California’s Wine Country + the famous sights of San Francisco
 
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California’s Wine Country The Sonoma and Napa Valleys + the famous sights of San Francisco October 28 to November 3, 2011 |
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Recapture that summer fun feeling with our custom-designed tour to sunny California! Tour and taste at three carefully-chosen wineries in the Sonoma and Napa Valley. Enjoy a superb dinner onboard the Wine Train, a nostalgic return to the gracious era of elegant rail travel. Visit the famous sights of San Francisco, with lots of free time to explore this amazing city from our base - the Radisson Hotel at Fisherman’s Wharf. Experience the beauty of California's Monteray Penninsula and the 17-mile coastal drive. Enjoy picturesque Carmel-by-the Sea, the majestic redwoods of Muir Woods and charming Sausalito. |
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| Your Executive Worldwide Travel Tour
Itinerary | ||||||
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Friday, October 28 Early morning Air Canada flight from Ottawa to San Francisco, via Toronto. Late morning arrival at San Francisco International Airport. Transfer to the Radisson Hotel at Fisherman’s Wharf, a contemporary-style hotel conveniently situated in the heart of the waterfront attractions. Afternoon at leisure. Evening walk to Pier 30, a shopping and restaurant complex which overlooks the bay. After viewing the sea lions which frolick on docks below the pier, enjoy the the quintessential San Francisco waterfront dining experience at our gala Welcome Dinner at the Fog Harbor House, known for its excellent cuisine and beautiful views of the marina, cityscape and bay. Fog Harbor Fish House was created by the original developers of PIER 39 and is filled with a quarter century of San Francisco history. Family-owned and operated, Fog Harbor Fish House prides itself in offering the freshest seafood in San Francisco. After dinner, enjoy the speciality stores, street performers and attractions of Pier 39 before heading back to the hotel. Overnight Radisson at Fisherman’s Wharf. D |
  
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Saturday, October 29 After an American breakfast at the International House of Pancakes at the hotel, a morning sightseeing tour of charming, unique San Francisco, the City by the Bay. Begin with a drive through North Beach, the Italian section of the city, through the financial district, to Union Square, the heart of the downtown district. Drive through the Civic Center with its impressive City Hall, its famous Opera House and its prize symphony hall. A stop will be made at Alamo Square, site of a famous postcard setting that features the San Francisco skyline overlooking a row of picture-perfect Victorians, San Francisco’s “Painted Ladies.” Continue to Twin Peaks, a 65-acre park overlooking the city known for its breathtaking view of the entire Bay area, continue to Golden Gate Park, and then the Cliff House. Following the drive through the wooded Presidio, a stop at the famed Golden Gate Bridge. Next stop will be at the California Palace of Arts, followed by a drive along Union Street with its restored Victorians and past the hotels atop exclusive Nob Hill. Last stop will be at Chinatown. Return to the hotel with the afternoon and evening at leisure. Overnight Radisson at Fisherman’s Wharf. B |
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Sunday, October 30 Following breakfast at the hotel, cross the Golden Gate Bridge for a photo stop at Vista Point, which offers commanding views of the distant cityscape and beautiful bay. Continue to Muir Woods National Monument, a grove of protected giant redwood trees. Soaring upwards from the canyon floor these giant redwoods are up to 250 feet tall and 14 feet in girth. Some are estimated to be more than 1000 years old. Named redwoods because of their red bark, the trees are native to the West Coast. At one time redwoods were abundant and grew in valleys along the Pacific coast extending from Oregon to the Big Sur in California, covering over 2 million acres in California. Now only 150,000 acres of these remain. From Muir Woods, drive past a colourful, ecclectic houseboat community to the charming town of Sausalito. Developed rapidly as a shipbuilding center in World War II, the city's industrial character gave way in postwar years to a reputation as a wealthy and artistic enclave, a picturesque residential community, and a tourist destination. Free time to shop at the stores along Bridgeway, to dine at one of the fine seafood restaurants overlooking the bay, to explore the colourful marinas and to just relax. Board the ferry for the bay crossing which passes within yards of the former island prison of Alcatraz. Often referred to as The Rock, the small island early-on served as a lighthouse, a military fortification, a military prison, and a Federal Bureau of Prisons federal prison until 1963. Today, the island is a historic site operated by the National Park Service. Mid-afternoon arrival back at the Fisherman’s Wharf area. Remainder of the day at leisure. Overnight Radisson at Fisherman’s Wharf. B |
