2010 Itinerary
Tauck presents California travel at its best - departures fill quickly, so don't delay - book today!
Inclusive Prices
Hotel Accommodations – The tour price includes all hotel accommodations with private baths. Our standard is to provide the best available accommodations without sacrificing value. Although the quality of accommodations may differ slightly from one hotel to another, our commitment to your comfort is unwavering. Two-bedded rooms are reserved in most hotels. Triples are usually two-bedded rooms plus a rollaway cot and are not recommended for comfort.
Meals – Most meals are included as specified in the itinerary.
Tauck Director – California‘s Gold Coast is conducted by a Tauck Director who will remain with the group throughout the tour. Your Tauck Director is a professional, fully trained employee of Tauck.
Gratuities Included – All customary gratuities for hotel and restaurant staff and local guides are included.
No Options Sold – Your Tauck Director will assist with information on free-time activities based on honest opinion and guidance, but they will not sell you anything. This means better value and a more relaxed and pleasant experience for you.
Not Included
Airfare to the tour departure point and from the tour ending point is not included. Airfare may be purchased from us for travel originating in the United States.
Hotel Rooms Before and After Tours – To avoid jet lag and possible flight delays, you may wish to make hotel arrangements for the nights preceding or following your tour. As a service, we will book additional nights for you on a space-available basis using special rates only available through us. Hotel room charges will be added to the tour cost. Airport transfers are included for these bookings. If you wish to spend additional nights, please consult the Extend This Journey section on this webpage and discuss it with our your reservations sales consultant or travel agent when you book your tour.
Luggage Responsibility – Although every effort is made to handle your luggage carefully, we cannot be responsible, assume liability or accept claims for loss or damage to luggage and personal effects due to breakage, theft, or fair wear and tear through hotel, airline and group carrier handling. It is important for your own self-interest and protection that you make certain you have adequate insurance to cover these eventualities. Please refer to Tauck Travel Protection on this webpage for more information.
- Pack at least one change of clothing in your carry-on bag
- Split your items between your suitcase and a traveling companion's suitcase
- Do not pack any vital medications or valuables in your checked luggage
- Confirm that your luggage is checked and tagged to your final destination at airport check-in
- Place your luggage claim tags in a secure place for your flight
- File a claim for any missing luggage immediately before leaving the baggage claim area
- Secure a case number and contact information for follow-up communications
- Make certain that the airline has your onward itinerary
Personal Expenses such as phone calls, room service, alcoholic and other beverages not specifically included, laundry, dry cleaning, airline excess luggage charges, vaccinations, visa fees and services, airport arrival and departure taxes, individual airport transfers (when applicable), and other optional or incidental extras are not included and may be significant.
Tauck Director Gratuities - The customary gratuities for the Tauck Director and local drivers are not included. We ask that gratuities be extended on a voluntary, individual basis and not as a group.
Additional Information
Airline Security Measures –
If you are traveling from the U.S., the U.S. Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) Secure Flight program requires that your name, as it appears on your domestic or international airline ticket, must precisely match your name as it appears on the government-issued photo ID (i.e., passport or driver’s license) that you present during security screening. The ID name must also match any additional airline data, such as frequent-flyer information. For example, if you present your driver's license to security and it says John T. Smith, your ticket must also say John T. Smith, not John Thomas Smith, Jack Smith, or any other variant. Your date-of-birth and gender information provided to the airline must also match your passport.
If you make your air travel arrangements through us, please ensure that the name you provide us precisely matches your name as shown on the identification you will use while traveling. If you make your own airline reservations, please ensure that the airline has the correct information.
For more information on the Secure Flight program, please visit the TSA web site by clicking here.
If you are traveling from an airport outside the jurisdiction of the U.S, you will need to determine what travel documentation and identification is required for that particular airport.
Due to heightened security regulations, certain items such as a metal nail file, pocketknife, cigarette lighter, or tweezers, and some liquid, gel, or aerosol items may not be permitted in your carry-on luggage. Please call your airline prior to departure to obtain current information on non-permissible carry-on items and recommended airport check-in times.
Air Services – Airfare may be purchased through us for travel originating in the United States. By using our air services, you agree that we, in purchasing, selling or otherwise arranging air transportation, are acting only as your agent and are not liable or responsible for any accident, death, personal injury, illness, property damage, delay or other loss or expense of any nature whatsoever arising directly or indirectly out of any act of God, or any actions or omissions (including any failure to provide services) or default of, any carrier. All carriers are independent contractors and are not owned, managed, controlled or operated by us. Your airline ticket constitutes a contract between yourself and the airline only, even if purchased through us. We are not liable for, and do not assume responsibility or accept claims with regard to seat assignments, schedule changes, flight changes, cancellations, claims for a refund or reimbursement of airline ticket fees, or any other loss incurred by you for any reason whatsoever (including, without limitation to, bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization or similar relief from creditors). We must handle ticketing for our special fares, which are subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed until reserved. Our air services can only be purchased in conjunction with a one of our tours. Tickets or e-ticket numbers will be mailed with final documents. If you cancel or change your air booking before or after departure, all airline cancellation and change fees will apply.
