☼  Highlights for Taste of California

★ Spot the stars of your favorite celebrities along the Hollywood Walk of Fame
★ See the iconic Santa Monica Pier at Sunset
★ Enjoy a guided tour of a Spanish mission
★ Relish a wine tasting at an authentic California vineyard
★ See the world famous Golden Gate Bridge from a picturesque location
★ Opt for an in-depth tour of Hearst Castle
★ Have a walking tour of central Monterey, including Cannery Row, led by a Local Expert

  What’s Included for A Taste of California 

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   ACCOMMODATION       8 nights of accommodation at highly rated, centrally located hotels.  All hotel taxes, porterage fees, and housekeeping tips are included.

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   TRANSPORTATION       Private airport transfer upon arrival.  Private coach or minibus travel between listed destinations.  A flight from Yosemite area back to Los Angeles at end of tour.

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   MEALS      10 meals:  8 breakfasts, 2 dinners

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   EXCURSIONS AND ENTRANCE FEES       Extended visits to Hollywood, Chinatown, Olvera Street, the Santa Monica Pier, a local farmers market, an authentic California winery, central Solvang, the Old Sacramento Waterfront, and central San Luis Obispo.   Guided tours of Old Town Pasadena, the Mission Santa Barbara, central Monterey, central San Francisco, Yosemite National Park – any and all applicable entrance fees for these listed stops included.  Optional visits include a tour of Hearst Castle and a whale-watching excursion on Monterey Bay.

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   TOUR LEADER       A Blue Onyx Tour Leader to handle all logistical aspects of the group, offer valuable information, and guide your group from start to finish.

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   Itinerary for A Taste of California (9 days)

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DAY 1:  ARRIVAL IN LOS ANGELES
Arrive at Athens International Airport where a Blue Onyx Travel representative will direct you to your private transportation en route to your centrally located Los Angeles hotel.  At 7 p.m., your tour group will meet in the lobby of the hotel with your Tour Leader where there will be a brief orientation, followed by a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

  MEAL:  Dinner           ACCOMMODATION:   Hotel Constance (3 nights)

DAY 2:   FARMERS MARKET, CITY TOURS OF PASADENA AND LOS ANGELES
Your group will depart the hotel around 10 a.m. in order to visit the first of two Mystery Destinations that our tour has to offer.  After this, you’ll spend some leisure time at a wonderful local farmers’ market in one of California’s delightful small towns.  Next, you’ll enjoy a walking tour of Old Town Pasadena including a photo opp at Pasadena’s unforgettable City Hall. Finally, you’ll visit L.A.’s historic Olvera Street and also the main plaza of Chinatown.

  MEAL:  Breakfast       

DAY 3:   HOLLYWOOD SIGHTS, SANTA MONICA PIER

After a leisurely morning, you’ll head over to the Hollywood/Highland area where your Tour Leader will show you the best place in which to take that all-important selfie with the Hollywood Sign.  You’ll have about 90 minutes of free time to roam around the Walk of Fame and find the stars of your favorite celebrities.  In the early evening, your group will journey to the iconic Santa Monica Pier to watch the sunset. 

  MEAL:  Breakfast   

DAY 4:  VISIT TO SANTA BARBARA, ARRIVAL IN SOLVANG
After checking out of your Los Angeles hotel, you’ll have a stop in Santa Barbara, where you will enjoy a special tour of the historic Spanish mission there.  Later, you’ll end up in Solvang, a charming small town that was established in 1911 by Danish immigrants.  The day is yours to get lost in Solvang’s maze of side streets and Tudor style buildings.  If you wish to continue your exploration of Spanish missions, the Mission Santa Ines is only a ten minute walk from the hotel.

  MEAL:  Breakfast         ACCOMMODATION:  Hotel Corque (1 night)

DAY 5:  STOP IN SAN LUIS OBISPO, OPTIONAL TOUR OF HEARST CASTLE
Your group will arrive in the beguiling hillside town of San Luis Obispo in the late morning for some leisure time and sightseeing.  There’s plenty to see here, including a Spanish mission that was founded in 1772.  In the early afternoon, interested parties will have the option of taking a tour of Hearst Castle, a monumental Spanish Revival estate owned by newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst that took nearly three decades to complete.

At the end of the day, you’ll arrive in the quaint seaside community of Monterey.

