Welcome to the Big Apple. Every inch as magical and iconic as you’ve always dreamed, New York City serves up the bright lights of Broadway, the soaring Empire State Building, the leafy grounds of Central Park, the boutique stores of Greenwich Village and the moving 9/11 Memorial.

This afternoon, meet up with your Travel Director for a look at what’s to come on your New York to LA tour, then venture out to explore the streets your way and get to know New York’s diverse food scene. From Michelin star restaurants to food trucks, you’ll certainly satisfy your appetite in the city that never sleeps.

Holiday Inn New York City – Times Square

Kickstart your morning in New York with an orientation tour before heading on to ‘Philly’. As a UNESCO World Heritage city, Philadelphia is the heart of the USA’s revolutionary history and the place where both the US Constitution and the Declaration of Independence were signed. You’ll have time to enjoy a spot of lunch here, probably involving the city’s iconic cheesesteak sandwich, before continuing on to Washington D.C., the capital city and seat of political power.

Settle in to your hotel, then head out to Georgetown for a stroll round the shops and restaurants.

Courtyard by Marriott Washington, DC/U.S. Capitol

Rise and shine, the political and cultural highlights of this high flying city await this morning. You’ll start things off with a sightseeing tour with your Travel Director that might feel like you’re walking through a movie set, stopping at the iconic gargantuan Lincoln Memorial.

The rest of the day is then free to explore however you choose and the question is where to start? You might like to spend an afternoon exploring the museums of the Smithsonian Institution, or take a trip to George Washington’s massive Mount Vernon Estate. You could even enjoy a scenic cruise down the Potomac River.

Optional Experience: 

• Washington Illumination Tour – Marvel at the illuminated sights of the Capitol, the White House, and the Jefferson Memorial. Take a rooftop walk at the Kennedy Center, and cap off the evening with a visit to the Iwo Jima Marine Corps Memorial.

Courtyard by Marriott Washington, DC/U.S. Capitol

Your USA road trip package just keeps on rolling today as you depart Washington this morning for a scenic drive through Shenandoah National Park. Continue to Natural Bridge and embark on a tour of Natural Bridge State Park and bask in the magnificent sights.

Wingate by Wyndham Colorado Springs

Today you will say goodbye to Natural Bridge and get back on the open road as you head towards the bright lights of Pigeon Forge. A lively little city that got its name from the Little Pigeon River that runs through the centre of it, Pigeon Forge sits at the base of the Great Smoky Mountains and is famed for its entertaining attractions.

Ramada Pigeon Forge North

Breakfast

Start your day off with a short drive into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the most visited national park in all of the USA. Simply beautiful is the only way to describe this place, where enchanting forests and meadows of wildflowers bloom all year round. Spend some time walking along the trails that will take you along rivers, streams and waterfalls and be sure to look up to see Clingmans Dome looming above.

Next up we’ll travel to Nashville for some good old fashioned southern hospitality. The city is a mecca for country music lovers and has been attracting icons since the 1920’s. Get your first glimpse of Nashville on a sightseeing tour with your Travel Director that will take you to Riverfront Park, Tennessee State Capitol and the 132 acre Centennial State Park, where you’ll be forgiven for thinking you’ve stepped straight into Athens as you marvel at the incredible replica of the Parthenon.

The Inn at Opryland, Nashville

Breakfast

Dive into Nashville’s incredible history with your Travel Director today with a visit to Music Row, making a stop at Studio B where legends like Dolly Parton and the Everly Brothers have all recorded albums. You’ll also visit the Country Music Hall of Fame, where you can trace the history of country music and check out priceless memorabilia from Hank Williams and Loretta Lynn.

With the rest of the day free to explore your way, why not round up your fellow travellers to scout out the best hot chicken and biscuits in the city, dishes synonymous with the south.

Optional Experiences: 

• Soul of Nashville – Discover the heartbeat of Nashville’s music scene with a self-guided tour of the Ryman Auditorium, an iconic venue brimming with history.
• Old Town Trolley Tours – Nashville – Hop on and dive into Nashville’s rich tapestry with Old Town Trolley Tours, perfect for history enthusiasts and Nashville lovers alike.

The Inn at Opryland, Nashville

We say goodbye to Nashville today and hello to the music obsessed city of Memphis. Home to the King who needs little introduction, musical history and influence run through the streets with bluesy Beale Street a fine example of this, whilst the city is also a historical heavyweight for the role it played in the Civil Rights Movement. After all, it was here in 1968 that Martin Luther King was assassinated.

Tonight you’ll no doubt be keen to put Memphis’ legendary barbecue reputation to the test. Make sure you’re hungry as the gluttonous portions of smoky pulled pork and juicy ribs will defeat even the keenest of eaters.

Optional Experience: 

• Rock and Soul Museum & Blues City Café – This self-guided visit, crafted by the Smithsonian Institution, celebrates the trailblazers of rock and soul music.

