New York to San Francisco

Arrive at JFK or Newark Airport and transfer to your Manhattan hotel. Afternoon walk through Times Square and down to the Brooklyn Bridge for skyline views. Evening in Midtown for a quintessential New York slice of pizza and a walk through the neon chaos of 42nd Street. Overnight New York.

Morning ferry to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Afternoon at the 9/11 Memorial reflecting pools and museum, a profoundly moving tribute. Walk the High Line elevated park above Chelsea. Evening Broadway show - book tickets at TKTS booth in Times Square on the same day for up to 50 percent off. Overnight New York.

Morning at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, one of the world's great museums with 5000 years of art across 2 million square feet. Afternoon at the Top of the Rock observation deck at Rockefeller Center for the best view of the Empire State Building and Central Park together. Evening at Chelsea Market for food from around the world. Overnight New York.

Morning Amtrak train (2.5 hrs) or short flight to Washington DC. Afternoon on the National Mall visiting the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and Korean War Memorial - all free. Evening at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, also free. Overnight Washington DC.

Morning at Capitol Hill for the exterior view of the US Capitol building and a walk through the Library of Congress. Walk past the White House and through Lafayette Square. Afternoon in Georgetown for lunch at the waterfront and browsing the historic streets. Evening flight to Las Vegas. Overnight Las Vegas.

Full day in Las Vegas. Walk the entire length of the Strip from Mandalay Bay to the Wynn, exploring the extraordinary themed casino resorts - the Venetian, Caesars Palace, and Bellagio. Evening Bellagio Fountain Show every 15 minutes after dark, free to watch from the sidewalk. Late night on Fremont Street with its neon canopy light show. Overnight Las Vegas.

Early drive or tour 4 hours to the Grand Canyon South Rim. Walk along the Rim Trail between Mather Point, Yavapai Point, and Desert View for progressively more dramatic views into the 1.6-km deep canyon. Optional helicopter flight into the canyon, the most spectacular 25 minutes you can buy. Return to Las Vegas or drive to Williams for the night. Overnight Grand Canyon area.

Drive or fly to Los Angeles. Afternoon at Santa Monica Pier and Venice Beach boardwalk for the classic LA experience of sun, muscle beach, and street performers. Drive up to the Hollywood sign viewpoint at Griffith Observatory for panoramic LA views at sunset. Overnight Los Angeles.

Morning at Universal Studios Hollywood for theme park rides and the famous studio backlot tour. Afternoon drive through Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive for window shopping and people watching. Evening on the Sunset Strip at West Hollywood for dinner and the LA nightlife. Overnight Los Angeles.

Morning flight to San Francisco. Afternoon at the Golden Gate Bridge with a walk across or a view from Battery Spencer on the Marin side for the classic photo. Drive through the Presidio to Fisherman's Wharf for clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl. Evening cable car ride up the hill to Nob Hill for city views. Overnight San Francisco.

Morning ferry to Alcatraz Island for the audio tour of the famous prison with real recorded voices of former inmates and guards. Return and walk through San Francisco Chinatown, the oldest in North America. Transfer to San Francisco International Airport for your return flight. End of tour.