Overall
This trip took the planning away from our holiday which we needed as this was our honeymoon. It is an excellent way to see lots of places and as a taster to discover places you would like to revisit. As we are usually independent travellers we struggled with time restrictions in places we would have liked to spend more time in. If, like me you need constant conversation and many people around you then this is perfect. My husband is not exactly like that and he found he needed time away from the group more. I would like to think we would be doing another tour at some point. This would be an excellent way to visit places such as China or Japan where the language barrier poses issues.
Clothing
Most of the clothing we took included cropped trousers and shorts with vest tops and t-shirts for the daytime. The evening was also casual in most places although it depended on what your plans were. We did take some dressy clothes for Las Vegas. Jeans were great for San Francisco and evenings in Flagstaff and Oakhurst.
Tips
Tipping is a part of life in America and can take some getting used to. Thomas Cook provided guidelines on these which was useful. They state that tips should be given on an individual basis and not as a group collection. Local tour guides should be paid $2 per person per half day. Taxi drivers and waiters should received 15-20%. Bar staff should receive $1-2 per drink. Buffet servers who clear the plates and top up drinks should receive $1 per person. Housekeepers should be paid $1-2 per person per night. Both the Tour Manager and coach driver should receive $2-4 per person per day dependent upon your level of satisfaction. We decided to pay the coach driver $5 each day we travelled on the coach. Because the driver (Chris) was excellent we gave $80 extra at the end. Between us we decided that Geoff would receive $150. The door-to-door pick up service saved us a lot of money and we were travelling a long distance, we decided to tip £50 each way and this was halved with the two drivers on the return journey.
Tour Group
We had a very nice mix of people on our tour who were respectful of others. There was at least three people in their twenties, at least two in their thirties, two lone travellers and three family groups, one of which were parents and their adult children. The eldest passengers were in their seventies. There was a lovely and more relaxed atmosphere amongst the group following the BBQ evening in Oakhurst and it was a shame that evening wasn’t earlier in the holiday.
Day 15 - Heathrow to Home
We arrived in Heathrow the next day where we left Geoff and the rest of the group. Geoff was waiting at baggage claim and said bye to everyone as they collected their bags. It was not possible to say bye to all the other passengers as everyone was busy with their bags. The drivers were all waiting for the tour and ours took my heavy cases from me. It was a short walk to the car and we set off straight away. The driver was interested to hear about the holiday and flights. He said that he had heard bad reports about the BA flights and the reports were all very similar to ours. We had to change cars at Donnington Services in the East Midlands and had another nice driver. We got back home at teatime and ordered some food then went straight to bed.
Day 14 - San Francisco to Heathrow
As we had enjoyed our breakfast the previous morning, we did the same again. We were leaving today so everything had to be packed up in the cases and left in the room to be collected at 12.00pm. Instead of the optional excursion to Sausalito for $25 per person we decided to go to Union Square this morning as we wanted to finish our shopping. We walked a few blocks to the cable car stop. The shops in Union Square did not open until 10.00am so we got a drink from the café in the square and relaxed. It was nearly $10 for an orange juice and sparkling water, there was plenty of people watching from the café which made up for the extortionate prices. We went into Macy’s then the Nike store. That was all we had time for and went back to the hotel using the cable car so we could pack away our shopping before the bags were collected at 12.00pm. We checked our flight bags in with the concierge and went to In n Out Burger for lunch. This was a good burger bar and very reasonably priced. From here we went back to Ghirardelli Square which was nice just not much there and then to a Pier with old boats that served as museums. There was a fee to get onto most boats. From here we decided to do some last minute shopping at Pier 39 as we had time to spare. We went to a bar called ‘Wipeout’ for a drink which was surf themed and the food looked good. It was then time to get the coach to the airport. Some people had already left to go to Hawaii and others were staying on in San Francisco, most people were leaving for home. Geoff stayed at check in and made sure everyone was okay before he checked in himself. The flight on the way back was better than outbound. It seemed that the flight had been amalgamated again as there were a French crew (as well as the BA crew) and many French passengers. Our seats were at the window so we had another passenger sitting in the isle seat, we had to wake this passenger up to use the toilet as she slept most of the way back. The flight was very quiet and there was not much to report.
