Ultimate Pacific Northwest & California Tour

Welcome to beautiful Seattle, Washington! 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. If you made other flight arrangements, please make your own way to the hotel.

The evening is yours to enjoy at your leisure, which is a real treat in the Emerald City. Some of the popular sites include Pike Place Market, where you should always keep your eyes peeled for flying fish, the Space Needle, and Pioneer Square.

Your day starts with a tour of the Museum of Flight. The museum is home to the original Boeing factory and over 150 aircraft including JFK’s Air Force One and jets from WWI and WWII. After lunch on your own at Pike Place Market, you’ll enjoy a tour of Seattle, often considered the crown jewel of the Pacific Northwest. Enjoy a relaxing evening on your own or join an optional dinner and visit to the Space Needle. (B)

Mount St. Helens is known worldwide as the site of the deadliest and most economically destructive volcanic event in U.S. history, when it erupted in May of 1980. Enjoy stunning views of the mountain, including the crater caused by the eruption, before continuing on to Portland. After an included lunch, the evening in Portland is yours to enjoy. (B, L)

Travel into the thickly forested Cascade Mountains this morning to enjoy some of Oregon’s most breathtaking scenery. Highlights of your tour include the Columbia River Gorge and Multnomah Falls, a 611-foot-tall waterfall found in the stunning Mt. Hood National Forest.

Enjoy lunch on your own at Cascade Locks. Return to Portland for a city tour and free time at the International Rose Test Garden, where you can see and smell over 650 varieties of roses. (B)

Note: Bonneville Fish Hatchery may be visited instead of Rose Garden depending on season

Take a stunning scenic drive down the Oregon coast to Newport. In Newport, enjoy a tour of the Oregon Coast Aquarium. This world class facility is dedicated to Oregon’s marine wildlife. Enjoy a relaxed evening on your own. Newport has been popular with tourists since the 1800s, and has great dining and plenty to do. (B)

Travel down to Medford, a delightful town in the heart of the breathtaking Rogue Valley. Many of Oregon’s finest wines are produced right here in Medford, which you can learn more about on an optional wine tour this afternoon. (B)

Spend the day experiencing the world-famous Crater Lake, the deepest lake in the United States whose vibrantly blue and stunningly clear water make it one of the prettiest lakes in the country. Surrounded by towering cliffs and a thick forest of old growth pines, Crater Lake is nestled in what remains of a dormant volcano that erupted nearly 8,000 years ago. (B)

Continue south to the Golden State, where your first stop after a beautiful drive will be Redwood National Park, home of the world’s tallest trees. Enjoy a tour of this World Heritage Site and International Biosphere Reserve, where some trees are over 370 feet high. Stop for lunch on your own at Klamath and continue to Eureka. Eureka’s Old Town is famous for its classic Victoria homes, which you will see on an informative panoramic tour. (B)

See more amazing Redwoods at Avenue of the Giants on your way to San Francisco, where you will enjoy the evening at your leisure. (B)

Your day starts with a tour including Fisherman’s Wharf and the Golden Gate Bridge, likely the world’s most photographed suspension bridge. Look out into the bay at the notorious Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary. Enjoy a farewell lunch at Pier 39. Join us for an optional bay cruise or cable car tour with dinner on Pier 39 for an additional fee, or take both! (B, L)

Today you will have time to explore San Francisco on your own with an included city pass that includes your choice of two entrances to the city’s top attractions.

San Francisco is 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. (B)

This morning, enjoy a panoramic city tour. Look out at Alcatraz, see Nob Hill, and catch a glimpse of Lombard Street along with many more exciting sights! Spend the evening relaxing in San Francisco. (B)

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)

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)

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 red oak smoked barbecue! (B)

Visit Santa Barbara—the American Riviera—and enjoy its Spanish mission style architecture, mild Mediterranean climate, and stunning ocean views.

Take a self-guided tour of the lovely Santa Barbara Mission, where you can enjoy some of the best views in town. 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)

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 an included farewell dinner on the Santa Monica Pier, which has endless views and its very own amusement park. (B, D)