for full-size coaches). In the afternoon, travel south to the Los Angeles area for your overnight stop in Stevenson Ranch.
Overnight: Comfort Suites Stevenson Ranch
Head east across the desert to reach the world’s entertainment capital: Las Vegas. En route, stop at the Barstow Outlet Mall, featuring brands such as Levi’s, Nike, Reebok, Timberland, Ralph Lauren, and more.
In the evening, tour the glittering Las Vegas Strip to admire iconic resorts including Caesar’s Palace, Luxor, Mirage, Paris, Venetian, Bellagio, New York-New York, and Treasure Island. Cap the night with an optional show or try your luck at the casinos.
Overnight: Harrah’s Hotel, Las Vegas
Travel southeast through the desert and the Navajo Nation to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Tour along the rim and learn how the Colorado River carved this geologic masterpiece over millions of years.
After lunch, continue along the canyon’s east side with stops at Native American market stalls to browse handmade arts and crafts, then proceed to the Page / Lake Powell area for the evening.
Overnight: Page area
Begin where “the water runs through the rocks” at Lower Antelope Canyon, exploring otherworldly sandstone corridors sculpted by wind, water, and sand. Then continue to Monument Valley, one of the most iconic landscapes of the American West, deep in the heart of the Navajo Nation.
Marvel at towering sandstone buttes (400–1,000 ft / up to 300 m) surrounded by mesas and desert scrub, and join a jeep tour led by Navajo guides to venture onto the valley floor and experience why the Navajo describe this land as “like no other place on earth.”
Overnight: Kanab area (or Cedar City on select departures)
After breakfast, enter Zion National Park, named by Mormon settlers who felt its majestic cliffs and tranquil canyons offered a spiritual experience. Enjoy a short walk along the Virgin River before departing this remarkable landscape for an early-evening arrival in Las Vegas. End of services in Las Vegas or continue onward to Los Angeles as scheduled.