Day 13 - San Francisco
Because we had a lovely balcony with a view of Alcatraz, we decided to get some breakfast from the cart downstairs and eat it on the balcony. We really enjoyed this and the muffins and pastries were really nice. There was an included tour this morning of San Francisco and although the local guide was clearly proud of her city, she gave too much information and the tour was not the best of the trip. We did travel to very good viewing points across San Francisco and we drove over the Golden Gate Bridge. There was an optional one hour bay cruise following this tour for $22 per person which we were not able to do as we had booked Alcatraz for 1.45pm (and you have to be there a half hour before this time). Geoff had told the people who had not already booked Alcatraz tickets to go on the 2.30 crossing in order for those interested to do the bay cruise. When we spoke to the people who did the cruise they said it was very good especially going under the Golden Gate Bridge. Alcatraz was the highlight of the holiday for me and the tickets are expected to sell out around two weeks in advance. We booked tickets on the internet from the official ticket site as soon as they were released so we were not disappointed. This was an amazing experience and very inexpensive. The boat trip to the island is included in the ticket price, as was the audio tour guiding you through the prison and it’s grounds. I could not recommend this experience enough (I have always been interested in Alcatraz and it‘s history). There was an optional farewell dinner for the last night and we decided that it would be a nice evening. It cost $65 and included a three-course meal with wine and a cocktail in a cocktail lounge. On booking the tour Geoff informed us that he could not secure the cocktail lounge and the meal would be followed with a night-cap. There was around half of the tour on this excursion and from internet research another group had gone to the Rainforest Café. We left at 7.00pm and because we couldn’t go to the cocktail lounge we were taken to the opposite side of the bay for a photo stop and it was just as the sun was setting. The colour of the sky was fantastic. From here we went back to Pier 39 for the meal at Neptune‘s Palace. Geoff went in first to confirm our arrival and called us in when they were ready. The meal was beautiful and the wine was plentiful. Our glasses were topped up regularly and at the end everyone ordered a drink of their choice. Because it was our honeymoon Geoff had bought us a card which the whole group had signed and he bought us a traditional Indian glass where the bride drinks from one side and the groom from the other. This was beautiful and we loved the gift and were overwhelmed with the thought that went into it. One member of the tour was elected to say a few words to show gratitude to Geoff and his hard work during the tour. It was then time to leave and eight of us went to find a bar. Although this excursion was $65 I felt it was okay value and was worth it for the company alone. Fisherman’s Wharf was not a lively place in the evening so the first bar we went in was closing at 11.00pm, we decided to go to Hooters. We only stayed for one drink before heading back to the hotel as we were travelling the next day.
Radisson Hotel San Francisco
LOCAL AREA-I found San Francisco at night intimidating at first as the streets were full of performers with crowds of onlookers and plenty of beggars. Pick pockets were hanging around the back of the crowds and there is definitely need for caution here. Once you adjust to this environment it is fine. There were a lot of places within walking distance as the hotel was well situated for Fisherman’s Wharf. Union Square was easy reached by the cable car, tram and public bus. We used the cable car which was an experience albeit one of the most expensive ways to travel at $5 per person for a one way ticket. The tram and public bus were much cheaper. The pier for Alcatraz was a ten minute walk away and Ghirardelli Square was around 15-20 minutes. There was a cool breeze from the sea in San Francisco and a jumper or jacket would be best.
HOTEL ROOM-The balcony in this hotel was lovely, it had views of Alcatraz. The bed was another key feature. It had adjustable controls for the mattress, you could make it firm or soft and each side could be different. There was a safe and the room itself was spacious.
AMENITIES-The hotel had a pool although seldom used due to low temperatures. Even though the hotel had few amenities it was more than adequate.
DINING-There was no restaurant in this hotel though there was an ihop (International House of Pancakes)next door. On the hotel grounds there was a Johnny Rockets and Ben and Jerry’s take away. The hotel had a cart in the lobby for take away breakfast items.
HOTEL ROOM-The balcony in this hotel was lovely, it had views of Alcatraz. The bed was another key feature. It had adjustable controls for the mattress, you could make it firm or soft and each side could be different. There was a safe and the room itself was spacious.
AMENITIES-The hotel had a pool although seldom used due to low temperatures. Even though the hotel had few amenities it was more than adequate.
DINING-There was no restaurant in this hotel though there was an ihop (International House of Pancakes)next door. On the hotel grounds there was a Johnny Rockets and Ben and Jerry’s take away. The hotel had a cart in the lobby for take away breakfast items.
Day 12 - Oakhurst to San Francisco
We left for another hotel for the last time this morning and it was another 8.00am departure. The bags were collected from outside the room. The first stop was at Casa de Fruta which was a lovely shopping area. There were different shops selling local products such as sweets, wine and fruit. From here we travelled to Monterey which was a picturesque town with many seafood restaurants and souvenir shops. We had lunch in a seafront restaurant and got a window seat with sea views. It was then time to get back to the bus and travel along the 17 mile drive. This was very scenic and the coach stopped at a number of viewing points along the way for photos. The next stop was Carmel and although we only had time to get a drink and look in a few shops it was lovely. We went to a very high end shopping centre. Our next stop was San Francisco. Once we arrived Geoff checked us in and handed out the keys on the bus. The bags soon arrived at the room and we got ready to go out. There was a huge difference between Oakhurst and San Francisco, we went from a sleepy town to a multi cultural, very busy city. We decided to go to Pier 39 for dinner as there was plenty to do and it was close to the hotel. We had a look around and decided to go to the Hard Rock Café for food. We stayed on Pier 39 for the rest of the night before heading back to the hotel for some sleep.