Holiday and Museum Closures – Museum visits and personal shopping time may be disrupted due to unforeseen circumstances or the many state, religious and civic holidays locally observed. You may wish to log on to Wikipedia to view a list of holidays by country by clicking here.
Itinerary Changes and Price Flexibility – We pledge to make every effort to operate all tours as advertised. We reserve the right to alter or curtail the itinerary, or substitute sightseeing, hotels, and/or conveyances as deemed necessary. Any savings realized by these changes will be refunded to you. Any resultant added expense will be covered by us. Although not expected, prices on this website may be modified due to unexpected significant external factors not forecast at the time of publication.
Journey Start and End Times are provided at the time of booking. When making flight arrangements, please allow sufficient time to claim luggage and clear customs in order to join the tour on time.
The tour begins at 5:30 PM at The Westin St. Francis in San Francisco on the first day of the tour. You or your booking agent will be advised of any change to this schedule. The tour ends when you check out of the from the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina on the last day of the tour. Check out time at the hotel is 12 PM. Transportation to the airport is provided by the hotel's complimentary shuttle service. Each carrier and each airport has different rules regarding how early you must arrive for flight check in. Please contact your individual carrier for this information.
Membership will be granted to all persons. We reserve the right to terminate the tour of any persons who are abusive of others or whose behavior disrupts the tour.
Photography on Tour – Occasionally, we will use photographs and/or video taken by fellow guests or your Tauck Director on your tour for print, Internet and other media promotional purposes. If you prefer that your image not be used in any marketing activities, please notify your Tauck Director at the start of your tour.
Preparing to Go
Travel Document Requirements – California’s Gold Coast begins and ends in the U.S.
If you a citizen of another country, you should contact an embassy or consulate of the U.S. to determine what travel documentation is necessary. You may also log on to the U.S. State Department’s Internet site by clicking here.
We strongly recommend that your passport be valid for six months beyond the completion of your tour. We also recommend that you make at least two photocopies of all the travel documents that you bring with you. Include copies of the photo page of your passport that contains the date of issuance, the date of expiration and your citizenship, as well as both sides of your driver’s license. Secure one set of copies in the safe in your room while traveling and leave one set behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your documents or cards are misplaced, lost or stolen.
Babysitting – Tauck journeys are designed for adults and children to share the wonder of discovery together. However, our guests have occasionally inquired about babysitting services. If you are interested, your Tauck Director will put you in contact with the appropriate hotel staff with whom you may make babysitting arrangements, to ensure your precise needs are met. There is usually an additional fee for these services. Many hotels do offer babysitting services that may be arranged on site; however, babysitting services are not guaranteed at all of our hotels. Please note that our Tauck Directors are not responsible for providing babysitting services.
Safety and Welfare Responsibility – Tauck welcomes the participation of child travelers on our exciting excursions. For safety and security purposes, children under 18 years of age must be booked into a room with at least one accompanying adult. If you are traveling with a child on a Tauck journey, you have the sole responsibility for ensuring that that the child with whom you are traveling follows all rules of safety throughout the tour. By traveling with Tauck, you release Tauck, Inc. and our partners of all liability for any risks and/or injuries to the child with whom you are traveling.
Special Travel Documentation for Children
Authorization for Travel
If you travel into or out of the U.S. with children under the age of 18, you should be aware of the following: because of increasing incidents of child abductions in disputed custody cases and because children are at risk as possible victims of child pornography, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) strongly recommends that unless the child is accompanied by both parents, you should have a note from the child's other parent (or, in the case of a child traveling with grandparents, uncles or aunts, sisters or brothers, or friends, a note signed by both parents) stating that the parent(s) not traveling acknowledge that the parent(s), family members, etc. who are traveling into or out of the U.S. with the child have permission to do so.
CBP also suggests that this note be notarized. While CBP may not ask to see this documentation, if they do ask, and you do not have it, you may be detained until the circumstances of the child traveling without both parents can be fully assessed.
If there is no second parent with legal claims to the child (deceased, sole custody, etc.) any other relevant paperwork, such as a court decision, birth certificate naming only one parent, death certificate, etc., would be useful.
