Old Mission Santa Barbara

Day 1: LOS ANGELES – SANTA BARBARA – 17 MILE DRIVE – CARMEL Depart north up the spectacular California Coast to the first stop in Santa Barbara. Visit a Spanish Mission and continue to Solvang, a quaint Danish community to browse in the local shops. Head north to the world-famous Route #1 where you'll get to see the spectacular California coastline up close (small vehicles will travel the southern portion of route 1 while full-size coaches will travel the 17-mile drive exclusively). Visit the town of Carmel and enjoy some free time to stroll in town before departing to reach your hotel at the Spring Hill Suites by Marriott Oakland Airport. Day 2: SAN FRANCISCO – BAY CRUISE – GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE – CHINATOWN Start your tour at the Fisherman’s Wharf with a cruise in the world-famous bay. See great views of both the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island on your way to Sausalito. Return to Pier 39 for a leisurely lunch before an afternoon tour that takes in all the city’s famous landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Union square, Chinatown, and Nob Hill. Stay overnight in Modesto. Day 3: MODESTO – YOSEMITE Summer Route: Head east through the farmlands of the Joaquin Valley to Yosemite National Park. Stop at El Capitan, Bridal-Veil Falls, and Half Dome. After a beautiful day in the park, head to Stevenson Ranch and stay the night at the Comfort Inn and Suites Stevenson Ranch. Day 4: STEVENSON RANCH – LAS VEGAS Head east through the desert and Death Valley to arrive at the gambling capital of the world: Las Vegas. Stop for lunch at the outlet mall in Barstow and in the evening, take a tour of the strip to see some amazing hotels such as Caesar’s Palace, Luxor, Mirage, Paris, Venetian, Bellagio, New York New York, Treasure Island, and more. Stay overnight at the Harrah’s Hotel. Day 5: LAS VEGAS – GRAND CANYON – PAGE Start the day traveling through the desert and through the Navajo Indian reservation before you arrive at the south bank of the Grand Canyon. After lunch, continue along the canyon east stopping at some of the Indian market places to browse the handmade arts and crafts. Then, head to the Page and Lake Powell area for the evening where you will stay at the Quality Inn View of Lake Powell. Day 6: ANTELOPE CANYON – BRYCE CANYON Tour the Antelope Canyon and visit the spectacular dunes created by the wind, water, and sand. Then head west to Bryce Canyon, home to the most amazing natural sculptures in the world. Experience the unique changing of the colors during the sunset from one of the vista points in the park (this may change due to changing sunset times). After the visit, head towards the town of Kanab, where you will stay overnight at the Days Inn Kanab. On certain departures, the tour will continue to Cedar City for the night. Day 7: ZION PARK – LAS VEGAS Head into Zion Park and enjoy a short walking trail along the Virgin River that runs through the park. Arrive in Las Vegas and head towards Los Angeles for a late night.

Explore Santa Barbara on a trolley tour. See the city's most iconic landmarks, including Stearns Wharf, East Beach, and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History. Start your tour at Stearns Wharf, California’s oldest working wharf. Soak up the sun, salty breezes, and stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. Next, head to East Beach, a favorite spot for locals for volleyball, skating, paddle sports, and art shows. Enjoy a panoramic view of the Santa Barbara mountains. Visit the Andrée Clark Bird Refuge, a 42-acre open space park that includes a 29-acre lake that is an artificially modified estuary that supports brackish wetlands. Stop at Butterfly Beach in the chic and laid-back village of Montecito. The beach’s pristine shoreline is ideal for swimming, surfing, and sunbathing. See the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, which has a rich history dating back to 1876. Exhibits and collections change throughout the year to educate and entertain children and adults alike. Visit the Old Mission Santa Barbara, a community of many parts, but one spirit. The Mission has served as a gathering place and spiritual home for many since its establishment in 1786. See the Santa Barbara County Courthouse, designed in the Spanish-Colonial style and completed in 1929. The fully operational Courthouse is an iconic Santa Barbara landmark with its distinctive four-faced clock tower, red tile roofs, elegant arches, and verdant sunken garden and grounds. Stop at the El Presidio de Santa Bárbara State Historic Park, a 5 1/2-acre park that preserves the site of the last Spanish fortress, or presidio, founded in Alta (Upper) California in 1782. Finally, visit the Santa Barbara Harbor, where you will find interesting stores, delicious seafood restaurants, and the occasional celebrity yacht.

