The Wild, Wild West: Los Angeles, Tucson, Santa Fe, Las Vegas & More
- Duration
- 13 Days
- Prices From:
- US$ 2,206
FIRST-CLASS | SELF-DRIVE: A fascinating trip through places that boast a serious Wild West pedigree. Tucson, Tombstone, Albuquerque, and Durango still carry an authentic western vibe, while Mesa Verde, the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley offer spellbinding panoramic landscapes. The urban glamour of Los Angeles, beaches of San Diego and dazzling lights of Las Vegas round out a memorable drive.
This 13-day journey crossing 5 states, from Disney to Durango and beyond offers the best the west has to offer. The City of Angels, Los Angeles, greets you with fantastic fashion and art and a strong emphasis on superb food before scooping up your rental car and heading off to Anaheim where theme parks rule. Channel your inner child and succumb to fun; with Disneyland Park employing 31,000 people, you won’t be alone.
Continue south to San Diego where miles of world-famous beaches compete with endless activities to be had at the San Diego Zoo, Zoo Safari Park, SeaWorld San Diego or LEGOLAND. Divide your time as you see fit before journeying into one of the most expansive deserts in North America on your way Tucson, Arizona, where the Old West Foundation ensures a Southwestern experience to remember by day and where the stars are impossibly bright by night. Follow the vultures to Tombstone and head back in time to the gunslinging days of Doc Holiday, Wyatt Earp, Billy the Kid and Pancho Villa. Pay homage to the fallen at Boothill Graveyard, the most famous cemetery in the West and continue to Las Cruces, New Mexico where the soaring Organ Mountains to the east and the gushing Rio Grande to the west will make you feel you are driving through a Western film. Take in the charm and history of Albuquerque’s Historic Old Town before journeying north to Santa Fe, a scenic city rich with a layering of Pueblo Indian and Spanish colonial past. Art and culture is paramount in this creative town where artists the likes of the mother of American modernism, Georgia O’Keeffe, spent their days and where artists continue exhibit and sell their works.
In Taos, explore awe-inspiring rock formations as old as time and the active Native American community (a UNESCO World Heritage Site and National Historic Landmark) at Taos Pueblo where mud-made adobe buildings have been continuously inhabited for a millennium. Continue to Durango, Colorado’s year-round playground before and end the day slinging back a craft cocktail served up by a woman in full saloon costume at the authentic Diamond Belle Saloon.
Board the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, a vintage steam locomotive alongside the Animas River, past canyons and mouth gaping views reaching over 14,000 feet. Explore the Mesa Verde National Park, where the Pueblo people have lived for 700 years before going west to the four corners of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado on your way to Kayenta, the entrance to Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park where sandstone towers to 1,000 feet make for endless epic photos. At Grand Canyon National Park, walk the historic Hermit Road and take in the endless vistas of the Grand Canyon before settling into the chill vibe of Williams, an authentic Western village in the mountains. Cruise the Historic Route 66 and look for UFOs from Seligman to Kingman and make a stop at the Hoover Dam and capture the vast view of the Colorado River and Lake Mead. In Las Vegas, sleeping is optional, and any level of entertainment can be had over the course of one night and one day in this flashy oasis of fantasy. Travel through the magnificent Mojave Desert and make a spooky pitstop at Calico Ghost Town, once a silver mining town, on your way back to Los Angeles before heading home.
- Duration
- 13 Days
- Prices From:
- US$ 2,206
Itinerary View Trip Map
Arrival in Los Angeles
Arrive at Los Angeles International Airport and transfer independently to your hotel. Depending on your time of arrival and the location of your hotel, you might be able to explore a little bit of the city. Los Angeles is a sprawling metropolis of seemingly endless sunshine and a leading center of entertainment, fashion, and sport, but Venice Beach or Santa Monica would make a great start.
Overnight Los Angeles
| Duration | 1 Night |
|---|
Los Angeles - Anaheim - San Diego
In the morning make your way south to Anaheim, Orange County's headquarters for fun. You can spend the day surrounded by icons and classic characters at the original Disneyland Park or at its companion park, Disney California Adventure Park. Alternatively, you might want to visit the nation's oldest theme park, Knott's Berry Farm, filled with old west history and thrill rides. Alternatively, choose from one of Anaheim's other fun-filled attractions before continuing further south to San Diego whose cool breezes, tranquil waters, and miles of world-renowned beaches are a perfect invitation to chill just a little.