All children who are U.S. citizens should also have a certified copy of their birth certificate or baptism record for ID. Children over the age of 14 are also required to have a photo ID.
Authorization for Emergency Medical Treatment
In the unlikely event of a medical emergency, a medical facility will require permission from the child’s parents to provide treatment. Therefore, we strongly suggest that you bring along a letter from both parents authorizing emergency medical treatment for their child.
Air Conditioning – The hotels and motor coaches are air conditioned for your comfort.
ATM and Credit Cards - We recommend that you contact your bank in advance of departing for this event to determine whether you will be able to use your ATM and credit cards while traveling. When contacting your bank, notify them of your travel dates so that they will anticipate charges being made outside of your hometown and do not suspend your cards for what may appear to them to be "suspicious" charges. We also recommend that you make a photocopy of the front and back sides of your ATM and credit cards to leave behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your cards are misplaced, lost or stolen.
Clothing and Packing – The weather in California ranges from cool maritime conditions in San Francisco to hot and sunny conditions in southern California. Your journey is designed with leisure in mind. Dress for comfort and convenience with a wardrobe that is adaptable and allows for layering. Generally, during the day, casual, comfortable, cotton clothing is recommended. Cool weather at higher elevations or at night will require warmer, layered clothing. For the welcome and farewell receptions, casual resort wear is appropriate; formal wear is never required.
We recommend that you pack an adequate supply of your prescription medication in its original container to last through your entire journey, together with a copy of your doctor’s prescription, or a letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you, your travel documents and a change of clothing in your carry-on bag to avoid any inconvenience in the event that your flight or luggage is delayed.
Following is a list of recommended items to pack for your tour of California’s Gold Coast:
- Casual daytime wear – shorts, slacks, long and short-sleeved shirts
- An optional jacket and tie for men
- Casually elegant evening wear for ladies
- Sunglasses, sunscreen, hat
- Swimwear
- Gym wear
- A light sweater or jacket for higher elevations or a breezy night
- Binoculars (7x50 preferably)
- Insect repellent
- Camera, lenses, batteries, memory cards and/or plenty of film
- Lightweight, comfortable, sturdy walking shoes that have already been broken-in
- Battery-operated travel alarm clock
- Rain poncho and collapsible umbrella
- Zipper-lock bags
- Daypack for camera equipment
- Sundries and toiletries that may be difficult to find en route
- Copies of your travel documents that should be secured in the safe in your hotel room while traveling
Elevation - The maximum elevation on this tour is 6,000 ft (1,829 m) in Yosemite National Park; the maximum overnight elevation is at the Ahwahnee Hotel at 4,000 ft (1,219 m).
Health – California Gold Coast covers 1,100 mi (1,770 km), passes through several different climates, and leads you from the ocean shore to the mountain heights of Yosemite National Park. To enjoy this tour, you should be in good health and able to walk reasonable distances, often over unpaved and uneven surfaces. Some of the most memorable sightseeing can only be accomplished on foot. The amount of walking you do, however, is at your discretion.
On day 7, we take Tour #1 at Hearst Castle which includes La Casa del Sol, an 18-room guest cottage, the Esplanade and Gardens, the Neptune Pool and Roman Pool, and La Casa Grande, the main house. There are 150 steps at Hearst Castle. Hearst Castle offers wheelchair-accessible tours, but space is very limited and these tours must be booked well in advance. In order to take a wheelchair-accessible tour, you need to have a travel partner capable of pushing your wheelchair up and steering it down inclines.
The Getty Museum, on day 8, has a limited number of wheelchairs for guests' use. The San Diego Zoo, on day 10, rents wheelchairs and motorized carts for a fee.
Some of the optional sightseeing tours in Yosemite, while not strenuous, do involve long drives on mountainous roads and significant changes in altitude.
We regret that we cannot provide you with individual assistance for walking, dining or other personal needs. If you need such assistance, you must be accompanied by an able companion who will help you.
If you routinely require oxygen, please notify us so that special arrangements can be made.
Please check with your health insurance provider to determine whether you are covered while traveling. If you will not be covered under your current policy, we strongly suggest that you arrange for adequate coverage while on tour.
If you have a medical condition which might limit your participation in activities, please consult your physician for pre-departure health advice and notify Tauck as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. We will advise your Tauck Director accordingly.
No vaccinations are currently required for travel to California. We suggest that contact your physician, the public health service in your area, or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to obtain information regarding vaccinations and medications for vaccine-preventable diseases and other diseases for which you might be at risk when you reach your destination in the U.S. The Travelers' Health Section of the CDC operates a 24-hour "Travelers' Health Hotline" at 800-232-4636 (toll-free in the U.S.). You may also log on to the CDC website by clicking here.
