Pasadena Tournament of Roses

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Day 1 – Home To York, NE

We start our journey westward with lunch and coffee breaks along the way. Our home for the evening is in York, Nebraska. With an included Dinner at Cracker Barrel, you’ll have time to get to know your travel companions.

Included Meals: Dinner 

Hotel: Hampton Inn 

Day 2 – York to Denver, CO

Enjoy a wonderful hot breakfast before boarding the motorcoach for our travels to the mile high city of Denver. We will stop for an included lunch at an R&J favorite spot. Tonight enjoy dinner on your own at one of the many restaurants in downtown Denver then spend the evening taking in the sights and sounds of this magnificent city!

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Hotel: Hampton Inn 

Day 3 – Denver to Grand Junction, CO

Rise early and have a delicious breakfast before our early morning departure on Amtrak. We will take to the rails from Denver to Grand Junction, watching the city fade away and the glorious mountain scenery come into view for the next several hours. The day ends with an included meal and memories of a wonderful train ride through the Colorado beauty!

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner 

Hotel: Holiday Inn Express 

Day 4 – Grand Junction to St George, UT

This morning we depart for St. George, UT after having a filling breakfast at the hotel. Look out at the beautiful scenery as we meander down the road. This evening you can have a leisurely dinner on your own with free time to do as you please.

Included Meals: Breakfast 

Hotel: Best Western Plus 

Day 5 – St. George to Anaheim, CA

Out of Utah across Nevada and into California we travel today. Our destination is the City of Anaheim home of Disney Land and all of its Magic and wonder. We will arrive late afternoon in time to greet our travelers who have flown in for the next 5 nights of California Fun! We will all gather this evening to get to know each other and enjoy a delicious included dinner.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner 

Hotel: Anaheim Marriott (5 Nights) 

Day 6 – Anaheim – Float Viewing

This morning following a delightful breakfast we will board our motorcoach and travel towards Pasadena where we will stop at one of the Parade Float Construction areas to watch the workers put final touches on the beautiful Rose Parade Floats. We’ll see hundreds and hundreds of Roses as well as other types of flowers and all sorts of seeds, grains and everything that can possibly be put on a float being prepared and attached. It’s a hive of “busy Bees” working together to create these wonderful floats. Talk with some workers, take lots of pictures, enjoy this special opportunity! Then it’s a short drive over to the Rose Bowl area for another chance to see some floats being built, take a picture of the Rose Bowl and pick up some Rose Parade/Bowl souviniers. Then we’ll head back to our hotel for a chance to rest a bit before we travel to the Welk Dinner Theatre for a New Years Eve meal and Theatre. Tonight we will enjoy “Plaid Tidings.” We’ll enjoy bringing in the New Year together and arrive at our hotel late tonight to enjoy a great nights rest.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner 

Day 7 – Anaheim – LA/Hollywood Tour

Happy New Year! No parade today…the Rose Parade is never held on a Sunday so we will get to that tomorrow! Today we have a great day of sightseeing planned. It’s off to Los Angeles we go with stops in downtown Los Angeles and Hollywood planned. A lunch stop at the famous LA Farmers Market is always fun and then it’s out to Long Beach for a stop at the Queen Mary for a tour and dinner on board! Let’s head back to the hotel because we need a good nights sleep so we can rise early tomorrow…It’s Parade Day!

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner 

Day 8 – Anaheim – 128th Rose Parade

An early morning will greet us as we rise to ready ourselves for what we’ve been waiting for: “The 128th Tournament of Roses Parade” with this year’s theme, “Echos of Success.”  A parade full of fun, flowers, music equestrians and animation! There will be great bands, amazing floats, lots of horses and participants from all over the world! Our motorcoach will drop us off with-in walking distance of our reserved bleacher seating near the start of the parade. After this 2 hour extravaganza we will return to our Motorcoach for our drive back to the hotel where the rest of the day will be at your leisure. You may choose to rest this afternoon or other opportunities are available for your enjoyment at additional cost.

Included Meals: Boxed Breakfast 

Day 9 – Anaheim – Day Trip to San Diego

This morning we’ll travel south on I-5 through the Saddleback Mountains towards San Diego. We’ll enjoy a day of sightseeing and food in this delightful Southern California City. Lunch will be at a favorite of R&J Tours right near the waterfront in Seaport Village. Enjoy the shops and the waterfront here before we board our afternoon sightseeing cruise on San Diego Bay. A drive through some of the downtown districts will conclude our time in San Diego before we travel back to Anaheim for our final night at the Marriott Suites Hotel.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Day 10 – Anaheim to Williams, AZ

This morning we will say farewell to our Fly Away group as they travel to LAX for their flight back to MN. Our motorcoach group will begin our journey with our first stop being at the “Route 66” museum in Victorville. You’ll enjoy the opportunity to share memories of 50’s Diners, VW Love Bus and how about jumping into a 1917 Model T Ford and there is plenty of opportunities for photos! We’ll continue on traveling towards Williams, AZ check into our hotel and enjoy a great meal together!

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner 

Hotel: Grand Canyon Railway Hotel 

Day 11 – Williams to Kayenta, AZ

Rise and Shine the Grand Canyon awaits us this morning! Whether you have never experienced the grandeur of the Grand Canyon or this is your 50th time to visit….it is AWESOME! We’ll drive along the rim of the Canyon and take time to walk and enjoy. Get your cameras ready but don’t forget to just enjoy the beauty! We’ll make a stop at a trading post for some souvenier shopping as we continue to travel across the ever changing landscapes on our way to Kayenta, AZ for the night.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner 

Hotel: Hampton Inn 

Day 12 – Kayenta to Moab, UT

As we continue our travels this morning we will soon see the rock formations rising from the earth that are known as Monuments and soon we will be in Monument Valley. You’ll recognize some of these formations from the Westerns you’ve watched. Another photo opportunity and on we travel towards Moab, Utah for the night.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner 

Hotel: Best Western Plus 

Day 13 – Moab to Silt, CO

Moab sits on the Colorado River just on the edge of two National Parks, Canyonlands and Arches. We’ll travel past Arches National Park this morning on our way towards Dead Horse Point State Park. From the prominence of Dead Horse Point, 2,000 feet above a gooseneck in the Colorado River, an ever changing landscape unfurls. Immense vertical cliffs meet with canyons carved by ice, water and wind creating a visual masterpiece. This is another great picture opportunity that will amaze you!

Included Meals: Breakfast 

Hotel: Holiday Inn Express 

Day 14 – Silt to North Platte, NE

After breakfast at the hotel, we leave Colorado behind and travel to Nebraska for the night. We will enjoy coffee stops, lunch, and the passing scenery along the way.

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 

Hotel: Holiday Inn Express 

Day 15 – North Platte to W. Des Moines, IA

You’re in for a special treat today with a stop in Boys Town, NE and a wonderful tour of Father Flanagan’s Boys Town! You will have special memories of this place for years to come!

Included Meals: Breakfast, Managers Reception 

Hotel: Drury Inn & Suites 

Day 16 – West Des Moines to Home

After a delicious, warm breakfast we have a mystery surprise for you! After our surprise, we will make the last leg of our journey as we head for home with all the fantastic memories of our Pasadena Rose Parade tour!

Included Meals: Breakfast