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Monday, October 31 After breakfast, drive south along the scenic coastal highway to the beautiful Monterey Peninsula, one of the most spectacular coastal drives in the world. Visit Cannery Row, immortalized by the author John Steinbeck, which features restaurants, factory outlet stores, speciality shops and wine-tasting rooms overlooking beautiful Monterey Bay. Take the famed 17-Mile Drive, which affords an insider’s view of sheltered coves that are home to sea lions, seals and otters. Groves of cypress and pine shelter free-roming deer. A profusion of rare grasses, shrubs and wildflowers in a rainbow of colour flourishes along the length of the drive. During the course of the driving tour, stop at Bird and Seal Rocks, the Lone Cypress and the Lodge at Pebble Beach. A short drive will bring you to the quaint and charming town of Carmel-by-the-Sea, a peculiar mix of English village, ramshackle beach town and cosmopolitan shopping district. Shop the upscale stores along Ocean Avenue, have a drink at the Hogs Breath Inn, owned by actor and former mayor Clint Eastwood, or just stroll along the white sand beach. A stop will be made at the Mission San Carlos Borromeo del Rio Carmelo, the final resting place of Father Junipero Serra. One of the original 13 Spanish missions in California, it is considered to be one of the state’s most outstanding historic monuments. Head back to San Francisco through the fertile Salinas Valley, “the salad bowl of America,” and through Silicon Valley where many of the country’s computer and high tech companies are based, with arrival back at the hotel by 9 p.m. Overnight Radisson at Fisherman’s Wharf. B |
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Tuesday, November 1 Breakfast at the hotel and check out. Travel north to the beautiful tapestry of the wine country, one of the premier wine-producing regions in the world. Visit Gloria Ferrer, a lovely red-tiled roofed winery in Sonoma that overlooks San Pablo Bay. Owned by Freixenet, the Spanish makers of the highly successful Cordon Negro, the romanesque winery recalls its Barcelona heritage with its hillside caves for aging the wines. Encompassing 250 acres, the vineyards yield some of California’s finest Pinot Noir and Chardonnay – the classic grapes of fine sparkling wine. On the private guided tour, learn about the methode champenoise, the special techniques and equipment used to create the winery’s renowned sparkling wines. Following the tour, a wine tasting on the patio overlooking the Carneros region of Sonoma. Transfer to the Napa Valley and the V. Sattui Winery, a charming old-world, family-owned Italian winery located on a 38-acre vineyard in St. Helena in the heart of the Napa Valley. Private guided tour of the impressive stone winery building, built in 1885, which features underground aging cellars and a museum, followed by a sensory evaluation, a traditonal wine tasting, and a delightful gourmet picnic lunch. The luncheon is prepared by winery chef Gerardo Sainato and features delicacies from the Italian marketplace. After lunch, transfer to Dean & Deluca, a retailer which features gourmet and specialty foods, premium wines, and high-end kitchenware. The Dean & Deluca St. Helena store is unique in many ways. Much of the produce is grown on local farms, many of the cheeses are made by local artisans, and all of the 1400 wines are Californian. Check in at the Best Western Premier Ivy Napa Valley Hotel, an opulent avant-guard boutique hotel. Evening transfer to Yountville for dinner on your own at one of the excellent restaurants. Overnight Best Western Premier Ivy Napa Valley Hotel. BL |
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Wednesday, November 2 (Optional hot air balloon ride over the Napa Valley) Continental breakfast at the hotel. Late morning transfer to the Andretti Winery, a charming boutique winery. Modelled after a rambling Italian village, the winery conjures up the boyhood home of its namesake, Mario Andretti, the famous race car driver. Private guided tour of the winery, which showcases memorabilia from co-founder Andretti’s legendary racing career, followed by a traditional wine tasting. Transfer to Calistoga, a lovely town situated in the Northern Napa Valley known for its temperate climate and therapeutic hot springs. Lunch on your own with a free afternoon to shop, enjoy a spa treatment or visit “Old Faithful,” a local geyser. Return to the hotel along the historic Silverado Trail. This evening, enjoy a superb full-course progressive dinner onboard the Wine Train, a nostalgic return to the gracious era of elegant rail travel. Board one of the meticulously restored dining cars replete with etched glass, polished brass, fine fabrics and mahogany for the relaxing journey north through the heart of the Napa Valley. Overnight Best Western Premier Ivy Napa Valley Hotel. BD Thursday, November 3 Continental Breakfast at the hotel and check out. Return to San Francisco via the Oakland Bay Bridge, with a photo stop at Treasure Island for a panoramic view of the San Francisco skyline. Transfer to San Francisco International Airport for the flight home. B | ||
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Travel Agency: Executive Worldwide Travel Agent: Jean Sheikh, C.T.C. (613) 236-5555 Or 1-800-267-5552 Registration No.: 1892605 |
For more details on this tour or to request a brochure, please feel free to contact us at 613-236-5555 or email Jean Sheikh at [email protected]. | ||||
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