California and National Parks

Welcome to San Francisco! Guests who have purchased airline tickets from YMT Vacations will be welcomed in the baggage claim area by a friendly representative who will arrange your transfer to the hotel. Spend the day at your leisure in one of California’s most beautiful and culturally rich cities. Enjoy diverse cuisine, incredible museums, and many parks, as well as dazzling architecture. The city is also home to historical landmarks including the colorful Victorian Painted Ladies, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the island prison of Alcatraz.

Discover the bustling “City by the Bay” during a morning panoramic tour. Look out at Alcatraz, see Nob Hill, and catch a glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge along with many more exciting sights! Spend the evening relaxing in San Francisco. (B)

This morning, you’ll head down the breathtaking 17-Mile Drive, enjoying views of Pebble Beach and Pacific Grove, with the chance to snap a picture of the Lone Cypress on a quick stop. Continuing on to Monterey, take a city tour of the once-gritty waterfront town which was immortalized by John Steinbeck’s classic novel, Cannery Row. (B)

Learn about the California Gold Rush at a Mariposa Museum while you pan for gold, before making your way to Oakhurst for an overnight stay. You will enjoy scenic views of rolling hills, verdant forests and the rugged coastline. This promises to be an enjoyable drive. (B)

Today, you’ll visit the awe-inspiring Yosemite National Park. This magnificent and diverse land with elevations ranging from 2,000 to over 13,000 feet abounds with spectacular granite cliffs, thundering waterfalls, and lush meadows, as well as towering trees. Discover Yosemite Valley, where you will find Half Dome, the park’s most recognizable feature. The iconic granite formation rises more than 4,700 feet above the valley floor. (B)

Continue to Kings Canyon, where you will find ancient sequoias and giant redwoods in Grant Grove. At its center is the General Grant Tree, the second largest in the world. This 3,000-year-old wonder stands almost 270 feet tall with a base circumference of 107 feet. Look out for gray foxes, bobcats and marmots, as well as eagles and bears.

Next, head to Sequoia National Park, adjacent to Kings Canyon and just as magnificent. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Sequoia is home to the largest living single-stem tree in the world. General Sherman stands 275 feet tall with a diameter of 25 feet. The Giant Forest, where you’ll find General Sherman, contains five of the ten largest trees on Earth. (B)

Head west to the coast, stopping in Pismo Beach for lunch on your own. Spend the afternoon in Solvang, in California’s Santa Ynez Valley, known for its Danish-style architecture and cuisine and wineries. Join us for an optional winery tour and tasting this afternoon and experience real California wine. (B)

Note: Those traveling in 2025 will stay overnight in Santa Maria

Santa Barbara is known as the “”American Riviera””. Here you’ll enjoy Spanish mission-style architecture and stunning ocean views.

Take a self-guided tour of the lovely Santa Barbara Mission. The “Queen of the Missions” is known for its magnificent twin bell towers, sprawling gardens, and sweeping ocean views. Continue to Los Angeles, where you will stop at the Getty Center. Enjoy amazing city views from this architecturally stunning art museum before a late afternoon arrival at your hotel. (B)

Today, you’ll take a guided tour of Los Angeles and Hollywood, seeing many highlights of the City of Angels. Visit Beverly Hills, the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the ornate TCL Chinese Theatre, plus many more. Enjoy a farewell dinner (included) on the Santa Monica Pier, which offers endless views and has its very own amusement park. (B, D)

Welcome to San Francisco! Guests who have purchased airline tickets from YMT Vacations will be welcomed in the baggage claim area by a friendly YMT representative who will arrange your transfer to the hotel.

Spend the day at your leisure in one of California’s most beautiful and culturally rich cities. Enjoy diverse cuisine, incredible museums, parks, and dazzling architecture. The city is also home to historical landmarks including the colorful Victorian Painted Ladies, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the island prison of Alcatraz.

This morning, head down the breathtaking 17-Mile Drive. Enjoy views of Pebble Beach and Pacific Grove, taking the opportunity to snap a picture of the Lone Cypress on a quick stop before arriving in Monterey. Enjoy a city tour of the once-gritty waterfront town immortalized by John Steinbeck’s classic novel, Cannery Row. (B)

Make your way to Oakhurst, a three-hour drive from Monterey. With scenic views of rolling hills, verdant forests and the rugged coastline, this promises to be an enjoyable drive. (B)

Visit the awe-inspiring Yosemite National Park. This magnificent and diverse land with elevations ranging from 2,000 to over 13,000 feet abounds with spectacular granite cliffs, thundering waterfalls, lush meadows, and towering trees. Discover Yosemite Valley, where you will find Half Dome, the park’s most recognizable feature. The iconic granite formation rises more than 4,700 feet above the valley floor. (B)

Head west to the coast, stopping in Pismo Beach for lunch on your own. Spend the afternoon in Santa Maria, a city famous for its distinctive redoak smoked barbecue! (B)

Santa Barbara is known as the “American Riviera”. Here you’ll enjoy Spanish mission-style architecture and stunning ocean views.

Take a self-guided tour of the lovely Santa Barbara Mission. The “Queen of the Missions” is known for its magnificent twin bell towers, sprawling gardens, and the ocean views it enjoys from its position on a hill overlooking downtown Santa Barbara.
Continue to Los Angeles, where you will stop at the Getty Center. Enjoy amazing city views from this architecturally stunning art museum before a late afternoon arrival at your hotel. (B)

Note: On Sundays, guests will have outside view of the Santa Barbara Mission only.

Today we take a guided tour of Los Angeles and Hollywood, seeing many of the highlights of the City of Angels. See Beverly Hills, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, the ornate TCL Chinese Theatre, and more. Enjoy a farewell dinner (included) on the Santa Monica Pier, which has endless views and its very own amusement park. (B, D)