Day 11 - Yosemite
Today we went to Yosemite National Park and Geoff was keen for an early start so we left around 8.00am. Coaches were not permitted in parts of the National Park and therefore Geoff wanted ours to be the first coach to the bus stop. The bus into Yosemite left at 9.00am and we got there in time after a photo stop at a wonderful viewing point. The bus took us to the Mariposa Grove and there was an optional tram ride around the trail. We paid $22 each for the tram which was worth the money as you each received a headset to listen to the commentary. The tram stopped at interesting sights so you could get off and walk around. The alternative to the tram ride was a long walk and some of it was uphill. The tram ride was very cold as the sunlight did not reach through the trees and there was a very cold breeze. Eve a thin jacket would not have provided much warmth. From here we took the bus to the Visitor’s Centre and as explained the day before, a packed lunch would be best. We had forgotten to take our lunch out of the fridge in our room so we had to go to the food court after all. It was exactly as Geoff described. There were queues for the food, then queues to pay for the food, then queues for the tables. By this time your food was nearly cold. The place was packed and somewhat spoiled the picturesque view. We went for a walk into a meadow and the place was tranquil, a complete contrast to the food court. Others on our tour rented bikes and there was also a complimentary bus service which was hop on hop off. We went a little way along from the Visitor’s Centre and walked back, the bus however did a full circle. We looked around the Visitor’s Centre and found a bar which served food. It was very quiet and had picture windows, we wished we had gone there for lunch. The drinks prices were high though the food prices were not as bad. From here we could get back on our coach and we went straight back to the hotel. There was an optional BBQ that evening for $22 which was a coach ride away and we enjoyed it for the company alone. The BBQ was at the Sierra Sky Ranch and was outdoors. Although it did not include burgers or alcohol, it was worth the money. Wine was $10 per bottle and quite nice. Once everyone had eaten we were asked if we wanted to go indoors as it was getting a little cold. The staff were great and were handing out complimentary tea and coffee. Everyone was in a very good mood and it wasn’t long before the group started singing. This continued even after Geoff announced it was time to go back to the hotel. Once everyone was back at the hotel the singing stopped and everyone went to bed.
Shilo Inn Hotel Oakhurst
LOCAL AREA-We only went as far as across the road although we had spoken to some people who went further and said the area was fine.
HOTEL ROOM-Room was large and had a fridge to stock the supermarket shopping. Nothing fancy although more than adequate with a kitchenette and sofa.
AMENITIES-This hotel had few amenities although we didn’t notice too much as we rarely spent time here. There was a gym.
DINING-There was no restaurant here. The hotel did provide a complementary breakfast which was very nice and you could take it back to your room. Breakfast included waffles, toast, cereal, jams, fruit, muffins and more. There was tea, coffee and juice available all day for free.
HOTEL ROOM-Room was large and had a fridge to stock the supermarket shopping. Nothing fancy although more than adequate with a kitchenette and sofa.
AMENITIES-This hotel had few amenities although we didn’t notice too much as we rarely spent time here. There was a gym.
DINING-There was no restaurant here. The hotel did provide a complementary breakfast which was very nice and you could take it back to your room. Breakfast included waffles, toast, cereal, jams, fruit, muffins and more. There was tea, coffee and juice available all day for free.
Day 10 - Las Vegas to Oakhurst
There was another early start today and again bags were collected inside rooms from 7.00am. There was trouble loading the bags onto the coach as Geoff had predicted. An 8.00am departure meant loading the bags onto the coach at 8.00am to the porters at this hotel. We were around 15 minutes late in leaving. Our first stop of the day was at Calico Ghost Town where the Sheriff got on the bus to welcome us. He was huge! This was a lovely Ghost Town with some interesting attractions. We paid $1 each to go down a drift mine where I swear I saw a ghost (and I didn‘t even believe in ghosts and had never seen one before). The next stop was at Mojave and Geoff had arranged for anyone interested to eat at Wendy’s. The menu was extensive and the food was what you would expect from a chain restaurant. It was reasonably priced and the service was good. The next stop was at a factory outlet in Tulare. There was a Baskin & Robins Ice Cream Parlour and plenty of outlet shops. We only had time for the Nike Factory Outlet and were very happy with a pair of trainers each which we could not find in Las Vegas. We joked on the way that we needed the next stop to be outside a Nike Factory Outlet and that is exactly where we were dropped off (what are the chances). From here we went to Oakhurst. We were informed en route that at Yosemite the next day, the food court available for lunch was poor and anyone interested would be dropped off at a supermarket whilst the others would be taken to the hotel, the coach would then return for the supermarket shoppers. We went to the supermarket and it had plenty of choice. Once back at the hotel everyone was given a recommendation for a restaurant next to the hotel as the hotel did not have it’s own. We took a look and as everyone had gone in at the same time it was busy. We had read about a restaurant over the road called Todd’s Cookhouse Bar-B-Que and decided to take a look. To get to the restaurant you had to cross a pitch black main road so we had to be careful. You could see the car and truck headlights from quite some distance away though. This was one of my favourite restaurants from the whole trip. When you walked in, you went to the counter and ordered food and drinks then took your drinks to a table. We went into the extension/covered porch/conservatory without windows and watched the American Football. Although the food came on plastic plates with plastic knives and forks, the food was traditional and good homemade cooking. The prices were as cheap as they come and the atmosphere was great. We were well looked after. Another couple we talked to went to a nearby Best Western hotel and said their restaurant was good. A family we talked to had gone to a nearby Chinese and loved that too. As there was not much to do at this hotel, we had an early night.
