Trafalgar - California Coast Food and Wine Tour End Los Angeles (03/2023 - 06/2023) (JVFDWLN18)

7 Days From San Jose (CA) to Los Angeles (CA)
Tour Style: Regional Explorer
Trafalgar Brochure Price from $2,925.00
Brochures: TT USA Van trips 2022, TT USA Van trips 2023
Visits: United States

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On this ultimate California tour with maximum 17 travelers, you’ll savor the incredible gifts of the irresistible Pacific coastline from exquisite views to tastebud-tempting food and wine. Be spellbound by the beauty of Big Sur and discover cozy coastal communities and little-known gourmet producers along the way, traveling in style in a Mercedes-Benz® sprinter vehicle. This small-group tour is one nature lovers and foodies will adore.
Choice Highlights

Must-see Highlights

• : Discover San Jose with a downtown city orientation seeing sights like Plaza de Cesar Chavez, Circle of Palms Plaza, and San Jose Museum of Art
• : See Big Basin Redwoods, Natural Bridges State Beach, Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph, St. James Park, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral of Tech Museum and Santa Cruz Boardwalk
• : Visit Pebble Beach Golf Links, The Tech Interactive, Henry Cowell State Park, Montana De Oro State Park, The Groves On 41 and Cass Winery
• : View Lone Cypress, Bixby Bridge, the scenic 17-mile drive through Pacific Grove on the Monterey Peninsula, Morro Bay and Big Sur

Iconic Experience

• San Jose: Take a self-guided tour of Tech Museum of Innovation, a science and technology center in the heart of downtown San Jose. This Silicon Valley landmark offers a glimpse into the most innovative place on Earth.
• Santa Cruz (CA): Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park in the Santa Cruz Mountains is famous for the 40-acre grove of redwood trees. You can enjoy hiking and other outdoor activities on more than 4,650 acres of forested and open land.
• Santa Cruz (CA): Between the Santa Cruz Boardwalk and the waves of Steamer Lane, the Santa Cruz Wharf provides some of most spectacular views along the California coast. At 2,745 feet, it’s the longest wooden pier in the United States.
• Pescadero: Perched on a cliff on the central California coast, the 115-foot Pigeon Point Lighthouse, one of the tallest lighthouses in America, has been guiding mariners since 1872.
• Santa Cruz (CA): You will enjoy a self-guided walk at Natural Bridges State Beach. Famous for the bridge-like rock formations that peer out of the ocean.
• Pebble Beach:
• Big Sur: Today features America’s most unforgettable drives, 90 miles of Pacific Coast Highway 1 between Carmel and San Simeon. Travel through Big Sur passing over Bixby Bridge and admire the mountains on one side of PCH and the Pacific Ocean on the other.
• Morro Bay: Embark on a coastal cruise and learn about the local marine wildlife and the town’s secrets from the local boat captain.
• San Luis Obispo: Enjoy a hike at Montana De Oro State Park, around three miles round trip with 90 feet of elevation change. It's the perfect way to see all the tide pools, beaches, rock islands, and natural bridges, along the coastline. The park is over 8,000 acres and has 7 miles of undeveloped coastline, a rare treasure on the California Coast.

MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®

• Pescadero: Harley Farms is a female-owned restored 1910 dairy farm, with 200 alpine goats on nine acres of pasture in Pescadero, California.
• Los Angeles: Learn more about the agriculture of the region and about professors and students with your local CalPoly specialist who will take you on a walking tour of a local farm.

Be My Guest

• Paso Robles: Join Karen and Jennifer for a local lunch & wine tasting (5 wine tastings) at Cass Café where they share more about their passion and life all while tasting local fare and delicious wines.

Dive Into Culture

• Paso Robles: Join the mother-daughter duo of Karen and Jennifer Talent at the Groves on 41 Olive Oil Ranch where they host the first part of our Be My Guest experience featuring their award-winning olive oil during a tour and tasting.

