The Big West (Start Los Angeles, end Vancouver)
Overview
Highlights
- See the famous Hollywood sign, Mann's Chinese Theatre & Hollywood's Walk of Fame
- Visit Santa Monica and its famous pier
- Visit Venice Beach
- Drive through the O.C. & along the scenic Pacific Coast
- See downtown San Diego, the Gaslamp Quarter, Balboa Park, Coronado Island & Old Town San Diego
- Panoramic view of the city's skyline from Coronado Bridge
- Visit Mission Beach (weather permitting)
- Go loco as you feast on traditional Mexican cuisine
- Drive the scenic route through "Red Rock" country
- Shop for Native American jewelery
What's this trip about?
Details
Travel Themes
Destinations
Activities
Popular Trips
Itinerary
Meet up with your Contiki Team this morning then cruise down the star-studded Hollywood boulevard and the Sunset Strip, shop or chill at Santa Monica and get the into the energy of Venice Beach.
Meet up with your Contiki crew and Trip Manager before cruising through Orange County and along the Pacific coastline to laid-back San Diego. Get a feel for the city’s easy-going vibes with a look around San Diego’s vibrant neighborhoods. In Old Town, your Trip Ma...
With a full day in San Diego, live a bit of the California lifestyle and get into some outdoor activities. With 42 miles of beaches, a Mediterranean climate and loads of parks, San Diego is all about kicking back in the pleasant surrounds. Otherwise, visit the San D...
Things are about to get hotter as we head to Phoenix, a massive metropolis sitting smack in the middle of the desert. With around 300 days of sunshine per year, this place is all about shopping, sports and nightlife.
Kick start the day with an unforgettable optional excursion: a hot-air balloon ride over the Sonoran Desert and “Valley of the Sun”. The combination of full blown vistas over the desert and a champagne breakfast upon landing make this an amazing experience. We contin...
Today, we discover the mind-blowing landscape of the Grand Canyon, one of the world’s most recognizable natural wonders and pride of Arizona. A day here means time to take in the immensity and spine-tingling beauty of the scene-stealing canyon – you won’t be able to s...
Leaving behind the Grand Canyon, we stop off at Seligman, an historic Route 66 town. Get a feel for the old style as you check out 1940’s shop fronts and motels. Maybe pick up a souvenir for back home. Then following a section of the legendary Route 66, we head nort...
With a free day, you’ve got time to get a real feel for this outrageous town, so keep an eye out for Elvis impersonators and fast-paced chapel weddings! Explore more of the Strip and check out over-the-top versions of international icons, like the Eiffel Tower, Veneti...
Today, it’s a total change of scene when leave behind flashy Vegas and the desert to arrive in the outdoor capital of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Make the most of picturesque Bass Lake and wind down in your chalet. With two nights at this lakefront resort, you can unpack your things, kickback on your chalet’s deck and soak up the views.
Get back to nature with a day in Yosemite National Park. This place has a reputation for a reason – it’s absolutely stunning. With a dramatic combination of waterfalls, woods, towering mountains and wildlife, Yosemite will take your breath away. Keep an eye out and...
Cruise on through the San Joaquin Valley to free-wheeling San Francisco, via Oakland. Colourful, cosmopolitan and creative, San Francisco is packed with characters, free-thinkers, and artists. You’ll see the signs of its recent history where it served as the hub of...
This morning, say farewell to the Golden Gate Bridge & American dream. Next up, we're headed on an afternoon flight to Vancouver, Canada, a place well known for its majestic natural beauty & it is frequently ranked as one of the "best cities to live in". There...
Meet up with your fellow travellers, Tour Manager and Driver in gorgeous Vancouver. With beaches, forests and mountains, this town is all about location and fusing big-city living with an outdoor lifestyle. Today we wind our way along the spectacular cliff-top Sea to...
