USA Coast to Coast

We leave London Heathrow and fly to New York, where we spend 2 nights at the Marriott East Side hotel. On Day 2, we enjoy a cruise around Manhattan Harbour, spotting landmarks from our unique vantage point on the water such as Ellis Island and the torch-wielding icon, the Statue of Liberty. Later, we take a guided tour of the 'Big Apple' that includes Central Park, an open, leafy space set amongst the city's skyscrapers.

On Day 3 we take the train south to Washington D.C., the nation's capital, where we spend 2 nights at the Courtyard Washington DC/US Capitol hotel. This afternoon we begin a guided tour of this elegant city, passing many famous landmarks including the White House, Capitol Hill, historic Georgetown and the Pentagon. Day 4 is free to explore Washington at leisure.

We leave Washington late-afternoon on Amtrak's Capitol Limited. This service runs daily between Washington D.C. and Chicago, following the historic B&O line through the Potomac Valley. Our overnight journey takes us past historic Harpers Ferry and the Allegheny Mountains to Pittsburgh, before we cross into Ohio and head north to Cleveland across Indiana.

We arrive in Chicago after breakfast, boarding a coach at the station for a city tour that revisits the 'dry and lawless years' of the 1920s and '30s. We take in the site of the St Valentine's Day Massacre as well as Al Capone's headquarters and some of the city's landmarks and architecture including Willis Tower and Millenium park. Your afternoon, and Day 7, is free to explore Chicago. After a free morning on Day 8, we board the California Zephyr for an overnight journey to Denver that takes us across the cornfields and plains of Iowa and Nebraska. The Zephyr has a Sightseer Lounge where you can relax and enjoy the views.

We arrive in Denver (nicknamed the 'Mile High City' as it sits exactly 1 mile above sea level) early this morning, with breakfast served in the dining car beforehand. After a guided orientation drive, the rest of your day is at leisure to explore. On Day 10 we enjoy a full-day excursion exploring Rocky Mountain National Park and Estes Park. Renowned worldwide for their breathtaking scenery, abundant in turquoise rivers, lush forests, majestic mountain vistas, and wildlife such as elk, black bears, coyotes, eagles and hawks, these parks are the jewels in Colorado's crown. Later, we head back to our hotel for an evening at leisure.

Today we embark on one of the USA's most scenic rail journeys, travelling along the route of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad. Our journey takes us into the Rocky Mountains, past dramatic peaks and deep ravines to the city of Grand Junction, in the heart of Colorado's wine region. We stay overnight here.

On Day 12, we transfer to Silverton for a journey on the Durango & Silverton Railroad, travelling through breathtaking canyons, past emerald-green rivers, and across the remote wilderness of the National Forest to Durango, where we spend the night at the Holiday Inn & Suites Durango Central.

After breakfast at the hotel, we depart Durango. Familiar from a hundred westerns, the rugged landscape of Utah's Monument Valley is one of America's defining images and we discover it today as we pass through en-route to Flagstaff. On Day 14 we head along the legendary Route 66 to the town of Williams, where we join the Grand Canyon Railway. We travel in carriages hauled by historic locomotives to the Grand Canyon to see one of the world's most awe-inspiring sights. The canyon, created by the Colorado River over a period of 6 million years, is 277 miles long, up to 18 miles wide, and a mile deep. We arrive at the South Rim and main viewpoint of the Canyon.

We make our way by coach transfer, via Route 66, to Las Vegas. Here we have a free afternoon at leisure. After our stay at the Park MGM Hotel, we take a coach to Los Angeles. On arrival we have lunch and then some free time, before a guided tour that features sights such as Hollywood Boulevard. Later, we check-in to the Courtyard Marriott Hotel, Burbank for a leisurely evening.

Today we head to San Francisco by train. On arrival, we transfer by coach to our hotel. Day 18 begins with a coach transfer to Pier 39, a popular shopping district with arcades and restaurants. Here we meet our tour guide who introduces us to the impressive views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Fisherman's Wharf, an area famous for its sea lions, on our sightseeing tour. Later, we board our ship for a memorable sunset cruise - the perfect way to bid farewell to San Francisco.

We transfer to the airport today, for our flight to London Heathrow, arriving on Day 20.