- USA Escorted Tours
- Spirit of the West
Experience the plucky frontier spirit of America's west coast on our touring adventure through inspiring landscapes, untamed sandstone backyards, and cities with distinct personalities. Journey from the natural marvel of Yosemite, the Grand Canyon to cool San Francisco, dazzling Vegas, and sunny San Diego.
Depart the UK on your scheduled flight to Los Angeles where you'll be met and transferred to your hotel.
Situated upon California’s idyllic coastline, the ‘City of Angels’ represents a microcosm of America; from vast suburban sprawls to towering skyscrapers, bohemian beaches to snow-capped peaks, Los Angeles is a definitive landscape of extremes. Your full day tour begins in Hollywood, a neighbourhood imbued with cinematic legend from its glamorous ‘golden age’. Wander along the star embedded Walk of Fame to a viewpoint of the iconic Hollywood sign upon the Santa Monica Mountains, then continue to Beverly Hills, a sophisticated haven of manicured mansions, star estates and Rodeo Drive’s opulent boutiques. Later in the afternoon, stop at the ocean enclave of Santa Monica city to wander along its century-old pier crowned by an illuminated Ferris wheel.
Arrive in San Diego late in the morning with time to explore the Old Town and have lunch. The Old Town is California's oldest settlement dating back to 1769 though there is evidence of humans in the area from 9,000 years earlier! Famous for Mexican food this is a great place to get lunch, In the afternoon visit Coronado Island with time to relax on the beach and then head to the lively Gaslamp Quarter.
Breakfast
This morning, after a grab and go breakfast head to the 1,600-acre Balboa Park, home to 16 museums and a theatre! After a tour of the park there are a range of optional excursions available including a Harbour Cruise or the USS Midway (bookable locally for an extra cost).
Breakfast
Today, cross state lines into Arizona, arriving at the affluent city of Mesa early in the evening, home to a melting pot of cuisines, particularly those from across the nearby Mexican border. On the way from San Diego to Mesa, Arizona we will stop in El Centro for coffee break, in Yuma for lunch and in Gela Bend for afternoon stop before arriving to Mesa.
Breakfast
This morning, undertake an optional balloon ride (at a fee) and witness the magnificent spectacle of the Sonoran Desert illuminated by daybreak. Later that morning, travel to the mystical town of Sedona and continue along Oak Creek Canyon to marvel at spectacular red sandstone formations that protrude through the verdant Coconino National Forest. Arrive in Flagstaff, brimming with smalltown character and quaint diners that line the famous Route 66 for an evening at leisure.
Begin today with one of The Seven Natural Wonders of the World, Grand Canyon National Park. Having absorbed its sheer immensity, peer down the 6,000ft drop to witness the snaking Colorado River. Wander along the south rim to admire jagged plateaus, rugged spires and crumbling ridges or take a walk along the Bright Angel Trail to spot inquisitive Albert squirrels, precarious bighorn sheep and the illusive Californian Condor. Later this afternoon, head back to Flagstaff for an evening at leisure. Optional excursion (payable locally) - Grand Canyon by helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft.
Set off this morning and arrive late afternoon to your hotel for an evening to unwind or experience the neon vibrancy of the Vegas strip.
Today is at leisure to explore the west's dazzling rhinestone city at your own pace. Begin at the 1,100ft summit of Stratosphere Tower for a unique observation of Las Vegas; pass the Bellagio's soaring fountain plumes before trying your hand at poker in Caesars Palace or travelling the world in one day as you visit the city's replica landmarks.
This morning, make your way across the dry expanse of the Mojave Desert, back to the 'Golden State of California. En route, witness the peculiar spectacle of the 'boneyard', home to hundreds of obsolete commercial airliners preserved by torrid desert conditions. Your day concludes in Visalia, a quaint farming community brimming with old-town charm.
Spend today in one of the world's most dramatic geological marvels, the UNESCO recognised Yosemite National Park. With varicoloured wild meadows, thunderous glacial rivers cascading from dizzying granite peaks and crumbling pinnacles, pines, cedars and oaks forming jagged silhouettes against the open sky, this display of the West's natural majesty is unparalleled. Later this afternoon, journey to Modesto for an evening at leisure.
