Rails, Sails and Redwoods of the Sierra Nevada

Arrive in San Francisco today and transfer to your lodging in San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf area. Meet your Tour Manager in the hotel lobby at 6:00 p.m. for dining suggestions.

Embark on a guided tour of San Francisco and see many of the landmarks that made the city known throughout the world. See Union Square, Twin Peaks, Golden Gate Park, Chinatown and the world’s most crooked street, Lombard Street. In the afternoon, set sail on a narrated San Francisco Bay cruise, taking in the city’s waterfront, Fort Mason, the Presidio, Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge. Tonight, dinner is at Fisherman’s Wharf capping off a memorable day. Meals: B, D

Depart this morning and follow the beautiful Pacific Coast past rugged cliffs and scenic coves. The Roaring Camp Forest Train offers a nostalgic train ride through the stunning redwoods forests of Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park. Hear stories of the Roaring Camp during the logging era and enjoy the breathtaking views of these towering redwoods and surrounding landscape. Tonight, enjoy dinner on your own in the quaint seaside town of Santa Cruz. Meals: B, L

Today you will travel past the rambling hills of the San Joaquin Valley. Begin your ascent into the Sierra Nevada Mountains for your next destination, the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad. Climb aboard an official logger steam train for a narrated ride through the stunning landscape where lumberjacks once felled these mighty trees. Enjoy an included lunch and take in the railroad’s stunning landscape. Later, visit Mariposa Grove, home to the Giant Sequoia trees which have stood here for up to 3,000 years. Learn the history of these magnificent trees and wonder at this ancient and beautiful grove. Meals: B, L

After breakfast, your Yosemite National Park visit begins with a tour of the Yosemite Valley Floor to see the park’s grandeur and natural treasures in all their glory. See El Capitan, a one-mile-thick granite mountain and the thundering Yosemite Falls, the tallest waterfall in North America. This land is sacred to Native Americans, a land of broken dreams for many a prospector and a favorite subject of landscape photographer Ansel Adams. The park harbors a grand collection of waterfalls, meadows and forests that include groves of giant sequoias. Meal: B

Begin the day at the California Capitol Building where a tour shows you its extensive collection of statues, paintings and portraits. In Old Sacramento, a National Historic Landmark District, sits the California State Railroad Museum. Here, learn the importance the “iron horse” played in connecting California with the rest of the nation. Then visit Grindstone Winery set in the beautiful Dunnigan Hills. This family-owned winery features wines of exceptional quality with unique flavors and complex aromas. Meals: B, D

Cross into Nevada this morning and come to South Lake Tahoe. View the magnificent scenery while cruising on the turquoise waters of Lake Tahoe, the largest and second deepest Alpine lake in North America. From the deck of the MS Dixie II, view castles and mansions tucked between inlets and picturesque points. En route to Reno stop at the Nevada State Railroad Museum whose collection of steam locomotives helped shaped the development of the American West. Meal: B

Begin the day in Virginia City, once a thriving, vibrant metropolis of 25,000 residents. In 1859 the Comstock Lode, a rich deposit of silver ore was discovered here. Enjoy a narrated trolley tour to learn the history of the area. At The Way it Was Museum get a unique look at the region’s rich Western history. Have lunch on your own in Virginia City before heading back to Reno. An afternoon stop is made at the National Automobile Museum which features the cars of Paul Newman, Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley. Dinner tonight is at Louis’ Basque Corner, home of the famous Pichon Punch. Meals: B, D

Your journey ends today with a group transfer to the Reno-Tahoe International Airport for flights out after 11:00 a.m. Meal: B