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Independent Amtrak Tours
Escorted Amtrak Tours
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Kaleidoscope of Winter Wonders is not offered this year. A variety of other spectacular rail tours to see America by rail are currently available for travel.
A blanket of pure white snow covers the Rockies as the scenery changes along the fantastic route of the California Zephyr. As you arrive in Merced you will take a tour of Yosemite National Park, a true National Treasure. Warm up as you head south to Los Angeles and Catalina Island. From Los Angeles, take the entire Coast Starlight Journey a breathtaking rail journey to Seattle. After taking in Seattle, the Amtrak's Empire Builder follows travel Glacier National Park, then back to Chicago. This is the Kaleidoscope of Winter Wonders.
Colorado Rockies • Sacramento • Yosemite National Park • Los Angeles • Catalina Island • Seattle • Glacier National Park
Call 877-929-7245 for rail fares and schedules from your city to and from Chicago.
- You'll be warm and cozy as the California Zephyr
winds and climbs through the whiteness of the
Colorado Rockies and the Sierra Nevada's
beautiful Donner Pass. Snow can be 6-8 feet deep.
- Yosemite National Park is one of America's most
popular spring, summer, and fall destinations.
You'll see all of its awesome natural wonders as few
people do.
- The Southern California attractions maintain a
consistent appearance year around . . . beautiful.
Catalina Island is a mountainous tropical paradise
22 miles off the California mainland. You'll spend
a day visiting some of the major attractions of the
Los Angeles area.
- The Coast Starlight is Amtrak's showcase train.
You'll be completely pampered from the time you
step aboard at 10:00 a.m. one day and disembark
35 hours later in Seattle. Count on two full days of
non-stop fun.
- Visits to Seattle's major attractions, including the
popular Pike's Market and the Space Needle will
highlight your day in the Emerald City.
- The Empire Builder's circuitous routing through
wintry Glacier National Park will highlight your
relaxing return trip from Seattle to Chicago.
- Round-trip transportation by Amtrak departing from Chicago.
- Private Roomette bedroom sleeping accommodations on the trains for five nights ($990 additional per person for
upgraded Bedrooms).
- First-class hotel accommodations for six nights.
- 24 meals.
- Extensive sightseeing.
- Baggage handling, taxes & tips.
- Services of a professional Tour Director.
Day 1: En Route
All Kaleidoscope of Winter Wonders tour members will meet the Tour Director in the Metropolitan Lounge of Chicago's Union Station at 1:00 p.m. At 1:30 they'll prepare to board the famous California Zephyr. Departure is at 2:00. The Zephyr features the double-decker Superliner equipment. Relax in your comfortable, private Standard Room sleeping accommodations. Deluxe Bedrooms are available at an additional cost. After settling in, you may want to go to the glass-walled Sightseer Lounge car. All meals on the trains are included. Coffee and water are available for sleeping car occupants in their car. Enjoy a full-course dinner in the diner tonight. (D)
Day 2: En Route
When you awaken this morning you may look out your window toward the West and thrill to the sight of the towering, majestic Colorado Rockies in the distance. Plan to get up early, have a piping hot breakfast in the dining car and find a seat in the glass-walled lounge car for the spectacular scenery that will unfold before you the rest of the day.
The Zephyr will pull out of Denver at 8:05 a.m. and begin its climb over the Front Range toward the Continental Divide. About an hour later you'll encounter the famous five-mile-long Moffat Tunnel and, literally, go under the Continental Divide. Throughout the day the train will wind around sharp mountain curves and through numerous tunnels. You'll look down at roaring streams winding through valleys far below. The snow-covered mountain vistas will continue until late afternoon. (B, L & D)
Day 3: En Route/Sacramento
Today's awesome winter scenery will be almost as spectacular as that experienced yesterday in Colorado as the Zephyr climbs over the high Sierra Nevada mountains through the famous Donner Pass. From rugged terrain and pine trees to lush greenery and palm trees. . . this landscape contrast will occur in just three hours. Your arrival in California's capital city, Sacramento, is scheduled for 5:50 p.m. You'll transfer to your attractive hotel for the evening, the Holiday Inn Capitol Plaza. (B & L)
Day 4: Yosemite National Park
Today will be one of the most memorable days of your life. You'll travel by motor coach and rail to Merced where you'll board a sightseeing bus for the 82-mile journey into the Park. A box lunch will be served en route. El Capitan, Bridalveil Falls, Yosemite Falls and Half Dome are some of the most popular attractions. You'll see these breathtakingly beautiful sites with their coating of ice and snow. This afternoon you'll take a two-hour narrated sightseeing tour of the park.
Once or twice during the winter months, the road to Yosemite my be closed due to snow accumulations. In the unlikely event your group should encounter such a condition, you will spend the day in Sacramento visiting the California State Rail Museum, the country's most extensive collection of rail equipment and memorabilia, Old Town and other sites.