Luggage Restrictions -
Checked Luggage – General
While it is common for airlines to allow passengers to check more than one piece of luggage per person, space constraints during your Tauck journey make it difficult to accommodate extra luggage. We ask that you limit your checked luggage to one average size suitcase per person.
Recently, airlines have adopted policies enforcing strict number, size and weight limits. Luggage exceeding maximum restrictions may require expensive overage fees, frustrating and hurried re-packing at the ticket counter, or even risk being left behind.
Many carriers require that checked luggage not exceed a weight of 50 lbs (22.7 kg) per piece. Airlines revise luggage policies frequently and often without notice; therefore, we cannot be held liable for the accuracy of the weight limit listed above. We urge you to check with your airline before traveling to determine current number, weight and size restrictions. It is also important to note that restrictions for luggage number, weight and size may vary with the same airline based on the class of service you select. First and Business Class ticket holders may have different restrictions than Coach Class travelers. You may wish to consult the luggagelimits.com by clicking here,
We cannot be held liable for additional fees or inconveniences imposed by the airline due to luggage number, weight and size policies.
Please be sure to attach your Tauck luggage tag to your suitcase before leaving home!
Carry-on Luggage - General:
Although oversize bags and wheeled, carry-on luggage are popular for airline travel, they are often not convenient or appropriate for motor coach travel or for many on-tour flights. Most modern sightseeing motor coaches offer limited space for numerous or larger items. Space under seats or in the overhead rack is typically small, and designed to accommodate items like coats, hats, purses, and small camera bags, etc.
For your day-to-day travel while on tour, we recommend that you limit your hand luggage to a small, soft-sided carry-on piece, and that you bring only those items you need handy during the day such as make-up, medications, cameras, film, etc. Items too large to fit under the motor coach seat or on the overhead rack must be stored in the luggage bays beneath the motor coach, and may be inaccessible during daytime travel.
Destination Information
Cell Phones - We understand and appreciate the value of instant communication when we travel; it keeps us in touch with friends and family, and it's a reassurance in the event of an emergency. However, the use of cell phones can be disruptive to a tour and to other guests who are enjoying their vacation. As a courtesy to others, we ask that you refrain from using your cell phone during motor coach travel or group functions, when sightseeing and when the Tauck Director is addressing the group as a whole. There will be many opportunities to make or receive calls at times when it does not affect others.
Please contact your cell phone carrier to determine whether your service extends to California.
Currency and Exchange Rates - The U.S. dollar (USD) is the unit of currency and is divided into 100 cents. Only major banks exchange foreign currency. ATMs are widespread and credit cards and travelers’ checks are widely accepted. Travelers’ checks should be taken in U.S. dollars to avoid hassles. Banking hours are generally Monday to Friday 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
To obtain the most current exchange rates for all national currencies, you may want to check your local newspaper or log on to oanda.com by clicking here.
Customs and Tax-Free Shopping –
If you are not a resident of the United States, you are normally entitled to a duty-free exemption of $100 USD on items that you bring into the U.S. To find out more information on what information must be provided to U.S. Customs and Border Control (CBP) upon entry, please refer to their website by clicking here. You should also refer to your own country’s rules and regulations regarding customs and duty-free shopping to ensure compliance upon your return.
The individual states within the U.S. levy sales taxes on consumer goods and services. There is no federal tax similar to the Value Added Tax (VAT) used in other countries that would permit non-residents to obtain refunds of the sales taxes levied by each state.
Internet Access - Access is available at all the hotels as indicated below:
The Westin St. Francis – High speed access in rooms for a fee
The Ahwahnee – Complimentary wireless access in the Great Hall
InterContinental The Clement Monterey – High speed access in rooms for a fee
The Cliffs Resort – Complimentary high speed access in rooms; 3 guest computers are located in the lobby
The Langham Huntington, Pasadena, Los Angeles – High speed access in rooms for a fee
Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina – High speed access in rooms for a fee; complimentary access in the lobby on 5 guest computers
Time Zones – California is 8 hours behind Coordinated Universal Time (or Greenwich Mean Time). From early March to Early November, California switches to Daylight Savings Time and is 7 hours behind.
To determine current time in major cities around the world, we suggest you log on to the timeanddate.com by clicking here.
Weather - Weather in California varies moderately with the seasons, and the temperatures in San Francisco and along the central coast average 10 ºF+ (6 ºC) cooler than Los Angeles from February to October.
The average high temperature in spring and fall for all the locations combined is 68 ºF (20 ºC); the average low temperature is 49 ºF (10 ºC). The average high temperature in summer is 77 ºF (25 ºC); the average low temperature is 57 ºF (14 ºC).
