City by the Bay Holiday

Day 1 – Welcome to San Francisco!

Traveling by deluxe motorcoach from our departure points this morning, we’ll make our way north towards the Bay Area via the Central Valley. We’ll make several rest stops and a stop for lunch on your own along the way. Arriving in the heart of San Francisco this evening, we’ll make our way to the iconic and luxurious Westin St. Francis, a San Francisco landmark since 1904. Your home for four nights has a cable car stop outside the front door and is the only hotel located on Union Square – not only the location of San Francisco’s Christmas tree and ice skating rink but also the epicenter of San Francisco’s best shopping and dining. This legendary landmark hotel features marble columns and intricate woodwork that transport guests back to the elegance of yesteryear. Yet these magnificent appointments are balanced by modern, ground-breaking amenities including the revolutionary Heavenly Bed. The hotel sits at the intersection of the glorious past and vibrant present of this incredible city. Enjoy the balance of the evening at leisure with dinner on your own at a variety of restaurants within walking distance of the hotel.

Day 2 – San Francisco

This morning we’ll be joined by a local guide for a comprehensive guided tour of San Francisco to see the neighborhoods and landmarks that have made this city so famous and so endearing. San Francisco wins awards year after year as the “world’s favorite city” – from the cultural arts to intriguing architecture and diverse neighborhoods – we’ll discover why on our tour today. Hear stories of the city’s past and present as we travel past its most famous landmarks including the Coit Tower, Lombard Street, Ghirardelli Square, Pier 39 and many more. Travel through the city’s diverse neighborhoods including Union Square, the Financial District, the Civic Center, The Castro/Mission District, Haight/Ashbury, Chinatown, Little Italy, North Beach, the Embarcadero and Golden Gate Park. We’ll visit Twin Peaks for spectacular views of San Francisco and the San Francisco Bay. We’ll visit Lands End, the rocky and windswept shoreline at the mouth of the Golden Gate to admire Seal Rocks and Cliff House. In the Presidio of San Francisco we’ll visit the Palace of Fine Arts, one of the most photographed sites in San Francisco. Built in 1915 for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, the site features a classical Greco-Roman style rotunda with curved colonnades in an idyllic park setting. At the Civil War-era Fort Point National Historic Site we’ll take in spectacular views of the iconic Golden Gate Bridge before we cross the bridge and take in views of the San Francisco skyline from Vista Point. We return to our hotel this afternoon with the balance of the day at leisure. Enjoy an included dinner at a locals’ favorite this evening. (Dinner)

Day 3 – Santa Clara Valley

This morning we’ll travel south to the Santa Clara Valley to tour the Winchester Mystery House, designed and built by the Winchester Rifle heiress. This magnificent mansion shrouded in legends, gets its name from its many architectural oddities, including 47 fireplaces, 17 chimneys, it’s maze-like hallways, secret passageways and stairs and doors that go nowhere! Built during the Victorian era, Sarah Winchester’s eccentric, 160-room mansion is a sight to behold any time of year, but it’s especially inspiring during the holidays. Some of our most cherished Christmas customs arose in the Victorian era, when Sarah Winchester was a girl growing up in Connecticut. The shimmering Christmas tree, the warm exchange of Christmas cards, hanging stockings by the fire – each of these traditions has its own special story. The mansion is all decked out for the holidays including 20 decorated Christmas trees, garlands, wreaths, flickering candles and sparkling lights dancing off priceless art glass windows. At the Filoli Historic House & Gardens, we'll encounter one of the finest remaining country estates of the early 20^th century. This 1917 estate which sits on 654 acres of land has provided the backdrop for many films and television shows including Dynasty, Heaven Can Wait and The Game. During "Holidays at Filoli," we'll experience this stately Georgian mansion and the beautifully maintained garden dressed in its Christmas finest. Walk through this 54,000-square-foot Georgian Revival mansion containing an extensive collection of 17^th and 18^th century English antiques. Each room in the mansion is beautifully decorated for the holidays with each room featuring a different theme and a fresh new take on seasonal decor. Stroll through the exquisitely beautiful and ever-changing 16-acre English Renaissance winter garden adorned with colorful holiday decor. Enjoy an included dinner at a locals’ favorite this evening. (Dinner)

Day 4 – Day at Leisure or Optional Napa Valley Excursion

Enjoy the entire day at leisure in San Francisco to complete your "bucket list," or take advantage of an optional full-day excursion to the Napa Valley for an additional $195 per person (minimum of 10 passengers required; payable with your balance payment; all gratuities and fees included). If taking advantage of the Napa Valley optional excursion, you’ll depart the hotel this morning onboard our motorcoach and travel with your tour director to the Napa Valley – one of the most picturesque and widely recognized wine regions in the world. Vineyards have been part of the landscape here for more than 150 years and today this valley is home to more than 400 wineries. You’ll board the Napa Valley Wine Train for a three-hour experience you’ll never forget. The faithfully restored, vintage, early 20^th century Pullman cars that feature Honduran mahogany paneling, brass accents, etched glass partitions, and plush armchairs evoke the elegant glory days of luxury train travel of the early 1900s. Sit back, relax, and savor the extraordinary scenery as we enjoy a 36-mile round-trip journey to St. Helena and back. Onboard you’ll enjoy a three-course, waiter-served lunch with choice of entrée as the lush vineyards of the Napa Valley landscape pass by. You’ll return to San Francisco early this evening.

Day 5 – Journey Home

We depart San Francisco this morning and travel south through the Central Valley making several rest stops and a stop for an included farewell lunch along the way at Harris Ranch, one of the first and largest “Farm to Fork” dining destinations in California. It ranks #3 among California’s independent restaurants based on sales volume and second in the state for meals sold! We return to our drop-off points this evening with memories of our holiday in the “City by the Bay” not soon forgotten. (Lunch)