In the morning, depart Modesto and travel to San Francisco. Amid a rolling veil of mist, this slender peninsular occupies 47 elevated square miles populated by the clatter of old-fashioned cable cars, diverse neighbourhoods and an unmistakable collection of landmarks to discover on your afternoon tour. View China town's enchanting live markets, paper lantern marquee and pocket size side streets, continuing to the Presidio, a serene park inviting visitors to panoramic vistas across the bay, out towards Alcatraz Island and San Francisco's calling card - the iconic Golden Gate Bridge.
Today, experience the sights of the city at leisure. Visit the vibrant boardwalk of Pier 39, lined with delicious seafood eateries and a herd of resident seals who mysteriously appeared after the 1989 earthquake. Stroll alongside technicolour houses set against a Frisco skyline know as the 'Painted Ladies'; alternatively, take advantage of California's idyllic climate by visiting the vineyards of Napa Valley to sample renowned wines including Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Optional excursion (payable locally) - San Francisco Bay Cruise.
Depart San Francisco and head to Monterey. Enjoy some free time at Cannery Row and the surrounding area before departing to Carmel. Known for the museums and library of the historic Carmel Mission, you will have some time to explore the fairytale cottages and galleries of its village-like centre. You will then head off to San Simeon using Highway 101 where you once again have a little bit of time to explore.
Breakfast
Continue along the California coast stopping at beautiful Santa Barbara before your return flight to the UK, or continue on to your chosen extension.
Your flight lands back in the UK today.
Use discount code TOUR100 at the checkout to save £100 per person on selected tours departing in September 2026 and November 2026
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Our tour guide, Christina, was brilliant. She was very knowledgeable and very organised. Our driver, Sam, was also great and worked hard to ensure we got to every location safely and smoothly. They was both a great combination and made my trip how special as it was.
Max Bell
06 OctoberMax (driver) and Ken (Guide) were both amazing. They couldn't have done anything more to make the trip better. I did some independent trips outside of those scheduled and Ken always checked in to make sure I was ok and constantly offered help to everyone. At the end of the trip, it felt like we were a family traveling together (without any arguments)
Allison Smith
02 OctoberThis trip blew me away. From start to finish everything I saw was amazing and far exceeded my expectations.
It is tiring moving on every day or every other day but you fit so much in.
The guide was funny, super helpful, and gave those added extras that weren’t necessarily part of the itinerary. He also explained a lot of historical facts and showed us DVDs which all added to the experience. Truly fascinating.
I did have concerns as this was my first escorted trip. As a solo female traveller I wasn’t sure what to expect. I needn’t have worried. Everyone was lovely and there was a lot of camaraderie and banter. A really enjoyable two weeks. Most people on the trip had travelled with Mercury before and I will definitely be booking another escorted trip
This trip was excellent value for money.
Clare Davies
22 NovemberThe order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions or for operational purposes. For this reason, we have indicated approximate times only. Your local guide will inform you of any schedule changes as they are informed of them. The driving times listed are point to point and do not include the duration of excursions or stops en route. Some road construction and/or weather conditions may lengthen the driving times. Our intention is to adhere to the day-to-day itinerary as printed; however, order of events and sightseeing may vary according to local conditions.
If booking more than 12 weeks before departure a deposit of £295.00pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 12 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 12 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.
All UK passport holders must have a biometric e-passport and your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date you are expected to arrive back in the UK. Important note: if you do not have a bio-metric e-passport, you will be refused entry into the USA.
You will need to obtain an ESTA visa. This must be applied for at least 7 days before you are due to land in the USA. An ESTA can be applied for directly on the website of the Department of Homeland Security. The Fee for application is approximately $40.00 plus a processing fee and is applied for and payable via a Credit / Debit Card online. https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta
Alternatively we work closely with The Travel Visa Company who will be who will be able to arrange the ESTA visa on your behalf. Please call them on 01270 250590 and quote 'Mercury Holidays'. When Calling the Travel Visa Company they will advise you of any changes to the fees or procedure, they will also advise you all of the information they will require in order to apply for the visa.
The US Government enforces a restriction on people who have travelled to Cuba since on or after 12 January 2021. These travellers are no longer eligible to apply for the ESTA Visa Waiver programme and need to apply for a US visitor's visa (B1/B2) via their nearest US Embassy. This ban includes transit, where you’re flying on to another country.
