Arizona's Valley of the Sun

Day 1 – Journey to Arizona!

From our departure points this morning we’ll travel by deluxe motorcoach towards Arizona’s “Valley of the Sun.” We’ll make several rest stops and a stop for lunch on your own along the way. This evening we arrive at the Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino – a premier AAA Four Diamond, smoke-free resort located just south of Phoenix. Unpack once and enjoy a leisurely, four-night stay at this luxurious resort that features recently remodeled rooms, multiple restaurants and bars, a 100,000 square foot casino (that has twice been voted Best Casino in the Valley), an outdoor heated pool and hot tub and an outlet shopping center within walking distance. Enjoy the evening at leisure with dinner on your own at one of the resort restaurants.

Day 2 – Scottsdale, Phoenix

Following an included breakfast, we’ll travel to Scottsdale to visit Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin West. This National Historic Landmark and UNESCO World Heritage site nestled in the desert foothills of Scottsdale’s McDowell Mountains was Wright’s beloved winter home and “desert laboratory” from 1937 until his death in 1959. On a docent-guided tour of the estate you’ll learn how it was diligently handcrafted over many years into a world unto itself – deeply connected to the desert from which it was forged. Built and maintained almost entirely by Wright and his apprentices, it is among the most personal of the architect’s creations. This afternoon we’ll enjoy an included lunch at the luxurious Arizona Biltmore Resort – the AAA Four Diamond Waldorf Astoria property. This legendary and luxurious Phoenix hotel known as the “Grand Dame” has been recognized since its opening in 1929 for its distinctive Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired architectural style. In fact, Wright was the consulting architect on the project. Enjoy time at leisure browsing the hotel lobby, hallways and several public rooms featuring historic photographs and Frank Lloyd Wright-designed artwork including stained glass, sculptures and tapestries. The resort’s expansive grounds feature lush landscaping and formal, manicured gardens. (Breakfast, Lunch)

Day 3 – Tucson

After an included breakfast this morning, we’ll travel south through the Sonoran Desert to Tucson, Arizona’s second-largest city. Nestled in a valley surrounded by five mountain ranges, Saguaro forests and the Sonoran Desert, Tucson’s setting is absolutely spectacular. At the Pima Air & Space Museum, we’ll enjoy time at leisure to browse one of the largest airplane museums in the world. The incredible collection includes 150 aircraft inside hangars – the majority of them in near-perfect condition including several restored WWII aircraft that look as though they just taxied out of the factory. A century of flight unfolds amid its collection, from early planes that fought gravity every inch, to fighter jets faster than the speed of sound. Many rest wing-to-wing; others dangle from above in mid-flight. You can browse another 100 aircraft parked outside including the enormous, bulbous-nosed Super Guppy cargo plane, a giant B-52 and the jet that flew Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson from 1961 to 1965. This afternoon we’ll continue to Saguaro National Park, home to the nation’s largest cacti. The universal symbol of the American west, these majestic plants are found only in a small portion of the United States. On a scenic drive through the national park, we’ll see thousands of these enormous cacti, silhouetted by the beauty of a magnificent desert sunset. A short walk on the paved Desert Ecology Trail will introduce you to the residents of this Sonoran Desert “neighborhood.” We return to our resort with the balance of the evening at leisure. (Breakfast)

Day 4 – Scottsdale, Phoenix

Following an included breakfast, we’ll travel to Scottsdale and visit Butterfly Wonderland. This one-of-a-kind experience begins with the 3D film, “Flight of the Butterflies.” Continue to the Butterfly Emergence Gallery to see the third stage of butterfly metamorphosis in action. Finally, enter the Butterfly Conservatory a 10,000 square foot glass atrium that provides the ideal tropical rainforest habitat where thousands of butterflies from around the world fly freely. We continue to the Musical Instrument Museum, showcasing the musical instruments and music of cultures throughout the world. Displaying more than 6,500 instruments and objects and using state-of-the-art audiovisual technology to show musical instruments being played in their original cultural context, the museum provides a one-of-a-kind experience. Enjoy a docent-guided tour followed by time to browse the Artist Gallery which displays instruments played by notable artists such as Elvis Presley, John Lennon, Johnny Cash, and more. We top off the day at the Heard Museum, perhaps the best place to experience the myriad of cultures and art of Native Americans of the Southwest. With the help of pre-Colombian to contemporary art and a variety of traditional artifacts, the Heard Museum conveys the life and culture of Arizona’s first residents. The beautiful museum features 12 exhibition galleries, a contemporary art gallery, trading-post style shopping and an outdoor sculpture garden and courtyards. We return to our resort with the balance of the evening at leisure. (Breakfast)

Day 5 – Journey Home

After an included breakfast we’ll begin our journey home, making several rest stops and a stop for lunch on your own enroute. A visit to The General George Patton Museum tops off our journey. The museum was established to honor General George S. Patton and the thousands of men who served with him at the Desert Training Center and overseas. Exhibits display memorabilia from the life and career of General Patton, as well as military life with a particular focus on the Desert Training Center and the soldiers of World War II. We return to our drop-off points this evening with many fond memories from our time in Arizona’s “Valley of the Sun.” (Breakfast)

While we make every effort to operate our tours as outlined in the itinerary, we ask for your understanding, flexibility and to retain a sense of adventure while traveling with us. While these have always been necessary traits for travelers, they are needed now more than ever! Situations may arise that necessitate changes to the itinerary. Should we need to adjust the itinerary either prior to or while on tour, these changes will be communicated to you and only done when absolutely necessary. Now more than ever, our 30 years of knowledge and tour planning experience helps us navigate a unique travel environment on your behalf. You can put your trust in us knowing we are experts in travel planning and will do everything possible to provide wonderful new experiences and create amazing new memories for our guests while on the road with us.