Crowne Plaza Memphis Downtown

We hope you didn’t fill up too much at last night’s barbecue. After breakfast, today will be special for Elvis fans as you make the pilgrimage to Graceland.

This afternoon, why not enjoy one of the experiences. Toe tapping your way into the evening, head to a local restaurant for more Southern specialities and live music.

Optional Experiences: 

• Memphis Civil Rights History & Culture Tour – On this three-hour deep tour, a local guide will talk you through the pivotal tales of the city’s heroes at the National Civil Rights Museum and the Slave Haven Underground Railway Museum.
• Memphis Sun Records Studio Visit – Rock out at Sun Records Studio, the birthplace of Rock N’ Roll’s Big Bang, where Blues met Country and changed music forever.

Crowne Plaza Memphis Downtown

Breakfast

It’s on to the ‘Big Easy’ this morning and you’ll kickstart your New Orleans love affair with an orientation tour around a city that’s famed for its diverse culture and vibrant Mardi Gras parades. You’ll soon come to find that everything in New Orleans is larger than life, with bigger weddings, richer food and a festive vibe running through the streets. Start your adventures with a beignet from Cafe du Monde, then tonight, head out for a night of music and food on a steamboat jazz dinner cruise.

La Quinta Inn and Suites by Wyndham New Orleans Downtown

Keep the NOLA highlights coming this morning with a sightseeing tour where you’ll make stops at the French Quarter and St. Louis Cathedral. Explore the Big Easy your way this afternoon. Head back to the cute cafes and grand mansions of the Garden District, have your fortune told in Jackson Square, or learn more about the city’s fascinating voodoo culture by exploring a cemetery, taking a peek around the elaborate stone crypts and mausoleums.

If the swamps and bayous of the Mississippi have caught your attention, why not join a boat trip through the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park. Led by a local native guide, you’ll have the chance to spot ‘gators, eagles, snakes and egrets as you cruise these lush waters. This evening, we head out to taste some good old fashioned Creole cooking.

Optional Experience: 

• Swamp & Bayou Tour – Take a fascinating boat journey into the heart of the Louisiana swamps and bayous, cruising through the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park.

La Quinta Inn and Suites by Wyndham New Orleans Downtown

This morning you’ll continue your USA tour to the bubbly university town of Lafayette. Leaving the cowboys and big city antics of Dallas behind, today you’ll head on to Lafayette. This bubbly little university town is a real under the radar gem and may just end up being one of the surprising stand out stars of your entire trip.

Springhill Suites Lafayette South

Breakfast

If it’s big, brash and flashy, you’ve found yourself in your next destination – the ‘Big D’, or Dallas-Fort Worth in Texas. Famed for the Dallas Cowboys and the beloved TV show of the same name, Dallas also has a darker history as this is where JFK was assassinated in 1963.

Holiday Inn Express Fort Worth Downtown

Breakfast

Start your day by venturing out to a place of scandal and romance at Southfork Ranch, the famous home of the Ewing Family from the TV show Dallas. Tour the mansion, relive your favourite moments from the show, and enjoy a special place in TV history. If you want to get a slice of Texan life, head down to the Stockyards National Historic District this afternoon with your fellow travellers and watch the Texan handlers move their longhorn cattle through Exchange Avenue in the Fort Worth Cattle Drive.

Optional Activities: 

• Cooper’s Old Time Pit Bar-B-Que – Think smoky, mesquite-grilled meats, homemade sides and true southern hospitality.

Holiday Inn Express Fort Worth Downtown

Breakfast

This morning you’ll continue on to Amarillo, originally built in 1903 as a siding for the Rock Island railway line but began to collapse after the construction of Route 66. It’s equally quiet and fascinating and you’ll learn all about the town’s unique history before moving on to the Cadillac Ranch, just outside of Amarillo.

An iconic stop on Route 66 and a tribute to America’s love affair with cars, the Ranch has 10 Cadillacs buried face down and travellers are encouraged to leave their mark on them. You’ll return to Amarillo this afternoon where you’ll spend the night.

Drury Inn & Suites Amarillo

Breakfast

Head deeper into wild west country today as you travel towards one of America’s oldest and most stunning cities, sizzling Santa Fe. It’s the capital of New Mexico and was founded in 1610 by Spanish missionaries. Santa Fe is also the country’s highest state capital, sitting at 7,000 feet above sea level.

Head out into this soulful city to see the beautiful abode houses and baroque churches, all with the rolling Sangre de Cristo mountain range in the background. Admire crafts and jewellery sold by Native American artisans at The Plaza, the city’s cultural hub, or delve into the Mexican infused foodie scene and sip margaritas as the glorious sunset puts on a show.

Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott Santa Fe

Breakfast

Venture out on a sightseeing tour this morning to discover more about the 400 year old history of The Plaza before visiting the Palace of the Governors, the country’s oldest public building. Make a stop at St Francis Cathedral where European and New Mexican influences meet, then with free time this afternoon to explore your way, why not explore Santa Fe’s incredible art scene.

