San Diego Getaway

Arrive in San Diego with a transfer to your downtown Old Town District hotel for a four night stay. Tonight, join your Tour Manager and traveling companions at 6:00 p.m. in the hotel lobby for a brief orientation meeting followed by a welcome dinner. (D)

Today’s city tour of the San Diego area presents one of America’s most colorful and romantic cities. You’ll see San Diego’s downtown area including the Gaslamp Quarter and La Jolla. Cross the Coronado Bay Bridge to Coronado Island, home to the famous Hotel del Coronado, a National Historic Landmark. Tour the grounds at leisure and enjoy a self-guided audio tour to learn the resort’s history based on letters, records and oral histories. Then pay a visit to the USS Midway Museum. Located at the Navy Pier in San Diego, this historical naval museum features the aircraft carrier, Midway. The vessel houses an extensive collection of aircraft, many of which were built in Southern California. (B,L)

Travel to Palm Springs today where a local guide brings Palm Springs history and culture to life. With its rich Native American heritage, beautiful palm tree-lined streets and fabulous desert scenery, Palm Springs is also known for its mid-century modern architecture called “Desert Modernism.” Since the 1920s, Palm Springs has been sprinkled with Hollywood stardust and has served as the film industry’s desert playground for celebrities to escape the hustle and bustle of showbiz. This put Palm Springs on the map as celebrities such as Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr. and Marilyn Monroe purchased hideaway homes here. Drive through the same neighborhoods where at one time it was common to see Kirk Douglas watering his lawn. (B,L)

This morning you are off to the internationally acclaimed San Diego Zoo. Located in beautiful Balboa Park, the 100-acre Zoo was founded by Dr. Harry Wegeforth in 1916 with a handful of animals left over from the Panama-California Exposition. Today, the San Diego Zoo cares for more than 4,000 individual animals representing 800 different species. Its collection of animals, as well as its plant collection of over 6,500 species, is acknowledged as one of the finest in the entire world. Your visit will include a narrated bus tour highlighting the many attractions of the Zoo and a Skyfari aerial tram ride. (B,D)

DAY 5 Travel Home: After breakfast, your adventure comes to a close today with a group transfer to San Diego’s International Airport for flights out after 11:00 a.m. (B)