Day 1 – Home to Santa Barbara, CA
California Dreamin’ here we come! We’ll fly into Los Angeles and head up the Pacific Highway, a beautiful drive along the coast. Arriving in Santa Barbara, where we’ll spend the first three nights of our trip, we’ll check into the fabulous Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort. This upscale, Mission-style resort sits directly across the street from sandy East Beach on 24 acres. We are treated to a lovely Welcome Dinner on the resort’s outdoor terrace, boasting gorgeous ocean views, as we get to know one another!
Included Meals: Dinner
Hotel: Hilton Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort (3 Nights)
Day 2 – Santa Barbara
Breakfast at hotel then on to the Old Mission Santa Barbara, which is a Spanish mission often referred to as the “Queen of the Missions.” It was founded and still owned by the Franciscan order. Situated on 15 acres overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Mission grounds include the beautiful Mission Church, historic cemetery and mausoleum, a nine-room museum of historical artwork and artifacts, and multiple lush gardens. We’ll experience the Mission through a self-guided audio tour. After lunch on own in Santa Barbara, we’ll head to the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum for a guided tour. When we walk through the doors of the museum, we’ll embark on a journey of discovery, interacting with exhibits that engage our curiosity around the local maritime history and human interactions with the sea. Serving as a hub for Santa Barbara’s coastal heritage, the museum highlights years of maritime history, from Chumash culture to today’s surfing and environmental movements. Then we’ll hop on an open-air, nostalgic trolley car for a fully narrated tour of the “American Riviera.” We will be passing by local hot spots as well as Santa Barbara’s famous sights: Santa Barbara Courthouse, Santa Barbara Zoo, Museum of Natural History, the historic Old Mission, and more. Returning to our resort, enjoy a free evening & dinner on your own in our wonderful surroundings.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Day 3 – Santa Barbara / Solvang
Breakfast is served at our beautiful resort before we visit the little Danish town of Solvang. We will be greeted by a Solvang Ambassador and board a trolley for a short village tour. We have planned some leisure time, perhaps you wish to enjoy some of their delightful pastries, check out a shop, or take in a museum on your own. What a wonderful day spent in the quaint village of Solvang, known as the Danish Capital of America! Then we’ll return to our oceanfront oasis for dinner on your own and the evening free to relax by the tree-lined pool, play a game of tennis, or stroll the expansive beach.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Day 4 – Santa Barbara to Monterey, CA
Departing Santa Barbara, our first stop this morning is at the famous Hearst Castle, the past home of the newspaper tycoon William Randolf Hearst. We’ll enjoy our tour of this imposing estate overlooking the Pacific Ocean, boasting 42 bedrooms and 61 bathrooms! We’ll see priceless antiques, art, and the lovely estate gardens and pools. Lunch will be served at the Chef’s Galley Café at the Castle. Continuing on to the charming seaside town of Monterey, we’ll settle in for two nights at the Best Western Plus.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Hotel: Best Western Plus (2 Nights)
Day 5 – Monterey
After breakfast at the hotel, we’ll enjoy a tour through the eyes of an enthusiastic naturalist and historian. Gael acquaints us with Monterey, the most historic city in California. We’ll experience “New Monterey” or Cannery Row, an area immortalized by John Steinbeck, Pacific Grove, the Butterfly Capital of the World, Pebble Beach’s famous 17 Mile Drive, and charming Carmel-by-the-Sea. Gael’s extensive knowledge of the natural, historic, and cultural influences, as well as legendary tales of these very distinctive communities, we’ll enhance our enjoyment of spectacular ocean vistas and scenic stops. One of our stops will be Monterey Bay Aquarium, where we’ll get a diver’s eye view of the underwater habitats of Monterey Bay and beyond with our knowledgeable guide. For lunch on your own, you may choose to eat at the aquarium or at one of the great places on Cannery Row. The evening and dinner is on your own, allowing you time to continue to explore and enjoy scenic Monterey.
Included Meals: Breakfast
Day 6 – Monterey to San Francisco, CA
After breakfast we leave Monterey and drive north to San Francisco. We’ll savor an elegant day on the Bay during a San Francisco Premier Bottomless Mimosa Brunch Cruise. Chef-prepared menus, top-notch service, and live entertainment will set the mood while we soak in the San Francisco skyline from both the enclosed interior and open-air rooftop decks. We’ll delight in awe-inspiring sights like Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, and the Bay Bridge. Then we’ll enjoy free time at Fisherman’s Wharf, one of the busiest and well know tourist attractions in the western United States. It’s best known for being the location of Pier 39 (a great place to watch sea lions!), the Cannery Shopping Center & Ghirardelli Square. This afternoon is all about having a local guide join us on our bus – we’re sure to learn much about the history of the city! Afterwards, we’ll check into our hotel for two nights right in the Fisherman’s Wharf area.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Brunch
Hotel: Holiday Inn Express – Fisherman’s Wharf (2 Nights)
Day 7 – San Francisco / Napa Valley
A special day awaits after breakfast at our hotel. We will travel northeast to the heart of Napa Valley, where a classic locomotive steam whistle sounds, signaling the start of a journey inspired by the golden age of luxury train travel. Boarding a luxurious wine train and taking our seats in a lavish Pullman car, exquisitely restored, as the engine pulls us toward a breathtaking landscape. It’s the start of an unforgettable experience, an immersive epicurean journey through one of the world’s most celebrated wine-producing regions. Our three hour train journey will include a delicious, gourmet lunch onboard. Take in the passing scenery as we return to our hotel to enjoy a leisurely evening.
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 8 – San Francisco to Home
Breakfast is served at the hotel before we head to the airport for our flight home. California, you’ve been all we’ve been Dreamin’ for a winter getaway!
Included Meals: Breakfast
Flyaway Per Person Pricing Information
Flyaway Travel Protection Per Person
Travel Bucks
Deposit Due
Passport Needed
Tour Pace
Price Includes
Roundtrip Airfare from MSP including baggage fees, taxes & surcharges; 11 Meals, Hotels & Activities as stated in brochure, Luxury Motorcoach
03/10/2026 03/17/2026
Tour Map
Tour Highlights
* Stay 3 Nights in Santa Barbara Beachfront Resort
* Old Mission Santa Barbara
* Santa Barbara Maritime Museum
* Santa Barbara Trolley Tour
* Danish Town of Solvang
* Tour Hearst Castle
* 2 Nights in Monterey
* Monterey Guided City Tour
* Monterey Bay Aquarium
* 2 Nights at Fisherman’s Wharf in San Francisco
* San Francisco Brunch Cruise
* Fisherman’s Wharf Leisure Time
* San Francisco Guided City Tour
* Napa Valley Wine Train including Gourmet Lunch