Day 1: LOS ANGELES – SANTA BARBARA – ROUTE 1/17 MILE DRIVE – CARMEL Summer Route: Depart north up the spectacular California Coast to the first stop in Santa Barbara. Visit a Spanish Mission, then continue to Solvang, a quaint Danish community to browse the local shops. After, see the spectacular California coastline up close (small vehicles will travel the southern portion of route 1 while full-size coaches will travel the 17-mile drive exclusively). Visit the town of Carmel home and enjoy some free time to stroll in town before departing to reach your hotel overnight at the SpringHill Suites by Marriott Oakland Airport. Winter Route: Depart north up the spectacular California Coast to the first stop in Santa Barbara. Start your tour and stop at the heart of downtown at the “state street promenade.” Stroll through the exclusive shops and restaurants in this beautiful part of town. Continue to Santa Barbara beaches and Stearns Wharf and finish your visit at the Spanish Mission Santa Barbara. From the mission, continue to Solvang, “the Danish capital of America.” Enjoy the Danish-style architecture while browsing in the local shops and restaurants. Then head north through Silicon Valley before departing to reach your hotel at the SpringHill Suites by Marriott Oakland Airport. Day 2: SAN FRANCISCO – BAY CRUISE – GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE – CHINATOWN Start your tour at the Fisherman’s Wharf with a cruise in the world-famous bay. Marvel at views of both the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. Return to Pier 39 for a leisurely lunch before an afternoon tour that takes in all the city’s famous landmarks, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Union square, and Chinatown. Summer Route Overnight: Modesto – Modesto Hotel Winter Route Overnight: San Francisco - Springhill Suites Oakland Airport Day 3 SAN FRANCISCO – YOSEMITE Summer Route: Head east through the farmlands of the Joaquin Valley to Yosemite National Park. Stop at El Capitan, Bridal-Veil Falls, and Half Dome. After a day in the park, head down to Stevenson Ranch for the evening. Winter Route: Start the day with a visit to Monterey and see the wharf and Cannery Row. Continue your tour of the beautiful California Coast with a visit to the town of Carmel-by-the-sea. Enjoy some free time to stroll in town and enjoy the beautiful boutiques and galleries. Head south to the world-famous Route #1 and spend your evening at Stevenson Ranch. Day 4: STEVENSON RANCH – LAS VEGAS Summer & Winter Route: Arrive in Las Vegas and take a tour of the strip to see some of the truly amazing hotels and fantasies that are built in the middle of the desert, such as Caesar’s Palace, Mirage, Luxor, Paris, Mandalay Bay, New York New York, Treasure Island and more. Stay overnight at Harrah’s Hotel. Day 5: LAS VEGAS – HOOVER DAM – LOS ANGELES Summer & Winter Route: After a leisurely breakfast, leave Las Vegas and make your way to the Hoover Dam. Then head west and cross back into California. Your tour ends back in Los Angeles.

Discover the best bike routes, historical landmarks, and viewpoints of Santa Barbara on an electric bike with an expert guide. Choose between a customizable private tour or a shared group tour where a route is decided by your guide. Start with an easy stroll along the scenic Cabrillo bike path and quickly venture into the artsy area of Santa Barbara. Check out the delicious wine and dine culture of this area. Let your tour guide show you the must-see historic buildings in the heart of downtown. As you bike through downtown, enjoy a safe and spacious bike ride up and down the energetic State Street Promenade allocated for bike and pedestrian traffic only. After downtown, your guide might have a few secret gems that he or she will show you before heading back along the waterfront. The finale of this tour will take you through the bike path that winds through the Santa Barbara Harbor and along the boardwalk back to the bike shop.

A private tour like this can be customized if desired. We normally see these sights: Bird refuge and wave to the giraffes at the zoo Beautiful Butterfly Beach in the town of Montecito Cruise the waterfront on the Cabrillo bike path Check out historic Stearns Wharf and the dolphin fountain Look at the city from a lookout point above the harbor See the biggest fig tree in America Find our what's funky in the "Funk Zone" Cruise up the State Street Promenade (blocked off from cars) See a 360 degree view of downtown from the Courthouse tower See the beautiful Old Mission and Rose Garden Admire the unique Arlington Theatre and compare to the towering Granada Theatre At American Riviera Bike Tours, we look forward to making your visit to Santa Barbara special!

Cruise over to Montecito and see Butterfly Beach. Ride along the sunny Cabrillo Bike Path and check out Stearns Wharf. On a clear day you'll see 4 of the Channel Island on your way to the harbor and Shoreline park. Effortlessly ride up State Street Promenade and enjoy all the people watching that you can handle. If you like architecture, check out the Arlington theatre and Granada Theatre. If you want to see why the SB Courthouse is voted most beautiful public building, it's just a block from State Street. The free view from the Courthouse tower is amazing.

Embark on a full-day adventure in Santa Barbara that combines surfing, hiking, hot springs, and a city tour. Learn to surf on the beach, hike to a hot spring, and see the Santa Barbara Mission and Rose Gardens. Finish the day with a pass to a local yoga studio. Meet your guide downtown at the world-famous Barbarians Cave. Select your personal surfboard, get fitted for wetsuits, and load into the surf buggy. Travel down the coast as a group until you arrive at one of the local surf breaks. Unload the surf buggy and do a full surf lesson on the sand. Paddle out as a group and get a full surf lesson in the water. Learn about tides and currents, how to paddle out, how to paddle into a wave, stand up, and surf the curl. Receive several paddle assists and hands-on direction from the surf instructor in the water as they position best for the wave and give you a gentle push into the curl. After your surf, head into the Santa Barbara mountains and hike for 30-45 minutes to a local multi-pooled, uncrowded hot spring. After the springs, drive through Montecito to a breathtaking overlook of Santa Barbara. Hop out for picture time. Then, head down the mountain to the Santa Barbara Mission and Rose Gardens for a quick stroll through history. Finally, head back to Barbarians Cave where everyone will receive a pass to one of the most celebrated yoga studios in Santa Barbara, Yoga Soup.