Day 9 - Las Vegas
We got up early to make the most of our time in Vegas and went for breakfast in the café. We decided not to go on the included tour of the strip and went to the Las Vegas Premium Outlets instead. This was a five minute taxi ride away (too dangerous to walk) and cost $8 +tip. The shopping trip was rushed as we had other things to do, we still managed to get nearly everything we were looking for. My favourite shop is COACH which sells handbags and accessories, the outlets make these products more affordable and the Brit’s wouldn’t know if any of it was ‘last season’ or not. We took a taxi back to the hotel and got ready for the evening. The evening included a trip to Wynn to see Le Reve show. This is an amazing show and was worth the money. As we could not get reservations at the SW Steakhouse, we went to the County Club restaurant instead which was lovely, just not our thing. It was overlooking the golf course and had the type of diners that would pay the extortionate $500 per person per round of golf that Wynn charges. We came out wishing we had used our front of line pass for the buffet. From here we went to play on the slots before going to Blush Nightclub. We are always a little disappointed with the nightclubs in Las Vegas as they are very much a place to be seen in and full of posers. Only guests using bottle service are allowed to sit at the tables and bottle service usually costs hundreds of dollars. The Ultra Lounges are less formal and have a better atmosphere. Needless to say we didn’t stay too long at Blush. From here we went to the Venetian and then back to Downtown.
Golden Nugget Hotel Las Vegas
LOCAL AREA-Horrid, and it is not recommended to walk around downtown especially after dark. Freemont Street is safe, although, as with most places it is best to be wary. The same can be said for the strip, pick pockets target tourists watching free street shows and it is best to carry a lockable bag or similar. For the cheapest taxi fare to the main strip, ask to go via Las Vegas Boulevard (the Strip) rather than the freeway running parallel with the strip. A cheap place to get dropped off was the Fashion Show Mall where most of the big hotel and casinos are accessible. If you are travelling further up the strip it would be a very long walk from the Fashion Show Mall so it may be worth paying the extra. It would take approximately 20-25 minutes to walk from the Fashion Show Mall to the Bellagio and this includes taking a tram between the Treasure Island and Mirage hotels.
HOTEL ROOM-Our expectations may have been a little high for this hotel. Las Vegas is renowned for extravagance and although the hotel room was very good, by Vegas standards it was average. If the Golden nugget was four stars the MGM Grand Signature would be eight. It is worth noting that it is rare to stay on floor 13 or in room 13 in Las Vegas as they usually do not exist.
AMENITIES-This hotel had the best swimming pool ever, although we did not have time to go others from the group loved it. It has recently had a multi million dollar refurbishment and is the best thing about the hotel. The slide is clear and goes through a shark tank, reviews have stated that you don’t get a good view of the sharks when travelling down the slide though.
DINING-We had one meal at the hotel and this was breakfast in the café, the food was fine and the service very slow. Prices were average for Vegas.
HOTEL ROOM-Our expectations may have been a little high for this hotel. Las Vegas is renowned for extravagance and although the hotel room was very good, by Vegas standards it was average. If the Golden nugget was four stars the MGM Grand Signature would be eight. It is worth noting that it is rare to stay on floor 13 or in room 13 in Las Vegas as they usually do not exist.
AMENITIES-This hotel had the best swimming pool ever, although we did not have time to go others from the group loved it. It has recently had a multi million dollar refurbishment and is the best thing about the hotel. The slide is clear and goes through a shark tank, reviews have stated that you don’t get a good view of the sharks when travelling down the slide though.
DINING-We had one meal at the hotel and this was breakfast in the café, the food was fine and the service very slow. Prices were average for Vegas.