You may encounter occasional fog in San Francisco, Monterey, and along the coast; it can also be quite breezy and a bit chilly in the summer months. But the inland and southern California areas are desert-based, the air is dry year-round, and the daytime temperature can drop up to 20 ºF (12 ºC) degrees by evening.
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Average Temperature
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|||
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San Francisco, California
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Ahwahnee, California
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Month
|
Hi/Lo ºF
|
Hi/Lo ºC
|
Hi/Lo ºF
|
Hi/Lo ºC
|
|
February
|
59 / 47
|
15 / 8
|
58 / 32
|
14 / 0
|
|
March
|
61 / 48
|
16 / 9
|
59 / 34
|
15 / 1
|
|
April
|
62 / 49
|
17 / 9
|
65 / 38
|
18 / 3
|
|
May
|
63 / 51
|
17 / 11
|
75 / 44
|
24 / 7
|
|
June
|
66 / 52
|
19 / 11
|
84 / 51
|
29 / 11
|
|
July
|
65 / 53
|
18 / 12
|
93 / 57
|
33 / 14
|
|
August
|
65 / 53
|
18 / 12
|
92 / 57
|
33 / 14
|
|
September
|
69 / 55
|
21 / 13
|
85 / 51
|
29 / 11
|
|
October
|
68 / 54
|
20 / 12
|
76 / 44
|
24 / 7
|
|
|
|
|||
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|
Los Angeles, California
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San Diego, California
|
||
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Month
|
Hi/Lo ºF
|
Hi/Lo ºC
|
Hi/Lo ºF
|
Hi/Lo ºC
|
|
February
|
66 / 47
|
19 / 8
|
63 / 48
|
17 / 9
|
|
March
|
67 / 48
|
19 / 9
|
64 / 50
|
18 / 10
|
|
April
|
70 / 50
|
21 / 10
|
66 / 53
|
19 / 12
|
|
May
|
72 / 53
|
22 / 12
|
67 / 56
|
19 / 13
|
|
June
|
76 / 56
|
24 / 13
|
69 / 59
|
21 / 15
|
|
July
|
81 / 60
|
28 / 16
|
74 / 64
|
23 / 18
|
|
August
|
82 / 60
|
28 / 16
|
74 / 64
|
23 / 18
|
|
September
|
81 / 58
|
27 / 14
|
73 / 62
|
23 / 17
|
|
October
|
76 / 54
|
24 / 12
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71 / 57
|
22 / 14
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Average Rainfall
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|||
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|
San Francisco, California
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Ahwahnee, California
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||
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Month
|
Inches
|
Millimeters
|
Inches
|
Millimeters
|
|
February
|
3.8
|
97
|
5.6
|
142
|
|
March
|
3.1
|
79
|
5.5
|
140
|
|
April
|
1.5
|
38
|
3.0
|
76
|
|
May
|
0.7
|
18
|
1.0
|
25
|
|
June
|
1.0
|
25
|
0.3
|
8
|
|
July
|
0.0
|
0
|
0.1
|
3
|
|
August
|
0.0
|
0
|
0.1
|
3
|
|
September
|
0.3
|
8
|
0.7
|
18
|
|
October
|
1.0
|
25
|
1.4
|
36
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Los Angeles, California
|
San Diego, California
|
||
|
Month
|
Inches
|
Millimeters
|
Inches
|
Millimeters
|
|
February
|
3.0
|
76
|
2.1
|
53
|
|
March
|
2.8
|
71
|
1.5
|
38
|
|
April
|
1.0
|
25
|
0.7
|
18
|
|
May
|
0.4
|
10
|
0.3
|
8
|
|
June
|
0.1
|
3
|
0.1
|
3
|
|
July
|
0.0
|
0
|
0.1
|
3
|
|
August
|
0.0
|
0
|
0.1
|
3
|
|
September
|
0.2
|
5
|
0.1
|
3
|
|
October
|
0.6
|
15
|
0.4
|
10
|
To read about current weather conditions, we suggest you log on to noaa.gov by clicking here.
If You Have to Cancel
If you choose not to purchase Tauck Travel Protection or Cancellation Fee Waiver, you will incur cancellation penalties per person as follows:
60 days or more before departure
$350 per person (the cost of the deposit)
59-8 days before departure
$600 per person
7-1 days before departure
$900 per person
Did you know that you can link-up Tauck itineraries to create longer journeys? Many of these trips are in the same region, and depending upon availability you might connect with them before or after your trip. Alternatively, you might find one of these options better suited for your interests and preferences or for when you are available to travel.
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