Overnight San Diego
| Duration | 1 Night |
|---|
San Diego - Tucson
Take time to enjoy more of San Diego's beautiful surroundings before heading east through California's Imperial Valley and across one of the largest desert areas in North America to Tucson, Arizona. Built upon a profound Native American, Spanish, Mexican, and Old West foundation, Tucson offers visitors an authentic Southwestern experience. In the evening, if you are so inclined, you might discover your place in the universe by spending a few hours, if not the entire night, stargazing. The astronomical magic provided here is astonishing.
Overnight Tucson
| Duration | 1 Night |
|---|
Tucson - Tombstone - Las Cruces
Today’s journey takes you to Tombstone, and an encounter with history. Discover original buildings dating as far back as the late 1870s, catch a (simulated) live gunfight and walk the streets that Doc Holliday, Wyatt Earp, and a host of other legendary men and women walked before you. A visit to Boothill Graveyard, the most famous cemetery in the West, is worth consideration before continuing your drive to Las Cruces, New Mexico. With the majestic Organ Mountains to the east and the mighty Rio Grande to the west, Las Cruces, meaning ‘the crosses,’ has a mysterious presence. The area’s rich history is still haunted by reminders of Billy the Kid and infamous Mexican general Pancho Villa.
Overnight Las Cruces
| Duration | 1 Night |
|---|
Las Cruces - Albuquerque - Santa Fe
Driving north today, you are bound for Santa Fe via Albuquerque. Albuquerque's Historic Old Town offers a taste of New Mexico's Spanish colonial past while the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, owned by the state's nineteen different Pueblo communities, offers a glimpse into the history of the region's Native American cultures. Santa Fe, founded on the ruins of an abandoned Indian village, is the oldest capital in the U.S. and remains one of the most picturesque cities in the state. Be sure to visit one of Santa Fe's famous art galleries, art markets, or museums full of traditional and contemporary art, including works by their own Georgia O'Keeffe; or shop for authentic creations you just won't find anywhere else.
Overnight Santa Fe
| Duration | 1 Night |
|---|
Santa Fe - Taos - Durango
Today, you leave Santa Fe for Taos whose landscape is a dramatic reminder that you are surrounded by some of the most ancient landforms on Earth. Visit Taos Pueblo, the only living Native American community designated both a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a National Historic Landmark. The multi-storied adobe buildings of this village have been continuously inhabited for over 1,000 years. Continue to Durango and experience the remarkable vibrancy of its historic downtown area. Step back in time at the Diamond Belle Saloon, an authentic Old West landmark, dating all the way back to 1887.
Overnight Durango
| Duration | 2 Nights |
|---|
Durango - Silverton - Durango
Today, you may wish to take a break from driving and enjoy a leisurely trip on board the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad for an unforgettable journey back in time. Originally constructed in 1882, and in continuous operation for 131 years, the railroad's vintage steam locomotives let you relive the sights and sounds of yesteryear as you travel alongside the Animas River, one of the last free-flowing rivers in the entire western U.S. This route boasts some of Colorado's most striking canyon scenery and riveting views. You'll pass fertile farmlands, old stagecoach roads, old mining camps, and be in the shadow of peaks reaching over 14,000 feet. Quite possibly one of the most enjoyable train rides you are likely to take.
Overnight Durango
Durango - Mesa Verde National Park - Monument Valley - Kayenta
In the morning, head west to Mesa Verde National Park, home to incredibly well-preserved cliff dwellings. Mesa Verde, Spanish for green table, offers a spectacular look into the lives of the Ancestral Pueblo people who made it their home for over seven hundred years. Continuing west just past Cortez you'll drive through the "four corners", the only place in the U.S. where four states intersect at one point: Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado. Further west is Kayenta, Arizona, gateway to Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, a great valley framed by scenic clouds that cast shadows on the desert floor and boasts sandstone masterpieces that tower to heights of 400 to 1,000 feet.
Overnight Kayenta
| Duration | 1 Night |
|---|
Kayenta - Grand Canyon - Williams
Depart early today for Grand Canyon National Park, the world-famous natural wonder that defies description until you see it with your own eyes. Spend the day discovering the distinct South Rim of the canyon. Stop at one of the dramatic lookouts, walk part of the Rim Trail or along the historic Hermit Road, visit a Photo Hot Spot or climb to the top of a stone Watchtower for panoramic views that extend over one hundred miles on a cloudless day. When you've had your fill of magnificent vistas, continue to the quaint mountain town of Williams where you can experience the personality of an authentic Western village.