Day 8 - Flagstaff to Las Vegas
The bags did not have to be collected until 7.30am this morning and we did the same as the previous morning for breakfast. The first stop on the way to Las Vegas was a route 66 village called Seligman. This was almost totally dependent on tourism and therefore provided free hot drinks and had some interesting shops. The next stop was in Laughlin near Las Vegas. It could be described as a ‘poor Vegas’ as the principle is the same (just not as big).Geoff had a buffet restaurant planned called Grand Buffet in Edgewater Hotel and casino for anyone interested and most people were keen to try it following the success of the last one. This was $9.99 +tax and the food was more than adequate. There was so much choice and the tables were cleared constantly. From here we travelled to Vegas. The one issue that is worth mentioning is the travel on this day. Following 9/11 no buses or trucks are allowed to cross the Hoover Dam from Arizona into Nevada and because of this our journey time increased by a few hours. I believe that Thomas Cook could arrange for the bus to drop the tour group off at the Arizona side of the Dam and then to complete the long journey without the guests on the bus. This would allow the group to spend a few hours at the Dam and visitor’s centre while the bus did the journey to the Nevada side of the Dam. It seemed a shame to travel all that way and not have the opportunity to see Hoover Dam. Okay moan over. Geoff had told us on the way into Las Vegas that the service at the hotel was not as high as the other places on the tour and this showed in the length of time for the bags to get to the rooms. Having been to Las Vegas earlier that year we were very keen to go straight out and needed our bags to get changed. There was an optional tour of the strip that night for $30 and we opted out as we were already orientated and knew what we wanted to do. For a first time traveller, this tour would be very good. Some of the places the tour went would not have been our first choice for the time available, we felt there would have been more interesting shows etc elsewhere. Personal preferences are all different though. After a phone call to chase our bags and a quick change we were ready to head out. Following a taxi journey to the strip we soon found that the cheapest and quickest way to the main hotels and casinos in a taxi was via Las Vegas Boulevard. There was a nearby Deuce public bus and most of the group used this service although it did not get great reviews as the buses were so busy. We went to the Cheesecake Factory in Caesars Palace Forum Shops for dinner which was great. The portions are large and the prices reasonable. They have the biggest choice of cheesecake ever (obviously). From here we went to a little known bar in the Bellagio called Fontana and if you request a balcony seat it overlooks the fountains on the opposite side of the water to the street. It is rarely crowded and has excellent and uninterrupted views of the fountains. The drinks prices reflect the exclusive access and a glass of wine cost from $9 +tax. For Brit’s the prices are not too bad though. From there we visited Treasure Island (TI) to see the Sirens show which is very good albeit tacky and pointless. After visiting some more places we decided to head back to the hotel and take a look around downtown. We got back for the last Freemont Experience at 12am and were a little disappointed with the whole place. After visiting most of the casinos in Freemont Street, the Golden Nugget was by far the best and we found a much better atmosphere on the strip. Many people claim the best odds in Las Vegas Casinos are downtown and there are more local people compared with the strip which mainly attracts tourists. We were looking forward to Las Vegas as we had enjoyed it previously. There were two different experiences as we stayed in the MGM Grand Signature Suites the first time and I don’t think we would have wanted to return had we stayed downtown on that occasion. After gambling (and inevitably loosing) we decided to get some sleep ready for the next day.
Day 7 - Grand Canyon
The truck stop shop in the grounds of the hotel was like a small grocery shop. We bought portions of breakfast cereal and milk for the room instead of a full breakfast and this was a nice change. It was Grand Canyon day and we were taken to the airport first for the people who were taking a helicopter ride. In our case this was most people on the tour. Most people chose the normal helicopter which included one person in the front with the pilot, three on the back seat and two facing backwards in the middle. There were four people on our tour interested in the larger helicopter which included two people in the front with the pilot and four on the back seat. There were no backward facing seats and there was more room. My husband and I paid around an extra $20 per person for this helicopter and we got to sit in the two front seats and had excellent views. Everyone had been weighed on checking in and the general trend was the lightest person would be in the front. There was a $50 per person upgrade for front seats in the helicopter we went in (although we were lucky and were given these seats free). The helicopter ride was definitely an experience not to be missed and well worth the money. The normal ride was $145 per person which was payable by cash, travellers cheque or credit card. The people not going in the helicopter were taken to the first stop and this gave them extra time there. Once all the helicopters landed, everyone was back on the bus and caught up with the rest of the group. We were taken to a visitor’s centre (Bright Angel Lodge) in the grand canyon. This was lovely with amazing views, there were shops selling books and other items relating to the Grand Canyon. We had our lunch at this stop and went to the Bright Angel Restaurant inside the lodge. This was inexpensive and the service was very good. The food was really nice and not too fancy. From here we had some more stops at other parts of the Grand Canyon and throughout the day had travelled to three of the four rims to different viewing points. Once back to the hotel we went back to the same restaurant as the previous night and asked for the food to be less char-grilled. It came almost the same as before. We went into the lounge after the meal and sat and chatted to some of the tour group before bed. It was a cosy lounge and had a nice atmosphere.
