New Year in Las Vegas 2012 

We depart London on our flight to San Francisco. On arrival we transfer to our base in the city, the Radisson Fisherman's Wharf Hotel.

This morning we travel by rail to Merced, taking the San Joaquin route through California's Central Valley. The journey is wonderfully scenic, bordered by coastal mountain ranges on the west, and on the east by Yosemite National Park, and area of outstanding natural beauty with towering granite cliffs, deep alpine lakes and giant redwood trees. At Merced we transfer by coach into Yosemite for a tour of the spectacular Valley Floor. Often covered with a dusting of snow at this time of year, we see some of the park's most famous sights, including the Half Dome and the 3,000ft monolith El Capitan. We return to Merced for a night at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel.

Our journey on the San Joaquin train continues southwards today. Arriving in Bakersfield, we depart eastwards by coach through California and across the Mojave Desert into Nevada, with the terrain getting more mountainous towards the Nevada border. In Las Vegas we spend three nights at the legendary Hilton Hotel, located just off the famous Strip.

We stay in Las Vegas for New Year's Eve and New Year's Day, and your time here is free for you to discover the amazing sights and spectacles of the resorts as the alluring festive atmosphere hits its peak. On New Year's Eve, you have the opportunity to join the crowds of revellers in the Strip and watch the magnificent fireworks illuminating the sky. All of the city's main attractions are open, and most are still decorated in larger-than-life Christmas trimmings. See the famed shows, an extraordinary selection of entertainment choices on your doorstep, including the iconic casinos. Among the highlights for the festive season are the ice rink in 'Venice' at the Venetian, and Bellagio's Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, which has been lavishly decorated with a 40ft Christmas tree and coloured lights.

Today we head out across Nevada to Arizona. En route we visit the mighty Hoover Dam, an engineering masterpiece built in the 1930s to combat the Colorado River's flooding. Continuing to Arizona, we arrive on the legendary Route 66 and at the railroad town of Williams. Here we spend tonight at the Grand Canyon Railway Hotel by the Williams Depot, the southern terminus of the Grand Canyon Railroad.

Today we enjoy another of our tour's highlights as we travel by rail to the incredible Grand Canyon. We take the Grand Canyon Railroad through the wintry scenery, travelling in vintage carriages hauled by historic locomotives, to the Grand Canyon, one of the world's most awe-inspiring sights. We arrive at the South Rim and main viewpoint to take in the dramatic vistas. Back in Williams we take a coach along the legendary Route 66 to Kingman, for an overnight stay at the Hampton Inn.

This morning we enjoy a visit to Kingman's Route 66 Museum, which provides a fascinating insight into 'the Mother Road'. Later we travel by coach to LA where we take a tour of Hollywood, with free time to see the footprints of the stars at Mann's Chinese Theatre or to take a stroll along the legendary Hollywood Boulevard. We then travel to Long Beach for one night on board the RMS Queen Mary.

Bidding farewell to Los Angeles this morning, we travel on board the iconic Coast Starlight for a journey along the stunning Pacific coast shoreline. Relax in the sightseer lounge and enjoy spectacular views through floor-to-ceiling windows of vast stretches of beaches as the train hugs the rugged coast north of Santa Barbara heading to the wine producing region of San Luis Obispo. Entering the Salinas Valley we pass the Santa Lucia and Diablo mountain ranges en route to Salinas, from where we make a short coach transfer to Monterey for two nights at the Best Western Beach Resort, overlooking the seafront.

We explore the wonderful Californian coastline today, including the attractive waterfront at Cannery Row, made famous by John Steinbeck, and the exclusive residences of 17 Mile Drive. We also visit Carmel, where Clint Eastwood was once mayor, a charming town that has attracted artists for decades, and explore the Big Sur, where the Pacific coastline rises dramatically into the Santa Lucia Mountains.

Today we head north back to San Francisco. Perhaps visit the Embarcadero district on the waterfront.

Today we take a sightseeing tour of San Francisco, including the inspiring Golden Gate Bridge and the popular Fishermen's Wharf area. In the afternoon we head to the infamous island of Alcatraz, once a federal prison housing notorious criminals such as Al Capone, for a guided tour. Day 13 is at leisure in the city, so why not explore the vibrant streets of Chinatown, ride the trams (cable cars) up and down the hilly streets and visit the famous winding Lombard Street, which has the distinction of being "the most crooked street in the world"?

After a leisurely morning in San Francisco, today we transfer to the airport for our overnight flight, arriving in London on Day 15.