Late this afternoon you'll return to Merced where you'll spend the night at the new Courtyard by Marriott. Dinner is included at the excellent Branding Iron Restaurant. (L & D)
Day 5: En Route/Long Beach
A breakfast in your hotel is included this morning. Today is a relaxing day as you travel about 290 miles to the Los Angeles suburb of Long Beach; 170 miles will be on an Amtrak train through the San Joaquin Valley, source of much of America's fruits and vegetables. The remainder, from Bakersfield to San Pedro, will be on an Amtrak Thruway bus. For the next three nights, travelers will enjoy the hospitality of the Crowne Plaza Los Angeles Harbor Hotel. (B)
Day 6: Catalina Island
Breakfast is included each morning in Long Beach. It takes a little more than an hour to cover the 22 miles from Long Beach to Avalon in a modern express boat that features airline-style seats. A two-hour sightseeing tour ten miles into the scenic interior of the island is included. You'll see spectacular vistas, deep canyons, quiet coves and blue ocean. Be on the lookout for buffalo and other wildlife. There will be time to explore the primary city of Catalina, Avalon. Glass-bottom boat tours are available. You'll return to the mainland late this afternoon. (B)
Day 7: Los Angeles
This morning you'll have the option of touring the Queen Mary or the Long Beach Aquarium, resting, or shopping.
This afternoon you'll strike out on an extensive tour of Los Angeles. The famous sites you'll visit include Chinatown, Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Exposition Park and Mann's Chinese Theatre where the hand and footprints of many stars are imprinted in concrete. Enjoy an afternoon break at the world-famous Farmers Market.
The Tour Director will host dinner this evening. (B & D)
Day 8: The Coast Starlight
This morning you'll transfer by motor coach to Los Angeles' beautiful Union Station where, at 10:15 a.m., you'll board the Coast Starlight, Amtrak's premier train for two full days of great scenery, great food, and great fun. You'll travel the entire 1377 miles from Los Angeles to Seattle.
All dining car meals are included. You'll want to spend time in the Sightseer Lounge to enjoy the spectacular scenery. Enjoy a Wine and Cheese Party in the diner this afternoon.
At night - or when you want some privacy - you'll have your private-room sleeping accommodations. Scenic highlights today include the traversing of a number of moun-tain ranges and rolling along 150 miles of awesome Pacific Ocean shoreline. (B, L & D)
Day 9: Coast Starlight/Seattle
Set your own leisurely schedule today as you continue to enjoy all of the activities aboard this very special train.
You won't want to miss the spectacular scenery of the towering, snow-covered Cascade Mountains (with its 22 tunnels and innumerable hairpin turns) that is just outside your wide train window this morning. Enjoy a wine and cheese party this afternoon.
We will continue to roll northward this afternoon through the Willamette Valley, past Portland, and finally arrive in Seattle at mid-evening. Your comfortable accommodations for the night will be at the Roosevelt Hotel. (B, L & D)
Day 10: Seattle
You're free this morning until 11:00 a.m. At that time you'll board a sightseeing bus and transfer to Seattle's world-famous Space Needle. Enjoy a spectacular panorama of the city, Puget Sound and the Cascade and Olympic Mountains from the 520-foot high observation deck.
Following an "on-your-own" lunch, you'll embark on a three-hour sightseeing tour of the Seattle area. The journey will include Chinatown, concrete floating bridges, Lake Washington, the arboretum, the University of Washington, and sweeping views of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains.
Our travelers will arrive at Seattle's King Street Amtrak station around 4:00 p.m. Your departure on the Empire Builder for Chicago is scheduled for 4:45. The Empire Builder is Amtrak's premier train. The gourmet side of riding the Empire Builder will begin at dinner and continue through tomorrow's three meals and breakfast and lunch the following day. Sleeping accommodations and all dining car meals are included. After settling in, you may want to go to the glass-walled Sightseer Lounge to enjoy the beautiful Puget Sound scenery between Seattle and Everett. (D)
Day 11: En Route
Enjoy a delicious dining car breakfast and then head for the Sightseer Loungecar. About 8:00 a.m., a dramatic panorama of snow-covered Rocky Mountain peaks will begin to rise above the horizon, becoming increasingly dynamic as you approach Glacier National Park. The scenery is striking as you wind past icy waterfalls, river gorges and other sights. The rest of the day you'll cross the remote flatlands of eastern Montana and western North Dakota. Look forward toa Wine and Cheese tasting event this afternoon. (B, L & D)
Day 12: En Route
Breakfast and lunch on the train are included. You depart from Minneapolis-St. Paul at 7:50 a.m. and head south along the west bank of the Mississippi River. The train winds between the river bank and high bluffs. Later in the morning, you pass through the picturesque Dells Country of Wisconsin. The Empire Builder is scheduled to arrive in Chicago's Union Station late this afternoon.
Many of the tour members will conclude their fabulous vacation by transferring to other Amtrak trains bound for home cities. Some will spend the night in Chicago and continue home by air tomorrow morning. (B & L)
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