Little America Hotel Flagstaff
LOCAL AREA-There was nowhere to walk to from this hotel. We tried to walk over a busy road to a nearby restaurant and there was no footpath or street lighting so headed back to the hotel for food there instead. There was a railroad near the hotel and freight trains started passing from around 6am, because they travelled through Flagstaff the trains had to sound their horns which could easily wake you up.
HOTEL ROOM-This was by far the best room of the whole holiday and everyone commented on this. The wood was solid and in a beautiful distressed white. We had two balconies in the room, one of which overlooked the pool. The room also had a large fridge.
AMENITIES-There was a gym and some excellent shops. We did not have time to look around the shops which was disappointing when seeing what others in the group had bought.
DINING-As previously stated the restaurant let the hotel down. The lounge was well worth a visit with large fireplaces and a feature bar.
HOTEL ROOM-This was by far the best room of the whole holiday and everyone commented on this. The wood was solid and in a beautiful distressed white. We had two balconies in the room, one of which overlooked the pool. The room also had a large fridge.
AMENITIES-There was a gym and some excellent shops. We did not have time to look around the shops which was disappointing when seeing what others in the group had bought.
DINING-As previously stated the restaurant let the hotel down. The lounge was well worth a visit with large fireplaces and a feature bar.
Day 6 - Palm Springs to Flagstaff
Again the same system applied, the porters collected the bags from 7.00am inside the room. They knocked first and if you were not in the room, they let themselves in to collect the cases. This worked well if you wanted to go for breakfast. The coach left at 8.00am. There was a long drive today and after 2 hours on the road we parked at a truck stop for a break just over the Arizona border. The next stop was a Hometown buffet in Phoenix for $8 after another 2 hour drive and this proved to be very popular with most of the group. It was only when we pulled out of the complex that we noticed a Hooters restaurant a short walk away which would have suited us better. The following stop was a photo opportunity in Red Rock Canyon , shortly followed by an hour stop in Sedona. This was very beautiful and Geoff gave an excellent recommendation of a café overlooking the mountains. We waited until the end of the free time to get a drink when it was quieter and most people had then decided to look around the nearby shops. We then got good seats on the outside balcony. Just after 6.00pm we arrived at the hotel. We unpacked and went to the Steakhouse restaurant. This was the upscale restaurant and it did not do justice to the rest of the hotel. The chef really did like char-grilled food which was a shame because the quality of the ingredients was very good. This restaurant was not good value for money. We were tired and wanted to go back to the room early, we took the unfinished bottle of wine from the restaurant back to the room.
Day 5 - Palm Springs
There was an optional Palm Springs Sightseeing Excursion which cost $38 per person for four hours. We decided to spend the day shopping instead. There were some very good reviews from the group about the excursion, particularly about the local Tour Guide. After consulting the concierge about taxi fares to Desert Hills Premium Outlets, we decided to go to the Westfield Shopping Centre, Palm Desert. When checking with the taxi driver, he confirmed that it was just over $40 one way to Westfield Shopping Centre, Palm Desert and just over $60 one way to Desert Hills Premium Outlets. Again we went to the main street in Palm Springs for the evening and had dinner on a balcony in The Falls Steakhouse overlooking the main street. From there we went to the bar in Las Casuelas where we had some very good margaritas. It was time to get some sleep ready for another early morning so we went back to the hotel.
Wyndham Hotel Palm Springs
LOCAL AREA-There was plenty of restaurants and shops within walking distance of the hotel. There were also places to visit a short bus or taxi journey away.
HOTEL ROOM-After reading the reviews on trip advisor, this was a hotel we were not looking forward to. We were upgraded to a suite with a balcony overlooking the pool and I don’t think others on the tour had as nice a room, I did not hear any complaints. The only disappointing aspect was the location, whilst the hotel was only a short walk from the main street, the very high temperatures made an exposed short walk seem longer.
AMENITIES-There was a lovely pool and a Starbucks.
DINING-The only meal we had was a room service breakfast which was very nice and had large portions. It was reasonably priced. A nearby restaurant and take away named Sherman’s Deli had good reviews, unfortunately it was called for refurbishment while we were there.
HOTEL ROOM-After reading the reviews on trip advisor, this was a hotel we were not looking forward to. We were upgraded to a suite with a balcony overlooking the pool and I don’t think others on the tour had as nice a room, I did not hear any complaints. The only disappointing aspect was the location, whilst the hotel was only a short walk from the main street, the very high temperatures made an exposed short walk seem longer.
AMENITIES-There was a lovely pool and a Starbucks.
DINING-The only meal we had was a room service breakfast which was very nice and had large portions. It was reasonably priced. A nearby restaurant and take away named Sherman’s Deli had good reviews, unfortunately it was called for refurbishment while we were there.