  MEAL:  Breakfast           ACCOMMODATION:    Victorian Inn (1 night) 

OPTIONAL EXCURSION:  Tour of Hearst Castle – $40 per person.

DAY 6:   CITY TOUR OF MONTEREY, ARRIVAL IN SAN FRANCISCO
In the morning, you have the option of taking a whale and wildlife watching tour around Monterey Bay.  In the early afternoon, the whole group shall partake in a special tour of old Monterey, led by a local historian.

In the middle of the afternoon, you’ll arrive in beautiful San Francisco.  In the early evening, we’ll take you to the second of two Mystery Destinations to watch the sunset.

  MEAL:  Breakfast           ACCOMMODATION:    Hotel Adagio (2 nights) 

OPTIONAL EXCURSION:  Morning whale watching tour from 9 a.m. to noon – $65 per person.

DAY 7:   WALKING TOUR OF SAN FRANCISCO, WINE TASTING, SUNSET EXCURSION

In the morning, we’ll take you on a special walking tour of the major sights of San Francisco, including Union Square, Coit Tower, Fisherman’s Wharf, Lombard Street, and Ghiradelli Square.

Later, you’ll have a chance to challenge the discerning qualities of your palate with some choice California vino as you behold the rolling hills of Napa Valley.

Finally, we’ll take you to our favorite location from which to view the Golden Gate Bridge at sunset.

  MEAL:  Breakfast

DAY 8:  STOP AT OLD SACRAMENTO, SIGHTSEEING IN YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK

In the morning, you’ll have some free time at the legendary Old Sacramento Waterfront, where horse-drawn carriages, old train stops, and classic storefronts abound. 

Later, your travels will take you to USA’s 3rd official national park: Yosemite.  We’ve arranged plenty of stops for you, including visits to Cathedral Rocks, Yosemite Falls, El Capitan, and Half Dome.  As an added bonus, you’ll be seeing Yosemite when the fall foliage is at its peak.  Keep in mind that you’ll be doing a bit of light hiking, so be sure to wear some comfortable shoes. 

At day’s end, you’ll have a delicious send off at the farewell dinner.

  MEAL:  Breakfast, Dinner           ACCOMMODATION:    Yosemite Way Station (1 night) 

DAY 9:  FLIGHT TO LOS ANGELES

AIn the morning, we’ll take you to the Fresno airport to catch a short flight back to LAX.  Keep in mind that you won’t arrive in LA until after 1 p.m., so please schedule your outgoing flight from LAX accordingly.  Or extend your stay in California!  Many happy returns!

 
   Optional Excursions for A Taste of California

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DAY 5: 

Optional Excursion #1:  Guided Tour of Hearst Castle

A selected walking tour of the opulent Hearst Castle, constructed between 1919 and 1947  (Price: $40 per person).

DAY 6: 

Optional Excursion #2:  Morning whale watching expedition.

Take a two hour whale watching expedition around beautiful Monterey Bay. (Price: $65 per person). 

*Please note that optional excursions are reserved and paid for on the first day of the tour.

 
   Dates & Prices for A Taste of California

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Sept. 4 – 11, 2021 (Sat – Sat)                       $1,047                         Book Now

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   What to Expect for Highlights of Greece

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  The Weather

Like most Mediterranean places, Greece tends to have long, warm summers and cool, moderate winters.  In the summer months, highs generally range from the mid 80’s to the low 90’s and the lows reach the upper 60’s.  There’s is plenty of sun and little rainfall in the summer months.

We advise our guests to bring sunscreen with them on this tour.

  Bugs and Pests

Depending on who you talk to, you’ll hear very different versions of the mosquito situation in Greece.  Based on our own experiences in Greece, we can tell you two things that we believe: 1. Mosquitoes tend to be more of a problem on the mainland than on the islands.  2. The mosquito problem begins in June, peaking in July or August, and abating in September.

Some hotels in Greece have insect repellent plug-ins that look like air fresheners.  Be sure to ask the front desk of your hotel to see if they can supply you with a plug-in.  You may want to bring some insect repellent with you. We also recommend that you keep your hotel room windows closed at night and leave the air conditioning on.  Mosquitoes don’t like air conditioning.

  Physical Activity of Tour

On a scale of 1 to 10, the level of physical activity of this tour is 6, which is moderate.  Several days will incur a great deal of walking, and there will be some steep stairs to ascend, such as on the slopes of the Acropolis and other places.  The nice thing, though, is that the physical demands diminish toward the end of the tour.