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Trafalgar Tour Itinerary

Day 1	Welcome to San Jose
	Welcome to San Jose! You’ll begin your small group tour – California Coast Food & Wine Trail, at this center of innovation and affluence. It may be the Capital of the Silicon Valley and home to a range of Fortune 500 companies, but it’s also the start of your unforgettable gastronomic California tour along the stunning coast. There’s no better way to kick start your flavor-filled journey than a Welcome Reception to get to know your Travel Director and fellow travel companions.
	Visits: San Jose
	Meals: Welcome Reception
	Accommodation: San Jose Marriott
Day 2	Explore San Jose and Surroundings
	Gain a true sense of what it’s like to live in Silicon Valley when you embark on a downtown walking tour where you’ll get to view all the highlights of this innovative city, from the Plaza de Cesar Chávez and Circle of Palms Plaza to the San Jose Museum of Art and St. James Park. A visit to San Jose would not be complete without gaining a deep understanding of what drives this major technological hub and you’ll enjoy a self-guided visit to The Tech Museum of Innovation, a science and technology center where you’ll have an opportunity to get hands-on and learn about everything from social robots to cyber detectives. Visit Henry Cowell State ark to hike amongst Redwoods. The next stop is Santa Cruz, where you’ll have the evening to explore the city on your terms.
	Visits: San Jose, Pescadero, Santa Cruz (CA)
	Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
	Accommodation: Paradox Santa Cruz
Day 3	Discover the sights of Santa Cruz Make Travel Matter
	Start your morning at Harley Farms. On this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, see the animals and learn how their locally made chevre, fromage blanc, ricotta and feta consistently win awards for their taste and quality. It's the perfect place for a picnic lunch before you can slow down in Santa Cruz, a surfer’s paradise and haven for beach lovers. After lunch you will have a photo stop at Pigeon Point Lighthouse State Park, one of the tallest lighthouses in America. Natural Bridges State Beach is where you’ll begin your self-guided walk past tide pools and admiring the incredible rock formations that jut out into the ocean. In the afternoon stroll down the longest wooden pier in the USA with a cup of clam chowder, keeping your eyes peeled for seals, sea lions and dolphins that frequent Monterey Bay.
	Visits: Santa Cruz (CA)
	Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
	Accommodation: Paradox Santa Cruz
Day 4	Admire Big Sur and the highlights of 17-Mile Drive
	You’ll want to remember every irresistible inch of today’s drive along the Monterey Peninsula, committing to memory all the highlights of Big Sur and one of the world’s most scenic journeys – 17-Mile Drive. Skirting the blue waters of the Pacific, you’ll make a stop at Pebble Beach Golf Links, one of the top courses in the country. An iconic championship venue, Pebble Beach Golf Links justifiably earns its rank as the top public golf course in the country, and you’ll learn how it has hosted more U.S. Opens than any other course in the past five decades. Dramatic cliffs, pristine beaches and lush forests line this part of your California tour and you’ll immerse yourself in the beauty of your surrounds, stopping for photos at the Lone Cypress, arguably the most iconic symbol of 17-Mile Drive. On your next stop at Carmel-By-The Sea, you’ll gain a deep appreciation of what it must be like to live in this rich artistic small beach city on California’s Monterey Peninsula. You’ll have some time for lunch and a stroll past its fairy-tale cottages and galleries before settling in for the highlight of the day and your epic drive along the Pacific Coast Highway through Big Sur. You won’t be able to tear your eyes away from the dramatic coastline you’ve only seen in movies as you snake along Highway 1. This is what dreams are made of and you’ll pass such highlights as Bixby Bridge as you skirt deep Pacific blue on one side and lush green hilly landscapes on the other towards tonight’s overnight stay in San Luis Obispo with the Pacific on one side and towering cliffs on the other.
	Visits: Santa Cruz (CA), San Luis Obispo
	Meals: Breakfast
	Accommodation: Apple Farm Inn
Day 5	Oyster cruising in Morro Bay Connect with Locals
	We begin today with a leisurely walk of the Montaña De Oro State Park taking in beautiful views of the park’s tide pools, beaches, rock islands and natural beaches. It’s the perfect start to an unforgettable day in Morro Bay where you’ll Connect With Locals after lunch on your own and board a coastal cruise learning about the local marine life as you watch sea otters feast on shellfish and hear stories about what it’s like to live and work here from the boat captain. SLO CAL is the place to be this evening and you’ll be spoiled for choice when it comes to deciding how to spend your evening and what to eat. Don’t miss the chance to try out some of the area’s delicious wines, or the vibrant craft-brewing, cider and distillery scene.
	Visits: San Luis Obispo, Morro Bay
	Meals: Breakfast
	Accommodation: Apple Farm Inn
Day 6	Enjoy the flavors of Paso Robles Make Travel Matter
	Your last day in southern California will be a real treat for foodies as we join the mother-daughter duo of Karen and Jennifer Talent at the Groves on 41 Olive Oil Ranch where you get to Connect With Locals for a tasting of their award-winning olive oil, followed by a hosted Be My Guest Lunch at Cass Café where you get to indulge in the famous local wine of the area. Our last stop today is a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, learning about the production on a local farm. Your hosts from the local CalPoly Institute will take you on a walking tour of the farm and you’ll leave knowing that your visit has helped to sustain the agricultural education program that the farm supports. Then it’s back to the city after a day in California wine country to enjoy one final evening with your travel companions at your leisure, no doubt raising a glass to the epic day you’ve had in sunny Southern California.
	Visits: Paso Robles
	Meals: Breakfast, Be My Guest
	Accommodation: Apple Farm Inn
Day 7	Farewell California
	Your California tour of coast, food and wine has come to an end. Head to Los Angeles International Airport where you will arrive at approximately 1pm.
	Visits: San Luis Obispo, Los Angeles
	Meals: Breakfast

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Available Room Types: Single, Triple, Twin, Twinshare
Child: ages 5 to 17