Day 4 - Travel from Long Beach toPalm Springs Via San Diego
We had been instructed by Geoff that the cases had to been packed and ready inside the room for collection by the Porters from 7.00am. The porter arrived at our room before 7.00am and we were not finished packing, he therefore came back later. The bus left at 8.00am and we went to Old Town, San Diego. This was a lovely little village two markets selling hand made items. As we had had no breakfast we went to a Mexican restaurant. The food was lovely although the service was a little slow. As we only had one hour at Old Town, we didn’t get to see as much as we would have liked. Everyone seemed to enjoy this place. From there we went to Coronado near San Diego and met a local Tour Guide who showed us around the famous Hotel Del Coronado, we had 20 minutes free time before heading back to the bus to get to San Diego. The bus dropped us off at the Shoreside Village in San Diego and we had one hour before we had to be back on the bus. This gave enough time to have something to eat and a quick look around. There would not have been enough time to visit a different part of San Diego.We stopped for lunch in an open air food court and in the centre of the court there were children singing karaoke style. LINK TO SHORESIDE. Having travelled to America twice a year for many years I thought I had seen most cultures there although this is the first place I was approached by a beggar asking for money. The bus drove through San Diego en route to Balboa Park. This was a beautiful park and 40 minutes here did not do it justice. A full day would be needed to see everything. It took just over 2 hours to get from here to Palm Springs. We arrived around 5.00pm and drove through the village to see the area. The place was quiet for this time on a Saturday and we discovered why when exiting the bus. This place is HOT!!! Again the same scenario when arriving at a new hotel. Geoff would get off the bus and check everyone in, then hand out the keys on the bus. We had heard about a good restaurant in Palm Springs called Blue Coyote and wanted to go for dinner. We asked Geoff for directions and learned that Geoff did not travel far from the hotels in order to be available to the group. In future it was wiser to speak to local staff for recommendations and directions. A nice porter helping with the cases was able to give directions and confirmed that the restaurant was good. Once the cases arrived in the room we got ready and went to the Blue Coyote for dinner. This was the best meal we have ever had, we requested an outdoor table and were seated in an outdoor courtyard with a man playing the guitar. The food and margaritas were excellent and very reasonably priced in comparison to restaurants of the same calibre. From there we went to a few bars on the main street. The outdoor bar and restaurant at the Hyatt hotel was very good and had a lady singing. We just sat at the bar and relaxed. The temperature was still very high and all outdoor areas had water mist sprays to keep you cool. There were some English pubs on the main street in Palm Springs, they definitely had an American feel and had American sports on the TV. We went back to the hotel and sat by he pool with some members of the group with a drink before bed.
Day 3 - Disneyland
The optional Los Angeles Coast Tour was scheduled and was $45 per person for a full day. This left at 9.00am. My husband and I had planned a day at Disneyland in Anaheim and had booked a town car to collect us from the hotel. We therefore had to miss out on this trip and later learned that we didn’t miss too much. There were some okay reviews from the group.
Day 2 - Hollywood & Universal Studios
As a sufferer of jet-lag I was awake by 4.00am. We decided not to have the buffet breakfast at the hotel which was around $10 and went to the Promenade Café on the Queen Mary 1 instead. It was a lovely setting although they too had a coach tour to cater for and the service was therefore a little slow. The food was very good. We had to be back at the hotel early as the bus left at 8.10am for the day’s included excursion. It is best to note here that there was a daily seating plan which rotated the group by two rows daily. This was to ensure that seating was fair for everyone. Whilst most people seemed happy with the arrangement, this did not suit all passengers. Geoff was happy to take specific seating requests and would accommodate if reasonable. We went to Hollywood Bowl first and met the local Tour Guide (Kirt). Then we went to Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and Hollywood Boulevard. From there we toured some stars’ homes en route to the Farmer’s Market where we stayed for lunch. This is where we left Kirt. Kirt did provide recommendations for lunch and therefore went to Magee’s for sandwiches. They were very good. Everyone was back on the bus by 12.30pm so we could arrive at Universal Studios by 1.00pm. Once there Geoff went for the tickets and handed them around on the bus. He offered people the opportunity to tour the Studios with him and we said that we would prefer to do our own thing. This was fine with Geoff who understood we were used to independent travel. Universal Studios in Hollywood is much better than in Orlando, as is City Walk. There is no second park such as Islands of Adventure though. We were asked to meet at 6.00pm for the trip back to the hotel and even when our bus was late picking us up, we were back to the hotel for 7.00pm. My husband and I got the free Passport bus to Long Beach and went to Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. for Dinner. We had a lovely meal and reasonably priced. There were only bars and restaurants open in the evening in Long Beach so we went back to the hotel to catch up on sleep.
