Sequoias & Wonder Valley Ranch Holiday

Day 1 – Welcome to the Wonder Valley Ranch Resort! (Monday, November 30)

From our departure points this morning we’ll travel by deluxe motorcoach into California’s Central Valley. Following a morning rest stop and a stop for lunch on your own, we’ll head into the Sierra Nevada foothills. This afternoon, we’ll arrive at Wonder Valley Ranch Resort – a 75-acre, all-inclusive western-style guest ranch tucked into the scenic Wonder Valley east of Sanger. Unpack once for a leisurely three-night stay at California’s oldest guest ranch, featuring comfortable accommodations, paved walkways with antique lamps, beautiful grounds, and warm hospitality. Best of all, this time of year the resort is fully decked out for the holidays! We’ll begin with a guided historic tour of the ranch, followed by a nightly hosted “happy hour.” After a delicious ranch buffet dinner, we’ll gather around the campfire to swap warm holiday memories while sipping hot cider or cocoa with our fellow travelers. Admire the spectacular views of the night sky while on a horse-drawn hayride (weather permitting) and enjoy an enchanting magic show. (Dinner)

Day 2 – Central Valley Sightseeing, Wonder Valley Ranch Resort (Tuesday, December 1)

Following an included breakfast at the resort, we’ll board our motorcoach and travel to Fresno to tour the Forestiere Underground Gardens. Led by a docent-guide, we’ll explore this staggering 10-acre network of subterranean tunnels, chambers, and grottos. Sicilian immigrant Baldassare Forestiere carved out this catacomb-like compound entirely by hand between 1906 to 1946 using basic shovels and picks. Open-air skylights allowed his collection of fruit trees and grapevines to thrive underground alongside a subterranean chapel and fishing pond. Should inclement weather prevent our tour of Forestiere Gardens, alternative Fresno sightseeing will be arranged. We continue exploring Fresno’s European heritage with an included traditional Basque feast at a locals’ favorite. This family-style lunch includes fresh bread, homemade soup, fried chicken, charbroiled lamp chops, a variety of sides, ice cream and house wine. We return to the resort with time at leisure to relax or take advantage of the resort’s amenities and activities which include a swimming pool, hot tub, a lake for fishing and canoeing, tennis, horseshoe pits, a game pavilion with ping pong, foosball and pool tables, cornhole, horseback riding (additional fee), archery (additional fee) and much more! This evening we’ll enjoy an included dinner followed by a variety of holiday activities and entertainment including cookie decorating, country crafts, a holiday movie, photo booth and more! (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 3 – Kings Canyon National Park, Wonder Valley Ranch Resort (Wednesday, December 2)

After an included breakfast, our resort guide joins us onboard as we travel east into Kings Canyon National Park. Following a brief stop at the Kings Canyon Visitor Center, we’ll continue to the General Grant Grove (elevation 6,600 feet). Taking a leisurely stroll along the paved, 1/3 mile loop trail, we’ll stand in awe as we walk through this forest of ancient giant sequoias – some 3,000 years old with trunks weighing 1,400 tons! The star of the grove is the General Grant Tree: the world’s third-largest tree, standing nearly 300 feet tall with a staggering 107-foot circumference (wider than three lanes of traffic) and a base diameter over 40 feet! Named in 1867 for General Ulysses S. Grant, Calvin Coolidge proclaimed it “The Nation’s Christmas Tree” in 1926. We’ll return to the resort for an included lunch and an afternoon at leisure to relax and enjoy the resort’s amenities and activities. Should inclement weather prevent us from visiting Kings Canyon National Park, we’ll remain at the resort for a day of holiday fun including Christmas carols and holiday-themed games. This evening we’ll gather for an included dinner followed by live original holiday-themed entertainment. (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Day 4 – Journey Home (Thursday, December 3)

Following an included breakfast and a fun surprise activity at the resort, we’ll begin our journey home, making rest stops and a stop for lunch on your own along the way. We’ll return to our drop-off points this evening with wonderful memories of exploring the Sequoias and celebrating an old-fashioned holiday at the Wonder Valley Ranch Resort. (Breakfast)

If you prefer additional time at the Wonder Valley Ranch Resort to take full advantage of the amenities and activities, you may stay back at the resort on days 2 and/or 3 (though there is no discount for this option).

While we make every effort to operate our tours as outlined in the itinerary, we ask for your patience, understanding and flexibility and to retain a sense of adventure while traveling with us. 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.