  Potential Issues

We urge our guests to use common sense on our tours.  Be wary of strangers offering you something or trying to sell you something.  Keep guard of your important belongings, such as purse, wallet, keys, and cell phone.  Pickpocketing is a problem in Athens, and pickpockets there are wily.  A common scam that occurs is where one person will walk up to you, pretending to ask directions, while his or her partner in crime will slip past you from another direction entirely, casually taking your wallet or cell phone.  Be aware of your belongings at all times.

We also urge our guests to use extra caution while crossing the street in Athens.  Walk defensively and look in every direction before crossing. Don’t walk distracted.

  What to Bring

We urge our guests to pack light.  As previously stated under our Terms and Conditions, all of our guests are allowed one carry-on measuring 45 linear inches (22 x 14 x 9) and a personal item, such as a laptop bag or purse.  We strongly recommend bringing travel size toiletries.  We recommend bringing sunscreen and possibly insect repellent.

  Journeys Between Destinations

The only journey on this tour which will be long is the five hour ferry ride between Athens and Mykonos.  The other journeys will be brief.

  Your Hotels

We strive to book hotels that are centrally located, highly rated, and close to major attractions.   The service level of this tour is Standard, which means that the hotels are upscale, in the 3 and 4 star range, and usually include a full breakfast.   

Having said that, there are a couple of things that one should understand about hotels in Europe, especially if one is from the United States.  More often than not, hotel rooms in Europe are smaller than hotel rooms in the United States. Additionally, hotel rooms in Europe may not have the exact same amenities that our American guests may be used to seeing.  For instance, many European hotels do not have elevators.

On the other hand, for our American guests who are traveling to Europe for the first time, the breakfasts that are offered at European hotels are a huge breath of fresh air.  There is usually an abundance of protein sources in the form of cold cuts, cheeses, eggs, milk, and yogurt, along with an assortment of fresh fruit, pastries, cereal, fruit juice, tea, and coffee.  Occasionally, some European hotels will serve a hot breakfast as well and this often consists of scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, and pancakes or waffles.

  Your Restaurants

We strive to treat our guests to lunches and dinners at restaurants with interesting settings and this tour is no exception to that concept.  The Santorini dinner, in particular, will take place at a venue with a beautiful view.

  
  
  Currency Exchange and Credit Card Usage

The Tour Leader will be able to tell you where to exchange currency and there will usually be a place to do so within walking distance of your hotel.  Most major banks will be able to exchange any currency that you have brought with you, for a small fee.

In most European countries (Greece included), the best exchange rate can be obtained by simply withdrawing money from a standard bank ATM using your debit card (not to be confused with your credit card).  For instance, let’s say it’s your second day in Athens and you need withdraw some euros. Just go to a local bank which has an ATM machine (often in a small, enclosed lobby-style room) and withdraw the amount of money you want.  Nearly all standard ATM machines worldwide have the capacity to issue instructions in English, so English speakers should have no problem at all understanding how to use them.

When we tell you to seek out standard bank ATM machines, we mean it.  Avoid the omnipresent stand-alone ATMs which are not part of a bank. Euronet, Moneybox, Travelex, and Cashzone are examples of independent ATM machines which have very unfavorable exchange rates.  If you have any questions at all while on tour, just ask your Tour Leader to point you the direction of a standard bank ATM. Now it’s true that your home-based bank, such as Wells Fargo, will charge a small fee ($5) for this transaction, but the European bank will not. 

But wait, why don’t I just use my VISA credit card for all my shopping and for the fancy dinner, you may ask?  That’s fine, but there’s usually a 3% foreign transaction fee (or higher) for these types of transactions. And there might even be an additional transaction fee from the store or restaurant in which you’re using your VISA card.  Dollar for dollar, withdrawing cash from a standard bank ATM in the country you’re visiting is the most cost-effective way to exchange currency.

  The Tour Leader

All of our Tour Leaders must undergo a rigorous training course designed to help them handle not only the ups and downs of a tour group situation, but also the disparate personalities that they might encounter.  All of our Tour Leaders are thoroughly background checked and must adhere to a strict code of conduct at all times.  You can rest assured that we are placing you with a Tour Leader who has your best interests at heart.

★★★★★
“!”

-Gillian, Kansas City, MO