Day 1 - Heathrow to Long Beach
From the Renaissance Hotel we used the Hoppa bus to travel to the airport which was excellent. We arrived at terminal 5 early and completed the electronic check-in (an alternative to standing at the desk) and we were given a time to take our bags to the desk. The Tour Manager (Geoffrey Morris) was available to greet everyone before it was time to take the bags to the desk. It is worth noting that you have to make yourself known to the tour guide and ours was standing around the centre of the terminal. Passage through terminal 5 was simple and hassle-free although it was a long walk to the gate from the departure lounge and included a short train ride. There were plenty of shops and eateries. We went to the Gordon Ramsey Restaurant called Plane Food. It was relatively inexpensive and the food was lovely. I would not have overly high expectations of this restaurant though it was about right for the money. The flight from Heathrow to Los Angeles was with British Airways. This was the first long haul British Airways flight we made and it is poor in comparison to other companies. First Choice and BMI are far better. Upgrades were possible through Thomas Cook though very expensive. We travelled in economy and would not do this with BA again. The plane was pretty much full even when it had been changed from a 767 to a 747 (I can only assume the flight had been amalgamated with another or way overbooked). My husband and I were seated in the middle two seats in a row of four. The passengers at either side of us were lone travellers and slept most of the way. In order not to disturb we waited until they woke up before going to the toilet and it was a little uncomfortable. Even though the flight left at 4.00pm GMT and it was always light outside, the cabin crew asked everyone to pull down the window visors and the lights were dimmed for most of the flight. The positive aspect to the flight was the entertainment system, everyone had their own seatback TV and you could start, stop and pause your programmes/films as you liked. Customs and immigration at LAX were excellent (some people report that they can be quite strict with tourists), they joked with us and said that they needed the UK tourists money in the current financial climate. It didn’t take long to get through the airport, the tour group met at baggage claim and walked to the exit together. Geoff the Tour Manager went off to check the bus was ready and we walked to the bus. It only took about a half hour to get to our first hotel and we arrived at 9.20 pm local time. Everyone stayed on the bus and Geoff went to check everyone in and gather the keys. Once back the keys were distributed and the porters were waiting to take the cases to the rooms. It was possible to take your own case though porter service for one bag per person was included in the holiday price. Once Geoff handed the room keys over we went straight to the Oceana restaurant for dinner. This was the only meal we had at the restaurant and we enjoyed it despite being tired. Once we were finished the meal we went to see our room and had some much needed sleep.
Long Beach Coast Hotel
LOCAL AREA-There was a free Passport bus service from the hotel to Long Beach or an aqua bus for a small charge. It was a 15 minute walk to the Queen Mary 1 Hotel.
HOTEL ROOM-The room was on the top floor and was very spacious. The balcony was large and had a lovely view over Long Beach and the Queen Mary 1. When we arrived to our room, there was strawberries and champagne along with a note of congratulations.There was a fridge in the room although no safe. We switched off the air conditioning overnight as it was loud enough to interrupt sleep.
AMENITIES-The hotel had a nice restaurant, it also had a gift shop and gym.
DINING-We only had one meal at the restaurant here and it was good, as was the service. The prices were reasonable.
http://www.coasthotels.com/hotels/usa/california/long_beach/coast_longbeach/overview
HOTEL ROOM-The room was on the top floor and was very spacious. The balcony was large and had a lovely view over Long Beach and the Queen Mary 1. When we arrived to our room, there was strawberries and champagne along with a note of congratulations.There was a fridge in the room although no safe. We switched off the air conditioning overnight as it was loud enough to interrupt sleep.
AMENITIES-The hotel had a nice restaurant, it also had a gift shop and gym.
DINING-We only had one meal at the restaurant here and it was good, as was the service. The prices were reasonable.
http://www.coasthotels.com/hotels/usa/california/long_beach/coast_longbeach/overview
Travel to Airport
Thomas Cook gave us two choices, either a free domestic flight to London Heathrow (from Newcastle Airport in our case) or a door-to-door car service. We opted for the car service and decided to travel to Heathrow the day before the flight. We stayed at the Renaissance at London Heathrow Airport and loved it. We booked a honeymoon package which included Dinner, Bed and Breakfast in a club room and also included champagne and strawberries. We were upgraded to a suite which was beautiful. The room did not have a runway view though we had access to the lounge overlooking the runway with free non alcoholic drinks and buffet style food. A hoppa bus stopped at the hotel entrance to go to the airport terminals and cost £4.00 for a one way journey. Just next to the hotel was a bus stop where public transport buses stopped and went to the terminals, this was free of charge as it was subsidised by the local authority. The free buses would probably be best for travellers without a lot of luggage.
Introduction
After returning from holiday I wanted to share our experiences for anyone interested in taking this tour. We chose this tour for our honeymoon as we were busy planning a wedding and did not have time to plan a holiday too. This proved to be a wise choice. We travelled out on Wednesday 10 September and returned to the UK on Wednesday 24 September 2008.
Setting up the Blog
Following much research into Thomas Cook Tours, I could not find specific information about individual tours, in particular California and the Glorious West. I therefore decided to create a blog to inform others of my journey and provide an honest account of the holiday, something you may not be able to find out from Thomas Cook themselves.
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