Today is yours to enjoy this beautiful mountain resort. Perhaps you'll want join us in an exciting Peddle and Paddle trip (optional), challenge yourself to the Ziplines or do some hiking on one of Whistler's trails. This afternoon you'll have an opportunity to take a scenic gondola ride to the top of Whistler/Blackcomb Mountain.
Leaving the mountains behind, we make our way to the desert and to Canada’s impressive interior. Passing the picture-perfect Seton Lake, we’ll make a stop in Lillooet, a former gold rush town. We travel on to our next night stop, Kamloops, sitting at the confluence o...
Sticking to the famous Yellowhead Highway, we stop off at the highest peak of the Rockies, Mt Robson. Get your blood pumping in a thrilling white-water rafting optional on the Fraser River. Then pull into small-town Jasper and kick back in the Rockies’ largest national park – our home for the next two nights.
Be sure to keep your camera ready for wildlife shots on the short drive to Maligne Lake this morning, where you will have the opportunity to enjoy the amazing scenery. We'll also visit Maligne Canyon, the deepest and longest limestone canyon in the Rockies, where you'...
The Wonder Road ... It's non-stop beauty today as we travel the famous Icefields Parkway, considered one of the most scenic highways in the world. The highlight will be the ride aboard the specially designed "Ice Explorer" on the Athabasca Glacier! This afternoon we'l...
We have two days free to enjoy everything that Banff National Park has to offer. You're able to sightsee, hike, shop, or just relax in the beautiful town of Banff. Why not take the optional gondola ride to Sulphur Mountain where spectacular views of Banff await? Or ta...
Bye Bye Rockies! We bid farewell to the Rockies today as we drive through three national parks in a single day. Yoho, Glacier and Mt. Revelstoke National Parks all await us as we make our way back into British Columbia. Tonight we stay in the Okanagan Valley - Canada's fruit basket, full of orchards, farmlands and vineyards.
Hello Big City! Today we travel via the Coquihalla and Transcanada highways enroute to the cosmopolitan city of Vancouver with time to explore the city this afternoon.
Schedules cleared, today is yours to explore Vancouver your way. And boy oh boy will this city steal your heart. Hipster shops, cafes and bars spill out onto the streets all across the city, just begging you to stop by for a flat white and an almond croissant. Our fav...
Today its time to say a final farewell as your tour ends this morning.
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The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
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We’re firm believers that life’s greatest experiences are made better by the people you share them with. That’s why Contiki invented group travel for young people in 1962 and we’ve spent the past 53 years perfecting it. You’ll explore amazing destinations with a group of 18-35 year olds from around the world who share your passion for adventure, good times and creating memories that define what it is to be young, wild and free.
No two travellers are the same and we know that, which is why we offer eight unique ways to explore the world. We have a number of options to choose from to create a vacation that’s perfect for you, from budget to accommodation style.
We're all about exploring the world with like-minded people, which is why we only run trips for 18-35 year olds, to celebrate being young, spirited and curious. You can expect to join a group of 18-53 awesome people from around the world on our Europe, Australia, North America and New Zealand trips, and in Asia and Latin America it's all about small group adventures with up to 25 travellers. Don't worry if you're not traveling as a couple or with a friend from home – though there are plenty of pairs, 50% of our travellers set off solo, meaning you'll have a ton of opportunities to make new friends.
With over 270 trips around the world and plenty of departure dates to work into your schedule, you'll never be short of options on where to go for your next great adventure.
About the company:
Contiki are the world leaders in social youth travel. We’ve been providing amazing travel experiences for young travellers, from 18-35 years old, since 1962. Imagine how good you would be at something if you had been doing it for more than 60 years?
Everything about Contiki is deeply rooted in our core values ‘Make Every Moment Count’ and ‘We’re about people’. We don’t just talk the talk, we walk the walk and live by our brand philosophy of ‘Travel.Together.’ which means to travel with one another, the destinations we visit, the cultures we enjoy and the environment, too.
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