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Day 1: Los Angeles - Solvang - Hearst Castle
We depart from Los Angeles early in the morning by luxury bus, heading north, arriving to Solvang in the afternoon; the Danish Village. Antiquated windmills and Northern European-style architecture punctuate the little village's skyline. Brilliant sunshine, boundless open country and rolling hills - these are the characteristics of what the original Danish immigrants called 'Solvang,' or 'Sunny field.' Pour yourself a cup of aromatic European coffee and nibble a piece of world-famous Danish pastry. Do the tales of princes and princesses, related time and again by your mother when you were a child, echo in your ears again? After this we will go to visit Hearst Castle, built by the newspaper tycoon at the cost of tens of millions of dollars. The light mists that veil the coastline let through occasional bursts of sunshine that illuminate the limitless expanse of waves and endow the water with the same color as the sky. Clusters of Spanish-style buildings nestle among the hills, lending the castle an aura of dignity and mystery. Hearst Castle contains priceless antiques and works of art as well as an ornate gilt-bordered swimming pool. Its grandiose main hall strikes awe in the viewer. European type adornments grace the ceilings of the hall. The silverware and candlesticks on the dining table have witnessed the glorious years of European aristocrats. And it is not hard to picture the grand gatherings of officials and dignitaries that took place during the heyday of the Hearst Castle. In the evening we reach San Jose.
Hotel: Crown Plaza or Similar
Day 2: San Francisco
In the morning, we drive to San Francisco, that city famous for its history and culture. A unique spectacle here is the 'fog-enshrouded Golden Gate.' In summer, white fog and cold winds swirl about the entrance to the Golden Gate Bay and the rolling hills that surround it. Spanish seafarers first lifted the curtain on the mysteries of the bay, and were ordered to build a fort on the promontory extending out in the ocean, and to declare sovereignty. Chinese immigrants clustered in Chinatown, and the descendants of Italians created a Little Italy on North Beach. Undeterred by the water and 43 hills surrounding them on three sides, San Francisco's residents converted barren sand dunes into the luxuriant Golden Gate Park, where the picturesque Golden Gate Bridge soars across the bay to link Marin County, north of San Francisco, with Redwood Forest. This undulating orange 'dragon' has become one of the symbols of San Francisco. The fisher folk who used to make their living along the bay have now vanished, and the Fisherman's Wharf has become a tourist attraction. One may take a tour boat at one's own expense and sail around the Bay. After going past alcatraz Island, Angel's Island, and Treasure Island, one approaches East Bay's Oakland, Berkeley, and Bay Bridge. A cable car surmounted the heights in 1873; the gold rush and the railroad brought resplendence to Nob Hill; and the steep slopes of Russian Hill justified the nine twists and eighteen turns of Lombard Street. The cable car not only serves the people of San Francisco as a means of transportation, it attracts tourists as a unique landmark in the living history of the United States. Viewing San Francisco's scenery from the cable car, one will perhaps experience nostalgia for times past. ; The ancient Roman architecture of the Palace of Fine Arts reminds one of the grand events at the Panama Fair. In Chinatown, one reminisces about the enterprise and pioneering spirit of our Chinese forbears, We will over night at San Jose.
Hotel: Chukchansi Gold Hotel (Wednesday Departure only) or Ramada Inn (Saturday Departure only) or Similar
Day 3: Yosemite National Park - Los Angeles
In the morning, you will visit California¡¯s best-known Yosemite National Park, one of the wonders of Nature. Yosemite is located near the geographical center of the Nevada mountain range. Towering granite rocks, mighty waterfalls and placid valleys give Yosemite all the aspects of a 'land of the gods' Giant trees, water gushing from the mountains, huge rocks and cliffs carved to create a land of fantasy. There is little doubt that water - in both its liquid and solid form - was the chief architect of Yosemite's landscapes. Proceed to Los Angeles in the afternoon. We may stop by Barstow for a short rest before continuing to Los Angeles. Arrive in Los Angeles in the evening.
Departure Date: Every Wed & Sat
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Price |
Twin |
Triple |
Quad |
Single |
Child |
| $129 |
$116 |
$109 |
$195 |
$89 |
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Hearst Castle --- Adult : $25 Child $12 (6-17)
