Rose Parade, Palm Springs & Mexico Cruise

Rose Parade, Palm Springs & Mexico Cruise

Tours Starts: Los Angeles, California

Tours Ends: Los Angeles, California

Day 1

Arrive in Los Angeles

Welcome to LA! If you booked your flight with YMT, a representative will greet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. After an informative briefing on the days ahead, you are free to enjoy the evening. Take advantage of our free shuttle to nearby Manhattan Beach for dinner on your own or a sunset stroll along the Strand. This walking path sandwiched between posh mansions and white sand beaches is frequented by surfers, professional volleyball players, and celebrities.

Sonestta LAX or similar

Day 2

Los Angeles Leisure Day

This morning, you're in for a real treat—YMT's exclusive float viewing event. On this amazing tour held in Pasadena, you'll go behind the scenes to see the floats and flowers up close. You will have plenty of time to talk to the White Suiters, the Rose Parade volunteers clad in bright white uniforms.

After a leisurely afternoon during which you are invited to join one of our amazing optional tours, learn the history and traditions of the Rose Parade during a presentation hosted by the Tournament of Roses Committee. This private event back at your hotel includes a delicious dinner. (B, D

Sonesta LAX or similar

Day 3

Los Angeles City Tour

Spend the day touring Los Angeles. View the iconic metal curves of the Walt Disney Concert Hall in the hustling, bustling, revitalized heart of downtown Los Angeles. Many of your favorite films and shows are shot in this lively neighborhood, so keep a look out for familiar sights!

Head to Hollywood to see the ornate TCL Chinese Theatre, the legendary movie palace built in 1927 where you can see the hand and footprints of Hollywood Royalty. You'll also see the Dolby Theatre—annual home of the Academy Awards— and get the chance to stroll on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Stars and creative visionaries from across the entertainment industry are immortalized on this legendary stretch of Hollywood's busiest thoroughfare.

Your tour also includes Beverly Hills, the exclusive enclave for Los Angeles' wealthiest people, poshest shopping, and finest restaurants. Will you see a Real Housewife dining on crudités? An actor picking up a new outfit? Anything is possible in this city where dreams come true. (B)

Sonesta LAX or similar

Day 4

135th Tournament of Roses Parade

Witness the 135th Tournament of Roses Parade! Watch in wonder from your reserved grandstand seats as the floats covered in millions of leaves and fragrant petals pass by. See elegant equestrian units stride down Colorado Boulevard to the sound of marching bands from around the country. “America’s New Year’s Celebration” is an event that you’ll love even more after experiencing it in person! (B)

Sonesta LAX or similar

Day 5

Palm Springs

Travel from Los Angeles to Palm Springs for a relaxing evening in this sun-soaked desert retreat. Old Hollywood’s stars flocked to Palm Springs every winter to enjoy its warmth, natural beauty, gorgeous architecture, and colorful culture. (B)

Best Western Plus Desert View Inn & Suites or similar

Day 6

Palm Springs & San Diego

Let the next stage of your journey begin! Leave Palm Springs this morning, driving through the desert en route to beautiful San Diego. Arrive in California’s southernmost city mid-afternoon, then enjoy a lovely evening on your own. (B)

Wyndham San Diego Bayside or similar

Day 7

San Diego

This morning, enjoy a panoramic tour of San Diego. You’ll see Downtown San Diego, the Gaslamp Quarter, Balboa Park, Coronado Island, and Old Town San Diego. Old Town is both the city’s oldest populated area and the site of California’s first European settlement.

After free time to enjoy lunch on your own, head to the Navy Pier for an afternoon tour of the USS Midway Museum. The museum aboard the United States' longest-serving aircraft carrier houses an extensive collection of aircraft.

Tonight, you are invited to a farewell dinner at Casa Guadalajara. Perfect blended margaritas and live mariachi music? You can’t help but have fun!

Wyndham San Diego Bayside or similar

Day 8

San Diego

Enjoy a leisurely day in “America’s Finest City.” Choose from one of our great optional tours or explore San Diego on your own.

San Diego is famous for its Mexican food, particularly its tacos and signature California Burritos. Give these delicious treats a try. They’re an essential part of the surf city experience!

Wyndham San Diego Bayside or similar

Day 9

San Diego and Cruise Embarkation (Departs at 4:00 PM)

Embark this afternoon for your Mexican cruise.

Day 10

At Sea

Day 11

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico (12:00 PM - 6:00 PM)

Cabo San Lucas is the perfect place to dine al fresco or take a barefoot stroll across one of many peaceful white sand beaches. The ritzy Jewel of the Baja Peninsula’s most famous landmark is the iconic El Arco, a naturally occurring limestone arch.

Day 12

Pichilinque (La Paz), Mexico (8:00 AM - 5:00 PM)

Fall in love with La Paz. The capital of Baja California Sur is a friendly, vibrant city nestled in a calm bay along the Sea of Cortez.

Day 13

Loreto, Mexico (8:00 AM - 5:00 PM)

Peaceful seaside Loreto dates to 1697, when it became the first colonial settlement on the Baja Peninsula and the capital of the Spanish colony of the Californias. These days, the town has spread beyond its colonial origins, but it retains relics from the past like the Misión de Nuestra Señora de Loreto, a 17th-century church. Take a stroll along the malecón, Loreto’s waterfront boardwalk, where you can have a drink or a plate of fish tacos overlooking the water.

Days 14 & 15

At Sea

Day 16

Disembarkation in San Diego & Depart for Home (Arrives at 7:00 AM)

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Please note that this is a proposed itinerary; the actual itinerary may vary due to season, special events, or weather. Because our tour arrangements are often made a year or more in advance, YMT Vacations reserves the right to alter the itinerary. Itinerary changes are made to improve your vacation experience, as well as respond to any unforeseen circumstances that mandate alterations. By their nature, all tours vacations involve a certain level of physical activity. While YMT tours have been designed with our guests in mind and are not physically demanding, this tour does include walking and periods of standing during the sightseeing visits. You will also encounter steps and some uneven ground along the way, particularly at older, historical sights.