Overnight Williams
| Duration | 1 Night |
|---|
Williams - Route 66 - Hoover Dam - Las Vegas
Today, you are heading west to Seligman, a small town located along Historic Route 66. Evidence of the old road are all along Seligman's main street where motels, cafes and Route 66 gift shops beg to be explored. From here you'll join Route 66 and travel along the longest remaining stretch of this historic route which runs through the downtown of one of Arizona's hidden treasures, Kingman. At the Arizona Nevada border, Hoover Dam makes for an awe-inspiring stop. Considered the largest single public works project in the history of the U.S. and an Arizona landmark, Hoover Dam is full of history and offers a mesmerizing view of the Colorado River and Lake Mead. Continue to Las Vegas, a desert oasis of neon lights and a city that, surely, needs no introduction.
Overnight Las Vegas
| Duration | 2 Nights |
|---|
Las Vegas
Enjoy a full day Las Vegas style. Walk the famous Strip lined with mega-resorts, place a bet at one of the casino tables, dine in world-class restaurants, catch the latest must-see show, shop designer boutiques, ride a rollercoaster, lay by the pool ... the list goes on. With so much to do, 24 hours in a day hardly seems like enough.
Overnight Las Vegas
Las Vegas - Calico - Los Angeles
When leaving this morning, take the opportunity to photograph the iconic Welcome to Las Vegas sign before making your way back to Los Angeles. Spectacular scenery surrounds you as you travel through the Mojave Desert. Make sure to visit Calico Ghost Town, an authentic Old West silver mining town, which offers visitors the opportunity to share in its rich history and enjoy the natural beauty of the surrounding desert environment.
Overnight Los Angeles
| Duration | 1 Night |
|---|
Los Angeles
Return your rental car in time for your return flight home unless you plan to extend your stay in the area.
Other Information
DEPARTURES:
Daily departures: April 1 - October 31, 2023
PRICE INCLUDES:
- 13 days Intermediate Car Rental with unlimited mileage (Mazda 3 or similar)
- Detailed day by day itinerary
- 1 night first-class accommodations in Los Angeles
- 1 night first-class accommodations in San Diego
- 1 night first-class accommodations in Tucson
- 1 night first-class accommodations in Las Cruces
- 1 night first-class accommodations in Santa Fe
- 2 nights first-class accommodations in Durango
- 1 night first-class accommodations in Kayenta
- 1 night first-class accommodations in Williams
- 2 nights first-class accommodations in Las Vegas
- 1 night first-class accommodations in Los Angeles
PRICE EXCLUDES:
- Car rental insurance
- Travel insurance
- International and domestic airfare & airfare taxes
- Entrances fees to sites not explicitly listed as included
- Meals and beverages not mentioned
- Road tolls
- Gratuities
- Items of a personal nature
- Visa fees if applicable
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS:
- Spend the day at one of Anaheim’s world-famous theme parks (optional)
- Enjoy the authentic atmosphere of Old Town San Diego, the birthplace of California
- Observe astronomical wonders in Tucson
- Walk the same streets that Doc Holiday & Wyatt Earp walked in Tombstone
- Sample rich culture and the true Southwest in Albuquerque
- Visit Santa Fe, a UNESCO designated City of Design, Crafts and Folk Art
- Experience over 1,000 years of tradition at Taos Pueblo
- Relive the sights and sounds of yesteryear aboard the Durango & Silverton Railroad (optional)
- Look into the lives of the people who made Mesa Verde their home for over seven hundred years
- Admire sandstone masterpieces in the Navajo Nation’s Monument Valley
- View one of the seven natural wonders of the world, the Grand Canyon
- Take a nostalgic ride along Historic Route 66
- Pay a visit to Hoover Dam, the largest single public works project in the history of the U.S.
- Partake in primetime entertainment all along the Las Vegas Strip
- Stretch your imagination at Calico Ghost Town
- Witness beautiful waterfront views in Southern California’s seaside communities
- Get closer to the stars at Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, the world’s most famous sidewalk
- Watch for celebrity shoppers on Rodeo Drive
TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
Prices are "from" per person based on twin/double share accommodation and for travel in low season. Seasonal surcharges and blackout dates may apply. Limited seat/spaces and all pricing is subject to change and availability. Rates for single or triple travellers are available on request. Additional terms and conditions apply for car rental - please inquire.
1 Oct 2023