Please note your final documentation will be sent to you approximately 21 days before departure. Check in baggage is included with your flight. Weight restrictions will be finalised on your final documentation. Should you wish to take additional luggage you will need to pay extra at check-in. Check-in should be at least 3 hours before departure. If you wish to arrange Airport car parking or accommodation at preferential rates, we recommend you book this in advance with Holiday Extras on 0333 188 0407, quoting HX313.
IMPORTANT: A printed E-ticket is no longer required at check-in, all you need to do is present your passport to the staff at the desk and your boarding pass will be given to you. Please note that you should carry your invoice with flight details on it as you will need to show this at the airport.
We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras, including up to a 20% discount, which is given to all Mercury Holidays customers. To arrange your insurance with Holiday Extras, please visit https://www.mercuryholidays.co.uk/info/insurance for more details. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24 hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.
It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, http://travelhealthpro.org.uk/, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.
This tour is accessible to most people with a good level of fitness and normal mobility. It involves climbing of steep stairs and getting on and off coaches and boats. This tour is not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties.
The currency in America is the United States Dollar (USD). You will be able to change currency both before you travel and whilst you are away. You will also have access to ATMs during your tour where you can withdraw money in the local currency. Major Credit and Debit Cards are widely accepted.
As normal practice you may be asked for your Credit / Debit card details on check-in at the hotel in order to cover any extras incurred during your stay. If you do not have a credit card, you may be asked for a cash deposit. MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted in hotels as well as American Express.
You will need to take money with you to cover any personal purchases such as souvenirs, laundry and extra drinks and snacks. Approximately £700- £900 per person will be sufficient for the duration of the tour.
Tipping
Tipping is very common practice in America. It is customary to tip your guides and driver. Please allow approx. 8-11 USD per person per day for the Tour Guide and 7-10 USD per person per day for the Driver. (All tips will be collected by your tour director on the last day) . Tipping at restaurants, hotel staff etc. is discretionary.
The minimum number of travellers in your group will be 30 and the maximum will be 45. If in the unlikely event there are less than 30 people booked on your tour date, we will endeavour to reduce any disruption to your holiday and try to operate your tour with lower passenger numbers. If we are not able to operate your departure date then you may be asked to change to a different date and a full refund will be made available to you should this alternative not be suitable.
This is a fully escorted tour meaning that you will be met on arrival and will have a guide with you throughout your stay until you depart San Francisco ensuring that you have first-hand knowledge at all times.
Our standard transport for a USA Tour is an air-conditioned motorcoach with onboard facilities. Motorcoaches included on our USA tours are based on a capacity of 47-55 guests.
Your accommodation is selected for convenience, location, comfort or character, and can range from business hotels to leisure hotels. Hotel accommodation is generally rated as local three to four-star standard, but please note there is no international classification system for hotels, and differences in facilities and quality do exist compared to what you might expect in the UK. All group tours hotels have private bathroom facilities and air-conditioning, where needed. Rest assured that all accommodation used by Mercury Holidays is regularly inspected by our staff and partners to ensure that standards meet your needs.
In the USA, the Triple or Quad Room will be a double room with two queen size beds in the room. Most hotels don’t have additional space in the room to add any rollaway bed or sofa bed.
Breakfast (when Included) will be of a continental style, and at some hotels will be a “Grab & Go “ style. A Grab & Go will usually consist of Coffee / Juice and Bakery items. If you would like a full service hot breakfast, there are many local eatery options outside of your hotel.
Dinner (when included) will be taken in local restaurants or at the hotel. A variety of restaurants are visited giving you the chance to experience a range of local of dishes and flavours. Meals that are included are listed in the full itinerary
Vegetarian and Vegan meals can be catered for.
Please contact Customer Experience for questions about other dietary requirements or allergy information.
It is not recommended to drink the tap water, even in developed counties water may contain unfamiliar elements that can cause upset stomachs. In less developed countries water is not filtered in the same way as the UK. Bottled Water will be available to purchase at Shops, Hotels & Lodges.
On your arrival, you will be met by a representative from our local agent, Destination America, holding a sign displaying: “Mercury Holidays”. The Mercury Holidays/Destination America representative will show you to your transfer vehicle. Your national guide will be on hand 24 hours a day should you have any queries.
If you need to contact your representative during your stay the details are:
Destination America: Email: doperations@destamer.com
Emergency contact information: Please find below the emergency contact details for Destination America 24 hour Emergency number: 001 310 617 6635