You can visit the unique neighbourhoods of Canyon Road and Barrio Analco, then round off another amazing day by tucking into a plate of tacos on Guadalupe Street.

Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott Santa Fe

Wave goodbye to Santa Fe this morning and make the journey to the old Colorado mining town of Durango. You’ll fall in love with the grand hotels, leafy streets and Victorian saloons that take you back to the town’s wild west era.

Optional Experience: 

• 11th Street Food Truck Station – From tacos to pizza, sushi to Thai cuisine and gourmet sliders, 11th Street Station’s independent food truck kitchens can cure any craving.

Hampton Inn Durango

Visit the UNESCO World Heritage listed Mesa Verde National Park. Home to the Pueblo people for over 700 years, Mesa Verde protects nearly 5,000 archaeological sites including 600 cliff dwellings and offers a fascinating glimpse into Native American history. Finish up this evening in Monument Valley.

Goulding’s Lodge, Monument Valley

Breakfast

Start your morning exploring a Hollywood great, Monument Valley. Immortalised as the setting for countless movies and TV shows, Monument Valley is an emblem of the wild west, its rusty red spindles and grand buttes thrusting 1200 feet skyward from the barren valley below. Named the ‘Valley Between the Rocks’ by the Navajo people who arrived here centuries ago, you’ll likely feel very small and insignificant here as you learn about the geology and history of the area from a local Navajo guide on an open-air vehicle tour. Finish up this evening in the Arizonan town of Flagstaff and rest up in anticipation for the adventures tomorrow will bring at the mighty Grand Canyon.

Best Western Pony Soldier Inn & Suites

Today is the day you come face to face with the Grand Canyon, one of the world’s 7 natural wonders and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Estimated to be around 2 billion years old, this marvel of nature has a layer of rock at the bottom that is thought to be some of the oldest exposed rock on the planet.

Spend time exploring the spectacular landscapes, or make your trip extra special by treating yourself to a flight over the North and South Rims in a helicopter or aircraft.

Optional Experiences:

• Fly Over the Grand Canyon and Kaibab Plateau – Buckle up for a sky-high adventure over the Grand Canyon’s South Rim, where every view is a jaw-dropper.
• Grand Canyon Ecostar Helicopter Ride – Dive into the heart of the canyon, dropping over 5,000 feet to where the Little Colorado River snakes its way through.
• Grand Canyon by Helicopter: South to North Rim – Take off on a helicopter ride that covers both the southern and northern rims over 25 minutes.

Best Western Pony Soldier Inn & Suites

Excitement levels will be high this morning as we venture on to explore the neon lights of Sin City. An entertainment oasis surrounded by dry desert and with a reputation almost as big as the fortune’s many have made (and lost) here, you’re sure to have some fun in the glittering casinos, rooftop pools and all you can eat buffets.

Optional Experiences:

• High Roller Ferris Wheel – Vegas like you’ve never seen before – from the top of the High Roller!
• Las Vegas Sights & Lights – Get ready to be dazzled by the electric Fremont Street Experience, cruise past quirky wedding chapels, and marvel at the world’s most jaw-dropping casino hotels.

Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino

Breakfast

Waking up to a full free day in Vegas, it’s entirely up to you how you choose to spend your time in the entertainment capital of the world. Take a walk down ‘The Strip’ to see the city’s grandest casinos and hotels, explore the Downtown area and the vibrant Fremont East District, or get out of town altogether on our optional trip to Hoover Dam where you can marvel at Lake Mead, the biggest man made reservoir in the USA. This evening, why not enjoy a night out at Vegas! The Show where you’ll sing along to the best loved hits of Sonny & Cher, Elvis and the Rat Pack.

Optional Experiences: 

• Death Valley Discovery – Dive into the unique landscape of Death Valley for a day of exploration in this land of contrasts.
• Grand Celebration Helicopter Tour – Catch unbeatable views of Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, ancient volcanoes, the Colorado River, and the Mojave Desert’s stunning landscapes.

• Hoover Dam Visitor Centre – Hit the road from Vegas to check out the Hoover Dam, a true giant among modern marvels.

Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino

Ready to get stars in your eyes? Head to Los Angeles where an afternoon tour with your fellow travellers will show you the all out glitz and glamour of LA, the palm lined streets of Santa Monica, the iconic Sunset Boulevard, and the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which is just a stone’s throw from the beacon of Hollywood, the Dolby Theatre, home of the Academy Awards.

Optional Experience: 

• Venice Canals & Farewell Dinner – Wrap up your adventure with a hearty meal at C&O Cucina, surrounded by your new pals.

Sonesta Los Angeles Airport LAX

You’ve gone coast to coast over the last 25 days and as your trip comes to an end today, we’re sure you’ll be leaving with many special memories and stories of giant canyons, musical icons and sunny southern hospitality. If you’re not ready to end your trip just yet, you can extend your stay in LA for a few more days.